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People building or using RepRaps.
Re: Reprap host software and order from bitsfrom bytes - 15 years ago
They lasercut entire sheets of acrylic, they don't reprap individual parts. I've built one of their kits - good stuff (see my blog)by DaveR - General
Re: Finally starting on my McWire. - 15 years ago
Hi Charles Don't worry too much about the host PC spec - use what you've got. I'm using a Toshiba M200 Portege laptop. Crap (by today's standards) single cpu, 1Gb ram, 120Gb HD, no disk. you'll only need a minimal HD - go for a cheap one - you won't need anything like 500Gb. A full install of ubuntu and the host software is <50Gb. stl and blender files, etc are very small also. You could gby DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Can someone with an already built RepRap make parts for me? - 15 years ago
Hi Jordan, At the moment, a RepRap is in the 'Alpha' stage. Getting one working requires a lot of time and effort, and the easiest and safest way is to buy a kit (MakerBot or BitsFromBytes) which is about $750. You can build one cheaper, but the bare-bones electronics, motors, and metal parts are probably in the $200+ range, before you add custom parts. Most people on a budget start with a Reby DaveR - For Sale
Re: Firmware for encoder - 15 years ago
Latest hacked version I've modified the firmware to include a basic speed control with an encoder using interrupts. Note: Currently this is an untested hacked version. YMMV. The stepper interrupt loop now counts encoder pulses. The input parameter (RPM?) in the host software (1-255) is inverted - 1 - fast and 255-slow. The RPM param determines a set number of ticks (e.g. 1=.001 sec , 200 = .2by DaveR - RepRap Host
Re: CopperRap progress - 15 years ago
:-) Nice start. I've finally admitted to my wife that it is "playing". However, at least I can point out that my toys are cheaper than her toys (Oboe £250, Piano £2500). However, hers make nicer noises...by DaveR - General
Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago
does it happen with all the boards plugged in? or just one? if it happens with any one board plugged in, it sounds like the PSU. you could try not using any boards at all, and instead add an old PC case fan or car bulb as a dummy load to see if it triggers the same behaviour. if it happens with something else too, it's probably a problem with the PSU. also, if you've photographed the boards, yby DaveR - Controllers
Re: Software phase, ARM Cortex_M3 STM32 based highly integrated control board. - 15 years ago
you should only be including the .H files. .H files tell the compiler what the interfaces are. (what) .C files contain the actual code. (how) you should only need any .H files for functions you use in your code, e.g. if you use the timer2_interrupt() function, you need to include the .h file that mentions that funtion. ignore the .C files. of course, I might be way off base. Try posting a codby DaveR - RepRap Host
Re: Complete beginner looking for advice - 15 years ago
The 'Ponoko' RepRap, and RepRaps in general, have more support and instructions. There's a lot of detail on the wikis and as they are standardised, many more users have a version of a RepRap. The RepStraps tend to be much more variable, and require some problem-solving to fit the general design to what you've got. They're generally a bit slower than the belt-driven reprap as they use a lead screby DaveR - General
Re: Extruder nozzles - 15 years ago
Ah, thanks. I use google reader to keep up-to-date with all the reprap blogs. Here's my list of blogs: (google reader will import an xml file I've managed to include Faith, Hydraraptor, and EMC If I've left you off, let me know! Dave Rby DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Complete beginner looking for advice - 15 years ago
laser-cutter is good : check out the ponoko and BitsFromBytes designs, which are a full reprap made from laser-cut parts. Also, if you've got access to a lathe, there are several parts that are easier: e.g drilled out bolts - that'll help with making the extruder. You'll still need several electronic parts, and a few circuit boards. Ask around at school - there might be facilities to make or etby DaveR - General
Re: Extruder nozzles - 15 years ago
Hi Andy Where's your blog? have I missed one? I didn't know that b&q did welding tips - I've destroyed a couple of the halfords ones by drilling them out too large. An M6 thread would be a lot more useful. Thanks for the tipby DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Installing in 64 bit Ubuntu - 15 years ago
The java code is fine (it runs in a VM) but the problem is some of the java libraries used (java3D, rxtx) have C++ native libraries that link to 32-bit C libraries. Look into the java3D and RXTX libraries and see if there are 64-bit versions, and install/compile them. There isn't actually a 32/64bit for java code. it will compile to the same bytecode, just that the virtual machine program itby DaveR - RepRap Host
Re: Extruder nozzles - 15 years ago
Making them is actually pretty easy, once you've bought some small drills. Any nozzle more than a few quid is probably easier to make than buy. The 0.6mm welding tips have been easiest so far, almost the right shape and size, just needing a little alteration.by DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Extruder nozzles - 15 years ago
I did try and look up fuel injection nozzles for engines, but the high precision leads to higher cost. I didn't look for motorcycle engines, though. The reason I mentioned tattoo 'tips' is that they seem to be a shield around the needle, a few mm at one end (the grip end is 8mm outside diameter?) narrowing to a needle diameter at the other - and a '13' needle size is 0.4mm, the same size as theby DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Soldering newbie - 15 years ago
by 'baffles to restrict the air flow', do you mean put the PCB inside a high-walled cake tin/baking tray in the oven? It sounds like it's heading towards a recipe (2 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 235C/gas mark 8)? :-)by DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Extruder nozzles - 15 years ago
tattoo needles seem to range from 0.25 to 0.4mm, so some of the larger sizes might be the right size for a nozzle. The're also not too expensive.by DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Extruder nozzles - 15 years ago
Flicking through ebay for gasjet and other nozzles, I found an oil burner nozzle: |66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50 I also found some 'tattoo tips'. They look about the right size to be useful, and they're sold pretty cheaply on ebay. However, I'm not that familiar with tattooing, so I'm not sure whether they're similar sizes or not. I've tried: The BfB 'proper' machby DaveR - Reprappers
Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago
:-) My PSU - if you short any voltage to ground, it will turn itself and the PSU fan off, and will not tun on again until you've unplugged it from the mains. other PSU's have slightly different protection. The pots limit the current through the steppers - I think if the steppers are not plugged in, they have no effect - but it's a good idea to stop things getting hot.by DaveR - Controllers
Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago
Hi Lars. If there is a short circuit, many power supplies will turn themselves off or trigger internal protection circuits, cutting the power. Try just one board at a time, see if it does it with all your boards: Try with two, then three - it might indicate an overload condition If you've got a camera with a good 'macro' (close-up) lens, take a photo of both sides of each board. Then inspect thby DaveR - Controllers
Re: Skeinforge Powwow - 15 years ago
To include a python library (wxViewer3d) you need to put it in the python library directory - or if you have problems with that, you can put it in the same directory as your script and it should find it.by DaveR - Skeinforge
Re: Mica paper insulated barrel test - 15 years ago
Interesting adaptation of the design. It'll be interesting to see what the differences are with a smaller filament, and whether a drive mechanism is easier or harder.by DaveR - Plastic Extruder Working Group
Re: Firmware for encoder - 15 years ago
Here's mine - barely tested... I use the existing interrupt to poll my pin and count up. The speed is inverted and the timing might need adjustment. Zip of my current firmware:by DaveR - RepRap Host
Re: Firmware for encoder - 15 years ago
Nice. I've thought about it for the last week or so, and I came up with an almost identical functional design. I'm using a single arduino (vanilla) setup with generation 2 electronics. I've got the older BfB laser-cut kit which has a mounting for a standard opto-encoder on the GM3 mounting. I've added a single opto on the GM3 output shaft. I've modified the firmware to re-use the encoder steby DaveR - RepRap Host
Re: Firmware for encoder - 15 years ago
I've started hacking the firmware to add a simple encoder speed regulator. I'll blog if it ever works...by DaveR - RepRap Host
Re: what makes a good extruder? - 15 years ago
Yep, true. The load can vary because of the temperature of the nozzle, the shape of the filament, where the filament is melting, and starting / stopping. This means a simple solution (PWM with a DC motor) can work OK, but is not ideal. Adding an encoder to control the speed of the DC motor helps a lot. It allows running the motor at lower speeds, and compensates for the variable load. Stepperby DaveR - Mechanics
Re: Extruder motor replacement - 15 years ago
Yep, this is the problem. The extruder load varies, depending on the shape of the filament, the temp, where the filament is melting, etc. This means if we use PWM alone, the speed varies. Adding an encoder allows the controller to run the motor (and therefore the filament) at a constant speed. Stepper motors have also been used to drive the extruder - they have more control of the rate, and moby DaveR - Mechanics
Re: Extruder motor replacement - 15 years ago
Have you tried adding a shaft encoder? Apparently you can run it slower, but keep the torque high? Or have I got that wrong?by DaveR - Mechanics
Re: Firmware for encoder - 15 years ago
Did you manage to get your firmware sorted? I've just added a simple shaft encoder to my GM3 (an unused opto-endstop and flicker wheel) and I was just looking for the same thing - arduino firmware that supports a quadrature encoder. There's a GCode_Interpreter_experimental branch, but it seems to be a relatively old branch from the main gcode encoder. Any ideas?by DaveR - RepRap Host