About to place orders for build. A few questons.

First current planed build:

MakerGear Hot End Kit for 1.75mm Filament;===$80: Ultimachine.com
Prusa PCB Heated Bed;----------------------------------$55: Ultimachine
Kysan 1124090 Nema 17 Stepper Motor;=======$107:Ultimachine
Ramps per-assembled;-----------------------------------$200:Ultimachine
Prusa Mendel Hardware Kit(metric);===========$70: Ultimachine (just for the rods)
Linear Bearing RepRap Prusa Kit(W/Wades)-------$200: Emakershop.com
Diablotex DA 250Watt ATX power supply;=======$15:Amazon.com

Comments: That last item causes a lot of duplicates, and could probably be replaced but i don't know enough, and i would rather too much then too little. I plan on using the nuts and bolts on future projects anyway.

Questions:

Q1: Hot End. What is the differnce, in terms of print quality, of a .50mm Nozzle and .25 nozzle? Same for the filament size.

Q2: Heated Bed: Is it worth it? Does it help with all plastics or just some? If i wait(until i fell like upgrading) on it will it be a mistake.

Q3: Is 250 Watt power supply enough?

Q5: What should be the first spool of plastic(ABS or PLA) i get? Should i just get a pound of each and see which i like?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but i am a day or two from placing a 800-900 dollar order.

the plastic that comes out actually gets squashed a bit and your actual layers turn out a tiny bit smaller. So .25 is going to give you some really small layers, (which we refer to as resolution). This will look amazing, but the actual filament that comes out will be a bit harder for you to see than the .5, the whole process might be a bit harder to visualise what's going on. If you start with .5, for which you can still get really nice prints, it's much easier to see what's going on and calibrate accordingly. If you want to print at .25 it's better to extrude from filament that's 1.75mm, less pressure to extrude, less plastic sitting in the hot zone wanting to ooze out.

As for plastics, PLA doesn't require a heated bed (as much) as ABS. If you print ABS onto a cold surface, the cold layers underneath the fresh hot layers get pulled up off the bed around the edges and this is called warping. You will have much more luck with PLA if you aren't using a heated bed but even large parts will start to warp, you should really consider the heated bed to get nice flat parts, warped parts look crap.

I would go with .5 nozzle and if you can afford it PLA and ABS if not PLA to start with. ABS def has it's advantages but PLA is a bit easier to work with for starters... ABS is perfect for high heat applications, though is a bit stinkier and gives off worse fumes (ABS is a petrochemical, PLA is a bio plastic) ABS is strong and flexible where as PLA is harder yet brittle.

Ah i'm pretty sure 250 watt is enough, but someone with more knowledge should chime in, i use 600 watt.

Q3. Its not the wattage that matters its the amps.
Its rated at 10amps on the 12v which should be fine for a standard reprap (uses about 5amps).
However on the heated bed you really want something which can give out in the region of 20amps

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My Reprap blog

jds-reprap.blogspot.com

Altogether, a bit costly for my taste. Getting better prices requires more searching, though. Here's an example from the other end of the price range: [forums.reprap.org]

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Thanks,

@mlagana12
I think the precision might be worth it. My roommate are game modelers. The details they want it would be best to have the upper end.

I think i will opt for a heating bed. Some of the projects in the future will most likely need ABS. I scene some picture of warped prints and it gets bad.

I think i get 1lb ABS and 1or5lb of PLA. I want to have the ABS if in need it but PLA seems better for my applications.

@JoeDaStudd
I think i will splurge for a better power supply. Out of the three computers i build, two of them were brick with in a week because of a cheap power supply. Amazon.com has a $25 one with 24amps on the 12V1.

@Traumflug
It's not the research problem. It's a knowledge problem. I could easily save 250ish, just by sourcing the 4 kits have separately. Maybe more if build the electronics my self(or find a ECE/EE major i pay in printed objects). I would rather too much items, and then save them for a future build, then not enough. I know of one more person on campus that might have one. If he can help me then i would get a cheaper build.

I hope my grammar is not too bad, but i need to run to class.