We buy all our Prusa frames directly from Joe Prusa! two dozen built so far and never a glitch!by johna136 - Prusa i3 and variants
I bought the XL LCD panel, printed an enclosure for it and have it running my prints off the SDcard. Worked fine for a few weeks but now it seems on a medium to long print, the letters on the screen go haywire ? Sometimes the print finishes fine but sometimes it fails. I checked and all connections seem tight and correct. I asked my vendor and he said he has heard of this but offered no solutby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
I just got my first skipping this week after nine months of using my Prusa i3. Interested in following this thread since I checked and everything looks tight.by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Class at Department of Making + Doing was a huge success this weekend. All bots were assembled, calibrating and printing well. Many were doing original prints and we even had time to scan a few busts for the owners to print. Thinking holding the next class in NYC. If interested in the class or a kit, please visit us at botbuilder.net (shameless plug)by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Finished assembling the kits for the workshop A few seats left botbuilder.netby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
We have built dozens of printers and always just tape the thermistor to the bottom of the HBP with kapton tape.by johna136 - Reprappers
Firmware it the embedded software instructions that reside on the Arduino Chip ( like Marlin). Slic3r is the software the "slices" your design into layers according to the machine you are using, the filament you are using and the desired finish resolution and fill. Pronterface is the actual printer software that you use to run the file that was created in Slic3r, it is also used to set and confiby johna136 - Reprappers
I agree with waitaki, if the stepper voltages are too low, they will not turn. There are a lot of videos online to help you set it all up Did that kit come with the controller pre-flashed or did you flash it yourself? If you disable the steppers in pronterface, can you turn all the axis freely by hand?by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
I know many people love sourcing and home building their RepRaps, but there are some that lack the skills and confidence for this endeavor. We hold a weekend workshop where you get all the tools and parts to build your own Prusa i3 Mendel. All parts used are top shelf. You come in on Saturday with a box of parts and leave Sunday with a built, calibrated and printing bot. Our next workshop is Aby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
You have to decide what size filament you want to use before you buy your hot end! If you go with a 1.75mm filament, I would get a .4mm nozzle while we use a .5mm nozzle on our i3Prusas We love the metal frame Prusas! Have 13 of them built so far.by johna136 - Reprappers
I just added the Smart LCD XL from RepRapDiscounts in my Pruds i3 with Marlin. I use Slic3r and Pronterface. So far it works fine.by johna136 - Reprappers
I think you will like building and using your i3, we certainly do. If you get a kit with all the parts, it should take about a day to assemble and another half a day to get it all adjusted.by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Web use a little Lazy Susan from Target and it works great!by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
I think pricing often depends on the quality of components. Pick out a design that has a very sturdy frame when assembled as any flex/looseness will affect print quality. We can source out a Prusa Mendel i3 for under $500.00 or we can source one closer to $700.00. We find that for us, the print quality and reliability are much better with the better components.by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Build a Prusa Mendel i3. Very nice machine, easy to build, easy to use, tons of online support!by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Sorry, recent birth of my first Grand Son has kept me offline. Here is Joe Prusa's facebook page, you can contact him through that. As for price, we buy them in bulk so we get them cheaper then if you just buy one.by johna136 - Reprappers
We get our Aluminum i3 frames directly from Joe Prusa.by johna136 - Reprappers
Will do! We have a class running this weekend and I will post corrected docs after that. GEEKADELPHIA ARTICLEby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
4 Holes on Y axis in the corner should NOT be threaded on the latest version. This makes it easier to level the bed. Our first one is threaded and has springs between the HBP and plate, the new one just sits the corner bolts in the holes. (I know this sounds wrong but it is not). The bottom frame holes are not threaded and we use those for Zip Ties for wiring. Holes along the side of the lineaby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
There you go! Another source for people to get these frames.by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
There are several vendors around here with the frames. Sometimes on these knockoffs the holes are not threaded or may not line up with standard electronics boards. For our classes, we went right to Joe Prusa for our frames, we had them all in less than a week and we know everything is right. Practically everything else we sources locally, but again, we went for quality stuff! You can spendby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
For those who are about to build their own i3, my son and I are giving a class next weekend in Wilmington and will have 10 builders making their own printers in one weekend. We will post our BOM and manual after the class in case you are looking for a current list. We have built several ourselved to work out the kinks and they were printing all weekend at Maker Faire. The print quality from ouby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Went to the NY Maker Faire this weekend. I was surprised with how many Prusa i3 printers were there. We were printing with our 2 for 10 to 12 hours each day. Many 8" high prints! We have some pictures on our flickr site here: botbuilder flickr picturesby johna136 - General Mendel Topics
That looks awesome! Thanks for posting! Saw a bunch of neat Prusas printing at Makerfaire today.by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Just did another Prusa Mendel build on Saturday. If you like this clean, simple design and want to see it in action, we will have at least two at our table. If you have questions, jot them down and come see us at the Printers Village Saturday and Sunday. We will have Joe Prusa in person there to demonstrate his latest and answer your questions! New York Maker Faire September 21 & 22 New Yby johna136 - New Jersey RepRap User Group
I hated to wait to go to my son's to use his Prusa so this weekend we built one for me. Went for Joe's Blue powdercoated frame this time with grey printed pieces. Worked the first try as usual. Still have to tweek it a little. We will have it printing at Maker Faire New York. Bring your camera and your Prusa questions to the Printers Village.by johna136 - New Jersey RepRap User Group
We are using the i3 extruder and a j-head mkv hotend from hotends.com We have been building printers and giving demonstrations at schools, libraries, conferences and Maker Faires since 2010. My son and I will be giving classes on building a Prusa i3 in Philadelphia and other areas soon. One weekend class and you will have a working/printing Prusa i3. Visit www.botbuilder.net for details.by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Love that color combo! Here is a photo of the one my son built recently. 3 day build, prints awesome!by johna136 - General Mendel Topics
Well, I live in Jersey but my son lives in PA. We will be running the 3D Printers Village again at the New York Makers Faire in September. We can offer free admission and parking if you are interested in displaying your printer. We will have 3 or 4 of ours there on display (including our recently finished Signature Prusa Mendel) and will be able to answer questions and help anyone. Come see thby johna136 - Pennsylvania RepRap User Group
My son just printed a new set of corner brackets to lift the print bed a bit, it now prints 200 by 200 instead of 200 by 140. Have to give a big shout out to Joe Prusa for a lot of helpful advice. It is nice that we can dedicate a couple of printers to PLA and a couple to ABS. You can see them all at the Maker Faire New York 3D Printers Village in September.by johna136 - New Jersey RepRap User Group