Just Showing Off My Printer

I'm not too worried about making an enclosure at this point. Nothing I print needs to be super precision.

what specifically about the flex drive did you not like?
 
You need an enclosure to print with abs..


I was using it on a delta so not as big of an issue here, but I think it caused effector tilt because of the way the drive chain pushed on the effector. It also increases stepper noice because the stepper spins a lot faster because of the high gear ratio.
 
You need an enclosure to print with abs..


I was using it on a delta so not as big of an issue here, but I think it caused effector tilt because of the way the drive chain pushed on the effector. It also increases stepper noice because the stepper spins a lot faster because of the high gear ratio.
Interesting. That has not been my experience with ABS as I regularly print it on an open makerbot replicator duo (the original wood one)

What part do you mean when you reference the effector? The print nozzle?
 
A core xy doesn't have an effector I do not think. it is the thing the arms on a delta connect too.

It depends on what you are printing with the abs, if it is a small part you will be ok because the abs doesn't cool differentially. If you are printing a large object with thick walls you will definatey need an enclosure.
 
Ok....so been a while since I gave any updates, but it's alive again!


I evened up frying by last board somehow...still not sure what happened, but it no longer would communicate with the computer. So 1 new board later and a complete rewire job it's mostly working again. I have all the axis tuned and heaters and fans working again. Just need to tune the new extruder and set up the new Z probe again (that also got fried somehow) and I'll be back in business.

the astute will also notice this is a mirror assembly of the ones pictured...that's right...I now have 2 cable driven extruders!
 
I hate to dig up old threads, but this is exactly what I've been looking for. I've been interested in 3D printing for a while and I'm leaning toward building my own very similar to yours(Like I need another project to take up my time...). I really like the idea of building a 3D printer that might be upgraded or serve double duty as a CNC router one day. I've got a few questions though.

How did you decide on the size? It seems to me that when DIYing a printer, there's almost no constraint on size other than possibly the lead screws (I haven't looked at these very much yet). Otherwise, slightly longer pieces of aluminum and drive belt shouldn't be hardly any difference in cost.

Also, everyone seems to use this extruded aluminum for the frame. I get that most of the 3D printing community doesn't have the same capabilities as this forum, but I would think that using steel square tubing, and welding it together might make things a fair bit stiffer/heavier particularly if it turns into a CNC router.
 
I hate to dig up old threads, but this is exactly what I've been looking for. I've been interested in 3D printing for a while and I'm leaning toward building my own very similar to yours(Like I need another project to take up my time...). I really like the idea of building a 3D printer that might be upgraded or serve double duty as a CNC router one day. I've got a few questions though.

How did you decide on the size? It seems to me that when DIYing a printer, there's almost no constraint on size other than possibly the lead screws (I haven't looked at these very much yet). Otherwise, slightly longer pieces of aluminum and drive belt shouldn't be hardly any difference in cost.

Also, everyone seems to use this extruded aluminum for the frame. I get that most of the 3D printing community doesn't have the same capabilities as this forum, but I would think that using steel square tubing, and welding it together might make things a fair bit stiffer/heavier particularly if it turns into a CNC router.
no worries man, that's why it's here!

The size was an easy choice for me. I salvaged most of the extrusion from some pieces of custom guarding that my work was throwing away and they were already cut to length. If i were starting from scratch i'd size it based on available linear rails or heating mats (assuming you want a heated bed). Yes you could make a giant frame, but i'll tell you if it's not super rigid and you get any bow in your frame, it's going to cause all kind of alignment and first layer issues. But it's very scaleable if your using wheels on the extrusion iteself and some belts.

I'm sure you could make a steel weldment but you may have a very hard time keeping everything flat and planer when welding. That may not be a problem, but it'll take a lot of fidgeting to shim everything to where it needs to be. Steel is also fairly terrible at vibration dampening, which is why you don't see a lot of steel tube CNC machines. Steel filled with sand or epoxy granite might work really well though.
 
im not sure ive shown any pix of mine. started as a router idea, 1 x 2 base frame and verticles. . . added a 3-d print head to it and the other things it needs, still not done with the wiring in the control box. . . it will fit thru a 34" doorway but takes two strong guys to lift. life keeps getting in the way
 
I hate to dig up old threads, but this is exactly what I've been looking for.

No problem on this site, jump in!

Also, everyone seems to use this extruded aluminum for the frame. I get that most of the 3D printing community doesn't have the same capabilities as this forum, but I would think that using steel square tubing, and welding it together might make things a fair bit stiffer/heavier particularly if it turns into a CNC router.

I'm with @cs900 on this.....
you could make a steel weldment but you may have a very hard time keeping everything flat and planer when welding

It is difficult to keep anything square when welding a frame. It's the same reason that Dave Gingery stated when he went for bolted and then hand scraped ways for his 'machines from scrap' series.

-brino
 
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