malgana: Thanks for the photo. I wondered what this discussion was about. Just a thought - could a fine toothed gear be used which fits inside a plastic part? or has this been tried? Maybe it is essential to have the knurling rounded (hollow)?by cluso99 - General
You got me thinking. I just pulled apart a bubblejet printer and it has a printed fence (a mylar sheet with vertical bars) that is read optically which can also be slavaged. I would expect most printers would have these, so that could be a cheap source to determine the location of the x & y axis (and z for that matter).by cluso99 - General
I have just pulled apart a Brother DPC-115C USB Printer (I have 2). There was a 6mmx~350mm stainless bar that could be useful and a few cogs, belts etc. Not all that much use. However, there was a pump (the rotating type that compresses a tube - forget the name of this) that is used for the ink which could be useful for some other type of reprap. There were 2 small DC motors and a tiny stepper.by cluso99 - Reprappers
The ADC chip may indeed take 5-15V but it is interfaced to another chip that most likely can only take 5V. I have not looked at the spec for the ADC chip, nor the pcbs you are using. As soon as I get some clear time I will see what I can find for you. Meanwhile I am sure others are using the mixopf pcbs you are using. Perhaps they can put up some photos of how to connect. I am going to designby cluso99 - Reprappers
jkelso: I share your frustration and am glad you are staying in there. I will be heading down your path as soon as time permits, admittedly with changes. And I will learn from your mistakes, as will all of us. This thread is giving the new builders a wealth of information and I truly hope the nightmares doesn't turn anyone off. However, I don't think anyone here is really gloating at your expensby cluso99 - Reprappers
jkelso: You have been doing a great job at detailing your build. I share your frustrations that the electronics will not work. My comment was merely to let you know that the board may be damaged - I had no idea you were going to plug 12V into 5V in advance. While I understand electronics, I have no understanding of the parts you are using, so I am unable to help. If the pcb is labelled V and caby cluso99 - Reprappers
I am sorry that whatever you applied 12V +/- to instead of +5V and GND is most likely to be fried.by cluso99 - Reprappers
Great news. I found 270mmx6mm bars from old laser cartridges (see recent post). I also found the skate bearings from old roller blades my kids no longer use. I started with the idea of using pine shelving for the box. I even bought the shelves. Then decided against and am building a cheap micro-mendel variant. My aim is to build a cheap micro-mendel variant where I can later re-use the motoby cluso99 - Reprappers
I just pulled apart a used laser cartridge (from a Xerox Phaser 3124). I have a ready source of these. I have found the following goodies... 1 x 4mm, 1 x 6mm & 1 x 7mm x approx 270mm long bars. Each have rollers on them and I will no doubt have to cut them off. There were other parts like the fuser and also cogs etc that maybe usable. By far the most vaulable is the 6mm x 275mm round bar.by cluso99 - Reprappers
I have been busy with moving house and other things, so not much done in the last few weeks. While moving I discovered the kids old roller blades. So I ratted them for the bearings. This was interesting as one pair of boots had 5 wheels each with 2 bearings giving me 20 bearings. The other had 4 wheels giving me 16 bearings. BUT, one of them had a smaller bolt with some form of nylon bushes holdby cluso99 - Reprappers
Congratulations. Now looking forward to seeing pics of parts made Your thread has been great to watch. Thanks for posting your progress so regularly. I have been checking twice daily.by cluso99 - Reprappers
Caliber: I am sure you could experiment with the extruder fairly cheaply until something worked reasonably. Perhaps some parts from an old printer like the plastic cogs to feed the filament. The brass tubes and nozzles are available on here and reasonably priced and you can buy the heater wire too. Perhaps some PTFE tube too. The rest is really playing. I saw someone used a piece of dowel drilledby cluso99 - General
I have been working on a micro version of mendel and trying to simplify the design in the process. See the thread under RepRappers There is also kelso? who is documenting building a Mendel - he has done a great job and he posts more than once a day sometimes. You must read his thread. I have bought the threaded rod and the bearings, nuts and bolts. I will try nail polish for locktite as I haveby cluso99 - General
I am starting to build my Micro-Mendel. Some suppliers I found are on this threadby cluso99 - Australia, Brisbane RepRap User Group
Thanks Cefiar. I have not tried too hard yet and I do know where some of these can be obtained. Also looking for the best buys and minimum number of places if possible. Looks like Auxmods.com.au for the Nema17 steppers and they have other parts as well.by cluso99 - Reprappers
Thanks spacexula. I have the rotation on HeeksCad working now. Doing a little research into my decision to go back to placing the Extruder on the movable X carriage (also on Z axis) was that I thought I could get more usable Print Area if I did this. However, I have just realised that it really doesn't give me much extra, if any at all. Maybe 5-10mm max but I can reduce the carriage size and thaby cluso99 - Reprappers
Been out shopping... (in Australia) I have found that 6mm and 8mm threaded rod in 1m lengths are cheaper that 1/4" & 5/16" in 24" and 36". The 8mm Skate Bearings are much cheaper than 1/4" ($1.70 v ~$6.00). Here is what I have purchased... From Gosford Bolts & Bearings (Central Coast, NSW Australia) Ph (02) 4325 4216 sales-at-boltsbearings.com.au 1 @ M8 1m Allthread $3.74 ea (all +GSTby cluso99 - Reprappers
It is Item 6 on this pic of figure 1 (the take effect tick) Heeks tutorial part 1 of 4 When I use the rotate handle it will not do a proper rotate because it is not aligned to the grid because of its size. The only way to rotate cleanly would be to size the part to the grid, rotate and then resize to part of the grid.by cluso99 - Reprappers
SpaceXula, do you mean the coloring or which object is on top? The coloring is done by selecting each object and then setting it's color. To get an object on top, you select the object and then click the 'green tick' which brings it to the front (redraws it). So you have to do each one in order from back to front. Also, each time you change something using the 'green tick' it rearranges the ordby cluso99 - Reprappers
Some more modifications. I am back to making the X & Z axes for the extruder and using the PTFE tubing so the motor/feeder are not on the moving carriage (like some other designs I have seen). Dimensions are moslty using 200mm... (~8") 8 x 200mm threaded rods 2 x ~170mm threaded rods for Z axiz 2 x ~200mm round bar for Y axis 2 x ~190mm round bar for X axis 1 x 200mm round bar for top carryby cluso99 - Reprappers
Thanks for all the info. This is a great thread. Keep it coming..by cluso99 - Reprappers
Here is the latest thoughts using less rods. The pic is in heekscad but there is a problem with placing the motors and the foreground/background bars/rods not rendering in correct order.by cluso99 - Reprappers
@jkelso: Sounds inspiring... keep posting Where are you located (presume USA)?by cluso99 - Reprappers
While on the plane I continued to work on the design and have a few more questions about whether these things have been tried... Z axis --------- For the Z axis, has anyone tried the alternative of fixing the threaded rod and turning cogs with embedded nuts by motor and belt to move the platform up & down? I am presuming we can make these cogs for a T5 belt and obviously we can leave to spacby cluso99 - Reprappers
Yes, it's in paint. I haven't tried any of the cad packages yet and I don't have my test laptop with me which has openscad downloaded ready to try. I will be back home tomorrow so will try openscad. Is that the best for beginners? I have used pcb layout and schematic packages but never cad packages. Thanks v.much for the offer. I can build part with timber to get the sizing right and then I willby cluso99 - Reprappers
I have added the Z axis to move the X & Y axis up & down (or else traditional Z carriage for the extruder). 4 threaded rods are used. The X Axis belt can be fastened at each end saving 2 pulleys and some belt. Side (End) view. Note the small horizontal rod (front to rear) at the top. This should allow easier mounting of the 4 vertical Z axis rods with ball-bearings at top & boby cluso99 - Reprappers
Here is an updated X & Y axis. I have tried to keep the weight centralised. The distance between the bars is approx 50mm. Any comments appreciated Presuming a print area of 110x110mm and a carriage (the 2 parts with motors) of 70x70mm and the end plates (the 3 parts with pulleys) of 70x30mm... The X axis will be (from L to R) = 70 + 55 (travel L) + 70 + 55 (travel R) + 30 = 280mm Theby cluso99 - Reprappers
Bunnings have threaded rods ZP imperial (5/16" ~7.98xx mm) in 24" and 36".by cluso99 - Australia, Sydney RUG
I am designing a mini/micro mendel or similar. I commute between the Gold Coast & Gosford (80km north of Sydney). My background is electronics. I purchased 5/16" ZP rod (~7.98xx mm) from Bunnings. Let me know where you get your rod from as I haven't yet found a supplier. I did see that someone has used ss rod from an old printer - I have a few so I will look there.by cluso99 - Australia, Brisbane RepRap User Group