Reprap 2013 Latest Stable Build

It's time again to start reviewing components for a new LSB version of reprap.

Goals of the LSB:
-Promote the "best" recent developments from around the Reprap community.
-Pull new component build instructions into the Reprap.org wiki from sources scattered around the web.
-Define a stable build milestone to base Reprap.org build instruction around.

A LSB helps the community solve newbie problems, and those that want to help on the wiki have a road map for where to make edits. Newbies also have a reasonably modern platform to start with and build upon.

Have a look at the last LSB and offer your opinions on useful changes below.
Reprap 2012 Latest Stable Build

The 2013 LSB will be finalized around December 31, 2012

J-head is still the rocky balboa of reprap, it's the champ!

Ramps, because there can be only one

Wade's reloadble extruder, because you can't make lemons from oranges. and I've had a few issues with direct drive filament

Hyena bolt

I think X & Y carriges should be included in the LSB. too many x-carriges with bad or no fan ducts available

Marlin, printrun, slic3r bam!

I would not recommend Marlin for beginners. Sprinter experimental has acceleration and lookahead and is much, much easier to set up.

With good instructions Marlin isnt too complicated to setup. As for Printrun, I would suggest Repetier-Host instead.

Maybe even repetier firmware for its interesting communication protocol (its got error correction if im not mistaken and is more optimized, less/no pauses when printing at lower com port speed etc...) and its suposedly as good as merlin but I havent tried it yet so I can only vouch for their printer host software. If someone can comment on this it would be appreciated.

Also, eventually were gonna have to ditch printers made of threaded rods, they arent solid enough and If we want all the new guys helping to bring the 3d printing scene forward, we should have them start with a more solid machine instead of having them wasting time fixing their wobbly printers.

My first printer was a Prism ( /wink wink Buback : ) and the first print that I ever made was a whistle. It actualy came out better than lots of prints I have seen on thingiverse made by "suposedly" calibrated printers.

Also, my last 2 cents is about print beds. I dont think having the print bed moving on the Y axis is the best design, it probably wont be doable for the 2013 LSB but in the future a return to the cube style printer with the bed moving only on the Z axis will probably be better. Thicker aluminium is flatter, add a glass top, heating elements, insulation etc... you can see how heavy the print bed can get, plus the more you add plastic on top of it the heavier it gets. Too many variables, too much weight limits your y movement speed, causes problem with accuracy etc...

I think its wiser to have the printhead go X and Y and move the bed in the Z direction only.


Edit: Oh and one last detail that HAS to get on the 2013 LSB. USE A SHIELDED USB CABLE!!!
I cant stress this enough, my printer had all sorts of problems, crashes etc... then I stumbled upon a USB cable at work that had the mention "shielded" on it, once I switched to that cable i have been able to print direct from my computer with zero crashes for months. I have no more uses for the SD ramps and I have been able to bump my com port speed all the way up. This will save all the new guys a lot of grief.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2012 04:17PM by thecrazy.

I agree with the above post by thecrazy, a platform with as little movement in the heated bed as possible is ideal.

I nominate rostock delta

Rostock hasn't been successfully built and operated by enough different people to consider it standard yet IMO.

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Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

Let's agree to disagree

Frame

MendelMax

Electronics

SmoothieBoard
Printrboard
Azteeg X3
RAMBo

Firmware

Marlin

Extruder

-Hot end

J Head

-Cold end

Accessible Wade's Extruder

Interface Software

Printrun

Slicing Software

Slic3r 0.9.3 (without Honeycomb infill)

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-Tom

Sniper4395 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frame
>
> MendelMax
>
> Electronics
>
> Should have said ramps
> Should have said ramps
> Should have said ramps
> Should have said ramps
>
> Firmware
>
> Marlin
>
> Extruder
>
> -Hot end
>
> J Head
>
> -Cold end
>
> Accessible Wade's Extruder
>
> Interface Software
>
> Printrun
>
> Slicing Software
>
> Slic3r 0.9.3 (without Honeycomb infill)


I agree with everything above

How can you not mention ramps?
megatronics from reprapworld is worth a mention too since it's a cheaper version of the ramps

Not a whole lot of responses, but i appreciate the input from those that offered it. I'm sure that as the years go on this will be a bigger deal. I've also intentinally stayed out of the mix, but maybe i should have bumped it every once and a while (but have been way too busy the past 3 months).

The biggest change that has some concensus is mendelmax, which i agree with. Does anything else really have to change in this list? seems like everything else is still contemporary.

I suggest that we only add mendel max and remove prusa.

MendelMax is good, I'm not sure it is necessarily the best, nor the most popular. Mendel90 is arguably better and an easier and cheaper build. Meanwhile Mendel is still going pretty strong, I think it is still the most popular build.

I've no figures though, I am just going by the posts I see here and the machines offered on ebay.

Frame:

Mendelmax

Electronics:

rAMBO

Firmware

Marlin

Hotend:

Arcol V4

Extruder:

Wades Accessible

Interface Software:

Repetier Host

Slicing Software:

Slic3r

I disagree with the choice of RAMB0 - it's expensive compared to a RAMPS kit ordered from RRD, and unless you are actually running 2 extruders there is minimal benefit.

Is there a reason I'm missing as to why RAMB0 is recommended?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2013 01:00AM by crispy1.

crispy1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I disagree with the choice of RAMB0 - it's
> expensive compared to a RAMPS kit ordered from
> RRD, and unless you are actually running 2
> extruders there is minimal benefit.
>
> Is there a reason I'm missing as to why RAMB0 is
> recommended?


Why would a Rambo be better for dual extruders than a RAMPS? Just curious.

Secondly I'd also like to know what other advantages Rambo offers.

I have a Rambo sitting here, I've chosen a Ramps for my current build just because it'll be easir to wire. But if someone can convince me otherwise...



Anyways, back on topic:
I vote for

RAMPS
J-Head
Wades/Gregs
Prusa PCB heatbed
Marlin firmware (it was my first firmware here and I managed it just fine)
Pronterface and Slic3r (I have yet to try Repetier host or firmware)

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2013 02:31AM by xclusive585.

Quote

Why would a Rambo be better for dual extruders than a RAMPS? Just curious.

On RAMPS, the PWM output for the second extruder heater is typically used for a head fan. A head fan is a necessity. Rambo has addition PWM outputs so you can run 2 extruders AND a fan for each extruder. It should all be labelled on the wiring diagram on the wiki page if you want more info.

On the whole I think RAMBO is a slightly better board than RAMPS, but it's more expensive and it's not what most people are using, which is what this "latest stable build" is all about, right?

I just put what I was using...guilty as charged. I have a RAMBO and RAMPS and prefer RAMBO. The overall rigidity is my favorite part. It has better (more rigid) standard connections and is faster/easier to setup for me. Maybe it seems more "idiot-proof". It also runs much cooler, and I've never seen a skipped step...which I did with RAMPS. Oh, and I hated adjusting the pololus. The decrease in headache and confidence I've gained in my electronics has been worth the additional money, to me.

I think dual extruders will be standard by the end of the year - mostly for the purpose of dissolvable support, so might as well design them in.

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