(Noob) Need help with first time prusa i3 questions !!

I want to build one and was wondering where to order the kit? I've seen the list on wiki but am unsure which kit is legit because I heard there are quite a few fakes.

My questions are as follows:

1) Do the kits contain sufficient info that a noob can make the printer?
2) Is this following kit legit or fake? (I'm thinking of buyig it)
[www.replikeo.com]
3) Where can I get a real kit for under $400 if the above is fake?I'd prefer a kit in which the final product is like this:
[www.youtube.com]
4) Any other resources or tips you would give a noob?

I'm partial to Folger tech mostly due to the metal frame acrylic cracks easy when over tightened and can flex messing with the print.

[www.ebay.com]

First of all, there are no fake nor legit since repraps are open source, if you're saying about legit design as in the first prusa i3 design; box frame design, sunhokey or geeetech would match that, while in the video, it would be hephaestos, replikeo or prusa i3 rework series.

If want something simple go for rework or folgertech 2020, easy to assemble from my observation, I own geeetech i3b, I somewhat satisfied with it because its design by having adjustable z endstop trigger and their custom made printed parts that doesn't require much tinkering to hit the endstops. Their stock hot end design accommodates low profile design, you can get a very high z axis range also might able to hit 200mm max, mine I limited it to 180mm high only

In overall, this would depends on what what kind of design you want, electronic, frame material, hot end provided, bowden/direct drive type. If you don't care about the prusa material type, two thing I can give you tips; go for ramps 1.4 electronics, and observe the structural design for acrylics, most acrylics are 6mm even the main frames, but geeetech provides 8mm thick especially on main frames. Still acrylics can break anytime if you're not careful

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[email protected]
I'm partial to Folger tech mostly due to the metal frame acrylic cracks easy when over tightened and can flex messing with the print.

[www.ebay.com]

Thanks ! Is there anyother other than tools and fillament that I need to purchase myself for this link? How was the build? Were all the google drive docs sufficient? Would you recommend this kit?

Quote
sarf2k4
First of all, there are no fake nor legit since repraps are open source, if you're saying about legit design as in the first prusa i3 design; box frame design, sunhokey or geeetech would match that, while in the video, it would be hephaestos, replikeo or prusa i3 rework series.

If want something simple go for rework or folgertech 2020, easy to assemble from my observation, I own geeetech i3b, I somewhat satisfied with it because its design by having adjustable z endstop trigger and their custom made printed parts that doesn't require much tinkering to hit the endstops. Their stock hot end design accommodates low profile design, you can get a very high z axis range also might able to hit 200mm max, mine I limited it to 180mm high only

In overall, this would depends on what what kind of design you want, electronic, frame material, hot end provided, bowden/direct drive type. If you don't care about the prusa material type, two thing I can give you tips; go for ramps 1.4 electronics, and observe the structural design for acrylics, most acrylics are 6mm even the main frames, but geeetech provides 8mm thick especially on main frames. Still acrylics can break anytime if you're not careful

Thanks for your help dude! Would you recommend the ebay link folger tech printer kit that the other user recommended in this thread?

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watlooazn

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[email protected]
I'm partial to Folger tech mostly due to the metal frame acrylic cracks easy when over tightened and can flex messing with the print.

[www.ebay.com]

Thanks ! Is there anyother other than tools and fillament that I need to purchase myself for this link? How was the build? Were all the google drive docs sufficient? Would you recommend this kit?

If you have a store called Harbor freight near you they sell a prepackaged assortment of small metric screws, washers, nuts etc. Otherwise be able to source some from home depot or somewhere. They had included small black set screw with no mention of why with my kit found out later they were for the frame joints. A lot of printer kits are more like a collection of MOST the parts you will need. Do not get me wrong I love my 2020 kit, but as it was my first 3d printer of any type it took patience. Best why to describe it is you don't know what you don't know YET!!

The forums here and the IRC on the reprap.org are a HUGE help though. And do your research before you buy anything beyond the kit or filament. I wish I had known what huge differences there are in hot ends or extruders and cold ends be it bowden, wade, or direct feed. The 2020kit though is a great way to get started and learn at the same time.

I can imagine the folgertech 2020 is good, even I myself viewing the kit also made me drool of buying another one too but I had to stop the drool... hahahha....

It is simple, I could imagine the amount of screws required are somewhat 1/4th of what my geeetech use because of its simplicity and rigidity of the 2020 aluminum profile. With the extra space for the x axis, you can reach max print size on x axis and more safety or margins there too for adjustments like fitting in a sensor like my extruder mount that's slightly far to the left of my hot end by about 55mm.

I would probably recommend you to have the folgertech 2020 due to its simplicity and flexibility of the frame used like adding some kind of enclosure or some extra mount that uses the T nut that slides in the rails there.

Some other problems I observed was about the endstop, axis are not moving, mirrored prints, and some other I might miss, but after this problem solved you're good to go for most of the time.

My printer however, I'm still having problem regarding the lcd panel, I got spare 20x4, shows me a series of blocks, so I'm stuck with printing only from pc

Between geeetech and folgertech, it's hard to choose and recommend though

What jason saying he love his printer despite the problem was, it is the first and we are able to learn a lot of things after we know how to solve it, when there's another problem arise, we try the solution before, when there's no problem, it's time to slowly upgrade the equipment, like myself, I changed to e3d v6 genuine, used my own design of anti wobble/backlash z axis stuff and gonna change to a better controller board too, but it's quite scary because of what I experienced using wrong wire type; solid core wire to power up my ramps 1.4 and caused some spark in the connection and then burn the area (no fire).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2015 05:18AM by sarf2k4.

I think metal frame is a must. Recently build a steel one:
[forums.reprap.org]

Probably too hard for a first printer, but if you are good with metal then it would be a good second or third build, and would be the most solid frame you could have.