What Tooling Do You Have
Contents
Community?
People are more important than tools. First check to see if you have a local RepRap User Group. Ideally, they may allow you to borrow a set of Mendel parts, as part of the Loaner Program. Or they'll be happy to sell you a set.
Already have a RepRap? Excellent!
If you have a RepRap, like Mendel, print a set of parts and build a RepRap. This is the ideal case. But if you are reading this, you don't have a RepRap yet. :D
For Sale Forum
If you'd like to buy a set of parts, and you don't have a local RUG, try the For Sale Forums.
Table Saw
If you have a table saw, build a WolfStrap. You can also build a Wooden_Mendel but it is more complicated and a less elegant use of wood.
1X2_Tallcat and 1X2 may be superior to WolfStrap. Please build one of each and tell us which one you liked the most. --Sebastien Bailard 01:59, 19 April 2011 (UTC)
Manual Milling Machine
If you have a milling machine, you could build a Metal Mendel or a metal Darwin. but you're better off building a WolfStrap out of aluminum.
Or better, build a ORE-Bot. This may require metal-lathe operations, and Guy, ORE-Bot's designer, cheerfully says that it's a lot of work.
Or convert your manual milling machine to a CNC milling machine. (The standard RepRap electronics and stepper motors seem adequate to drive very small milling machines.)
CNC Milling Machine
This is quite a versatile tool, and there are several paths from this machine to a Mendel.
- take a #Manual Milling Machine path
- take a #Large CNC Router path
- temporarily convert this to a (non-spinning) CNC FFF machine (attach an extruder), and directly extrude the Mendel parts.
See MillStrap
Drill Press
Build an Eiffel. And then add a Bill of Materials to the page.
No Drill Press?
Build an Eiffel, but use pre-drilled square steel tubing. And then add a Bill of Materials to the page.
Laser Cutter
If you have a Laser Cutter, build a LaserCut RepRap or a Pirated_CupCake. Many local shops which make and engrave trophies, desk ornaments, etc., have moved to Laser Cutters. Many local universities have laser cutters in their art/architecture/engineering/design departments.
Large CNC Router
If you have a large CNC Router, build an Isaac. (The Isaac is currently the best-documented FlatPack RepStrap design so far.)
lots of fischertechnik parts
FTIStrap is a working RepStrap which was almost completely built from fischertechnik parts.
lots of Meccano parts
In 2005, VikOlliver constructed a PrototypePrinter largely from Meccano and Polymorph. (Meccano parts are sold as "Erector Set" the U.S.)
lots of LEGO parts
Development:Lego RepStrap and MendeLego discusses the possibility of building a working RepStrap from mostly LEGO parts.
Large Pile of Money
If you have a large pile of money, use a commercial 3D printer to print off a set of Mendel parts.
Further reading
- Category:RepStrap has a long (exhaustive?) list of RepStraps
- Several of the above techniques open the possibility of a Ship of Theseus scenario: Use what you have available (a small mill or fischertechnik parts or etc.) to build something that acts enough like a Mendel to print out Mendel parts, then print out parts and swap out one part at a time until all that is left is a Mendel.
- Nearly all the above techniques produce a RepStrap, not a "pure" RepRap. But once you have such a RepStrap, you have the option of ConvertingARepStrapToAFull-blownRepRap.