Mini Printer

I recently took apart an old dvd drive and noticed a few interesting items. It contained a threaded rod (3.5mm), 2 smooth rods(3.5mm) and small stepper motor. Images of the drive can be found Here

I was wondering if these parts could be used to create a tiny 3d printer for high accuracy and portability.

I was thinking it would also be cool to make little pocket versions of popular designs like a little hand held prusa, or a soda can kossel

Sure they can, here are some examples:
Poor Mans Printer
$60 printer

would a smaller hotend be possible?

There are certain components that can´t be much smaller/shorter. The hotend with the thermal break made for 1.75mm filament is one of those things.

Sure,you could make your own filament with eg. 0.5mm diameter and use a 0.1mm M3 nozzle but the problems get bigger with smaller parts
A 1.75mm bowden extruder needs a huge or geared stepper. Would it work when scaled down to 0.5mm filament?

I don´t see a benefit of a cute small printer with a PC PSU twice as big...not to mention the electronics
-Olaf

Quote
o_lampe
There are certain components that can´t be much smaller/shorter. The hotend with the thermal break made for 1.75mm filament is one of those things.

Sure,you could make your own filament with eg. 0.5mm diameter and use a 0.1mm M3 nozzle but the problems get bigger with smaller parts
A 1.75mm bowden extruder needs a huge or geared stepper. Would it work when scaled down to 0.5mm filament?

I don´t see a benefit of a cute small printer with a PC PSU twice as big...not to mention the electronics
-Olaf

Why? never had a problem with my stepper with a 1.75mm filament

... its all very possible to make thing smaller and sure problems could get bigger, but we actually don't know, we have never been there.
So I would say go for it but don't expect much support from here because they are all stuck in old and the available stuff, so you have to invent a lot of stuff yourself

Two days ago someone on thingiverse posted a "photon printer". A laser engraver based on DVD writers.
That would make a bit more sense, than a mini fdm printer.
-Olaf

why?? because then you can engrave stuff on little pieces of paper or wood? that has nothing to do with a 3d printer.
Its like saying "a you want an apple? I have some thing better for you!, here a shoe"

I agree that it is a great little machine but the topicstarter wants to build a little 3d printer

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but the topicstarter wants to build a little 3d printer

Not exactly,
he only asked if the the parts were good for creating a tiny 3D-printer.
It was more like:" I have some stuff, what can I do with it?". So I suggested building a laser engraver.

If the topicstarter doesn´t want to, maybe somenone else find this hint useful...
-Olaf

LOL if you only take that part from the post then maybe yes but if you take a look at :

I was wondering if these parts could be used to create a tiny 3d printer for high accuracy and portability.

I was thinking it would also be cool to make little pocket versions of popular designs like a little hand held prusa, or a soda can Kossel

Then imo he wants a 3d printer.....


still not disagreeing still that the micro laser engraver is a cool thing

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2015 08:02AM by Weedz.

... 3D-printing is not only related to FDM

Among the first '3D-printers' were LOM-fabbers (LOM=LaminatedObjectManufacturing) - they stacked/laminated sheets of paper or plastic (or ceramic or metal), glued or fused them, cut the contours of the actual slice ... and then started again with laminating, ...

So if you'll see this 'laser-engraver' as basis for a LOM-printer, then this will be valid

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Good point Victor,
the engraved lines from the DVD-Laser are very thin. Would like to know, how tiny a LOM part could be done.
What is the thinnest paper sheet?
-Olaf

Quote
VDX
... 3D-printing is not only related to FDM

Among the first '3D-printers' were LOM-fabbers (LOM=LaminatedObjectManufacturing) - they stacked/laminated sheets of paper or plastic (or ceramic or metal), glued or fused them, cut the contours of the actual slice ... and then started again with laminating, ...

So if you'll see this 'laser-engraver' as basis for a LOM-printer, then this will be valid

Hahahaha so true

Hi Olaf,

Quote
o_lampe
Would like to know, how tiny a LOM part could be done.

... as tiny, as your cutting/engraving capabilities

The image in this thread shows LOM parts, I've made from 0.1mm thick steel sheets - [forums.reprap.org]

But my smallest parts were made from 30 microns thick polymer membranes, cut with an Excimer-laser with achieavable accuracies down to single microns.

Actually my 'finest' laser at home can cut with a 20 micron wide spot -- the mechanical resolution/accuracy of my engraver is around 5 microns ... so could be much finer than the steel-LOM's

---

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

What about using a 0.4 mm nylon printing system and use fishing line as filament stock, used with a 0.2mm nozzle it would result in a low extruder pressure, but may require quite high flow rates. A small printer that could print small items to high degres of accuracy in nylon would be extreemly usefull. At the small sizes, problems with warping would be minimized.