While I have very little experience with Rhino, I have no problems with FreeCAD and Kisslicer. In face, I have a little Macro and custom toolbar that makes exporting my FreeCAD 3D model to Kisslicer a one button operation. Being a Linux only user, I am left with very few options for 3D CAD. Sure, Blender is out there and IMO Blender is an absolute premium 3D modeler program (and so much more),by markstephen - 3D Design tools
Being in the US, I would agree with Reg on this one. I have no idea why the US has not gone to metric. There are only 3 countries that use the imperial system, US, Liberia, and Burma, (aka Myanmar). It really does not make sense to design an imperial units based Smartrap. Look at the cost of 3/8" linear bearings for example and compare them to the cost of 8 mm bearings, and we still end up with mby markstephen - Smart_Rap
QuoteRTurnock Where do people in USA buy M5 or M6 threaded rod? I have been looking at McMaster Carr and they have only inches in that small a size. I could buy a 1/4inch - 16 TPI or larger, and make changes in firmware to get the right steps per unit. I am interested in a specific hyperlink to a specific product that people have already purchased and that works for you. I got my M5 threaded rby markstephen - Smart_Rap
QuoteBackEMF @ zackary: Mark uses Aquanet hairspray if i'm not mistaken. Quite correct. Sorry I overlooked that post. The only problem with the Aquanet is sometimes it sticks too good. But it is very handy to use and one little quick dusting between prints is all it takes, and it's seconds to dry and be ready for use.by markstephen - Smart_Rap
Quotepbrstreetgang Spider breath. Not sure what that smells like, but I'm guessing something akin to molten PLA. Or maybe just stop eating all those spiders? Cool stuff Mark. Thanks! Spyderbreath has been my "logo" sense the mid '80s. Only recently have I made a graphic to go with it, the "Fire Breathing Spider". I did a Demo a few months back to show some new features in the Drawing Workbencby markstephen - Smart_Rap
You guys are too kind. Thanks.by markstephen - Smart_Rap
Well, my camera settings were all messed up and the video I took looks like crap, so I'll have to shoot another one next time. So as a consolation, here are a couple of pix of the part. As you can see, the slicer still needs some fine tuning with the extrude and retract lengths, but at least things seem to be more or less in alignment. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Personally, I think their the best bang for the buck out there. Note that they are not top shelf, like Reg's Hotends, but you have to spend a lot more to get something better. IMO they work just as good or better than the cheap Chi-com imports, and for less money. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
With the hotends I'm using, J-Head Light, it's the rising heat from the heatsinks that causes the problem, (they really move a lot of heat away from the barrel). I place the heatshield to block the heat rising and the 30 mm fan I have keeps the heat shield cool and cools the barrels as well. Just have to keep the PLA parts cool that hold the Hotends.by markstephen - Smart_Rap
Quotemadmike8 I'm in a conference this week, but VIDEO!!! Settle down, settle down... it's coming. I was wondering why I hadn't heard from you Mike. If your traveling, have a safe trip! I need to make a new, longer heat shield / fan duct and I'm going to put text on the sides in 2nd color. I'll shoot some video of that and get it up later today or tomorrow. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Thanks! My only real bitch so far is that Cura 14.07 won't accept any changes to it's gcode for the dual extruders. It has a G28 Z0 line in there and I replaced it with a G29 for probing the bed. The code is there in the window but it writes out the default G28, which means i have to go back and edit the gcode every time I make a slice. Other than that, and that's no biggie, it's all going alonby markstephen - Smart_Rap
QuoteMelT Lookin great! Thanks for the pic! So, was there anything else that needed to be changed in the firmware to get your second extruder working? No, that was it. the pins were already in pins.h and are used when the motherboard is changed from 33 to 34. The only thing I have done sense then is to tweak the offset - #define EXTRUDER_OFFSET_X {0.0, 0.0} // (in mm) for each extruder, ofby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Getting there - Test - Tweak - Test - Tweak... A little more work and testing. But so far, so good. Think this id going to work out real well. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
An update this evening, It looks like the pin out for the RAMPS is already in there as I can extrude with one or the other using Gcode. Also i have found out that it looks like manual control of the second extruder is not available through the LCD controller. So it looks like everything else I did in the firmware is OK. More tomorrow. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
OK, I'm at a dead stop with the Firmware setup. Currently both heaters and temp sensors are working. Second extruder is not. Only the first extruder is working. Stepper motor conformed good as swapping works. There is only one extruder showing up in the LCD screen. I'm pretty sure that it's something in pins.h that needs to be added for the second extruder but I have no clue as to what pin toby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Hi Reg, that's a nice looking setup. What I have now looks like it will work. will know here in a little bit. About the only thing left to do before the first tests is to set up the slicer. Fingers crossed. Your setup does give me some ideas for a future project though. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Here are the changes i have made so far to Marlin - Thought I had better get this posted somewhere before I forget. the relevant lines have the Smartrap tag in the comment ~ #ifndef MOTHERBOARD #define MOTHERBOARD 34 //Smartrap Dual Extruder = 34 -- Single Extruder = 33 #endif ~ // This defines the number of extruders #define EXTRUDERS 2 //Smartrap - Default is 1 ~ #define TEMP_SENSOR_0by markstephen - Smart_Rap
Sure thing, and thanks. I rebuilt from scratch the extruder extension part. Maybe I'm just picky, but the original one that is on Thingiverse was made with several meshed parts overlapping each other and came out a bit of a mess when sliced. Great idea, and the spacing is perfect to be an "add on" part for a standard Smartrap, but not the "best" model to run through a slicer. Once I am sure thatby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Dual Extruders on the way! OK, now that life if out of the way and parts have arrived, time for some pictures. Got the mechanical done this evening. Every thing went together just as planed and the only thing that ended up being a small PITA was getting the nozzles leveled up just right. I'll probably need to put a little fine tuning on them once everything gets heated up and a few test printsby markstephen - Smart_Rap
If were talking about future plans... Once I get a 5 gal. foundry built, I'll use the 3D printer to make "Lost PLA" investment castings for aluminum parts. Humm.... A cast aluminium Smartrap. Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Like you, I have used mine to make custom parts for things around the house. I have made a mount for an outdoor wireless temperature sensor and mount for high water alarm sensor for the sump pump. The belt tensioners in the video I did. I have also printed out some custom grips. Working on a set for one of my home made knives that will have shock cord incorporated into the design. In other words,by markstephen - Smart_Rap
Here is a post that might give some insight -by markstephen - Smart_Rap
I've been thinking,(yea, I know... dangerous!), but I see no reason why one couldn't just mount a 2+ watt laser on the Smartrap just like I am with a second hotend and run with it. Use the Z probing for setting focal length of the fixed lens. The ideal thing would be to use some spare output on the RAMPS for controlling the laser, but someone much better at programming would need to figure that oby markstephen - Smart_Rap
QuoteBackEMF Great video Mark! BTW how did you attach the base plate and Arduino to the ATX PSU? I'm trying to figure out a way to add a PCB that deals with the ATX wiring so that there is a more Plug n Play solution for ATX+ RAMPS + SmartRap Turns out to be a bit tricky to find a good way to deal with all the different ATX PSU's so i'm taking my time to get my mind around all the options. Itby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Quotesmartfriendz Cool video indeed Sorry mark, I didn't read very well this thread about the offset parameter It's an important one for the smartrap , due to it's design ( the probe implies a measurement error as we press on the bed). Congrats for the work ! It puts me back on free cad to go forward with it . I'm learning it for next version of smartrap .. all was done in blender becauseby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Quotedjinn5150 // these are the offsets to the probe relative to the extruder tip (Hotend - Probe) #define X_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER 0 #define Y_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER 0 #define Z_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER 1.9 #define Z_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER_DELTA_X 0.5 // smartrap: special quantic error mesurement from porte a faux design (see marlin.cpp) Is the delta x maybe? I am havingby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Thanks Mike. It was my very first animation using blender (title scene), and the first time I had used Kdenlive for video editing. All in all, I think came out OK. I was really hoping for an answer on the first question though. But the night's still young... Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap
OK, A couple of things here. First I had read back in one of the other threads, Serge had mentioned that he had "added a tweak" to the firmware to compensate for the auto level not getting it quite right. I posted back and asked about it but it was probably overlooked. Everything is going great with my Smartrap until I try printing parts that are approaching 100mm or more square. Then I get oneby markstephen - Smart_Rap
Bigger motors won't make any difference unless you have something to power them. The controller board can only provide so much current/voltage. If you want/need more torque, you have to supply more current/voltage to do the work. That's why the geared extruders are used, torque multiplication Markby markstephen - Smart_Rap