Any 3D Printer DIY'ers?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Any 3D Printer DIY'ers?

solival

160 posts

Master Geek

#146540 21-May-2014 10:43

Did anyone around tried to build own 3D printer?

I found very interesting open-source printer model called RepRap Prusa i3. Looks quite doable and affordable.
By my estimations with sourcing from ebay, china and NZ it will cost about $400 in total. They use simple hardware, rods, wooden frames, well known arduino-based electronics, so IMHO chances for success are quite high.

As it will be my first experience of doing such things, it would be great if someone point out caveats or possible specifics of doing so in NZ :)
So, what do you think?

1 | 2

5680 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1050420 21-May-2014 12:45

I'm thinking about playing with 3D printing too, just to dabble with. I've been watching TradeMe, and people on there are offering new RepRap printers for about $1250 or so. That's a bit steep for me for a toy.

I'd be surprised if you could get all the bits for one for $400. But, if you can do it, I'll give you $500 for a kitset of all the parts... I don't have the time/motivation to chase around for all the bits and pieces.

If you can get several people to buy together, you'll probably save quite a lot on shipping.

livisun

421 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1061026 7-Jun-2014 19:19

built a rostock mini delta printer from 3dprinterczar, delivery took about 2 weeks, excellent pricing, i would say i3 has more instruction and easier to build nice to start off with. I was just more intrigued with the delta style printers.
Looking at building a rostock MAX from seemecnc this month.

Shimmer

54 posts

Master Geek

#1061172 8-Jun-2014 09:49

I got a Maxibox printer for under $400. Granted it did take almost a year between payment and delivery. Not saying that's the same as DIY just that you can get parts for under the $400 mark

jasonh

35 posts

Geek

#1061558 8-Jun-2014 22:55

I like the delta's as well. If I was going that way I would probably go for a rostock max v2. There was a 4 part article on putting one together here http://blog.cnccookbook.com/2014/04/21/building-the-rostock-max-v2-3d-printer-part-1/

I can't make myself fork out the $$ though because the quality is not quite where I want it to be for it to be useful enough for my projects.

livisun

421 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1061606 9-Jun-2014 07:25

jasonh: I like the delta's as well. If I was going that way I would probably go for a rostock max v2. There was a 4 part article on putting one together here http://blog.cnccookbook.com/2014/04/21/building-the-rostock-max-v2-3d-printer-part-1/

I can't make myself fork out the $$ though because the quality is not quite where I want it to be for it to be useful enough for my projects.

what are you looking to print?

the rostock can print up to 50 microns.

solival

160 posts

Master Geek

#1201275 20-Dec-2014 22:37

Yay! I did it! First time get successful print.
So, total so far is about $570 NZD, but this including couple burned sets of electronics and some wrong bolts and nuts (because I bought hardware for Prusa i3 (original) but frame for Prusa i3 Rework).
Very cool achievement for first DIY of such complexity.
Printing

Dynamic

3867 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1201531 21-Dec-2014 15:31

Nice one! I'm really impressed!

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1201546 21-Dec-2014 16:34

Saw this one in Warehouse Stationary a month or so back. I think it was about NZ$1100 then, but the online store has it for $999

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

Dynamic

3867 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1201547 21-Dec-2014 16:36

That's the model I bought. Love it. There is a dual extruder model coming out shortly.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

linw

2849 posts

Uber Geek

#1201551 21-Dec-2014 16:55

But what do you actually print with it??

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1201554 21-Dec-2014 17:21

linw: But what do you actually print with it??

If you have a Photoshop / Lightroom CC subscription, 14.2 will write to a 3D printer

If you open this link and find the first 3D reference, you'll find about a dozen video tutorials on Photoshop 3D and 3D printing.

http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-photoshop-cc/

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#1201863 22-Dec-2014 10:42

I jumped on the bandwagon about 4 years ago when home printers were starting to get affordable. I started with a reprap and moved to a Makerbot Cupcake and eventually a Makerbot Thing-O-Matic. There was a lot of setup and maintenance work. Even a change in humidity in the room could make a print unstable and waste 6 hours of print time.

I have since reused almost all of the components in other projects so don't currently have a 3D printer but they sure have come a long way. I had to import mine from the US in parts and now you can buy them from WHS... I'll give them another couple of revisions before I look seriously at getting another. There have only been a handful of times when I wished I still had one.

There is a great community over at thingiverse.com which serves up thousands of free open source models you can try and print.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1201864 22-Dec-2014 10:45

what sort of things did you typically print?

Dynamic

3867 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1201896 22-Dec-2014 11:13

I've printed:
- some novelty items for the kids and the Mrs including name tags and an Eiffel Tower. This one went down nicely with the Mrs.
- some non-lethal door stops (search thingverse if curious)
- I used Sketchup to design a stand for my tiny HTPC and USB connected slot-load DVD drive. Took 3 attempts to get it right.
- I am currently designing a screwless 3.5" to 2.5" hard adapter for putting SSDs into a desktop PC. Version 3 is pretty close to what I want.

For us it is currently a novelty item with few practical uses. I'm going to lend mine to the kids primary school early next year for a month or so and won't miss it while it is away.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#1202501 23-Dec-2014 10:08

Mostly novelty gifts for people but only after I had finished my masters degree where I used it as a rapid prototyper for facade system components. Around the house I have made phone desktop docks, brackets for shelving, replacement clips from broken hardware, spacers, cable tidy's etc etc.

I see the technology getting to a point where the standard hardware store has an array of these in a corner and instead of holding stock of manufacturer replacement parts you just order them online and ask to collect them at a local store (which has printed them for you). The technology still has a way to go before that becomes viable for a manufacturer replacement though.

1 | 2