Dublin RepRap Massive

conrd · 18-02-2013 1:17pm #1

Good afternoon Tog,

Was wondering if anyone in the community has experience Rep-rapping?
We are about to push the button on purchasing a Mendel and was wondering if anyone in Dublin has a similar interest in building one, or has experience building one?

We are relative novices in 3d printing, but have (limited) software / soldering experience.

In summary, 2 chilled out entertainers are looking for buddy's to advise, share, shoot the breeze and bandage solder burns while exploring DIY additive manufacture.

Looking forward to hearing from ya'll,

Conor

P.S If anyone has any experience with Ceramic Additive Manufacture, GET IN TOUCH!

zg3409 · 20-02-2013 9:56pm

I would recommend if in Dublin using TOG's 3D printer before attempting to build your own. Our makerbot has a lot in common with rep-raps in terms of control boards, and software used to design and control the actual printing.

Also getting first hand experience of what is possible to print and what is not. Our 3D printer does not get much use these days mainly due to the difficulty getting it working reliably, and also what it's capable of making and the time needed to generate 3D models.

I know there are a few re-raps in Ireland but I don't have the users to hand. One of the main draw backs is the time taken to gather all the right parts and get a working machine. This could take you months and cost hundreds if not thousands. Have a go on our machine. I'll cost next to nothing. We would prefer to see it used. There is no need to join TOG to use it, we are open one weekend a month for "hackathons", just make sure "namit" is there to show you the ropes.

fitz0 · 24-02-2013 10:41pm

Hi conrd. I'm building a RepRap at the minute but haven't actually used one yet, I've only used a commercial Stratasys machine. As far as I know UL's architecture department have one, you can find them on facebook if you search SAUL Fablab.

My project costs for a full collection of parts is pushing 500 but I think it's possible to cut this down by at least 100 if you source parts efficiently and machine your own hotend (I paid €60 for one.) There's also the Fabri-con group that's just been formed in the past month. It's still quite small but hopefully it will grow as people get more interested.

fenris · 05-03-2013 1:19am

Which RepRap are you building?

I am thinking of getting started but haven't decided which model yet.

I like the idea of a delta printer but will try a standard Prussa or Huxley type first, then canabilise and mutate from there.

conrd · 05-03-2013 11:30pm

Hey, we had similar thoughts, but have order the Prusa Mendel to start as it is the most widely supported.

Our kit arrives next week, so if you want to chat at all, don't hesitate to get in touch.

what are you planning to use your Rep-rap for?

fitz0 · 06-03-2013 12:34am

I'm building a Prusa as well. It seems like the easiest place to start since I have no experience in building something like this. I'm building it as part of my thesis but also to print design models.

One thing that I have my mind set on printing though is a pair of new frames for my glasses. Once I know what I'm doing I'd like to branch out into ceramic printing or a mutli-head printer for soluble support material. I joined Fabri-con, a group for people interested in 3D printing and computer manufacturing, back in January with the hopes of finding other people building RepRaps but it's been slow to take off. Hopefully it will start to pick up some new members.

fenris · 06-03-2013 12:56am

I was thinking of a Prusa but have now moved to either a Mendel90 as a starter printer as it is getting some very good comments or possibly going for a Mendel Pro mono (budget permitting) as there is an upgrade kit to a three head variant available.

All I know for certain is that it is bloody confusing!

conrd · 06-03-2013 8:17pm

Evening Fitz,
you're sourcing your own parts?
Cool!
How does one get an invite to Fabri-con?

Thanks
Conor

Quote=fitz0;83381189]Hi conrd. I'm

building a RepRap at the minute but haven't actually used one yet, I've only used a commercial Stratasys machine. As far as I know UL's architecture department have one, you can find them on facebook if you search SAUL Fablab.

My project costs for a full collection of parts is pushing 500 but I think it's possible to cut this down by at least 100 if you source parts efficiently and machine your own hotend (I paid €60 for one.) There's also the Fabri-con group that's just been formed in the past month. It's still quite small but hopefully it will grow as people get more interested.[/Quote]

fitz0 · 07-03-2013 12:44pm

I got a lot of the parts from xyzprinters.com and reprapsource.com but I got all the printed parts done through my college. I was going to machine my own hotend but I couldn't get access to a lathe. So far I've built the frame in around 3 hours and I hope to assemble the RAMPS shield this weekend.

Fabri-con at the moment is a Google group with a meetup every few months but I'm hoping that it will pick up steam soon.

https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/fabri-con

conrd · 07-03-2013 1:12pm

Mendel 90 looks pretty tidy, and has distinctly less wobble, but the Frame is not 'rep-rappble', so we decided to keep it traditional. Guess it is down with what you want the device to do, we are mainly planning some material testing, so we should be able to jerry-rig extra heads on the the bar, whereas the 90 may not be that flexible.

To reduce wobble, we may (if things go well), get someone from http://www.snoweventdesign.com/ to do some fancy lazer cutting an package everything up in an aluminum frame to stiffen it all up, but we havn't costed that all up yet.(there is printable "stiffeners" on Thingverse, but they look like a bandaid solution)

Didn't realise Fab-conn was 3d-Dave (the man, the legend)...saw your questions, and have a ton of Youtube videos to help. Hopefully can get approval soon and will start posting.

W.R.T the bed tape, Mylar stuff is probably the best, but it is EXPENSIVE,
Have a few suggestions on sourcing locally, but no prices.

Anyway, hope the build is going well, and POST some Pics, dying to see the magic happen!

fitz0 · 07-03-2013 5:57pm

I'd really like to build a Mendel 90 when I have the cash, just for multihead printing. The Prusa should suffice for now, I'll mainly be printing college work on it.

Dave recommended blue painter's tape as a good print surface. I'll try it before going for the expensive stuff. If you have any recommendations on soldering a RAMPS shield, I'd be very grateful. It's probably the most intimidating part of the build as I have zero experience with it. The build is going fairly well. I cracked one piece by accident but otherwise the frame is almost complete. I still need to make a hobbed bolt which is a problem because half threaded hex bolts are next to impossible to find anymore. I think I'll have to thread a smooth bar and make it that way.

I'm putting together a timelapse of the build, I'll post that when it's done. Here's the current state of the build and here is the first timelapse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh9pbSo0pgE

fenris · 12-03-2013 11:59pm

Ordered my Mendel90 today!

conrd · 13-03-2013 12:06am

Deadly!
Who did you order it off?

fenris · 13-03-2013 12:35am

I ordered from Nophead

http://hydraraptor.blogspot.co.uk/2012_12_01_archive.html

Seems to be a very complete kit and he is giving a lot of active support on the reprap site.

I think that these yokes are like guitars or fishing rods - one is never enough!

My plan is to use the Mendel90 as a platform for learning about 3d printing and have it as a base machine to build parts for the next great thing in 3d land!

fitz0 · 13-03-2013 12:48pm

That's a very good price for such a quality machine. I had no tools before starting my build and between that and some bad buying decisions I'd say I've paid up to €600 for my prusa. Thankfully, I'm seeking outside funding so I'll make something back and I'll have the tools and experience for when I build my own Mendel 90 but still, it's a lot of money on an uncertain project.

Good luck with the build.

fenris · 16-03-2013 8:09am

fitz0 wrote: »

That's a very good price for such a quality machine. I had no tools before starting my build and between that and some bad buying decisions I'd say I've paid up to €600 for my prusa. Thankfully, I'm seeking outside funding so I'll make something back and I'll have the tools and experience for when I build my own Mendel 90 but still, it's a lot of money on an uncertain project.

Good luck with the build.

Do you have any recommendations regarding tools or instruments like dial guages etc. ?

fitz0 · 16-03-2013 1:18pm

Nothing overly particular. Get a good digital Vernier calipers and a reliable soldering iron. Other than that it's the usual wire cutters, spanners and such. A good solder pump goes a long way if you're soldering the ramps electronics and aren't practiced at soldering. I found needle files handy for some of the printed parts that were slightly too tight.

fenris · 22-03-2013 1:32pm

I spotted a vernier in Maplin, where did you get your dial guage?

I am well sorted on soldering stuff and am okay for the other tools. I am going to order a PLA rainbow bundle from Faberdashery to get me started.

The notification mail from Nop Head arrived today to let me know that the Mendel90 was dispatched this morning!

fitz0 · 22-03-2013 3:13pm

This is slightly embarraassing but what is a dial gauge?

fenris · 22-03-2013 3:23pm

one of these, apparently they are used for leveling and calibrating the bed

fitz0 · 22-03-2013 3:29pm

Hmm, I was just using a spirit level. Maybe I should invest in one of these. I've not done much on my Prusa in the last week or so due to other committments but I'm hopefully going to finish the construction phase by the end of next week.

fenris · 26-03-2013 4:00pm

Big brown box arrived today :-D

fenris · 01-04-2013 5:10am

First print!

Uncalibrated but not bad and calibration is just not happening at 5 in the morning!

...

Still haven't gotten around to proper calibration, noticed halfway through this one that I had the wrong nozzle and bed size specified, still came out okay and also twice the size I though it would be.
I think sleep is needed before I try any tweaks or figure out why my fan isn't running.

longhalloween · 15-06-2013 7:13pm

Hi, I've finished building a prusa mendel i2.

Can anybody give me a hand in calibrating it as I'm running into difficulties? I'm in Drogheda but I can travel.

Dublin RepRap Massive

Comments