TechZone Horizontal Filament Spool
Release status: unknown
| Description | A simple laser cut filament spool
|
| License | |
| Author | [[User:--Tech Zone Communications]]
|
| Contributors | |
| Based-on | |
| Categories | |
| CAD Models | |
| External Link |
General
This simple filament spool is designed to be inexpensive (both to buy and to ship as a kit) and durable. It is constructed from 3mm plywood, and steel hardware including a lazy susan bearing.
This spool is a great addition to the TechZone Huxley or to the RepRap Mendel, it would of course work with any 3d printer which uses coiled filament.
Files
| FILE ID# | TYPE | DESCRIPTION | AVAILABLE FORMATS | CREATED/RESERVED BY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your-File-Name | MONOTRONICS BOARDS | These are the files you need to make a set of boards | .xml.zip | --Example User 12:00, Today's Date 20xx (UTC) |
| FILE ID# | TYPE | DESCRIPTION | AVAILABLE FORMATS | CREATED/RESERVED BY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TechZone Monotronics Firmware | MONOTRONICS Firmware | This file is the firmware for the Monotronics | .zip for use with arduino | --Tech Zone Communications Jan 16, 2011 |
Assembly
Here at TechZoneCommunications, we use RepSnapper as our host software. We do not think that RepSnapper has the most features of all the different options out there, but for our purposes, we have found it to be the most stable. The other two common host software packages are RepRap Host, and ReplicatorG. RepRap Host uses the same firmware and is the official host software of the RepRap project (at least that is how I understand it - corrections are welcome here). What we have found, is that both RepRap Host and ReplicatorG are written on the Java platform, and as such have inherited any quirks or flaws inherent to that platform (yes, there are some, even though Oracle - formerly Sun Microsystems - would have you believe otherwise). RepSnapper was writen in C and seems to be very stable for us.
I recommend that you use RepSnapper to connect and test your electronics, then, after you know that everything is working, you can switch to a different host software. In this way, if you have problems in the future, you will know it is MOST likely something with the software, not with the electronics. The same firmware from above should work with RepRap Host, you will have to customize your own firmware to work with ReplicatorG (Or convince me to take the time to do it...)
Regarding the Reset button
(--AlexRa): at least in my setup (and I don't see how it can be any different on other computers connecting to the same board) I do NOT NEED to touch or hold Reset to upload the firmware from Arduino. I think much of the "things just don't work unless you press all the buttons you can think of" confusion may be caused by forgetting to set the connection speed (the default seems to be 9600 in Arduino and 14400 in the serial-to-USB driver).
(--AlexRa)Correction: the Arduino bootloader is supposed to wait for an upload "a few seconds" after a reset, then pass control to the currently loaded firmware. According to that, you have to click Reset (but not hold it), then immediately start the upload.
(--TechZone)The reason that we hold the reset in, is that it can take a while to build the firmware before it begins to transfer the file (depending upon the computer of course), if you hold it in until the right moment, then letting go will make sure that the board is in a ready state to receive the data from the arduino environment. The Idea of holding in the reset is simply a universal way of explaining to a wide variety of users how to get the timing of the reset to work well. Feel free to try it both ways.
