User:Jmarsden
Jonathan Marsden
Member of the RepRap Core Team since May 2007.
Primary system administrator for Reprap servers.
Built a set of Reprap v1 electronics, which worked to the extent of driving one small test stepper motor.
Mendel build Summer 2010
Build Status
- Mendel hardware kit, PLA and Seeeduino Mega ordered 2010-05-28.
Personal Mendel Build Goals
- Low cost (under US$500 if at all practical!)
- Improve the mechanical build docs based on the experience putting them together.
- "Very standard" Mendel mechanics (for ease of getting help with them!)
- "Very reliable" extruder (so I can make parts sets)
- Some experimenting with electronics and firmware is OK, esp. to reduce cost, as well as avoiding supply issues with the official electronics kits.
Current Ideas for Parts Acquisition
Electronics:
- Seeeduino Mega fully assembled from http://www.nkcelectronics.com/seeeduino-mega-fully-assembled.html ($40)
- 4 Pololu Stepper Controllers, see Pololu_Electronics ($52 for 4)
- Misc other stuff, cables, Adrian's stripboard or PCBs for the stepper controllers, etc. (maybe $40?)
Steppers:
- 4 steppers, maybe Pololu 1209s (reduces number of suppliers to use Pololu for these) ($64 for 4)
Mechanics:
- Hardware Kit from Ultimachine (because I know the least about the mechanics, spending $$ on a kit is OK!) ($200)
RP Parts Set:
- From Adrian -- this is where being a Core Team member is a huge win :)
Extruder:
- Not sure which design, Adrian's or Wade's geared stepper driven. ($??)
- Will need RP extruder parts from somewhere, once I decide which design to build! (Adrian's parts come with Adrian's RP set, and he'll build me a set for Wade's extruder design if I choose that one -- so this is now a solved issue).
Feedstock:
- PLA, probably natural, from Ultimachine. ($50 for a 5lb spool)
Rough Project Cost Estimate
Looks like US$446 plus shipping, plus unknown cost of the extruder parts and any necessary tools to make an extruder. It is going to get very close to my $500 budget limit, it seems!
2010-05-28: Spent $44.50 on Seeeduino Mega. 2010-05-28: Spent $266.30 on Mendel Hardware Kit and 5lbs PLA.
Things to Print (when it works)
- A set of RP Mendel parts to sell, to get more Reprapping budget
- At least one set of RP Mendel parts to give away, to ease my conscience (!)
- A second set of RP Mendel parts for myself, as spares or for a second Mendel.