Longboat Prusa Kit

Hi everyone, I just bought a Longboat Prusa kit from this UK company, the RepRap Kit Store.

just want to share some of the info that I have.

total spent for the kit, including the shipment = GBP524.99 = SGD1105.66 (i paid via paypal)

at the time when i bought it (11 Nov), this was the cheapest Prusa kit that I could find (well I might have missed out any other cheaper options).

shipment and delivery: according to the website, the kit was supposed to be shipped on 30 Nov, but due to a delay (waiting for stepper motors to be shipped to UK from China), the kit was shipped out on 7 Dec. I received it on 10 Dec from FedEx. to compensate for the delay, one additional PLA filament roll was added to the kit.

assembly instructions: the instructions can be found on this wiki that is within the main reprap wiki.
the instructions are incomplete, as of today there is still no instruction on the electronics assembly. I have worked my way till the installation of the heated bed and now waiting for more instructions to be uploaded.

quality of the instructions: some inaccuracy here and there on the parts required. also, the sequence of the steps is not properly stated for some parts, so it's best to use some common sense during the assembly. it'd be good to refer to the original instructions of Prusa Mendel for unclear sections. hope the Longboat Prusa folks can further improve the instructions in the future.

on a side note, I just found out that there's a Singapore company selling Prusa kit, called romscraj. looks like it's a modified version of Prusa too, called Durbie Prusa Mendel. and it's priced cheaper than the Longboat Prusa I bought, at GBP332.93 (as of today).

Hi All,

Newbie here. I too have ordered (a week or so ago) a Longboat Prusa kit from the REPRAP Kit Store. A shortly-following email infomed (all purchasers?) that the 20th December "preorder" date would probably not be met by the carrier. An email today reported that my kit was complete and ready for dispatch except for the stepping motors. These were expected by 3rd/4th January.

Full marks to the company for keeping the customer informed. As we all know ignorance is not bliss.

Nice to see so many new people diving into reprapping in SG.

The longboat prusa looks like a well-sorted kit. Wish it uses 1.75mm filament though. But if I'm to buy a new reprap kit now, I'll most likely go for the Ultimaker. See the things it can print in Thingiverse! :O

I've got one of the first batch of the Longboat Prusas. My shipment was late too, for the same reason (missing steppers), but they kept me informed and it was just a week or so. I'm pretty happy with the kit overall and although there were a couple of small misses in the instructions (I ended up rebuilding the extruder 3 times because I couldn't reach screws that I was supposed to loosen and tighten) mostly they are clear and easy to follow. But incomplete of course. My kit came with a Sanguionololu board since the Longboat electronics weren't ready. That board is well documented. I think the endstop setup is the same as for any Mendel Prusa; you can find info on wiring mechanical endstops on the RepRap wiki. I'm not done, but I think I can figure out how to finish it without the instructions.

One thing the Longboat seems to lack is a thermistor for the heated bed. It comes with two cheap notebook power adapters. My guess is that one is meant to be connected directly to the heated bed resistors. I guess you can vary the temperature by changing the voltage on the power adapter. Not ideal. I'll probably end up adding a thermistor and switching to a more powerful power supply.

I went to visit Romsraj the other day. The Durbie is a modified Prusa Mendel. The good thing is that they have eliminated one stepper for the Z axis. Their design strategy is to go for simplest and easiest to install, which also means minimising the part count. Of course this has the happy result of bring the price down too !

If you need individual parts and not the kits, they are also helpful and will sell you individual items. Go check them out, they are really nice and helpful guys.

Keff

Hi, I have received my 2nd batch kit and have assembled it and tested to the following stages.
Endstops attached and X Y Z axes working correctly using repsnapper.
Extruder motor working using repsnapper.
Extruder heater attached and working using replicatorG (repG).
Not connected heated bed yet but there was another bead thermistor supplied which I thought I would attach with HT silicone and kapton tape to the bed.
Struggling to get any output from the extruder which I think is caused by too low a temperature. The measured heat from my multimeter temp probe is reporting a difference of about 60 degrees i.e. sensor is reporting 78 in repG and multimeter is saying 20.
Major problem is not getting any movement in the extruder when running a build in repG, the gcode contains lots of F codes e.g.
M101
G1 X-12.84 Y12.84 Z0.11 F1800.0
G1 X12.84 Y12.84 Z0.11 F1800.0
G1 X12.84 Y-12.84 Z0.11 F1800.0
G1 X-12.24 Y-12.84 Z0.11 F1800.0
M108 R35.0
I believe these should be E codes, searching the web reports that skeinforge parameter craft>dimension should be active but this does not work for me.
I also am not sure what repG driver should be used for this particular machine, tried several including the mod which removes the
stepper_axis="a"
setting from the <tool name tag in reprap.xml but no luck.

Further progress reports from anyone gratefully received.

I gave up with the molex connectors and soldered directly to the board.
Also removed two of the butterfly nuts on the extruder as they clash with each other and just using alternate ones with m3 nuts on the remaining bolts.

I m using repsnapper, Gcode has E paramerter in; e.g.
G1 X14.7 Y48.7 Z0.19 F153.6 E0.627
G1 X14.4 Y49.08 Z0.19 F153.6 E1.115
G1 X14.22 Y49.52 Z0.19 F153.6 E1.604

Do you use skinforge to generate the code. If yes, there are a lot of setting in it. Suggest to you is try to find the setting to get the E parameter. (from wiki Ennn - Length of extrudate in mm) Parameter F, I think is the feed rate/speed.

Hope this help.

SW

Thanks, I tried to use repsnapper to generate the code but it still did not contain the E settings.
However... I then downloaded slic3r, this has a much better interface and I was able to get a gcode file which seems to work. I am sending the gcode file to the printer with repsnapper.
I am still not able to get a good print however due to the heated bed not being connected. So that is my next task. One thing I'm trying to decide is how to connect it to the board so anyone who has already done it, please tell.

Update.
The following link looks like the source of the longboat bed so will see if I can complete it. I would imagine the power could be taken from one of the other 12v sources on the atx psu.
[reprap.org]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2012 05:40PM by glyn.

You need to turn on Dimensions in skeinforge for it to output extruder information.

Good luck!

HJ Wrote:
(...)I have worked my way till the
> installation of the heated bed and now waiting for
> more instructions to be uploaded.
(...)

Me too (batch 2) I need instructions (or at least wiring schema) to connect the heathed bed (and the thermistore?) to the board. And how to connect both, heated bed and board, to the power supply.
Can anyone give me some info about that?

I have my bed working after a fashion. I am no electronics expert but it seems the wiring on longboat instruction page is wrong. I am attaching a pdf of what I have done. The extra thermistor supplied I stuck in the centre under the alu bed with silicone and kapton tape after insulating the leads.
The thermistor output taken to the lower lead on the circuit board connector.
I cut off the floppy connector on the atx supply and used the yellow 12v and black 0v to connect onto the bed.
The problem I have is that the output from the circuit board (top connector on pwr/bed) does not seem to be enough to switch the gate on the mosfet, I am measuring about 1.9v when active, I am therefore connecting it manually via a resistor to the 5v supply which switches the mosfet and starts the heating .
I may play about with another circuit to boost the 1.9v to automate the process.
I have also put a 3mm glass plate on the bed.

Thank glyn,

Just one point, you write: "the output from the circuit board (top connector on pwr/bed) does not seem to be enough to switch the gate". You mean what you called "signal in" in you diagram, that's correct?
But in that case, you have to switch on the bed manually (as you wrote) so the Mosfet/thermistor are useless! In my opinion there's something wrong...

Well I am working in the dark really, I was trying to interpret the set up in the link I posted above and here Adrians heated bed
I may have got it all wrong but I expected the mosfet to turn on when I activated it in repsnapper and the circuit does seem to work if I activate it with the 5v signal.
I agree unless it is automatic it is not a lot of good but it does allow me to use the bed for calibration and testing.
I just wonder why the designed output direct from the sanguinololu was not used, maybe that is the way to go?

Tha fact is that the documentation is still a work-in progress.
See here, no MOSFET (and it's just a week ago): [www.reprap.org]

Also other parts are missig:
- How to build the endstops (but that should be exactly the same as the usual Prusa, so it should be easy)
- How to connect the thermistor to the heated bed (but that should be clear from Adrian's wiki page).

At the end, the very important part missing from the documentation is how to connect the heated bed to Sanguinololu.
According with that: [rusa-heated-bed-schematic.png" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reprap.org]
...the "controller bed heat" should be connected to Sanguinololu, and according with [reprap.org] that should be D14 on the board. That's what I'm going to do this w-e, but if I'm not wrong that's the same glyn did (and didn't worked).

OK here is my latest problem, I mentioned in an earlier post that the hot end temperature as displayed in repsnapper or printerface did not match the actual temp as measured. Well to get a print I found I had to set the temp to about 280 degrees which in reality was about 180 (the melting point of PLA).
But.... I discovered there is an automatic failsafe cut off in the firmware which turns off the heater at 270 and stops any further heating, so my print started ok then the flow stopped because the heater had cut off just after the start.
After I worked out what was happening I actually managed to get a reasonable print of a small test piece by manually setting the heater on each time it dropped below 270.
So either I have to alter the firmware (no idea how to do this) or somehow adjust the thermistor output to match the actual temp.

P.S. I attached an LED to the heater out terminals so I can confirm if current is being sent.

Update 1
Discovered how to upload new firmware using arduino program/sanguino board settings/sprinter code.
In configuration.h set thermistor type to #4 10k which works ok at the lower end of temp range but goes haywire at the top, set the smoothing and hysterisis settings on but still no good.
Looking at defining new thermistor.h table.
Update 2
Now got something that works albeit a bit of a bodge.
I added a 1k resistor in series to the thermistor which made the readings much quieter at the top end of the temp range.
Just set the thermistor type to #4 in configuration.h with no alteration of the smoothing settings etc.
This means I can set the temp in my gcode to 86 which actually is about 185-190 in actual measured temp at the extruder.
Now able to print some bits and start tweaking.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2012 09:18AM by glyn.

I had the same problem with the thermisters. I tried every thermister setting to no avail.

I solved the problem by buying 2 x 528-8592 from RS Components
(URL : http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/5288592)

Stick those in on setting 1, and they work like a charm, they are really good. Saves putting resistors on there.

My problem was the heated bed. I tried hooking it all up best I could (there's no instructions for this), and .... blew my board. How did you do yours? I've since ditched the off-board control and powered it straight from the (resurrected) Sanguinololu.

Before it blew, I got some really good prints out of it stock even without the heated bed. Using the stock Sprinter or Marlin firmware, the results are not even close. I'd give real money for the configuration.h file that RepRapKitStore use as stock, but I've had no luck contacting them at all.

Quote
I've had no luck contacting them at all.

No they are not responding to my e-mails.
I have had a major disaster in that I developed a leak between the PTFE insulator and the nozzle which caused the insulator to break off, so am out of commission until I can get a replacement insulator, no reply from them so far so if anyone knows an alternative source please post it.
I think the leak may have been caused by the nozzle being too close to the bed and causing pressure to build up, it is probably a good idea to adjust the motor current so it skips steps when overloaded.
One other mod I made (before the disaster) was to drill out the holes on the bottom bed plate by one size this makes adjusting the bed level much easier.

Contact me at my email, can discuss on how to help on your extruder.

Hi guys, can come to our office at romscraj.com if you have something you want to replace. It's at sin ming lane midview city.

glyn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > No they are not responding to my e-mails.

I am having the same problem, having ordered my first reprap. No response to 2 messages on the contact form (just the automated 'your message has been received, we will reply within 24 hours') and no response to an email 'newsletter' (telling me it wasn't too late to buy the kit I'd already bought and had confirmation from paypal and their site!) either.

Has anyone got contact with this supplier that can reassure me?

The webpage has been updated to refer to batch 5, so someone must be there!

The same for me.
I have batch 2 and I need info about the thermistor model and/or the thermistore table.
Note that the thermistor model is NOT specified in the part list, and without the correct table you cannot heat the extruder correctly, so it's an info that I need to make my Prusa work.
That's very disappointing, since they have only to specify which thermistor model they included, it' a one-line mail with an info they surely know!

To fix that I ordered a brand new (and well know) thermistor somewhere else.

Update on the contact, I got a reply from James Walsh about my problem with the extruder and he send me a new PTFE insulator and fitting free of charge.. so extra brownie points for him.
P.S. I sent the e-mail to orders@thereprapkitstore.co.uk.

glyn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Update on the contact, I got a reply from James
> Walsh about my problem with the extruder and he
> send me a new PTFE insulator and fitting free of
> charge.. so extra brownie points for him.
> P.S. I sent the e-mail to
> orders@thereprapkitstore.co.uk.

Wow. I'm trying to know from him which thermistore model did he included in the kit or -bettter- which thermistor table I should use in the firmware...no answer yet, now I'm trying with the "order" email.

Got the printer working now, a video and some more info here.

My Blog

NigeO Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> glyn Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > No they are not responding to my e-mails.
>
> I am having the same problem, having ordered my
> first reprap. No response to 2 messages on the
> contact form (just the automated 'your message has
> been received, we will reply within 24 hours') and
> no response to an email 'newsletter' (telling me

Kit has arrived, apart from long lead items that others have mentioned, hopefully see those soon. James had been putting all efforts into building the kits which is why communication suffered (personally, I'd prefer better comms and a later kit), but it's great that he's taken account of feedback and sent out a partial kit, maybe the remaining parts will arrive before I need them!!

As others have said, nicely sorted and packed, a bill of materials would have been a nice checklist but it's on the wiki and I've taken it on trust that it's complete. Hope the electronics are documented by the time I get to that stage.

Maybe a useful pointer to other kit providers, your customers are dropping a substantial sum of cash in trust that you'll deliver, so try to keep them honestly updated where there are problems, there are so many scam artists on the 'net that it's a daunting wait for the parcel to arrive!

Steps 1-3 complete, good to see others are ahead of me!

NigeO Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NigeO Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> Kit has arrived, apart from long lead items that
> others have mentioned, hopefully see those soon.

Thermistor and Kapton tape arrived yesterday, perfect timing, will be ready to fit them tonight.

Is there anything special about the silicone used for the thermistor, can I use standard heat transfer paste instead as it will all be taped in place?

One of the heated bed holes wasn't countersunk, a little extra drilling required, but not a catastrophe! The frame wobbled when assembled across one diagonal, I loosened off the top bolt of the triangle at opposite corners of the short side to flatten it, will need to check dimensions when finished to make sure I don't print skewed, is there a better way to fix a wobble of the base plate?

The 16AWG wire was a bit short now the resistors are wired in parallel, easy to supplement that.

Impressed with the kit so far, the labelled bags of bits has made assembly really easy, once the commissioning bit is added to the wiki it should be fairly straightforward to finish. About 8 hours so far (including taking apart and rebuilding the frame when I noticed I'd put on the rod clamps wrong...) and there are 3 moving axes (no stepper motors wired, extruder heater still to build and add, no electronics or power applied.

Hi Guys,
Can anyone share the skeinforge settings for that Prusa using PLA?

Tnx.

@PAZU ou save my life : Thanks for the advice to Active Dimension in Dimensions Folder in Skeinforge !!!! it morks now