How to build custom machine thats still compatible with the programs and such?

Yes i am new here so be nice, I am basically a cheap bastard who doesn't want to pay for all the custom part so I've designed my own reprap on paper and am wondering what do i need to do to keep the machine compatible with the open source programs on reprap.org? And if i don't know what I'm talking about please tell me because this is all a learning experience for me.

By compatible, I assume you mean you want it to be able to drive the machine using the same programs and code.

A good start is to stick to one of the many types of existing electronics. This limits you to 4 or 5 motors; one each for X, Y and Z and one or two for extruders.

The main difference will be some of the values that need to be in the firmware configuration file. These figures (mainly things like steps per mm) are determined in combination by the motors, the electronics and the way the motors drive your axes/extruder(s) (eg: belts/ball screws/gears/etc). If you do publish your designs, it would be good to publish all of these figures from your working setup so that other people have a decent starting point. They may vary slightly from machine to machine (tolerances, slightly different parts, etc etc), but it'll give a fairly close starting point for someone following your work, rather than calculating it all from scratch.

Thanks like I said I'm learning as I go and my design is still mostly on paper and in my head and I am planing to put it up here as soon as I get it on the computer. Where can I learn to change the dimensions in the firmware. I've had a small bit experience with sevrel types of programming so is there any type that I should study up on to help me or is that not required. Thanks agin!

bggillmore, what are you doing up? A WolfStrap-type, T-Slot-type, or, ideally, something new?

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-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

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Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!

The values are simple defines in the firmware, which you compile with the Arduino software and then send to your board. They all refer to 'steps per mm', and should be in the configuration.h file in the default 5D firmware. Other firmware may have this set elsewhere.
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WOW, Thanks so much Sebastien that wolf strap design is allot like my design. Ive never seen that around to site before! Ive learned allot from that page and thanks also Cefair.

basically, you need 3 axes which can be precisely positioned, an extruder motor, a temp sensor, a heater, drivers for all these, and a microcontroller that interprets reprap-style gcode and generates suitable signals.

Everything else can be changed- there are so many different sets of electronics, firmware, hardware and combinations thereof in use in this community (and discussion of getting them to work!) that I'm sure you'll have few troubles.

I've designed+made my own electronics and firmware, and am (slowly!) making mendel-style hardware from wood.

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Wooden Mendel
Teacup Firmware

Basically, your axes need to be at right angles. Other configurations such as deltas or rotating platforms will need special software or firmware.