Idaho Falls Area

Is there anyone in the Idaho Falls area working on a RepRap project?

There are a number of people interested in 3d printing in Idaho Falls! I know at least one person in town who has a functional Makerbot, and I'm waiting for a Makergear Mosaic kit that should arrive this week. There is also a group that is working on organizing some type of community TechSpace / Hackerspace that might involve a communal RepRap. I'll send you my contact information, if you'd like to talk.
James

Thanks for the information DocJames. If you don't mind, could you enlighten me on Mosaic because I'm not exactly clear as to why that Kit may be more desirable than Prusa Mendel Kit. Are there videos of Mosaic showing it in operation?
Thanks,

GW

Here are some videos of Mosaics printing:

[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]

I have seen far more impressive pictures and print times with Slic3r / Marlin on many websites with the Mosaic hardware, but no videos yet.

I did quite a bit of reading, and decided the Mosaic fit what I was looking for and was a good balance in effort required, cost, and capabilities. Obviously, the assessment could be different depending on the balance one is looking for. For maximum self-replication and more rapid innovation / improvements / tinkering with the machine itself, It seems to me that Prussa seems to be the way to go. I don't have direct experience with any 3d printers, so that's just my impression.

While I have experience with microcontrollers and electronics, the closest I have gotten to 3d printer experience is building a 2d drawbot. For a 3d printer, I wanted a complete kit that I could build myself, but also wanted to minimize my time to initial useful printing. The Mosaic seems to be straightforward to build (see this tutorial: [makeprojects.com]), and relatively simple to tune and set up a reliable workflow. Compared to some other available kits, the Mosaic has really great reviews of it's extruder and hotend, and it was a bit more affordable (I got it on sale around New Year's). You can read some reviews here: [forums.reprap.org]

My impression is that if you are willing to tinker, many of the improvements to be made in any of the 3d printers are in the design:software:firmware chain, or printable modifications and upgrades. Since so many of the parts are common between any of the RepRap derivatives I reasoned that if I had a working 3d printer and the knowledge from working with a more guided kit, I could always print parts, cannibalize the electronics, steppers, and mechanism, and with a small additional investment make myself a Prusa Mendel or other RepRap. There is a clear upgrade path via repstrapping, even starting with printers other than the Mendal. Basically I selected the Mosaic for a balance between wanting to work on 3d a printer, and wanting to work on projects with 3d printed parts.

Hope that helps.

James

Hey All,

Feel free to let us in Boise know if you would like support in any way. We've already made some great contacts in the community here and in our state and can help in lots of ways. We've also just legitimized a hackerspace in Boise called Open Lab Idaho.

Go Reprap and Go Idaho!

-David

I would also be interested in connecting with people. I'm in Pocatello, but Idaho Falls is probably as close as I can get.

I'm in Pocatello as well. My friend and I are working on building 2 repstraps.

Bobbintb, do you have a printer already running?

I have a printer running in Idaho Falls, and occasionally travel down to Pocatello. Send me a PM if you are planning a get-together or want to chat.

James

Bobbitay, no, I do not have one running yet. I have just been so busy lately. Right now I am just collecting as many parts as I can to build one. I want to learn as much as I can so I am avoiding buying anything and trying to make or source most of it. I am looking at making a printrbot as it ssems to be very popular right now as well as a cheaper, simpler design. I work at the University here in Pocatello. I wonder if there is enough interest maybe we could use someplace on campus as a hackerspace. And DocJames, that would be great. I'm sure a few of us could use help printing initial parts.

I'm in the planning stages of my build. if anyone is passing through rexburg I would be happy to bater off a ddwrt router and some money in exchange for a set of wallace parts.

Hello,

I am located in Pocatello, ID and would be VERY interested in getting some sort of hackerspace going here. I am currently working on a car pc, several arduino projects and cnc.

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

If you want I can provide you with some of the materials I used to incorporate Open Lab Idaho here in Boise. I ended up working an average of ten hours a week on getting the organization off the ground, but we were already doing things and people were getting together long before that. Most of my time has been spent on the 501c3 app and other administrative stuff though, and I've heard of other hackerspaces doing things less formally.

Hope you are having fun!

-David

Pocatello area, but am interested in a hackerspace/robotics/user group anywhere in SE Idaho. Have a number of projects started; very few completed. Just acquired a wheelchair begging to be morphed into a robot. Microchip, beagleboard/beaglebone/pandaboards. Love microcontrollers. Came back from Maker Faire a couple of weeks ago itching to get into something creative. Would be interested in what y'all might have in mind.

-Dal

Signed up for a site account...

-Dal

i am a student up in rexburg. i would also really like to get a hackerspace going up here in east idaho as well. just moved up from utah, theyve got one in SLC going. maybe someone should make a group on facebook. that is how makeLC got most of its people and once you start networking we can get a space and some prototyping stuff. I can make a facebook group if anyone else thinks its a good idea...

also forgot to mention im finishing up a CNC mill project.. just waiting for more income $$$

Hey all,

I would just like to extend an offer of support for those who would like to utilize some of the resources that we are building here in Boise. We've got Open Lab Idaho Hackerspace built up in a room connected to the Reuseum, and have lately begun installing fab machines like a donated zcorp 3D printer, soon a Shapeoko CNC mill, 1W laser etching machine, and tools like a drill press, etc.

I know that a couple hour drive isn't the easiest thing, but if you would like to see you documents for Open Lab such as bylaws or our 501(c)3 app, just PM me and I can link you to them. BTW, it is called Open Lab Idaho for a reason, and I am in the hopes that chapters could be formed so our groups can collaborate while maintaining self sufficiency.

We have a good community brewing and conversation is at forums.openlabidaho.org

Let me know how we can help you!

A few of us might have to come up and see the Boise space; maybe on the next meetup. I think we have enough interest, but kind of tentative as to how many in the SE area would be actively involved. I'm thinking maybe the suggestion of a wordpress blog/forum or facebook thing might be the first step, maybe some meetups after a bit of interest established. I'd like to see a formal SE Idaho lab/group going, but probably need to see where we are at first. The 10hrs a week administrative work and some of the paperwork filing you mentioned sounds like quite a bit of legwork; will have to get with you to see how much work is really involved.

Anyway, sounds pretty cool. Need to advertise around and see who might be locally interested outside of the reprap group. How large is the boise group? How many active? Does the group thin somewhat during summer months?

-Dal

The membership cuurently is about 20 full members and another twenty enthusiasts of what we are doing. The idea of a site for posting activities is great as a landing point, and starts your ever ongoing marketing. Since access to Fab tools is the #1 value of a hackerspace, most of my admin time has been spent writing out waivers, researching insurance, writing the bylaws that we voted in and general bookkeeping for dues. There is always work to do behind the scenes. We have a big meetup on July 14th 2012 where we'll have demos, worktables and stuff to build in case anyone would like to try and make it. The brewery is catering and it should be a ton of fun.

-D

The membership cuurently is about 20 full members and another twenty enthusiasts of what we are doing. The idea of a site for posting activities is great as a landing point, and starts your ever ongoing marketing. Since access to Fab tools is the #1 value of a hackerspace, most of my admin time has been spent writing out waivers, researching insurance, writing the bylaws that we voted in and general bookkeeping for dues. There is always work to do behind the scenes. We have a big meetup on July 14th 2012 where we'll have demos, worktables and stuff to build in case anyone would like to try and make it. The brewery across the street is catering and it should be a ton of fun.

-D

Sounds great! We'll have to try and make it up

I am from Idaho Falls. I am currently in the process of building the Rostock printer as my first build. I am very excited to finally be creating instead of just dreaming. I welcome any advice or friendships and would love to meet others from the area that are enthusiasts.

Just posted about my Mendelmax 2.0, I teach metals/leathers/bicycles/small engine/tech and design and have a pretty decent shop. Right now I'm trying to get some community classes set up in it, but would love to do it as a hacker space! Please let me know if anyone is interested.

I just moved to Idaho Falls from Washington and I would also be interested in a meetup. Hackerspace might be a bit ambitious for a new group. We could just find a meeting space and do monthly stuff like Seattle robotics club does as a start.

Would love to do a meetup, even if it was a get-to-know-you type thing at a restaruant or something. Its always fun to hang out in the shop too though...

If anyone wants to come use my shop I am here most every Thursday evening form 6:00 to 8:00. Come us it once, come use it for 3 months, I'm easy.

More info on my community class page here: [www.facebook.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2013 01:32PM by dorkpunch.

I have a meetup created for 3D printing enthusiasts in Idaho Falls. I would love to see this go somewhere and am willing to continue to pay the meetup fees if we can get some members involved.

Dorkpunch, do you have any dates and times when you are meeting in your shop? I will come and bring others if I can.

BTW I have a working (mostly) Rostock and will have a Mendel Max 1.5+ soon. It is at the groups disposal if needed.

How about for starters we try to meet at dorkpunch's shop on the third thursday. (April 18th). Third thursday is easy to remember.

Bryan

I would love to have you all down! I am teaching a community class on the 18th from 6 to 8:00 pm, and will be at the shop but will be kinda busy. Anyone is welcome to stop in and see me while I'm there, I just probably wont have time to do much...

If anyone wants to come before or after that would be fine too, just let me know when!

Here is the address to the Meetup

http://www.meetup.com/MakerIF/

That way we can help organize the meetings.
I am game for a meeting at Dorkpunch's shop on the 18th or whatever day is best for him. If we all get on the Meetup, then it will be much faster to organize these types of meetings.

Well maybe we should avoid crashing Dorkpunch's class. Any ideas on a different time/day/locale?

Bryan