Hi Kent, No, on this one I'm using the stock Arduino electronics - it was easier to set up and it works fine. I'm using the Marlin firmware and Repetier host software on an Ubuntu 11.x box (with Mono to allow the Repetier to work in the linux environment). I'm also using Slic3r to post-process the STL files. On the Arduino Mega 1280 I have a RAMPS 1.2 board with Pololu drivers running the 5 motors and I'm using a home-made heated bed and a cooling fan. So far I'm only printing in PLA as that is all that is readily available in the UK but its a good hard and robust plastic and is relatively cheap to buy.
I started building the printer really just as an experiment as I have been fascinated with 3d printing for several years now - in fact, my 4-year old grandson helped build the frame and is now quite adept at wielding a spanner and turning nuts in the right direction!! However, I have been very impressed with what the printer is capable of and I have used it several times to make jigs and tools for odd jobs. In the case of the microscope job, it arrived in the morning post - I identified the thread and said 'damn' I can't cut that on either of my lathes - worked out that I could do it on my little 7 x 12 if I had a 51 tooth wheel - grabbed a cad outline from one of the gear company websites and turned it into a 3d STL file and ran it through Slic3r - printed the gear in less than an hour and at a cost less than the postage would have been if I'd sent for one and cut the thread and finished the job before tea time...... It was on its way back to the customer the next morning and the following day the money was in my Paypal account... now that's turnover..! Gene:.. you asked about resolution for gears... have a look at these and several more on Youtube.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H21v8PpB9OM http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=zMwu0ZsG_3I <http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=zMwu0ZsG_3I> There's also a guy making tiny gears for helicopters and planes and making them to fit on the little cheap Jap can motors you find in kids toys... Best wishes, Ian On 27/02/2012 15:22, Kent A. Reed wrote: > On 2/27/2012 9:05 AM, Ian W. Wright wrote: >> Gene, >> >> <...> As >> matter of interest, I recently knocked together a little 3d >> printer - a Prusa Mendel - and one of its first jobs was to >> make me several change wheels for my 7 x 12 to let me cut >> the unusual threads I've been struggling with - like a 56 >> t.p.i. for a microscope lens mount. Its only working with >> plastic but its great to be able to print out things like >> these gears in less than an hour for less than the cost of >> postage if I had sent for one!! >> >> Best wishes, >> >> Ian >> > Ian: > > Out of more than idle curiosity, are you driving the Mendel from > LinuxCNC? If so, could you say something about your workflow? How about > temperature control of the extruder? > > I'm halfway through constructing an original Mendel (got all the printed > bits from a friend before the Prusa variation appeared) with my grandson > for his scouting activities. I decided to start with the RepRap > electronics so his troup could rely on the online community and not just > me. Progress has slowed to a crawl (we won't be creating a Pinewood > Derby concept car with it this year) because of other obligations but I > obviously would like to experiment with it for my own purposes using > LinuxCNC. > > Regards, > Kent > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Try before you buy = See our experts in action! > The most comprehensive online learning library for Microsoft developers > is just $99.99! Visual Studio, SharePoint, SQL - plus HTML5, CSS3, MVC3, > Metro Style Apps, more. Free future releases when you subscribe now! > http://p.sf.net/sfu/learndevnow-dev2 > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4834 - Release Date: 02/26/12 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Try before you buy = See our experts in action! The most comprehensive online learning library for Microsoft developers is just $99.99! Visual Studio, SharePoint, SQL - plus HTML5, CSS3, MVC3, Metro Style Apps, more. Free future releases when you subscribe now! http://p.sf.net/sfu/learndevnow-dev2 _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
