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Homebrew engraver to 3D printer Mod
BillTodd:
Inspired by Joules and the other guys with their 3D printers , I have decided to see if I can modify a machine I built toward the end of the last millennium into a 3D printer.
The machine was knocked up in the 80's (many many mods) from bits of an old Repro-Graphic camera and just about anything I had laying around, with only a drill press and a x-vice. I had initially hoped it could do light milling but it was only really capable of rather slow engraving.
I'll have to re-jig the X & Y axes : ATM they are driven by M8 screws in backlash free PTFE nuts and will be far too slow for a printer. Although I have a length of 4mm pitch lead-screw which would be a simple fix . I think I'll just spin the motors around and use timing belts
I'll have to build a new Z axis but I've plenty of bits that I can use .
The electronics are housed in an old 5 1/4" external drive box (the modules were originally mounted in a PC AT desktop case. With great foresight, I added four stepper drivers.
I have a PC configured with LinuxCNC to drive the thing (the first version ran on DOS based DANCAM ). I think a move to an arduino based REPRAP controller would be the best option , (but are they configurable for step/mm acceleration etc. ?)
BillTodd:
Not much progress (still recovering from cold/flu) .
I have powered up the LinuxCNC pc which told me it'd been 1475 days since the last update .
Needless to say LinuxCNC would not run (download latest version ATM) Given the long print times a stand-alone small controller may be a better option
So,
Of the many Aduino based controllers on eBay , which would be best for me ? (It will need to be configurable for steps/mm & acceleration etc.)
Any recommendations for extruder/hot end?
Joules:
Just go straight for an E3D V6 hotend. You could machine your own or parts of it as E3D publish the working drawings for the head, so just buy what you don't fancy making. Extruder, buy in the pinch roller and get someone to print you the rest including the herringbone gears. I would say go for a Ramps controller as they are so standard and tons of support online for them. However if you fancy pushing the boat out a bit, look at the Duet controller. I am totally blown away by this one, however they aren't a cheap option.
BillTodd:
Thanks Joules, advice noted :-)
what sort of maximum print speed is typical? (mm/s) swapping leadscrews would be so easy and although it would lack sufficient rapids iit might print ok (?)
linuxcnc is up and running again so I'll see what rpm I can squeeze out the motors.
BillTodd:
TILT!
I configured Axis (the linux app) to run the motors : X and Y fine but no Z...
On investigation I found the z driverr dead and , far worse, the A driver AWOL no chip and even worse, no PIC ( i wrote a micro step driver running in a pic micro for the z and a power chips) . I have no idea where the code will be or even if i still have a 16C84 programmer so , game over for these electronics.
I have a cheap three axis stepper driver board which i could use for testing but it looks like I'll be buying a complete driver kit .
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