Yes. I've been watching the mixtape mendel design. I like it a lot. I'm also a fan of parametrizing design as much as is reasonable, though I don't yet have the CAD skills to do it in my own designs yet. It seems like a parametrized design could still easily have some set dimensions. Just use that as the starting point and subtract the other factors from it rather than adding up the other to getby bryanandaimee - Developers
I'm thinking something between 5 and 6 cm center to center.by bryanandaimee - Developers
I like the vertical x axis arrangement too. In fact I think we really need a standard rod spacing for the vertical x axis variants. There are a few of them around now including yours, mixtape mendel, emaker huxley, 1x2, and an x-carriage-only design on thingiverse. I'm thinking of doing vertical x axes on the test tube mendel too. That being said, I think now is a good time to hash out a smooth rby bryanandaimee - For Sale
Had a look a the website. Looks like a similar project to the Prusa. It was a little hard to tell what the major design features were from the website. So what do you think best describes the differences/advantages of your design/philosophy versus the current Prusa design?by bryanandaimee - General
In keeping with the recent standards discussion, I think the time is ripe for at least one standard. It looks like a fair number of reprap variants are looking at vertical x axis smooth rod arrangements (emaker huxley, mixtape mendel, reprap.org/wiki/X-carriage-struder, etc.) I'm soon to be thinking about that choice myself on the test tube mendel, and leaning toward a vertical x axis. Rod spacinby bryanandaimee - Developers
Just to add to the confusion, there are a couple of relatively new projects that might be right up your alley. Emaker huxley is pretty cheap and easy to build, would have a smaller build platform, may not be available to new orders for a while due to demand. Orca from mendel-parts looks cool, is still in early beta but may be in stock for sale soon and mendel-parts has a good reputation. It loby bryanandaimee - General
OK, that makes sense. That might be a worst case scenario. I guess you could expect to maybe cut the time in half to a third on larger objects. I'd still be interested in a total print time from any prusa printers out there. How about it, anyone print a prusa in 8 h? anyone break the 3 Ppd mark? (Prusa's per day, it's like furlongs per fortnight)by bryanandaimee - General
I keep wondering the same thing as Madkite, is the overall build time that different, or is it just pushing a smaller layer height or width at higher speeds? Other than thin walled hollow objects, is there that much advantage in total print time? I'm thinking "time to print a Prusa set" type tests. Anyone printing sets of prusa parts in 8 h these days?by bryanandaimee - General
I don't think all steppers have mounting holes on the back, but I love the idea. Simple and effective.by bryanandaimee - General
That's what I thought too. I almost considered buying it, finishing it and making a big profit selling it on ebay, but I don't really have the time and I already have two printers in various stages of being built right now. Plus it should really go to someone without a printer. Still you'll get a much better price on ebay, might as well sell it there since no one seems to be taking advantage of yby bryanandaimee - For Sale
That's about how I did mine too. I got the plastic parts first, then bought threaded rod and nuts/bolts at the hardware store and built up the frame. Then I got the smooth rod and motors and finished the bot mechanics. Finally I got the electronics and hot end and started testing. I took my time too, about 6 or 7 months of intermittent work. Still testing by the way. Bryanby bryanandaimee - Plastic RepRap Parts for Sale
There are a few projects around to recycle plastic. Just search re-extruder, or recycle. Various methods include grinding it up and using an extruder that can handle powder/pellets or using a separate machine to extrude recycled plastic into filament. All are in infancy. I wonder if there might be a third way. It might end up being more effective just to build a small injection molding press andby bryanandaimee - General
If you have kids it's an easier sell. The kids designed their own christmas ornaments on sketchup and I printed them out and we hung them on the tree. They lost the tips for their beyblades battle tops so I printed some replacements. Was making sugar cookies and they wanted a cool cookie cutter. I printed a TRex head cutter by the time the dough was done and rolled out. Sometime soon I'll print aby bryanandaimee - General
Can't think why it wouldn't. If you are talking about the latest version (gen4?) some reprap firmwares might not be entirely compatible, but the makerbot firmware and repg software should work fine. You may have to do a bit of config hacking to get it to recognize your entire build area, but other than that, the machine is very similar to a reprap these days with the addition of a stepper extrudeby bryanandaimee - General
I just wondered because I still see Sebastien promoting it off and on and wondered what was going on with it. I think there is a quickly closing window for programs like this but wondered if there was still a legitimate need. Fairly soon, people who want one will buy a cheap kit (did you ever think $500 kits would arrive so soon?) or buy cheap RP parts on ebay or get printed parts from a friend.by bryanandaimee - General
So what is the status of the loaner program exactly? It kind of looks dead from the wiki page. Is it that because 1. RP parts are so cheap no one needs loaners any more? 2. Thousands are lined up for loaner parts but no one is loaning out RP parts? 3. A couple guys did it, then the program died a pathetic useless unmourned unloved unnoticed death? 4. A fair number would like to receive parts,by bryanandaimee - General
You can get it to stick to cold acrylic but I don't think painters tape works with ABS. It's more for PLA. Here's a better explanation.by bryanandaimee - General
You can check whether the bootloader is programmed in by emailing the guy you purchased the kit from or you can 1. install arduino software 2. install gen7 support as per the wiki 3. set arduino to the version of gen7 you have 4. try to upload a sample sketch or firmware to the board. (of course you'll need the usb-serial cable and driver installed) You'll need to do this eventually anywaby bryanandaimee - Next Wave Electronics Working Group
I don't want to rain on your parade, but if you want someone to donate a set of plastic to your group, don't ask for the most expensive plastic available. I do remember vaguely what it was like to be an enthusiastic young man, so I sympathize a bit but glow in the dark plastic is at least twice as expensive as any other plastic. Secondly, it may be asking a bit much for someone to put togetherby bryanandaimee - Job Shop: I need stuff made!
I spent a weekend or two building my cupcake and learned a lot about basic architecture and skeinforge settings. I was up and printing way faster than I would have been had I gone the self source route initially. I am now building a Prusa Mendel and a lot of what I learned has transferred over. I have also been able to use the makerbot to test my motors and wiring. This helps a lot when you are iby bryanandaimee - General
The through hole toshiba's are the highest current drivers I have seen wandering around the reprap project. aka47 did some boards here aka47.adsl24.co.uk/serendipity/index.php?/pages/stepdrv.html They are 2.5A continuous 3 A max if I recall. You should be able to drive some pretty large motors with these if the voltage is high enough. Most steppers have high med and low current versions of theby bryanandaimee - General
This might be a good request for the loaner program.by bryanandaimee - Job Shop: I need stuff made!
BTW Sebastian, how is that loaner program going? It looks a little dead on the wiki. Have there been very many requests?by bryanandaimee - Job Shop: I make stuff!
Don't let it get you down. How many corvettes are in the hands of "drivers" that couldn't drive their way out of a grocery store parking lot? How many 12 inch telescopes are in attics of guys that have looked at mars and jupiter and then given up? How many RV kit planes are gathering dust in hangars around the world? How many GHz digital storage oscilloscopes are sitting in basements because theby bryanandaimee - Job Shop: I make stuff!
ElectricMucus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > PS: Why do I get these 'weird' responses when > buying a kit / not actually building a Mendel > first? > Here, in the forum and the irc channel.. > Is this supposed to be some sort of elitist > attitude? Yes it is. It is pretty common in any techy group. We are all so much smarter than the averageby bryanandaimee - General
Nice, I have been thinking about trying to get my Prusa set up with RepG again but I have seen a bunch of posts on the forum about trouble getting it to work with reprap firmwares. Being a makerbot owner I like RepG and tried to get an older version to work on the Prusa but couldn't get it to connect as none of the experimental machines matched mine. Glad to see there is a teacup driver in the neby bryanandaimee - General
You are probably better off getting it done with a stepper initially, but a hobby servo is actually a great idea in some ways. It is much lighter than a stepper and has equal or greater torque. You don't need much speed so that is OK too. The mass is a big plus if you want to drive the axes at higher speeds, but since there is no (maybe there is now?) per axis acceleration yet you are still limitby bryanandaimee - Reprappers
Cool. Now I'm famous I'll have to use up my two Gen7 1.2 boards and get to etchin the new version sometime soon.by bryanandaimee - Next Wave Electronics Working Group
@Mark2 I'm not sure that the Prusa design is necessarily the best for newcommers. Initial frame build might be simpler, but overall if you include jigging, squaring, etc, and calibrating the machine, you will likely get a useable print faster on the box bots as the rod positions are constrained by the laser cut wood. On the other hand MakerGear has a very good reputation so it's a tough choice. Rby bryanandaimee - Reprappers
I agree that the box bots look better in general. Also if you ever have to transport it the box bots seem to have an advantage there. I don't have my Prusa printing yet, but I'm told the quality of prints you get is better on Prusa than on makerbot largely due to Z axis wobble issues on the makerbot I think. I can't comment on Ulitmaker print quality but I think the newer kids on the block haveby bryanandaimee - Reprappers