Building my first Prusa i3 Help

Alright, so I have decided to find all the parts for the printer I plan on building, rather than buying a kit. However, I would like some help, as I don't want to mess anything up. Basically, I need help putting together a list of materials, and more specifically, where to buy them. I also need recommendations on a few things, and some questions I could not find answers to.
Thanks!

My maximum budget on this printer is currently $400, so lets keep it under that. I don't want to go for anything super fancy, I do, however, want it to be easy to upgrade when I have enough money to go there.

OK, so first off, the frame. I would like to go with the P3Steel frame, as I find it appealing, and am told it is quite sturdy. I won't be moving my printer very often, and so mobility isn't an issue. The thing is, I can't find many sources. I found this site, and it has the lowest price I have found for the frame. I have sent the owner a few questions regarding what entirely it comes with, along with a few dimensions. This a good source? Is it trustable? Anyone know anything better?

Next is steppers. I've heard NEMA17 type steppers are the best for this sized printer. Is this true? Is there any other model/type with more precision? What is a good source for such steppers/steppers that fit my needs? I plan on having duel extrusion, even if not right away, so eventually I will need 6 steppers in total. I have also seen some steppers with the leadscrew as the shaft. This a good idea, economically? Any good sources for those?

Next is slide rods/leadscrews/bearings. I've read around, and the slide rods are suppose to be 8mm, and the leadscrews 5mm, correct? What is the best material for these, but at the same time fitting to my budget? Stainless steel, chrome? What's a good source to get these at? Would like them already cut to size. Same goes with the bearings. What is the best type of linear bearings, and where do I get them? What is the best type of leadscrew, and where do I get it? Links please!

Pulleys, GT2 belts, and ball bearings. Whats the best source for these?

Hot end. What is the best hotend I can get that won't break my budget? I would like to print many different kinds of material, and so higher temps need to be possible. Also, whats the benefits/disadvantages of 3mm vs 1.75mm filament? I plan on having dual extruder at some point, and so would it be possible to have one extruder as 1.75mm, and the other 3mm? I will be printing flexible filament, and so this is why I am wondering,

Extruder. I prefer direct drive, as it doesn't require one of those ghetto hobbed bolts or printed parts. I was thinking to have one direct drive, and the other a bowden? This way, I can print flex filament, but also have minimal mass on the X axis. (I plan on printing supports for everything with some type of dissolvable filament, or just have two colors.) Any non bank breaking recommendations? Links to product purchase?

Heated Bed. What's the difference between the red and black PCB heated beds? I see a whole bunch of PCB etch heat beds on ebay for various prices. Are any better than the other? Is there any specific place that I should buy over another? I would like quality, but no banks to be broken.

Vital Bit: The motherboard. I need something capable of 2+ extruders, and also possibly the ability to support an inductive sensor for auto bed leveling (Though reading into it, I may choose not to do it. But I still want the option to.) Also, of course, needs to support a heated bed. Would also really like LCD support and Micro SD. I was looking at the RUMBA, and it has everything I need. Unfortunately, its a tad bit expensive. However, I did find this and this and the price seems amazing. Beyond coming from China, is there any issues with these? Should I get them? No? I am not the biggest fan on arduino shields, as it kind of seems a little sketchy, and thus would prefer a board with the arduino/processor onboard. Then again, I didn't do too much research on this portion, and so I don't know. Separate Arduino better than on board? Is there any other board that can accomplish what I want for a lower price/less sketchy seller? As for firmware, I didn't look too much into that either. I would need the board to support more than one, and preferably the most recommended firmware/firmware with the most options. Bridge and cooling fans should also be available.

I have a few ATX power supplies, and so I am not too worried about that, but if one can be fit into my budget, sweet.

Even with the P3Steel frame, I need some parts printed for the X axis. Any way around this? Aluminum parts? Mold injected? If not, any good trustable place to buy the printed parts?

I miss any other parts?

I didn't put any price ranges for anything, as I don't care too much, so long as it fits in my budget. I am not looking for anything state of the art, just something that will function well for me until I have more money to spend on it.

I would greatly appreciate links to trustable sellers and locations at which I can purchase all the things needed for my printer. At minimum, what I need to look for when looking for a place of purchase.

Thanks so much!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2015 07:07PM by MegaRocketPenguin.

You say, you want to build from scratch.
But at the same time, you ask for smooth rods, tailored to your project and printed parts that match your needs.
A P3steel frame ( +shipping from spain ), dual extruder ( -capability ) and good linear bearings, together with a Rumbaboard will already break your budget. ( With all the other cost in mind )

I think you´re better off, buying a printer from one source instead of sourcing at different places. I printed a x-carrier from thingiverse and it didn´t match because it was made for T2.5 belt instead of GT2. Was it mentioned in the description? Hell, no!
-Olaf

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o_lampe
You say, you want to build from scratch.
But at the same time, you ask for smooth rods, tailored to your project and printed parts that match your needs.
A P3steel frame ( +shipping from spain ), dual extruder ( -capability ) and good linear bearings, together with a Rumbaboard will already break your budget. ( With all the other cost in mind )

I think you´re better off, buying a printer from one source instead of sourcing at different places. I printed a x-carrier from thingiverse and it didn´t match because it was made for T2.5 belt instead of GT2. Was it mentioned in the description? Hell, no!
-Olaf

So what do you recommend?

I didn't say scratch, I simply said " I have decided to find all the parts for the printer I plan on building, rather than buying a kit."
According to the page I linked, the shipping is under 10$... But I did ask about it (he/they/she hasn't replied yet...) Dual extrusion is in the future, I just want the option available to me without the needing of replacing half my parts. The rumbaboard is a dream/idea. I know I can't afford it, was just saying I would *like* something similar.


Can you give me a few trustable sources where I can source all my parts?

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MegaRocketPenguin
"I have decided to find all the parts for the printer I plan on building, rather than buying a kit."

Spent a few months sourcing parts as cheap as possible. Parts of equal quality cant be bought cheaper than any kit including them under $600. I tried really hard and eventually just went with a Folger Tech kit because it is 100% impossible to source what you get in their kits for the same price or cheaper.

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My creations/2020 aluminum parts/FolgerTech i3 upgrades [www.thingiverse.com]

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mel0n

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MegaRocketPenguin
"I have decided to find all the parts for the printer I plan on building, rather than buying a kit."

Spent a few months sourcing parts as cheap as possible. Parts of equal quality cant be bought cheaper than any kit including them under $600. I tried really hard and eventually just went with a Folger Tech kit because it is 100% impossible to source what you get in their kits for the same price or cheaper.

I've glanced at the Folger kit that's been floating around here, and I am considering it, as it does fit in my price range, and isn't acrylic. Would you recommend it? Pros? Cons? Does the board that comes with it support dual extrusion? I saw the website, but is there any other documentation on it? A compilation of the specs?

I know I said no kits, but I gotta say, it does look pretty good for what I have seen. I Also heard it sometimes comes with missing screws?

Do your own research. Here's 25 pages worth of user experiences. [forums.reprap.org]

Definitely one of the best kits for the money. Most improvements can be printed, yes some people are missing parts, but never major ones and they are very quick to ship out anything missing (they use 1 day shipping)

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My creations/2020 aluminum parts/FolgerTech i3 upgrades [www.thingiverse.com]

Quote
mel0n
Do your own research. Here's 25 pages worth of user experiences. [forums.reprap.org]

Definitely one of the best kits for the money. Most improvements can be printed, yes some people are missing parts, but never major ones and they are very quick to ship out anything missing (they use 1 day shipping)

Neato... Might go for that then, after some research. If I wanted to make it bigger, wouldn't it be work just making a clone of it with longer rails and aluminum framing? Or would it cost more if I sourced all my parts? My biggest concern is the hotend... Identical to the Makerbot Replicator 2, a printer I worked with for a long time and always had issues. A company provides me internship every year for the summer, and their first thing to do with me is get me working on their makerbot... Sometimes I get it working, most of the time not. Its always a hotend/extruder issue....

So i'd deffinitely upgrade that... And possibly make it bigger. I don't know.

You wont be able to source parts for cheaper. and to make it bigger you will only need the associated parts, so for Z axis you would only need longer aluminum extrusions, and threaded rods if you exceed the length of the current ones. I wanted to go the sourcing my own parts route but there was just no way to beat the price/design. I could understand with an acrylic/wood/etc frame, but this thing is aluminum extrusion which is really easy to get in larger sizes. Anything is easily upgrade-able and at the price for a starting point I dont think you will do better. I personally have an E3D hotend that should get to my house today. The stock hotend isnt the greatest but at the price of the kit you really cant complain.

kit - $270
E3Dv6 - $80
1 roll of filament ~$30
total for a great printer including filament ~ $380(below your $400 budget! and includes the best hotend on the market)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2015 01:03PM by mel0n.

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My creations/2020 aluminum parts/FolgerTech i3 upgrades [www.thingiverse.com]

Quote
mel0n
You wont be able to source parts for cheaper. and to make it bigger you will only need the associated parts, so for Z axis you would only need longer aluminum extrusions, and threaded rods if you exceed the length of the current ones. I wanted to go the sourcing my own parts route but there was just no way to beat the price/design. I could understand with an acrylic/wood/etc frame, but this thing is aluminum extrusion which is really easy to get in larger sizes. Anything is easily upgrade-able and at the price for a starting point I dont think you will do better. I personally have an E3D hotend that should get to my house today. The stock hotend isnt the greatest but at the price of the kit you really cant complain.

kit - $270
E3Dv6 - $80
1 roll of filament ~$30
total for a great printer including filament ~ $380(below your $400 budget! and includes the best hotend on the market)

Its the X axis I would make wider, to fit a second extruder without sacrificing build space. But yea, deffinitely will look into this. I only saw it after I posted this thread. Will probably get it. Thanks man!

I would recommend the folger tech kit too. I have 0 experience and thanks to some help on the forum here I am getting good prints. It seems like everyone is missing a few parts but big deal for this price either make a trip to the hardware store or wait for them to send replacements.

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

I sourced my own parts to build a i3 rework. Being in New Zealand made the equation quite a bit different as freight charges priced most kits out of my budget, and many Chinese suppliers charged me no freight, as well the prices kept me under a limits that would have attracted tax on import.

Firstly I would say carefully think about what you must have your printer do as a starting point, as you have indicated high temp extruder, flexible filament, dual extruder. These requirements are not always compatible and you risk not being able to do the basics well if you don't tie down your base starting point.

My approach was to build my own frame of MDF, best thing I did as it is more rigid than most commercial variants as the z axis is firmly attached to a MDF baseplate under the threaded rod frame. Also very cheap, but you need some woodwork skills and the time - a couple of hours to cut out, 24 hours waiting for it to glue up and a week waiting for the paint to cure enough to assemble.

I sourced cheap parts from China, was very lucky with what I got as it all worked, and was of reasonable quality.

Electronics - arduino ramps all the way - may not be considered best, but there is more experience and knowledge here on this combo than anything else - I got a good priced Chinese package that had heated bed, end stops, ramps, arduino, sd card reader and lcd.

nemo 17 is a form factor for stepper motor, if sourcing pay attention to holding torque as there are many different specs available.

The reality was this was my first build, I know there will be a second, but the learning is still ongoing, and my opinions of what the second will be keep changing.