Very nice. It's not even tax season yet!

 

Very nice. It's not even tax season yet!

Yeah, well I was expecting to pay more than $500. And I have the money now,, left over from the Christmas shopping envelope, so might as well get it now, before I find something less useful to waste it on.

 

The company where I did my internship at, they use 3D systems like this one, they seen to have tried a few other brand and then settled on 3D system.

The company I worked at is mainly a mechanical design company.

 

Put it under the tree so you have a nice toy to open on Christmas Day!

 

Well, there it is in all it's underwhelming simplicity: the MDF frame Prusa Mendel I3 kit. More exciting pics to follow...

Nick is a Biomedical engineer and was interested in my prosthesis project for my dad.

 

Put it under the tree so you have a nice toy to open on Christmas Day!

No WAY! This thing is going to be assembled and printing as soon as I can get it put together!

 

Congrats on your new baby!
We want to see photos as it grows up.

 

I've been thinking about getting a 3D printer for the last year or more and keep putting it off due to cost vs. performance.

Two questions:

What is performance in this context?

Who states it? Manufacturer?

Three questions, in fact.

 

It seems I am coming too late with this but here it goes anyway:

Naked MDF parts do not go along well with high humidity.

 

Why don't you replace the MDF platform with one made of aluminum or Plexiglas?

 

I have built cnc machines in the past and I have a couple sitting in my basement, and recently just finished my 3D printer. Having built my own, I can say the feeling you get when you accomplish something can not be replaced by purchasing something. I plan on printing with ABS and other materials, but will stay away from PLA. I have been trying to log some stuff in my blog about this 3D printer build, I will be putting more details in the blog here in a couple of weeks, my design is based loosely on the MendelMax 2.0

 

It seems I am coming too late with this but here it goes anyway:

Naked MDF parts do not go along well with high humidity.

Why don't you replace the MDF platform with one made of aluminum or Plexiglas?

I was planning to paint the MDF for aesthetics but I'll change my story now and say it's for humidity. I think the MDF will work fine. If not, I have an MDF template I can use to make something more substantial. Whatever material is used, I think it needs diagonal supports. Even his aluminum one had too much flex IMO.

 

Definitely seal it, especially on the ends. It might take multiple coats to soak in the ends too.

And congrats! You just took step one in becoming a robot overlord. Now to get your robot slave assembled and making lots of other robot slaves.

 

Strangor,

How is the assembly process coming along?
(He may be elbow deep in is box of fun that he stopped checking in here!)

 

Strangor,

How is the assembly process coming along?
(He may be elbow deep in is box of fun that he stopped checking in here!)

I have sick kids and plenty of overtime. I haven't even started assembly. I got the MDF. cut out and painted, and that's it. Hoping to get to some work done tonight

 

I have sick kids and plenty of overtime. I haven't even started assembly. I got the MDF. cut out and painted, and that's it. Hoping to get to some work done tonight

Hope they get well soon.

Cheers

 

I have progress to report: I have nearly finished the mechanical construction. Had a few hiccups; some things didn't fit. Luckily I have a lathe. Some of the rods were not straight, and the seller is sending me new ones gratis. For now I'm using the not straight ones.

I am surprised that something I assumed to be "high precision" is made of such crude materials. These rods (linear bearing rails) are what you can get from home depot -the kind that don't even have a straightness or diameter spec, no given tolerance. As are the lead screws; regular home depot all-thread. The split linear bearings are cut open probably with a high speed abrasive cutoff wheel. Then there's the MDF. I'm not complaining; I accept that it is what it is - a $500 DIY kit of an open source project whose whole goal is to put 3D printing tech in the hands of people who otherwise couldn't afford it (Compared to a $30k commercial unit). I guess I should have known what to expect. I'm just used to being around high dollar machine tools that get overhauled when they get a few thousandths out of tolerance. Most people probably would not question the ever-so-slight lope of the rods as they roll across the table, or break out a micrometer, or scrutinize the alignment with a caliper, and they would probably be totally happy with the final product. Who knows, I probably will be as well.

Anyway, all that's left now is to properly mount the extruder and wire it all up. I'll post a video when that happens.

 

If the AllThread has too much bow in it, you can use some 2" pieces of vinyl tubing as couplers between motor and allthread. It allows enough flex to prevent the allthread from causing a racking of the gantry. It is also normal to loosen the motor mounting screws on the z-axis to allow some more flex.

 

You can straighten the rods yourself, by hand. The main tool is a flat pane of 1/4" glass or a flat granite surface etc, which is used to measure the bend (as you have been doing).

It's pretty normal too to have to do quite a bit of aligning and refining.

Congrats on getting started!

 

I have progress to report: I have nearly finished the mechanical construction. Had a few hiccups; some things didn't fit. Luckily I have a lathe. Some of the rods were not straight, and the seller is sending me new ones gratis. For now I'm using the not straight ones.

I am surprised that something I assumed to be "high precision" is made of such crude materials. These rods (linear bearing rails) are what you can get from home depot -the kind that don't even have a straightness or diameter spec, no given tolerance. As are the lead screws; regular home depot all-thread. The split linear bearings are cut open probably with a high speed abrasive cutoff wheel. Then there's the MDF. I'm not complaining; I accept that it is what it is - a $500 DIY kit of an open source project whose whole goal is to put 3D printing tech in the hands of people who otherwise couldn't afford it (Compared to a $30k commercial unit). I guess I should have known what to expect. I'm just used to being around high dollar machine tools that get overhauled when they get a few thousandths out of tolerance. Most people probably would not question the ever-so-slight lope of the rods as they roll across the table, or break out a micrometer, or scrutinize the alignment with a caliper, and they would probably be totally happy with the final product. Who knows, I probably will be as well.

Anyway, all that's left now is to properly mount the extruder and wire it all up. I'll post a video when that happens.

Looks fantastic!

When I seal MDF or wood composites, against moisture; I thin down the first 2-3 coats before applying. Shellac, varnish, polyurethane, paint.......I thin down all the coats.
It soaks in deeper.