QandA FAQ
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Contents
Introduction
This Q&A format FAQ is organised very loosely on the typical lifecycle of a reprap project, that is the questions are collected under headings which match the various phases a typical reprapper may go through in building and using a reprap machine. If a particular section becomes unwieldy then perhaps the older questions can be relegated to an overflow FAQ for that particular topic.
Inquire
Where can I find an overview?
- See: About
- See: General_FAQ
Where can I find help and support?
What is the history of the reprap?
- See: RepRap_Family_Tree
Aquire
Where can I buy a reprap? (Unanswered)
Where can I source the parts to build a reprap?
Construct
Which reprap derivative should I build?
- Repstrap - Suitable if you don't have the desire or money to buy a set of printed parts, and have access to tools and materials (or junk), plus the know-how of how to knock something together (or simply the desire to learn). Or when you simply want to tinker on something of your own design.
- Mendel Prusa - Fewer parts, simpler design. This is the design most people are building now.
- Mendel - This is the 'official' design, much more complicated than the Prusa.
- Huxley -
- Darwin - The original RepRap design. Not recommended to build at this time.
What is a repstrap?
A 3D printer cobbled together from whatever parts you can find which will eventually allow you to print the parts for a reprap machine. Derived from the term bootstrap, as in "to pull yourself up by your bootstraps"
Where are the build instructions?
- [Mendel]
- [Mendel Prusa]
- [Huxley]
- [Darwin]
Hardware
Electronics
Which electronics should I use?
Firmware
Which firmware should I use?
Calibrate
It doesn't work! How can I find out what I should try?
Design and Model
What (open source) 3d modelling tool should I use? (Unanswered)
Prepare
GCode
What can I use to produce gcode?
- Skeinforge
- Repsnapper
- (others?)
Repsnapper
Skeinforge
How do I tame Skeinforge?
Why does my extruder not work after ugrading/installing Skeinforge 40 (11.02.23)?
See: http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?154,75635
Contribute
Where can I find ideas for improving reprap?
See: FutureToolIdeas
How do I know what is actively being developed?
Dispose
Where can I sell my reprap?
Ebay.
Are there any special rules or laws when disposing parts or materials from a reprap project? For example throwing away waste feedstock?
PLA: Toss this on your compost dump, or return it to a depot as plant waste.