User:Jmarsden

Jonathan Marsden

Member of the Core Team.

Primary system administrator for Reprap servers.

Built a set of Reprap v1 electronics, which worked to the extent of driving one small test stepper motor.

Planning a Mendel build in summer 2010

Personal Mendel Build Goals

• Low cost (under US$500 if at all practical!)
• Improve the mechanical build docs based on the experience putting them together.
• "Very standard" Mendel mechanics (for ease of getting help with them!)
• "Very reliable" extruder (so I can make parts sets)
• Some experimenting with electronics and firmware is OK, esp. to reduce cost.

Current Ideas for Parts Acquisition

Electronics:

• Seeeduino Mega fully assembled from http://www.nkcelectronics.com/seeeduino-mega-fully-assembled.html ($40)
• 4 Pololu Stepper Controllers, see Pololu_Electronics ($52 for 4)
• Misc other stuff, cables, Adrian's stripboard or PCBs for the stepper controllers, etc. (maybe $40?)

Steppers:

• 4 steppers, maybe Pololu 1209s (reduces number of suppliers to use Pololu for these) ($64 for 4)

Mechanics:

• Hardware Kit from Ultimachine (because I know the least about the mechanics, spending $$ on a kit is OK!) ($200)

Extruder:

• Not sure which design, Adrian's or Wade's geared stepper driven. ($??)
• Will need RP extruder parts from somewhere, once I decide which design to build!

Feedstock:

• PLA, probably natural, from Ultimachine. ($50 for a 5lb spool)

Rough Project Cost Estimate

Looks like US$446 plus shipping, plus unknown cost of the extruder parts and any necessary tools to make an extruder. It is going to get very close to my $500 budget limit, it seems!

Things to Print (when it works)

• A set of RP Mendel parts to sell, to get more Reprapping budget
• At least one set of RP Mendel parts to give away, to ease my conscience (!)
• A second set of RP Mendel parts for myself, as spares or for a second Mendel.