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- Aug 16, 2013
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So I decided to start a build thread on this thing and perhaps share my pain. I needed a new project and started work on it just after Christmas. I’d been reading a lot on the internet, and watching a lot of videos on 3D printing but after watching Thomas Sanladerer series “Dolly: The Prusa i3 MK2 clone”. I had to admit I‘d been bitten, I’m still not sure that I have a practical use for one and I certainly don’t think I need one but now I wanted one and I wanted to build it. Tom built Dolly using cable ties and Oriented Strand Board. I thought I should be able to do at least as well just by using something like Baltic Birch plywood. I know it could work out cheaper to just buy a kit but where’s the fun in that? I don’t buy ready-made engines.
I’ve been concentrating on posts where people had either built their own or mods to improve printers and basically stealing everything I thought looked like a good idea.
One recurring problems was rigidity so I’m going with all metal. No wood and sorry Tom cable ties are for tying cable and putting up my wife’s pea fences in the garden. I have a couple of concerns about the potential weight of the X axis but I’m willing to sacrifice print speed for rigidity. As my ideas slowly solidified I started ordering the parts and after Christmas had enough to start getting things tougher.
I used 2020 and 2040 V-slot channel for the basic frame. I had some V-slot and linear bearings left over from my laser engraver. That project could have done with some better planning.
With the corner brackets and T nuts I knew I could have a solid, square frame in no time. After bolting up the frame I marked out and drilled the end plates for the X axis and mounted the Z bearings. I was going to just center punch for the holes (Thoughts of Thomas Sanladerer’s oriented strand board and a hand drill) but chickened out and spot drilled them using the DROs on the mill with the two plates sandwiched tougher then drilled out the 3 and 4mm holes on the drill press.
I’d left the extrusions at their stock length (400 and 500mm) my plan at this point was just have a platform I could build on and cut them down to size later.
I’ve been concentrating on posts where people had either built their own or mods to improve printers and basically stealing everything I thought looked like a good idea.
One recurring problems was rigidity so I’m going with all metal. No wood and sorry Tom cable ties are for tying cable and putting up my wife’s pea fences in the garden. I have a couple of concerns about the potential weight of the X axis but I’m willing to sacrifice print speed for rigidity. As my ideas slowly solidified I started ordering the parts and after Christmas had enough to start getting things tougher.
I used 2020 and 2040 V-slot channel for the basic frame. I had some V-slot and linear bearings left over from my laser engraver. That project could have done with some better planning.
With the corner brackets and T nuts I knew I could have a solid, square frame in no time. After bolting up the frame I marked out and drilled the end plates for the X axis and mounted the Z bearings. I was going to just center punch for the holes (Thoughts of Thomas Sanladerer’s oriented strand board and a hand drill) but chickened out and spot drilled them using the DROs on the mill with the two plates sandwiched tougher then drilled out the 3 and 4mm holes on the drill press.
I’d left the extrusions at their stock length (400 and 500mm) my plan at this point was just have a platform I could build on and cut them down to size later.
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