Nophead is right, you shouldn't underestimate the stiffness needs for a good milling setup. That being said, _very_ shallow cuts at high RPMs in relatively soft material may be feasible on a RepRap (witness the PCB milling in another thread here). It will just take someone to try it!by Kyle Corbitt - Reprappers
Unless I'm mistaken, that first line looks like you're trying to compile the host software, not just run it. Although it's java, not C, so now I'm quite confused. What are you doing when you get that error? Anyway, it *appears* to be a permission issue. Try running with an admin account, and see if that solves the problem. The second one is definitely a communication issue. The times when yby Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
What Ian said. Try using some steel wool on it right before you attempt the braise.by Kyle Corbitt - Plastic Extruder Working Group
Heh, right around 12:50 when he starts talking about "clanking machines" I sorta cringed... nice callout though. Along that line, it kind of surprised me that he broke down the current offerings into fab@home, reprap, and clanking machines (replicator). I got the same impression when I first read about the various projects a year or two ago, but since then the RepRap trunk and Forrest's take onby Kyle Corbitt - General
I don't think most of us were considering using this actual unit, it became more of a discussion over plastic welding in general. Maybe that's just me though.by Kyle Corbitt - General
nophead Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I just happen to be doing stepper v GM3 > calculations for the extruder at the moment: > > 12V GM3's run at 50RPM 4.1Kgcm torque. > > The Keling stepper motors are 11Kgcm and can run > at about 2000 pps before the torque falls to half > (with the right electronics). So that is 600 RPM @ > 5Kgcm,by Kyle Corbitt - Controllers
Joshua Merchant Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Inertia means it takes more effort to stop a > heavier object moving at higher speeds than to > stop a lighter object moving at lower speeds. Sure, but that's just half of it. Inertia REALLY means that it will resist any change in velocity. So a motor with higher inertia will also be harder to get back upby Kyle Corbitt - Controllers
Congratulations go to Zach for releasing an awesome new super-souped-up Arduino clone, the Sanguino! He can explain it better than I can, so check it out at This should make life easier on the electronics front because now we don't have to decide between, say, a second extruder or limit switches. The chip also has a second serial port built in, which raises interesting possibilities with daisby Kyle Corbitt - Controllers
Welding is cool and useful, but there is still a need for a rigid but reversible joint. If nothing else, snapping two parts together is usually faster and easier than setting up up a hot glue gun-like device to do the same thing.by Kyle Corbitt - General
Gene Hacker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I mean is it possible to practically adjust the > temperature and the rate it changes so you can go > through various sinter cycles? Many microwaves have variable wattage settings (often just high/low), and I imagine you could hack one to have a continuous range. It would take some calibration to translate enby Kyle Corbitt - Casting and Moldmaking Working Group
Ru Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >> it will be really hard to RP one for a competitive >> price > > But that could be applied to practically anything > the reprap makes, surely? Aside from custom parts > which cannot be obtained commercially, everything > else can be made cheaper and faster using > conventional production methods.by Kyle Corbitt - General
rodzite Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think it's funny you mention the bicycle > Forrest. I see the complete production of a > bicycle by a RepRap descendant as a significant > milestone considering people will be printing > their own laptops long before the first bicycle is > produced (at least that's my guess based on the > starting subsby Kyle Corbitt - General
Good idea, but I'd rather not have another forum for that (still remember when there were like 20 forums that were all hardly ever used). Using another site like delicious might be the best compromise.by Kyle Corbitt - General
nophead Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A picture is worth 1000 words! > > Whatever the strap is made from has to have no > give in extension compared to M8 studding. I think a little bit is OK because you keep it under constant tension and you can always cinch the straps down if it starts to feel a little loose. Interesting idea, but I'm not sureby Kyle Corbitt - General
I saw that. This is exciting, particularly because as far as I can tell their print strategy is "print at 220by Kyle Corbitt - Reprappers
You can download the .dxf file from - look for "xy_layout.dxf". You'll need a .dxf viewer, like qcad. Those models should be correctly dimensioned. In the end, the easiest solution may be to go to kinkos or even the public library if they have a printer that will work, and get a copy of the pdf printed.by Kyle Corbitt - General
I'm still not completely clear to me how this works. Is it similar in principle to the belt tension adjusters on the strap in the picture at ? I've seen many of those, but nothing like what you have sketched. In other news, that's a pretty spiffy material you've got there. It has volume and mass, but no density!by Kyle Corbitt - General
I'm sorry, but I can't really visualize how you're intending to set this up...by Kyle Corbitt - General
Joshua Merchant Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ru Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > you may not need parallel supporting rails on > the > > stages. > > > > So I apply the brakas, and turn the drive shaft > 45 > > degrees to tilt the stage. I then release the > > brakes. Whatby Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The promise that I see with Reprap is that by the > time you've built one you basically have the > skills to build the rest of a modern, clean > workshop that fits into the places we have to live > these days. the majority (probably 80%) of the public at large has neither the time nor the inclination toby Kyle Corbitt - General
Ru Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I was thinking of the homebrew-servo vs stepper > comparison. Except in this particular circumstance > perhaps, I'd be inclined to take the stepper most > times. Sure, but a stepper/stepper driver combo is usually more expensive than a cheap DC gearmotor/DC driver/encoder. Forrest, in his relentless quest to make thby Kyle Corbitt - Controllers
proto Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think the greatest benefits of RM lay in the > custom made, and the making of parts only possible > using Free Form Fabrication techniques. > > The RP process is linear in costs. Initial outlay > is low, but part cost individually will be quite > high with unlimited customization between part > buildby Kyle Corbitt - General
Forrest Higgs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I find it tremendously amusing that so many people > building Reprap machines harbour the notion that > somehow they're going to be able to go commercial > somehow, despite of the fact that by definition > Reprap is a self-replicating, virally diffused > technology. > > I've been trying to comby Kyle Corbitt - General
Gene Hacker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You'd need something bigger than fish tank tube, > it might get clogged too easily. A better option > might be to spray water on the milling head to > prevent copper dust from getting in the air like > they do with rock cutters. Although spraying water > brings up some more problems... > > Crackby Kyle Corbitt - Plastic Extruder Working Group
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. I don't even play one on TV. That being said, the Big One is patent 5121329, which covers the general concept of FDM. There isn't really a way around that one. That is the one due to expire at the end of October of 2009. There are many other patents, but they are pretty much as a rule either more specialized (avoidable) or not applicable to RepRap. However, Iby Kyle Corbitt - General
Very nice! So if I want to slice an STL file, do I call the stl.py and it exports a .gts to feed to the rest of the script? Or can I call skeinforge.py directly with a .stl file and it will automatically translate it? I may end up having to go through AoI anyway, because I think my CAD program exports STLs with seemingly randomly offset base coordinates just to make my life more interesting.by Kyle Corbitt - RepRap Host
Good stuff. I think we'd all be interested in a report on how you got those servos working so well! Have you tried doing any 90-degree turns at speed yet?by Kyle Corbitt - Reprappers
I do like the story. I think there was another one with a similar posted here some time ago about a russian man in the postmodern world, but I can't find the reference now. ErikDeBruijn Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Like in open source software there are many > advantages to the open source software process > (read cathedral & bazaar) that they caby Kyle Corbitt - General
I pretty much agree with Erik. One quick comment: RichardW Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 3. Rapid manufacturing will stay the domain of > enthusiasts for a long time. Even with a > RP-machine from HP it will take much more than > writing a letter in word and print it on a laser > printer. I think the adoption of RP will be a function of both deby Kyle Corbitt - General
Haha, remember also that you'd need some form of highly accurate position/orientation feedback for the cartbot as well relative to an immobile point, which may be difficult to get working. But I for one welcome any modifications that get us one step closer to ubiquitous grey goo! Nice!by Kyle Corbitt - Mechanics