Ah, well as for SD support, I also found it took a long time to load the card if I left it in the motherboard and copied the file through RepG. Instead, I used "build to file" and saved the gcode locally on my computer (a netbook with an SD slot), then plugged the SD card into my netbook and copied the gcode file over that way. Much faster! I don't know if using the SD card through a camera inteby toomanyplugs - Controllers
You're right NoobMan, thanks for the clarification! As far as RepG is concerned, my machine *is* a cupcake, albeit "Mendel-shaped", since I am using the sanguino3g driver. When I built my bot, I chose the cupcake/RepG toolchain over the Reprap host. Since the OP mentioned loading motherboard v2.4 on their board, I wanted to describe a stable config that I have been using to print. I think the keby toomanyplugs - Controllers
Just a followup on the baud rate, for the record. I knew I had looked into this before when I had to set up the machines.xml. This may be over your head, that's ok. I just wanted to have a reference so that I don't have to dig this up for myself again. I'm sure others are smarter than me about this, but I had to suss it out from the source code in order for my machine to work. In the old v1.xby toomanyplugs - Controllers
I've had a stable configuration of a Mendel with the original Gen3 electronics (not Techzone), using ReplicatorG. It took a bit to get working, and I'm not sure if you are having the same issues I did, but maybe this will help you out. When you say that repG is sending a gcode but the motherboard isn't responding, does repG even connect at all? I mean, when I do it, the status bar at the top ofby toomanyplugs - Controllers
I haven't been able to pick up any magnets this week, but I was thinking of trying out something that was essentially Tony Buser's bracket bolted to the carriage as normal, but instead of another set of bolts from the bracket to the Wade's body, that there would be magnets between the two (i.e., glue magnets in the corresponding bolt holes so that they line up without any extra hardware). Does aby toomanyplugs - General Mendel Topics
I finally got my Mendel up and stably printing! In the course of trying to dial it all in, I had to disassemble the extruder many times to floss the bolt teeth, clean out the nozzle, etc. I'm pretty fed up with having to take the whole darn thing apart just to get it off the carriage, so I'm trying to find other ways to mount it. I saw Tony's horizontal wade mount, which is pretty cool, until Iby toomanyplugs - General Mendel Topics
I started out building a McWire since that was state-of-the-art for repstraps at the time. Unfortunately, all references to an extruder to fit the McWire assumed one either bought an extruder kit or had parts printed first...which is a little ridiculous for something that is supposed to get you started on printing *without* having access to a printer already... So I kludged along, and now I thinby toomanyplugs - Mechanics
I had a problem with the other end of the Z-axis, where the coupling nut is wrapped in duct tape. There was so much load on the duct tape that is began to telescope and would actually drift enough during small prints that I lost all z-height. I used some metal plumber strap http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=metal+plumber+tape&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=, bent and cut sby toomanyplugs - Mechanics
One more quick thought just for posterity: I used 1/2" galvanized steel pipe instead of the recommended 3/4" black steel, mainly to reduce cost by almost 50%. Same rigidity, no real need for 3/4" pipe, lower weight. - Nikby toomanyplugs - General
Hey folks, I'd like to chime in here on my thoughts for McWire. I have been working on a McWire for a couple of months on weekends and evenings. I *just* got it to the point that it is printing anything at all, and I've noticed the slow threaded rod problem, too. I was actually looking around for belt drive solutions when I came across this thread. I had an idea to use ball chain, but sourcing tby toomanyplugs - General
Is there a source in mind for the 2.54 screw terminals used to convert the extruder board to work for Mendel? I'm talking about the ones used at the bottom of this page, at the space marked A: I found some from Mouser but they are >$1 each (plus Mouser's obligatory $5 shipping). 2.54mm seems to be non-standard, as I can find plenty of 5mm pitch blocks, but those won't fit easily. Any ideasby toomanyplugs - Controllers
That's a great price for 608's, which are what the McWire cartesian bot uses, but not Mendel. 608's are 8mm ID 22mm OD, whereas the 624's are 4mm ID and 12mm OD. That's a big difference that means you can't really use the 608's in Mendel without significant redesign. For comparison, vxb has the 624's 100 for $99 or 10 for $20 and the R3's 50 for $50 (yes, the 624's are only $1US a piece, bby toomanyplugs - Mechanics
I thought the same thing. I plan to use R3 bearings (0.1875 ID) which are very similar to the 624's (4mm = .157" ID) but are way cheaper and easier to get a hold of in the US (which I assumed you were in based on dimensions you used). I found a lot of 50 R3's on eBay for about $35, free shipping. This was the best I could find after much looking. I was hoping the R3's would trade out directly,by toomanyplugs - Mechanics
I had the same question, but I figured I'd try it out with 1/4" - 3/8" stock. I just assembled the X-stage of a McWire using a $2 8.5X11 cutting board from WalMart that is just under a quarter inch thick (probably right around 6mm). These seem to be working ok, you just have to be careful that the countersink doesn't go too far or it'll start to go through and widen up the 5/16 hole too much.by toomanyplugs - Mechanics
Confirmed. That solved it. miniUSB TX and RX pins are labeled backwards, now I can upload firmware right away!by toomanyplugs - Controllers
Fred, the miniUSB is I believe a 5V part, according to the product page at adafruit. I took the CTS# and RTS# pins as negative (or active low) based on the FTDI datasheet for the FT232RL, and the corresponding Application Note for bitbang mode. I never got it to work that way, and I think I just found the reason why while trying to get the firmware loaded using the miniUSB in TTL mode: the TX aby toomanyplugs - Controllers
I got the chip working again! It was indeed the crystal that was bad on my Sanguino board. I was able to reprogram the low fuse of the atmega back to the internal clock for the time being so at least I can watch the blinking light until the new crystal shows up. For anyone else having problems with fuse settings and clock types, I was able to use a trick from the AVRFreaks forums to get the atmeby toomanyplugs - Controllers
Hi folks, I've got a few questions about the assembly of Mendel that I think could be solved by just looking at the whole thing. Unfortunately, I'm looking for "as built" stuff, so the solid model doesn't quite do it for me. Short of flying across the Atlantic to see the real thing, is there any source for good pics of all around Mendel? The one on the Mendel page on the wiki is nice, but areby toomanyplugs - Mechanics
I've checked the board for shorts, 5V rail seems ok, both regulated through the 7805 and from external source (usbtiny with jumper attached: 5V supplied thru ICSP from USB, etc). Atmel seems to disagree that the crystal isn't used for ICSP programming: support.atmel.no QuoteOne possible scenario is that you have programmed the fuse Bits to a clock source that does not exists, for instance you haby toomanyplugs - Controllers
Ok, I've got a problem getting a bootloader on a Sanguino board (the long skinny one) that I've assembled. I've tried a bunch of different things and I think I may have a bad crystal oscillator. Here's essentially where I am now, with way more detail below. ---Question--- How critical is the timing for the compiled sanguino bootloader ATmega_644p.hex for 16Mhz vs 12Mhz crystals? I've ordered morby toomanyplugs - Controllers
I was having a similar problem, using the USB to TTL converter from Adafruit here: and the same exmrclean process Jeff was using to burn the bootloader. The debug light on the extruder controller would blink a couple of times, then stay solid. Avrdude kept giving me rc=-1. Reset button did nothing. I traced it to a 20ohm short between VCC and GND on the extruder board. Can't seem to find wherby toomanyplugs - Controllers