Show all posts by user
General discussions. For specific printers / electronics / fabrication methods / softwares, please see other sections.
Re: Reprap2: Mendel circuit material - 15 years ago
Annirak Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've been talking to a rep at 3M about conductive > plastics. They have a conductive thermoplastic > polyurethane which fits the bill and have offered > to send me samples. Annirak, Can you please post the name of the specific material, and any links to its technical specs? (especially melting point, heatby Larry_Pfeffer - Controllers
A twist on the "Reprap tgimboej" idea -- swapping/trading - 15 years ago
Greetings all, I'd like to foster a culture of sharing among reprappers, and I proposed swapping/trading as an alternative to buying/selling in this thread: In my experience, the minimum order of materials is often more than an individual reprapper needs. Similarly, SCphotog proposed the idea of a "Reprap tgimboej" which (unfortunately) doesn't seem to have much support. SCphotog also graciby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Bringing faster change - 15 years ago
Ant Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Arm chair designer??? I'm seriously about to give > up on the people in this forum. Not for that > comment, but rather for the unwillingless to > consider new ideas and the unwillingness to help > one another. > > From what I have seen in this forum, there is very > little helping other people, which isby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Noisy/vibraty - 15 years ago
Arthur Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Do you have other steppers (x, Y) behaving > > differently? > // Yes, the other 2 motors are working fine. Well, for > the one that's connected to > Digial-pins-16,17,18,19, it does speed up a bit, > but the noise doesn't really go away. When the > motor/stepper-board combo is placed on pinby Larry_Pfeffer - Reprappers
Re: Noisy/vibraty - 15 years ago
Arthur Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Happy post-Christmas everyone, > > My z-axis motor is extremely loud and it vibrates > vigorously, but the problem isn't the motor since > I've switched stepper boards, motors, tried > another arduino, tried it without the breakout > shield and the result is the same: whatever motor, > board connectedby Larry_Pfeffer - Reprappers
Re: Reprap2: Mendel circuit material - 15 years ago
Greetings all, Here's another (somewhat speculative) idea for creating printed-circuit boards: Although the conductivity of conductive plastics (incl. conductive epoxies and similar coatings) sounds too low to build high-power or high-frequency circuits, they might serve as a substrate upon which we could selectively deposit higher-conductivity materials, e.g. copper, via electroplating. Plateby Larry_Pfeffer - Controllers
Re: Saguino Gcode firmware - 15 years ago
brucew Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I found that the most recent rev. on source forge > will work in arduino/ sanguino version 0011 and > 0010 but not with 0012 this was using windows XP. Bruce, If you would, please describe how the GCode interpreter fails under arduino 012? Thanks, Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - RepRap Host
Re: Let's list people's machines and abilities - 15 years ago
Greetings all, I have the following machine tools: Bridgeport Mill: Old round ram model, '50's vintage, J1 head, small table, (ways, screws are somewhat worn, but it has a 2-axis DRO that reads to 0.0001") Southbend Heavy 10 lathe: 10" swing, x ~30", quick-change gears, 5C collets, taper jig. Lathemaster 9"x30" lathe (Chuck only, candidate for CNC?) Rockwell model 14 bandsaw (Set up for wby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Clay and/or other ceramics? - 15 years ago
Clint, I recall there being some forum discussions on ceramics (specifically machinable ceramics like Macor) as well as soapstone. The cost of Macor (and similar) discouraged me, as did the need for carbide tools to work it. I think somebody had a blog post about a soapstone barrel that didn't live up to hopes. I've been thinking about ceramic/insulated standoffs for the Nichrome connectioby Larry_Pfeffer - Paste Extrusion Working Group
Re: Where to get extruder plastic parts from? - 15 years ago
Greetings all, A roller based filament drive was apparently tried (by our founder) before the screw, but had problems (possibly related to the properties of the CAPA plastic?) This may be less of an issue with ABS. As least one reprapper is working on a roller-drive extruder: He's also using brass plumbing plugs to make extruder nozzles, which sounds like a good approach (readily available,by Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Where to get extruder plastic parts from? / Alt. Extruder bearings. - 15 years ago
reifsnyderb Wrote: > Those bronze-sleeve bearings, you mention, may > work pretty good...once a steel drive screw were > made to fit. > > I am thinking that there should be some sort of > thrust bearing, as well. That would keep the > screw from cutting into the bearings. It appears > that the main thrust should be only in one > direction, so maybe a thrust beariby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Where to get extruder plastic parts from? / Alt. Extruder bearings. - 15 years ago
reifsnyderb Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What about using boston bronze? It would cost a > little more; but, it should last longer as it is > oil impregnated. Brian, et al, I haven't heard it called "boston bronze" before; I've heard it called "Oilite" bronze" or "oil impregnated bronze -- finely powdered bronze, sintered (porus) solid, voids filby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Tool-head controller / PSOC - 15 years ago
Annirak, I've looked at Cypress' PSOCs a few years back, but wasn't impressed with their CPU. Are the current PSOC offerings something one can program in a HLL, with either free or low-cost tools? Similarly, are the analog components in PSOCs sufficiently stable (with time and temperature) to do a good job with the low-level thermocouple signal? (Do they include either a stable voltage refereby Larry_Pfeffer - Controllers
Re: McMaster-Carr 3D Models - 15 years ago
Greetings all, Design patents (though less well known than utility patents), are a valid legal construct in the US. There is information at and among many others. Wikipedia's article begins thus: In the United States, a design patent is a patent granted on the ornamental design of a functional item. Design patents are a type of industrial design right. Ornamental designs of jewelry, furnby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: McMaster-Carr 3D Models - 15 years ago
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You can't patent an object, only the plans. I am not a Lawyer, but I don't think that's correct, al least under US law. If the object has utility, novelty, and is "non-obvious" then it can be patented (utility patent, the more well-known kind of patent.) For example, zip-lock bags (though that patent has expireby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: New, improved G-code firmware for RepRap (and other applications) - 15 years ago
Pumper, Chris, et al, I haven't tried this yet, but (from reading Chris') message, in which he wrote: > > Also, I have included optimised versions of several routines from the Arduino > code > in optimal_routines.pde - by doing this, about 1k has been saved. I suspect that the optimized routines are required to save space, and they were either not being picked up properly -- or yoby Larry_Pfeffer - RepRap Host
Re: Aluminum for frame members? - 15 years ago
Nop, I wasn't aware that the x-axis rails were involved in sliding, metal/metal contact. (Mea culpa; my repStrap cartBot is distictly non-darwinish.) You're right then; Al on Al won't work well there. (Al/steel wouldn't be great either.) Steel on brass would probably be best for friction, but brass can be expensive vs. (non-stainless) steel. I think Al could be OK outside of sliding memberby Larry_Pfeffer - Mechanics
Re: Gear-driven Z-stage instead of Belt-driven - 15 years ago
Cris, et al, IMHO, more contact with the pulley helps prevent slipping (pullye vs. belt), which is a more likely source of error than actually stripping teeth off the belt. So, even if the teeth won't break, having more wrap makes for a more reliable drive system. -- Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - Mechanics
Re: Aluminum for frame members? - 15 years ago
Greetings all, I think the connections are probably the limiting factor in both stiffness and strength, rather than what metal is used for the rods. None of the metal is coming near its elastic (let alone ultimate) limit under typical reprap operation -- unless somebody is moving/extruding *way* faster than I'm aware of. (Even Nophead, whose machine's performance is nothing to sneeze at!) Soby Larry_Pfeffer - Mechanics
Re: Aluminum for frame members? - 15 years ago
John, Is the Aluminum cheaper than non-stainless steel? UPS seems to have no problems with 6 foot pieces; mine have come in cardboard tubes -- with sturdy end caps, so nobody gets speared accidentally (what horror movie had that in it?....) You're also in the Boston area, yes? Have you bought anything from (or heard anything about) Admiral Metals Outlet in Woburn? -- Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - Mechanics
Re: Machining parts for the extruder...anybody doing it? - 15 years ago
reifsnyderb Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I just checked and 3/8 - 16 is nowhere close to > M6. M6 is closer to 1/4 - ?. I'd have to > double-check; but, I think M6 is even smaller than > a 1/4". Brian, Yes, that's true. However the acorn-nut extruder tips at rrrf.org are 3/8"-16. I'm not sure exactly why, but my guess is that 3/8" is eaby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Machining parts for the extruder...anybody doing it? - 15 years ago
Sid, Thanks much for the info and the sneak-preview photograph. (When it can be revealed, please post the name of the company that prototyped this; the very least we can do is give them some publicity -- and business when our irons need replacment.) -- Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Machining parts for the extruder...anybody doing it? - 15 years ago
Brian, I *think* the extruder tip at rrrf.org is an acorn nut with 3/8"-16 (UNC) thread; if so the other parts I now see there probably match that. I'm planning to stick with that for the hot parts of my extruder, so I could mix/match. Something may be amiss at the rrrf.org store site; I'm getting errors on some items, like the extruder tip. -- Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Re: Machining parts for the extruder...anybody doing it? - 15 years ago
reifsnyderb Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- But, I figured that it would be a > good idea to post in the general discussion as I > don't have anything for sale yet and more people > read general discussion forums. I want to gauge > the interest in it first. Brian, et al, I've been pondering doing something similar, though tweaked to use imperial-unby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Reprap, Sanguino in the news (@ Makezine, Slashdot) - 15 years ago
Greetings all, There's a (long) article in the makezine blog on open-source hardware: I found a link to this on The reviews of reprap and sanguino are brief, but positive, good exposure, I think. This review of reprap is near the end (but above fab@home.) Sanguino is mentioned nearer the top, among the arduino/clone/compatible offerings. Since the article is somewhat gift-oriented, the rby Larry_Pfeffer - General
Materials for repstrap (vs. reprap) - 15 years ago
Bob, et al, IMHO, there are two slightly different issues here: 1. How to lower to cost and/or increase the availability of feedstock to extrude. (And recycle plastic items into useful things, if at all possible.) 2. How to make it easier for people (esp. without lots of tools or money) to build repstrap machines? Regarding issue 2: Except for the rods, Bruce and Nick Wattendorf built muby Larry_Pfeffer - Plastic Extruder Working Group
Re: PTFE substitutes? Polycarbonate?? - 15 years ago
John, In Googling, I see a *wide* range of maximum temperatures for polycarbonate -- many well less than 475 deg. F! This may be a plastic where getting the exact product is important to getting the expected performance. I've used Lex for a some projects, but never yet in a high-temp application. Have you? -- Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - Plastic Extruder Working Group
Re: PTFE substitutes? - 15 years ago
Parker, et al, I would NOT advise using Delrin. It has lower melting and heat-deflection temperatures. Google: delrin maximum temperature and teflon maximum temperature and note F vs. C data. Both give off nasty fumes if you get them too hot (Teflon worse than delrin, if I recall correctly.) There are some other plastics that can be used, but they're typically less available than teflon (Pby Larry_Pfeffer - Plastic Extruder Working Group
Re: Stepper motor cant go fast / cheaper stepper chips? - 15 years ago
khiraly Wrote: > And I discovered an > other shop here, where these chips costs 2.5 times > less (so about 3$ and 4$). Khiraly, Would you please post info on where you were able to buy those stepper chips for less? Thanks much, Larryby Larry_Pfeffer - Controllers
New England meeting, sometime in the next couple months? - 15 years ago
Greetings all, It sounds like there may be interest in holding another New England area meeting in the next couple months. (And maybe even increase the frequency to ~quarterly?) Topic focus TBD; feel free to chime in with your ideas. I was thinking about an extruder-building party; any interest? Anybody in the area reading this who isn't yet part of our google group, feel free to email me forby Larry_Pfeffer - Rhode Island / New England RUG