Mendel - Sydney

Hi there

I am new to the Reprap scene, have read through most of the posts here and thought it might be a good thing to start a Mendel specific thread.

I am planning on putting a couple of machines together as part of a Winter studio that I am running at UTS (Architecture) with about 3 students in each team to speed things up.

The aim is to make rapid prototyping much cheaper and more accessible and also to start an active group here in Sydney that can help each other out, develop new applications and have some fun with these machines.

I had previously thought that this would just be a UTS thing, but it would make sense to have some active involvement from outside to help build a community in Sydney.

I have posted a couple of messages on other topics, sorry to repeat.

Would be great to speak/post with others that have put a Mendel machine together, bought the parts, can print parts for a Mendel and have experience running the machine.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts

James

Look forward to hearing your thoughts

You guys have a laser cutter ... [reprap.org] ?

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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!

Hey there Sebastien

We do have a laser cutter, I am not sure what the maximum thickness it can cut but I have seen it cut what looked like 3mm mDF. I am pretty sure it could cut out all of the thin panels, will enquire whether it can cut the thick ones too.

Would be good to get some sharing of resources going.

James

Ok, I talked to the workshop yesterday regarding laser cutter and other machines.

Our laser cutter cun cut up to 7mm MDF and 6mm Acrylic, we cannot cut sheet metals.

We also have 4 high quality stratasys 3D printers (layer thickness 0.25) these produce very good quality parts in ABS. So some parts such as for the extruder head can (apparently) be better to print with this. I have just had the parts for the 'Wade' extruder priced at it is $53.

Pricing is worked out at approx 60c per cm3, so this is not an efficient way to do all of the 3D parts required.

We also have a full industrial design workshop, including lathes, drill presses etc.

I am still looking for 2 sets of Mendel printed parts, which I need within the next 3 or 4 weeks. I would be happy to come to some arrangement of trade or payment for these parts.

Laser cutter is $10 / 30 minutes plus materials. They can supply Acrylic

I am still looking for 2 sets of Mendel printed parts, which I need within the next 3 or 4 weeks. I would be happy to come to some arrangement of trade or payment for these parts.

We're still trying to get a network of loaner machines up and running. If you can't borrow a loaner set from your local RUG, then buy one from ebay, use it, and sell it back to ebay when you're done.

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-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

---

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!

Does anyone have a set of loaner Mendel parts?

We would be happy to pay for the privilege of loaning these parts.

James

I envy you guys at UTS. I'm in my third year of architecture at the University of Canberra. I want to revolutionize the way the students in design units make models. It is ridiculously expensive at my uni's workshop. this year its moved into the 21st century. it has a cnc router, laser cutter and a z corp powder based printer.

the laser cutter and router cost $2.00 a minute and the 3d printer costs $2.00 a cubic centimetre!

UTS is WAY cheaper!

the because of the cost 3d printer isn't used at all. the laser cutter and router however are pretty popular.

it sounds like you guys have the same aspirations as me, to make modeling more affordable for students. how'd you go in your endeavours? what sort of impact has the reprap made to student's modelling. I'd love to collaborate with you guys!

Cheers,

Andrew.

Hi James,

I have a set of parts stacked up for when I complete my cisco certs. Mind you that whole project list is backed up over the past year and a half due to new infant support syndrome ;-). I don't recall if I have a complete set of parts as I did have to put my ailing focus elsewhere. I will see if I can audit the parts box this weekend. In brief, i bought "Nophead" extruded parts with Wade's Extruder, VBX rods and bearings (for two sets - one to gift a like-minded friend), Mendel-Parts aluminium table with heat resistors, mounting plates and v5? Extruder set. No high temp glass though. I bought two RAMPS controller kits and arduino mega1280s as my soldering skills 'need development' ;-) I don't recall how many Polulu stepper controllers I purchased. I don't think that I have any heatsinks or fans yet. I might have one 450W pc power supply. Also, perhaps 4 new NEMA 17s... Oh, yes! I have rods and bolts and washers and nuts. All required for one machine? I don't recall

I'm down Gymea. Let me know if you want to come and help audit ;-) Also you'd give me a chance to consider what sort of reciprical agreement we can reach. Probably something aong the lines of all borrowed parts returned (or replaced where consumable) and full buildlog & operations documentation in photo and description augmenting that available on www.reprap.org. If you can output good parts, I would like to buy an additional set, hopefully at a favourable rate.

Let me know via scott.zwanenbeek@gmail.com
Regards,
Scott