More cool 3D printers ...

I still didn't finished my Prusa I3 but I can say that I'm almost there - after almost one year now it's just a matter of a few adjustments/regulations and then I'll be able to print my own wissle.

And now, I just decided it, I do want to build one simple 3D scanner. I decided to build one after I saw this KickStarter printer: R-360.

I loved the idea and the size is really cool for small apartments. My bench is already filled up with stuff that my wife wanna throw away, GOSH! I need more room to my stuff! One of the most interesting features are the ability to install one "3D Scanner" kit and a plotter.

I don't like the online service idea - I think that a software like Repetier would be good enough. The online 3D library is awesome tought.

It's sad that they didn't reached their goal - now we will have to dig the web to get the details of this gadget in order to try to bring it into maturity.

KickStarter.com is awesome, I love their projects, I love the idea to invest into gadgets and toys that you like. There is one catch thought, IMHO, they have the tendency to support mostly (again, IMHO!) "professional" projects. IF you don't sell yourself they will not help you with that - even if you do have one awesome idea ...

A while ago I saw another project at KickStarter - the Peachy Printer. One US$ 100 printer. The catch is that this printer is not complete - you will have to spend some money into the resin container.

And the 3D scanner? It's here, the SpinScan. The project is a work in progress but it's super cool.

There is one alternative idea using encoders to point where you want the vertices but I don't know none open source project implementing it. Take a look here for details.

Prusa I3 XL, build log and annotations

Another RepRap blog? Ohhhh YES, more one!

My goal here is not to teach anyone - I'm new to this RepRap world and I'm still learning all this stuff - my goal here is to keep an build log for my own reference and, maybe, help someone in this endeavor. A friend of mine (Gilson) has mentioned some time ago that the Prusa I3's documentation is not so good when compared with the Prusa Mendel - there is no complete manual or book with ALL required info until this date and by what I've saw it seems he is right. So I hope that this build log helps in this documentation too.

The thing is that I'm envy of my friend Gilson's printer - actually I don't like to keep asking him to print parts to me all the time - then I decided to build my own. Right now I'm waiting for a few parts from eBay and AliExpress yet. Maybe in two or tree weeks I will get the Step motors and then I'll send my frame to the CNC shop in order to start the building phase! (after more or less 3 months buying and waiting for these parts I'm kinda bored - it's a real pain to buy stuff from China!)

Until I start this building phase take a look at what I've done so far ...

Official Ramps 1.4b BOM (just in case you need to save money doing your own): here

My Prusa I3 BOM (for those willing to build one Prusa I3): here

My part list (I didn't liked a few parts so I decided to design my own, you can see it here): here

RepRap stuff that I'm kinda dating:

HotEnd

Logged	HotEnd	Price	Notes
2013/05	J-Head, MKV	$60 USD	most used and popular, this one seems to be the latest version. Easily found on eBay.
2013/05	MG Plus	$70 USD	+shipping. MakerGear hotend, good quality by an not so reasonable price. Easily found on eBay.
2013/05	Trinity MetalMagma	$65 USD	+shipping, sold out. It supports 400C.
2013/05	E3D-v4	£39 GBP	All metal and J-Head compatible, SUPER!
2013/05	arcol.hu	€99	Expensive. All metal hotend however I never heard about this one.
2014/01	CB-Printer	€1,830	Super printer, alu made in Poland
2014/01	Bulldog Extruder	to be defined	Another alu made extruder

Extruder Related Stuff

Logged	Extruder	Description	Notes
2013/05	Metal Extruder	RepRap Metal Gear System Extruder.	AWESOME! Build instructions here.
2013/05	Metal Gears	Metal Gear System Hardware Pack for Prusa/i3.	kinda expensive but you can do contact the owner to ask him to send it using a cheaper shipping (without insurance and tracking). I've found this info into this blog.
2013/05	Ponoko Extruder		CNC acrylic parts.

Reference and Usefull Stuff

Logged	Link	Notes
2013/05	book	Getting Started with RepRap by Josef Průša, O'Reilly Sep 2013
2013/05	Prusa I3 Build Manual
2013/05	Prusa Mendel Build Manual
2013/06/23	RepRap Calculator3	by Josef Průša, a must have for all makers!
2013/05	Drive Gears	Drive-gears to be used in direct drive and some other extruders. Only required when using some kind of (like the Adrian's_Geared_Extruder).
2013/06	Mechanical Endstop	Recommended but not required. Simple pull up resistor schematics to connect your mechanical endstop. This pull up resistor is not required - The AtMega already has one internal pull up resistor that just need to be FUSE enabled.
2013/05	Optical Endstop	Recommended but not required. Why they are not using the internal pull up resistor too?
2013/07	Improved Optical Endstop	Recommended but not required. Still not using the dammed internal pull up resistor ...
2013/06/04	RepRapDiscount	Recommended but not required. RepRapDiscount Smart Controller.
2013/06/04	UltiPanel	Schematics for UltiPanel with rotary encoder.
2013/06/04	Touch TFT LCD	Graphical RepRap Touch TFT LCD (mini Pronterface style).
2013/06/04	SynchroMesh Cable	Kinda hard to find it here in Brazil.
2013/07/31	Aluminum frame Prusa i3 RED ANODIZED	Awesome Frame, 69 euros!

Please, fell free to drop a line!

RepRap Prusa mendel V2 (Iteration2) - 3D PRINTER

Dear friends,
it's my first time here as writer. I've decided to build a 3d Printer and for it I choose RepRap Prusa Mendel I2. It's a most common printer with a lot of docs and tech specs on the net.
First of all, I read, read and read.... then I solved to buy the necessary items to build it. It was a one month ago, now I'm ready to start the experience.
I'm following the steps from http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_Mendel_(iteration_2) site where is all (in theory) and the youtube Filear playlist (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA7DE3F3AED272E4E).

All ready to begin so let's play!

The first part is the easiest part, mechanical building. At this point I don't have much problems to worry.. just conections, thready rods, nuts and washers. It's strong recommended that you use a piece of woody or metal as a frame template, to ensure all sides with the same size. At the manual, it's written, but I thing that it's the most importante information to get all "in shape".

It'll continue.... Pictures comming soon...  
All right, let's go!

All parts ready to go... let's do the job.

After some hours, some parts are done: side frames, top, rear and front threaded rods assembled.

X,Y and Z axis in their places:

The wade extruder without hotend... I found out the my hotend will demand some modification on the extruder. This hotend has a guide for fillament over the head that doesn't fit on extrusor...

Heated bed and extrusor assembled

Next steps for today and tomorrow:
- Assembly hotend
- Adapt PC power supply to use in this project (There are many cables unnecessary for 3d printer in this kind of power supply)
- Connect eletronics to test heated bed, hotend and extrusor (engine and gears)

and...........Wait for the steeper motors!!!!!