NEWBIE

Hi All,

UK based: Home/Office: want to purchase a RepRap 3D printer (kit): must be a base model with a standard parts list to start with: Mendel looks appropriate: Needed to create prototype models with an maximum envelope of 150mm cubed.Assembly skills OK: Running Solidworks: Where to purchase in UK please.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 10:08AM by oap70.

Hi,

welcome to the forum

You didn't post any questions, but I guess you are looking for some kit recommendations? It's always hard to know what to suggest, especially without knowing a lot about your skills/experience, intended use and budget. The general truths apply abundantly to 3d printing - if you purchase at the low cost end of the spectrum expect a steep learning curve and some limitations on expand-ability and quality. If your objective is to learn about 3d printing and the experience is it's own reward then buying a cheap printer, learning and overcoming (to whatever extent possible) it's limitations can be a very good starting point. You would then be much better informed when it comes to deciding on if that printer meets your needs or if you want to invest in a second printer. On the other hand, if you want to get useful prints as quickly as possible to support some other activity you probably want to spend as much as you can afford on a ready to go printer from one of the main-stream manufacturers. The learning curve is still steep, but hopefully the limitations will be less restrictive.

Filament based printers are good for large-ish parts (the typical build envelope is 200mm³) that can be quite strong - quite good for functional designs once you learn to design to the strengths of the materials and process. Resin based printers typically have a smaller build envelope and relatively high detail. They are often used for decorative parts because of the better surface finish (and maybe also because of the higher materials costs).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 10:24AM by JamesK.

Hi James:

Mechanical design for last 30yrs (now retired): running Solidworks since 2000 (still using!!!): first used 3D printing for prototypes via UK agency in 2000: created some replacement vintage Christmas decorations (1940's) 6 months ago using my local college printers: Just looking to purchase a starter printer (filament) for some development gameplay components: The Mendel seemed reasonable and have no interest in "Specials" (great though they probably are): However can you provide a short list of standard machine kits (5 only) showing cost vs accuracy between 500 to 1000 pounds sterling and where in the UK they can be purchased please.

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oap70
running Solidworks since 2000 (still using!!!)

Oh please no!
Im a designer and there are LOADS of new better stuff in 2016 and 2017 versions!

Personally just about any i3 should fit the bill.

I tend to make all my own 3D printers from scratch so can't give you a list, but at the recent TCT Personalize show at the NEC I was impressed by the Prusa i3 mk2. The construction details seemed to be generally sensible engineering and the print quality was better than any similar printer. It also has the option of a multiple filament version which worked well.

Mike

edit: p.s., comparison in Make magazine [makezine.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 11:38AM by leadinglights.

Many Thanks:

Have viewed and contacted the Prusa website: Looks basic, easily serviceable and therefore give me the 9 to 12 months service I need.

Thanks to all:

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oap70
Hi James:

Mechanical design for last 30yrs (now retired): running Solidworks since 2000 (still using!!!): first used 3D printing for prototypes via UK agency in 2000: created some replacement vintage Christmas decorations (1940's) 6 months ago using my local college printers: Just looking to purchase a starter printer (filament) for some development gameplay components: The Mendel seemed reasonable and have no interest in "Specials" (great though they probably are): However can you provide a short list of standard machine kits (5 only) showing cost vs accuracy between 500 to 1000 pounds sterling and where in the UK they can be purchased please.

The Mini Kossel kit from Think3DPrint3D may be suitable if the build area is big enough for you. They are UK based and their site shows lots of good reviews from purchasers of that kit.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

If you're after accurate parts, then stay away from Delta printers. They require meticulous attention to detail, a workshop, and bucketloads of time to try to get that last 0.5% of accuracy. Even when you think you're done, you'll measure a part that was printed on a different area of the bed (or in a different orientation), and it will be slightly different to the other parts. No hardware or software will fully account for this. It's relatively easy to get a good first layer, but requires herculean effort to get perfectly sized parts.

Also note, the Kossel Mini kit recommended above uses the controller that DC42 sells. So it's hardly an unbiassed recommendation.


Cartesian printers, on the other hand, are way, way more easy to get accurate, and it's easy to see what's going on if your parts aren't perfect.

I had high hopes for the Eclips3D2, but now it looks like it may not be going ahead: [www.eclips3d.com]


(I have two Delta printers... never again).

Just my $0.02

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2017 03:27AM by nebbian.

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nebbian
Also note, the Kossel Mini kit recommended above uses the controller that DC42 sells. So it's hardly an unbiassed recommendation.

No it doesn't, it uses the Duet 085 not the Duet WiFi. Although it does use my IR sensor.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

So it's not unbiassed? I stand corrected.

Our newbie will be quite confused by now but what both nebbian and dc42 say are correct. Perhaps I could clarify for oap70, assuming he is still following this thread, by comparing two of my printers which represent the two principal geometries.
1) Caliban is a Cartesian printer whose lineage dates back to the early Prusa Mendel printers. Caliban is squat, ugly and brutal. He has very little brain, just a RAMPS controller, but doesn't need much more. The few problems that Caliban suffers from result from moving the weight of the carriages about but general accuracy is never worse than 0.2mm across the whole print volume, most of this from dynamic and temperature problems.
2) Miranda is a delta printer based on the early Rostock printers. She is tall and elegant in black, chrome and perspex and moves with a fascinating dance. Although Miranda is better than 0.1mm accuracy in the central 100mm diameter by 100mm high volume, she does suffer from errors of over 1mm over her maximum working volume. Miranda also has a RAMPS controller, but unlike Caliban she really needs more brainpower although she will have to wait until something that will fit into her RAMPS size brain case is available.

As oap70 said that he was interested in making gameplay components - from which I read figurines, I think a delta printer is well worth considering although the less well made ones will have a poor accuracy. If you need relatively good accuracy, even a cheap Cartesian printer can be tweaked to give you this.

Mike

Mike, have you thought about re-arm for your mega to 32bit conversion?

OAP70 I love deltas but they're much harder work and I was quite puzzled buying one after having an i3 for a few months.

If you have an engineering/robotics/electronics background you can do it without getting too p1ssed off with it when 30 hours of your time results in a nasty mess. Otherwise start with the least bad i3 kit you can then with a sound understanding of 3d printing go on to make whatever machine you want.

Nebbian - sounding frustrated buddy how about a corexy?

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

Hi Mike and All:

Looked closely at the MakerBot Mini and the Prusa i3 MK2 3D and settled on the Prusa for its build area vs cost plus direct factory advice on any approved component upgrades etc.

This is a prototyping tool only for me to run design reviews of miniature buildings and spacecraft...

Thanks to you all:

OAP70

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DjDemonD
Mike, have you thought about re-arm for your mega to 32bit conversion?
...........

I only saw the re-arm a couple of months ago and it looks good but I will wait for the first few reviews from customers.

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oap70
...... This is a prototyping tool only for me to run design reviews of miniature buildings and spacecraft......

The Prusa i3 Mk2 should be an excellent fit as well as being easy to diagnose if something is out of whack.

Mike

Great choice NEWBIE, there are a lot of happy users of that machine out there.

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DjDemonD
Nebbian - sounding frustrated buddy how about a corexy?

Trust me I've considered that, considered it a LOT! I've printed out all the plastic parts for an Eclips3D, and was hoping that the Eclips3D2 would go ahead. I'm still looking for a good CoreXY kit. After all the engineering I've done on my deltas I'm pretty much over having to design another machine from scratch.

They are not without their headaches, you're still tying two motors kinematics together, though this is an order of magnitude less complex in fault diagnosis than with 3 motors. I think so long as the x and y belts have equal tension meaning the x and y axes are orthogonal, and so long as you have a reliable z mechanism then you get good, fast prints. My no. 1 printer though for quality is still the kossel XL not the corexy, even though the core xy now has mgn-12h rails also. Still the same problems on corexy if the belt paths are not perfectly 90 degrees /parallel where required, objects printed near the extremities are deformed.

Have you seen this kit? [smartfriendz.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2017 04:34AM by DjDemonD.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

Quote
DjDemonD
They are not without their headaches, you're still tying two motors kinematics together, though this is an order of magnitude less complex in fault diagnosis than with 3 motors. I think so long as the x and y belts have equal tension meaning the x and y axes are orthogonal, and so long as you have a reliable z mechanism then you get good, fast prints. My no. 1 printer though for quality is still the kossel XL not the corexy, even though the core xy now has mgn-12h rails also. Still the same problems on corexy if the belt paths are not perfectly 90 degrees /parallel where required, objects printed near the extremities are deformed.

Have you seen this kit? [smartfriendz.com]

Wow thanks for the details, I hadn't seen that kit before. I'm surprised that the delta makes better prints than the CoreXY, is this a print quality or a dimensions thing?

I'll investigate that kit. Maybe I can use some existing linear rails on it.

Sorry to the OP for derailing the subject, I'll stop now