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The Shop => CNC => Topic started by: Chuck in E. TN on May 20, 2017, 09:45:06 AM

Title: Advice on 3d printer kit build
Post by: Chuck in E. TN on May 20, 2017, 09:45:06 AM
I am exploring building a 3d printer kit. I'm looking at the Prusa i3 kits on e-bay, like the Tvo Tarantula or the Anet A8.
Any others I should look at?
I have read through some of the threads here and found a few user groups and forums.
So much to learn...
I have a 7 x 14 lathe and X2 mill, should I build from scratch? Where do you get parts for upgrades?
I have an Arduino Uno and CNC shield, and have been learning Gcode and experimenting with steppers.

Chuck
Title: Re: Advice on 3d printer kit build
Post by: Joules on May 20, 2017, 10:16:08 AM
What's your interest Chuck, and what's your budget.  If you want the printer to make useful things spend more, but only spend it once.   If your interest is in building, you will again spend more as the cheap parts will soon have you questioning why a sane person would build it that way.

A very nice build thread is happening now by Spudevans.  Likewise the Cetus3D looks a very good starter machine in the ready built category.  Have you got access to 3D printers owned by other people.  It really focuses the mind chatting with other owners and seeing their machines in operation and hearing about the success and failures they have.

I could build my own machines, and have in fact made several starts in designs.  BUT, in my case someone comes along wanting a part designed and printed.  I make more money doing the design and prints, consistency in printing is what I pay for.  It doesn't matter if the machine prints the wrong size as long as it's consistent and I can compensate for it.  The cheap machines that flex and never zero twice in the same place are hopeless to me.   I have mentioned time and time again about metal chassis machines.

Cheap extruders will also give you nightmares, follow the likes of E3D, they publish a lot of their parts as open source.  Better still just buy the reasonable priced parts they sell to use in your own design printer.
Title: Re: Advice on 3d printer kit build
Post by: awemawson on May 20, 2017, 12:22:53 PM
Certainly Chuck I have no regrets having bought my Cetus3D. No doubt in time I will want something bigger / better / faster / more versatile. But it has introduced me to 3D printing which previously was a dark art, and also solid modelling.

I am impressed with the build quality and also the printed results  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Advice on 3d printer kit build
Post by: mattinker on May 20, 2017, 01:21:53 PM
Certainly Chuck I have no regrets having bought my Cetus3D. No doubt in time I will want something bigger / better / faster / more versatile. But it has introduced me to 3D printing which previously was a dark art, and also solid modelling.

I am impressed with the build quality and also the printed results  :thumbup:
Andrew, I suspect that in time you'll build a third axis for the plasma table and run that as a 3D printer!

All the best, Matthew
Title: Re: Advice on 3d printer kit build
Post by: Pete49 on May 21, 2017, 12:06:49 AM
Chuck just my 2c worth but I have now bought 2 kit printers from eBay and found them to be ok to work with. I have long wanted to build my own but found the bits are not much cheaper than the kit. I had the idea to build a simple one and then along came my idea in the form of a Cetus so shows that my ideas are not that unique. I still want to build on like that but not buy it. I would buy a kit from eBay and then explore the unit and improve on it or build your own with the parts supplied from the kit version once you have the hang of it.
Pete