Any Sumpod feedback yet?

Hi all,

Got mine on Tuesday after UPS missed it in their depot TWICE. It's a twin extruder version but waiting for the second extruder from Richard when he updates them to use a thermistor. I was glad to find out first hand that Richard is at the end of a phone if you need updates on when to expect your machine and is happy to answer questions.

Great work on the instructions Eric. Waiting to see if the ones on the website are a match for yours.

As a point of interest I will be covering mine in carbon vinyl wrap, Richard says it shouldn't be a problem, we'll see what it looks like. I'll post when I get to the mechanical build next week and put some pictures up of my (hopefully) carbon Sumpod,

All the best,

George

Part 3, the hot end construction, is now posted at renaissance-engineer.net - Eric

I got my Sumpod also today. It's looking very nice but is lacking a second extruder I was expecting.

Mine arrived. I realize that Eric's and Fixer's blog are vital to me.
This is definitely not a "buy it and build it in one evening" kit.
I suggest a forum for helping each other with the building process. A forum that doesn't suffer weeklong downtimes and disappearing threads. A forum with freedom of speech:
[sumpod.freeforums.org] (no threads will get erased there)

Hi frontwheel,

send me an email. Freedom of speech is ok on the SUMPOD forum. If I remember you correctly though you hadn't bought a SUMPOD but wanted to make a forum? Slightly odd I thought at the time.

I am one and this is the reason for the downtime. Shouldn't be down again, hopefully.

Maybe you could be a forum moderator at SUMPOD once you have built your machine.

Anyway I am reachable any time by many means outlined in my emails.

Richard

Hi,
I bought my SumPod Aluminium in June 2012 and I am still waiting for it now (Nov 2012) if you look on his site at the buy now tab he states 2 to 4 weeks depending on the printer size you are after. So what is happening?

On occasion get a email update blaming one supplier or another for letting him down, then I called him back in Sept 2012 asking about my printer and was told I would get it in two weeks.........

Anyone else out there having the same problems?

Simon6825 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi,
> I bought my SumPod Aluminium in June 2012 and I am
> still waiting for it now (Nov 2012) if you look on
> his site at the buy now tab he states 2 to 4 weeks
> depending on the printer size you are after. So
> what is happening?
>
> On occasion get a email update blaming one
> supplier or another for letting him down, then I
> called him back in Sept 2012 asking about my
> printer and was told I would get it in two
> weeks.........
>
> Anyone else out there having the same problems?


Did you not read any of this thread? He has let down more people then imaginable.

---

FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Simon6825 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi,
> I bought my SumPod Aluminium in June 2012 and I am
> still waiting for it now (Nov 2012) if you look on
> his site at the buy now tab he states 2 to 4 weeks
> depending on the printer size you are after. So
> what is happening?
>
> On occasion get a email update blaming one
> supplier or another for letting him down, then I
> called him back in Sept 2012 asking about my
> printer and was told I would get it in two
> weeks.........
>
> Anyone else out there having the same problems?


All shipping are announced to be this week.

So wait and see...

I see a lot of flame in this thread, so I feel I should add my experience so far, for the potential buyer who is where I was 8 months ago.

First, let me clarify that back then, I had just heard about 3d printing and knew nothing else. My skill level on building things is advanced, but I didn't even know the language and techno-speak of this world. Never heard of RepRap or Thingaverse, PLA or Kapton tape.

So, I did a lot of reading, sent out a bunch of emails, made some phonecalls and settled on the Sumpod because of the CNC capability, the price of the Basic unit and the promised delivery.

I placed the order in June '12. Here're my cons so far,

My box arrived several weeks late That said, I understand that producing a cutting edge product will hit snags but Richard kept everyone updated via regular emails; and hey, disappointments happen, right?
I didn't regard the snags to be "excuses", as anyone who has tackled anything grander than learning to drive should understand; If you're going to launch big ships, you have to get in deep water. Nothing that happened to cause delay was not believable.

My only real diasppointment that remains is lack of documentation. The kit comes without a scrap of paper in the box, so I have spent many hours scouring the web. The Sumpod site has a long way to go, but with effort, you can cobble together what you need to know via Google and LOTS of reading; too, an email to Richard gets a quick answer to any detail, so I'm okay. (I try not to bug him with diddly stuff.)

I can imagine that if you're already a savvy 3D technoid, you'd probably breeze through, but I was initially overwhelmed. For me, there was nothing straight-forward or intuitive about it.

So, I wouldn't recommend this kit for the faint of heart. You need determination and tenacity to get it built if you're coming from my roots. I plan to add my 'collection' of info to the community via www.kelgadgets.com soon as I get successful prints and understand all the elements.

Pros:
Richard is very good about answering questions even well after-hours in his neighborhood (I'm in the USA Rocky Mtns).

It is well designed. Parts fit together tightly and clean, everything was in the kit (except for a couple of bolts the hardware store down the street had for pennies) and I was able to assemble a pretty good looking machine. I haven't printed anything yet, so will update this thread with my printed object experience.

My conclusion is that this is a fine machine and Richard is doing a good job of getting an affordable 3D printer into the hands of the common man (you just can't complain about 400 USD for something like this). Thanks!

Today, I have the unit completely assembled and believe I could build another one pretty easily. The plan next is to 'fire it up' & begin testing over the upcoming holiday.

Here's what mine looks like at this point:



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2012 03:15PM by KelOfTheRockies.

Your printer paintwork looks awesome and I like the new design of the MDF version, I have the original version.
I've just added a click encoder and 20 x 4 lcd with sd card reader to follow.

Hay, Airtripper! I've been following your work while trying to get my head around this - many links in my bookmarks to your stuff!
I'm like a baby duck; every day I wake up to a whole new world.

Thanks for the good word. It took me forever to figger out how to get a decent finish on to raw MDF. It's kinda like trying to spray-paint a sponge. I was thinking that a tutorial/video about how I did it may be useful to the other noobs who come along after me

Now, I've been really impressed with your work. The very minute I feel I'm getting consistent prints, I'm making the extruder upgrade you developed. I have the files in hand and soon....soon.

BTW, do you have a blog about doing the heated bed? I'd like to do that too, but I need to be on much more solid ground, brain-wise, before tackling that kind of modification.
Also, would like to know about the LCD and encoder mod. Am I to understand that I just need to interface the devices? I have a couple of LCD modules in my 'stock' here in the shop, so materials are easily obtained.

Anyway, I did add a little touch of my own; I built a super-simple circuit to keep the fans (yeah, I put in an extra one) running for five minutes after you switch the printer off. You can see the little perf-board at the top, four parts; can't get much simpler than that. It seemed like a good idea, rather than leave the drivers to cook in their own heat after a hard day's print to keep the cool air on for a few minutes and let them cool down.

So, has anyone received a sumpod alu this last days????????????
At least, a UPS tracking number for it???

My background with sumpod and richard. I ordered direct (bank transfer) in late September for the aluminium kit version with one nozzle and received it on Wednesday. It looks straight forward as a kit but I have no time to build it so will upload pictures when I do. Also I have been told the complete manual will go up soon. As others say he answers emails and the phone at most times I have contacted him. I am sure given the quality of the machine he will get better.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2012 10:29AM by Georgerob1962.

Georgerob1962 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My background with sumpod and richard. I ordered
> direct (bank transfer) in late September for the
> aluminium kit version with one nozzle and received
> it on Wednesday. [...] I am sure given the quality of the
> machine he will get better.

Well said. I think it would go a long way if buyers had a realistic time-frame. What seems to hack people off is hearing that their purchase will ship in two weeks and it arrives in eight. If you can't ship for six to eight weeks, just say 'can't ship for six to eight weeks', and I think there would be less bad blood. Might miss a sale or two, but for me, reputation is a big deal for the long run.
Based on today's experience compared with the first couple of posts in this thread from a year ago, I see a steady improvement. And...like I've said, I'm pleased with mine so far.

- k -

@KelOfTheRockies

>I'm making the extruder upgrade you developed. I have the files in hand and soon....soon.

The extruder has been a success and seen it being sold on Ebay, and with sales I noticed. I've been working on it again to clear some bugs I've found while using it. The Airtripper's Bowden extruder Version 3 will be uploaded in a few days on thingiverse when test prints are done. I would recommend using these files instead.

>BTW, do you have a blog about doing the heated bed?

I've produced a guide which is here: [airtripper.com]
A thermal safety switch for the heat bed is currently being tested so look out for that on the blog in the near future.

>Also, would like to know about the LCD and encoder mod. Am I to understand that I just need to interface the devices?

I'm using the latest Marlin firmware so, easy to setup, I use the pin assignments described in the firmware to keep configuration changes to a minimum when updating to new versions. Interfacing is all that's required, followed by enabling in firmware. I'm publishing my own efforts on the blog soon. See picture attached to see work in progress.

I've got the new MBE Extruder V9 from qu-bd.com so looking forward to getting that fitted. I'll be publishing a review after putting it through some tests.


Mark

---

Blog - [airtripper.com]
Extrude Filament Force Sensor - [airtripper.com]

Thanks for the tip! I'll get the latest files from your site soon as I can print. So far, I'm still a few blocks away from turning this thing on.
I'm trying to get my head around the software and what stuff, like alignment, I need to do between assembly and use.

I found your heated bed blog shortly after my post, so I've been through that now. Very nice write-up, Thanks!

Looked at your LCD mount and THAT is awesome! I'm really impressed with your work and am getting jazzed about my future. BTW, what do you use for your CAD?

- k -

>Looked at your LCD mount and THAT is awesome! I'm really impressed with your work and am getting jazzed about my future. BTW, what do you use for your CAD?


I'm still using OpenSCAD at the moment, it has everything I need so far. It may be slow at getting some things done but I'm getting better and smarter with the scripting.

I'm going to give Autodesk 123D a go, which I downloaded today, and see what I can do with that.

Mark

Airtripper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >Looked at your LCD mount and THAT is awesome! I'm
> really impressed with your work and am getting
> jazzed about my future. BTW, what do you use for
> your CAD?
>
>
> I'm still using OpenSCAD at the moment, it has
> everything I need so far. It may be slow at
> getting some things done but I'm getting better
> and smarter with the scripting.
>
> I'm going to give Autodesk 123D a go, which I
> downloaded today, and see what I can do with
> that.
>
> Mark

So, does OpenSCAD the only software (besides the firmware in the Arduino) that you need? I've been learning Sketchup and doing pretty well, it appears. However, I'm trying to understand what else I have to use, as I don't believe I can print from Sketchup. So far, I've installed ReplicatorG on a dedicated workstation which I've read needs skeinforge and some other stuff I don't yet understand
I'm very confused at this point.

Well, the 3d program exports the model to STL file, then that STL file is converted to G-code using Skeinforge or Slic3r (or others). G-code is then loaded into Pronterface or ReplicatorG or RepSnapper, these Applications connect to the printer and send the G-code line by line.

Pronterface or ReplicatorG or RepSnapper already come with G-code compilers and can convert your STL files to G-code. You still have to configure some settings to compile the G-code suitable for your printer. I've always worked with Skeinforge directly and use Pronterface to connect with Marlin firmware for printing.

If you install Skeinforge you need to install Python 2.7 if you don't already have it. I posted a Skeinforge basic setup plan on the Sumpod forums [www.sumpod.com] this should help you get started with Skeinforge. You could also use the same settings as a guide to set up Slic3r and others.

Some software firmware toolchain combinations ( but not limited to):

3d program > ReplicatorG > Sprinter
3d program > Skeinforge > ReplicatorG > Sprinter
3d program > Slic3r > ReplicatorG > Sprinter
3d program > Slic3r > Pronterface > Marlin
3d program > Skeinforge > Pronterface > Marlin
The 3d program can be any program that can export to STL

Mark

KelOfTheRockies Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Airtripper Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >Looked at your LCD mount and THAT is awesome!
> I'm
> > really impressed with your work and am getting
> > jazzed about my future. BTW, what do you use
> for
> > your CAD?
> >
> >
> > I'm still using OpenSCAD at the moment, it has
> > everything I need so far. It may be slow at
> > getting some things done but I'm getting better
> > and smarter with the scripting.
> >
> > I'm going to give Autodesk 123D a go, which I
> > downloaded today, and see what I can do with
> > that.
> >
> > Mark
>
> So, does OpenSCAD the only software (besides the
> firmware in the Arduino) that you need? I've been
> learning Sketchup and doing pretty well, it
> appears. However, I'm trying to understand what
> else I have to use, as I don't believe I can print
> from Sketchup. So far, I've installed ReplicatorG
> on a dedicated workstation which I've read needs
> skeinforge and some other stuff I don't yet
> understand
> I'm very confused at this point.

---

Blog - [airtripper.com]
Extrude Filament Force Sensor - [airtripper.com]

I have been waiting around a year or so for my unit on and off now. I purchased first lot of sumpod aluminium. I got all the bullsh1t emails about shipped then not shipped and problems. After too much messing I wabted to cancel my order. Then came not able to refund, then would refund but nothing happened for weeks and weeks so decided after a few months to accept unit. same bull fed out again and requested refund again, sent a half baked court letter and still nothing so figured I should just ask for unit now getting the same rubbish.

If it doens't happen soon I am quite happily going to pay serious money for advertising my review on the service provided to make sure nobody else gets done over the same way.

I love new business and people trying to get on but this has me seriously annoyed

Could you people PLEASE stop necroposting threads you found through a google search without bothering to check the last post date :-|

I am part of the latest batch of Sumpod basics, and have just received a Fedex tracking number. How are the other 40 buyers of this latest batch fairing? I do hope all goes smoothly with this batch as the machine seems very well thought out, sturdily built, and very good value. Fingers crossed

I am very interested in the Delta printer of this type. In fact, if I had known about this little printer before, I would've probably ordered this one instead of the Reprap Air that only cost and cost and cost me more than you can imagine and still gives me shit problems

crispy1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Could you people PLEASE stop necroposting threads
> you found through a google search without
> bothering to check the last post date :-|


IT's ALIVE....IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Seriously. dood. gettin' your panties that bunched up can't be good for your hemorrhoids.

I think if we Sumpod owners want to resurrect this discussion even after the Second Coming, it ain't no big deal.

My Sumpod basic has arrived!!!!!!!! That is 4 1/2 weeks from order to arrival.

I am an electro mechanical technician by trade, and I think absolutely no instructions and no packing list is a bit pants, but I know where to download them from so no panic. I wouldn't want to be a newbie 2 minutes after opening the box !

Off to toolstation to get some sanding sealer..............

No television for me for a while!!!!!

silverbrewer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My Sumpod basic has arrived!!!!!!!! That is 4 1/2
> weeks from order to arrival.
>
> I am an electro mechanical technician by trade,
> and I think absolutely no instructions and no
> packing list is a bit pants, but I know where to
> download them from so no panic. I wouldn't want to
> be a newbie 2 minutes after opening the box !
>
> Off to toolstation to get some sanding
> sealer..............
>
> No television for me for a while!!!!!


Congrats! I was pretty intimidated by lack of docs in the box when I got my Basic last fall. Feel free to contact me if you need help. When you get it up and running, I'd like to hear about your printed results.

BTW, I used spray primer/sealer on mine - pictures are earlier in this thread.

- k -

Didn't seen their new models... I'm wondering if they are sharing some source files or any informations

(I'm interested by the rack-pinion they are using)

Emmanuel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't seen their new models... I'm wondering if
> they are sharing some source files or any
> informations
>
> (I'm interested by the rack-pinion they are using)


I have the Sumpod Basic, but a later version with rack & pinion instead of belts. I'm still having problems getting a good print, but so far chalking it up to being a complete noob to 3D technology. I'm supposed to receive a replacement nozzle (I damaged it) soon and hope it will make the difference

silverbrewer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wouldn't want to
> be a newbie 2 minutes after opening the box !
>
-------------------------------------------------------
I may be that newbie !
This is the first and only 3d printer I have seen.
Got my Sumpod basic about 5 weeks ago and now have a mechanically complete system which doesn't emit any of the magic smoke when powered up
I have to admit to beong completely out of my depth with firmware and software installation.
I have Arduino, Marlin, Python and ReplicatorG installed on the pc but the first step - pick my board in Arduino eludes me.
Can anybody point me to web resources that might help, the official help has been :-
"The electronics are standard sanguinololu and a wiring diagram can be found on the reprap wiki.
Everything else should be straight forward."
and I really don't want to go back there.

Andy

Sanguinolu uses a processor that isn't found on official Arduino boards, so you'll need to install this:
[reprap.org]

This will add some new boards to the Arduino IDE, the correct one for Sanguinololu should be 'gen7 with Atmega644p and 16mhz'.