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I didn't want you to think you're being ignored; it just doesn't look like anyone in the area is building a McWire, so apparently there's not much local help around here for you.
I'm absolutely certain there are folks who can use your software expertise, so maybe you could just post whatever questions you have, and we'll see what we can do to gather answers.
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
The smaller, simpler Mendel parts can be rolled out of printers easily; I've seen vertices used as "give-aways" at demonstrations. Instead of starting at the easy parts and working your way up to the complex ones, you might want to consider going the other way: molding the hard-to-print parts first.
Produce the molds for the big, complex pieces that are much harder to print, and you may find a
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SheepdogRD
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For Sale
Brian Wrote: ". . . I have a small gear roughly 3/8" in diameter with 11 angled teeth, and about 1/4" wide. Are these machines precise enough to replicate that small of an object?"
@Brian: I don't think RepRap can get that fine, yet; about 0.5mm resolution, right now. Sounds like your part might be a candidate for Alumilite casting. With some care and the right technique, Alumilite can produce
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
I think the color coding is a great idea, but I agree that different-colored parts make for a less-attractive machine. We could get the same color coding with an unobtrusive colored dot painted on the bottom of each part. I want to print with the black PLA because I think the black parts and the silver and black fasteners would make a great-looking machine. (I suspect it would be hard to photogra
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
toby Wrote:
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> Sheepdog - did you get all your parts ok when you
> did the batch order?
Yes, we got all the Mendel parts in. We'll have rod, fastener and bearing kits available at the meetup.
I agree with Rob on the electronics; I'm waiting for MakerBot to get the electronics -- or at least the kits -- back in stock. I'd rather just
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Brian Wrote:
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> Would you mind having a newcomer at this meeting?
> I just recently found out about these machines and
> am quite interested in seeing one in person.
Please come. We all started as newcomers, so we'll treat you like family.
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Let's plan another meetup on February 20. That's a Saturday. We'll start at noon, but we'll have the building open about 11:30 if anyone arrives early.
Johnny Russell (of UltiMachine.com) will be here with his machines and crew and samples. Rob Sweet says he'll be here, too; he's just starting his Mendel build, and we can high-five his progress.
We'll be at the same location:
Abacus Solutions,
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Swighton, what belts and pulleys did you use on this? It appears that the ContiTech belts are hard to come by in the USA, and I'm looking for an equivalent.
Thanks . . .
by
SheepdogRD
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General Mendel Topics
Printed parts are still pretty hard to come by, but people are working on that. As more RepRaps get built, more parts will be available.
For now, CNC milled parts may be a very good alternative. You might look to your friends with machine access to produce the the larger parts; those appear to be the most difficult and time-consuming to produce. Then see if you can find the smaller, easier piece
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Oops -- I've corrected the spreadsheet to reflect the proper screws from FastenerMart. Somehow, I included the part numbers for zinc hex-head screws instead of black socket-head screws. The price increased about $8, but we're still under $150 in a group of 5.
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Shipping costs are in, and the costs remain unchanged from the last post: about $141 in a group of 5, $146 in a group of 4, $154 in a group of 3, $167 in a group of 2, or $217 all alone.
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
The spreadsheet is updated. We're getting down to some pretty good numbers, here. Although the total shipping cost from fastenermart.com is an unknown, I left it at the single-shipment price. Another shipment would add as much as $6 per build; if they quote any higher than that, I'll just return to picking up the fasteners at McMaster-Carr.
Including shipping, the metric unit is currently about
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Ah, you Robs are one, not two. I didn't want to make that assumption, but now I get your comment about "Ignore this post. Nothing to see here. Please move along."
I still have no answer from the SPSU folks.
I did yet another Google search for zinc plated threaded rod, and decided to investigate the advertisers on the search; I found fastenermart.com, with good prices; shipping is unknown, but
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
I checked out vxb.com, and they do have good prices. They also sell through Amazon, which is a confidence builder. They're now the bearing supplier on the spreadsheet.
I'm glad you mentioned the other bearings, Johnny, because I'd forgotten about them, and they change things a whole lot.
Looking for bearings has really thrown a fly into the ointment in the "imperial" measurements effort. I've b
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Thanks, Johnny -- I appreciate the checking you did. Using the part numbers you suggest makes a big difference. I've further revised the spreadsheet.
I also used less expensive bearings (the RepRap Materials Procurement notes say this: "Mendel does not impart big loads on any of the bearings, therefore high specification bearings are not at all needed. Get the cheapest ones you can"). I suspect
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
There are more revisions on the spreadsheet, to bring it in line with the Mendel assembly data sheet. I added the extruder-specific cap screws on both metric and imperial builds.
I also did a recalculation on the metric threaded stock; you can see those calculations in the second sheet of the spreadsheet. Because the M8 threaded stock from McMaster-Carr is 1.2m long, instead of 1m, the cutting c
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
I've revised the spreadsheet to add explanation and lay the costs out more clearly.
I've also emailed the SPSU students to see if they're interested.
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
I've added to the depth of the spreadsheet, and done some more calculations on group buying. The primary group buying advantage is in the fasteners that generally come in boxes of 100. The difference is in the leftovers -- parts beyond what the build list calls for. For example, the build calls for 54 of the M4 x 40mm cap screws. A solo builder has to spring for a box of 100 fasteners, and has 46
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
I'd rather build using the imperial parts. On this side of the pond, imperial parts are generally less expensive. An extreme example is the threaded rod. Zinc-plated threaded rod in M8-1.25 x 1m is $11.00 at McMaster-Carr, but 3/16-18 x 36-inch zinc-plated threaded rods are $2.27. It appears the net difference is around $60 per RepRap.
For those building RepRaps, it may be worth the difference
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
I've pulled back on the MakerBot idea. We've pretty well decided to go on and build a RepStrap of our own design, which will print RepRap parts. We'll need many of the same parts you will, and perhaps we can grab the SPSU students and order with them. I put together a spreadsheet that tells me how many boxes of each fastener to order depending on the number of RepRaps being built.
I've also seen
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
The idea of the MakerBot was from three primary factors: (1) Mendel printed parts are seemingly impossible to find, (2) Mendel parts are well within MakerBot's capability, and (3) that's how Johnny got started, so we know it works.
There's also the factor that I'm a pain when it comes to quality control, and I figure the best way to get parts I like is to make them for myself.
On setting a dat
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Another trip down? Excellent. Let's get some input on a good date -- a Saturday or Sunday would be best -- with plenty of lead time so we can get the word out far and wide.
As to the price -- I'm seriously considering getting on the list for a MakerBot for January 20th shipment. Somebody has to get this going, and maybe it's me. I figure a MakerBot is a great learning tool, and it would give us
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
We had six at the meetup, with several no-shows. If Johnny's up for another trip, I could see us doing this again after the New Year. We could use the Abacus Tech Center again, if that location works for the group. I'd want to set the meeting time further in advance, and get notice out to a larger group, especially at SPSU. I'll bet we'd jump the size of the group significantly.
Some of the thin
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
A 5/16 inch rod is about 7.94mm, or .0025 inch smaller than 8mm rod. Is the plastic accurate enough to even see that difference? On the other hand, if you're printing your own parts, you can adjust the hole diameters in the plans.
Garrett, how do you plan to produce the Mendel parts?
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Yes, it's definitely still on.
Bring anything you'd like, especially if it has to do with RepRap and similar devices, or with 3D scanning. Parts produced by such machines would be good to see. If you have RepRap parts for sale, bring 'em.
We have vending machines for soda, bottled water and snacks. For lunch, Burger King, McDonald's and Subway are very close by, and there are lots of other res
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
Saturday, December 12 at noon sounds good. We'll have the building open about 11:30am for the early birds. The Abacus Technical Center is at 1190 Kennestone Circle NW, Marietta, GA 30066, in Suite 120. Park in front of the building. You'll see the company name on the door.
If mapping software or your GPS has trouble with the address, just use 1200 instead of 1190. Once you arrive at Kennestone C
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SheepdogRD
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Atlanta, Georgia RepRap User Group
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