I'm with you CNCD, machines care nothing of cost, I think what the OP may not be considering is that a single belt (line) slip will destroy an entire print...FDM is not a fully scalable technology as far as singular design is concerned. Not that you can't have a printer that makes massive high quality prints, but it wont look, or work like any of the established designs. It will need a whole newby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
If you had a MASSIVE SLS machine (which typically (I say typically as if more than a handful exist) cost millions of dollars) you could fabricate reasonably thin rods with a stressed apposed strut internal structure, from titanium, heat treated and precision ground. Then half of your problems go away. You still have to deal with step error, though...As to wiring, keep an eye on my thread. I am dby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Quotethecrazy Quotelazzymonk What I have found out with all my years taking apart regular printers and copiers its that they are way more complex than our 3d printers. Once they start playing on our turf they will bitch slap us all out of business with a sneeze ( Not all of our printers...I have been planning various feedback mechanisms for some months now for my printer...(stay tuned) If HP hby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
I turn shaft size (+ a couple thousandth) bores into the ends of my rods, and use tiny set screws to attach. I've had my bed moving for hours with no issues.by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
The relationship between added size and maintenance of accuracy seems to be exponential in terms of cost. This is why you do not see a plethora of school bus sized printers. Not that it can't be done, but it gets way, way more complicated and expensive to go big. Do not assume anything is ever straight, or square. Getting it that way is difficult. Keeping it that way, once you heat everything upby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Things have heated up for the cold ends! After what seems like an eternity, I have finally gotten to the point of finishing the cold end shells, and now am in the process of duplicating the prototype of the inner workings. I have a tap on order, but the rest is happening. I'll be closed for the next 2 days so I hope to wrap much of this assembly up in this time. I still have to make the hubs thatby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Hey, CNCD, I'm almost done with the cold end shells, (likely 2 more days) I still have to make the internals, hopefully over the weekend. Then there are the hubs to put all together, and I can Finally start the carriage. It's been slow going, as I have been working in the field a lot... But I have got to get this thing done!!by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Today, I'm working thru the details on my extruder cold ends. It's been slow going the past several weeks, due to a combination of unrelated factors, but I do hope to get most of this assembly done by the end of the week. There is a lot of head scratching that goes with it; I know exactly how the parts go but I'm still working out how to make some of the components repeatable, thus the long delayby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Every time you double your accuracy, you increase voxel count by a factor of 8. So that means for example, a slicer has to work 8 times as long to render a 50 micron (approx .002) reasonable over kill in my estimation, as it would for a makerbot's .004 resolution. So say you want to go to .001, the average resolution on say a manual milling machine. It will now take 64 times as long to render a sby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Well, here's a couple of shots - the soldiers ready for battle! And the beginnings of my extruders, as well as spool holders, and bearing retainers. A quick estimate tells me I've got about 600 parts and fasteners so far, including parts ready to attach, with at least 150 more before I get done. Approximately 180 of these are hand made parts. More soon...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Getting the neutral extruders out of the way seems to be the way to go, but multiple carriages do not allow much space for build volume, nor would I think for proper registration between colors. Retraction is, for most multicolor systems the place to start...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Me neither... Probably some kind of switching system, everything's based on having all of the extruders plugged into EXT0 and then run through some sort of multiplexor. But right now, I'm trying to design cold ends. They have to be very small and bullet - proof. If they work out, I may make them available...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
I've been told by my glass supplier that tempered glass will be good to 700f. That gives you plenty of overhead, and it will be the cheapest...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
I suppose great minds think alike! I like the circular idea, because that is the one with the least penalty of print area. Properly executed, a circular arrangement allows for full functionality without being any larger than a fixed system. In fact, it may even allow for greater area in (in my case) the Y axis, by over an inch. I will be wiring my hot ends with the smallest number of wires possibby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Am I really that transparent?? Yes that's precisely what I had in mind...(BTW, it's still ONLY 7 extruders, the other 2 mots are X & Y). Yes, think of a round cut diamond, hack off the bottom leaving a faceted rotor (flipped over of course) servo controlled with some sort of detent. This solves the problem of offset in the software.I still have to work out the geometry so that the whole thingby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
It would seem that any such material would tend to weaken the final output? Try a felt polishing wheel for a Dremel tool. PAS the filament through the hole to trap dust...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Well, there's a new engineering item to work out! I suppose that the standard way on a reprap is to adjust layer height / feed rate to get an optimal result, however, the wheels are beginning to turn...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Hey, CNCD, I've got (9) 400 step n17s sitting on my desk with fans and heat sinks mounted, as well as the extruder gears on 7 of them. I just ordered a couple of belt gears because the ones that came with my electronics kit had too much shaft play, I'll likely use them as idlers, though. I'm working on my extruder cold end design, it will be more compact than any other I'm aware of, and has multiby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
There's a reason you don't see a lot of cubic meter machines. I am getting close on a 3.3 (+ or -) cubic foot machine. The electronics, motors, hotends, gears and even some of the linear parts are the same or similar. But let's take a look at your z axis to start... You need bigger motors for that size, which means bigger drivers. The cheaper ones will eventually bring trouble. So the driver I amby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
You need basically the same number of parts, many vary widely in quality, some... less so. Bearings for example can be had from a variety of sources, at a variety of prices. Most appear to be from the same origin however. Motors on the other hand, come in all sorts of power capabilities and two typical degrees of accuracy. (1.8 deg and .9 deg) Even the more expensive ones add only modestly to theby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Yes, there is a trick to it. In my younger days, I had the experience of watching many bands set up. The famous ones seemed to have it down - they would grab one end of a 35 foot mic cable, and with a flick of the wrist send it unrolling effortlessly across the stage. There is an over end and an under end. Pick the right one, no problem. Pick the wrong one, mittens will be in his glory.by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
If the motor is running, make sure the gear is not slipping, make sure the pressure is tight enough.by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Quoteuncle_bob Glass (as in cheap window glass) is the most common bed material for many of these printers. It's smooth / flat / cheap and heat proof. Not all hair spray is created equal. You need some that's made to hold down hair during a hurricane. Back when I had (more) hair, and we used to hit the rock clubs, Final Net was the thing for big hair. It was not uncommon for some guys to use morby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Those look cool. I like the idea of just using a fishing reel because that double spiral mechanism does not look terribly easy to reproduce. As to the dehumidifier, they are made for boats and RVs, a 19 foot boat for example would be 600 cubic feet or more typically, I would think you would damage the filament with one of those. A light bulb would be a better choice. even then, I'd watch your waby Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
That's a good idea. Perhaps something based loosely on a bait casting reel setup...by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
I may end up just ordering only 6.5", and reusing when necessary. Space is always at a premium, especially when there's a lot of it.by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Thanks.by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Doh! Any idea about the greatest outer diameter?by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Before I start making the parts to hold filament for my printer, I want to verify that there is a basically standard spool size for the filament. I am going to work on some ideas for anti - snarl components which may be of help to some of you. Thanks.by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers
Sourcing all of the parts yourself will give you an even more thorough knowledge base by the time you got done. You could either build one of the various tested designs, just do all of your research and make a complete parts list (recommended). Or you could design an all new printer and build that (enter at your own risk).by Maxx Mayhem - Reprappers