[NCLUG] RepRap RoadMap

Paul Hummer paul at eventuallyanyway.com
Wed Dec 19 21:49:42 MST 2007


This is all very exciting.  Even if this project never gets finished, I 
can see all sorts of similar projects sprouting out from underneath it.  
However, I don't think that  it's quite appropriate to be using the 
NCLUG mailing list to discuss it.  I'd much rather leave this list to 
linux specific discussion.  Therefore, I've set up a mailing list here:

http://lists.ironlionsoftware.com/listinfo.cgi/foco-hardware-hackers-ironlionsoftware.com

This will allow anyone interesting in hardware hacking to discuss 
projects, help eachother out, etc.  This includes the Reprap, but also 
any other hardware projects you might be working on.

Thanks,
Paul

John Gilmore wrote:
> The goal is to build a McWire repstrap - something capable of printing
> out the plastic parts to build a honest-to-goodness reprap. It doesn't
> have to be pretty, it doesn't have to be horribly accurate, it only
> has to work, and work long enough to print the parts to replace
> itself. I'm going to do this. I hope to have lots of help, and to take
> as many of you as I can with me.
>
> My father is an EE working at AEI, and scrounges all sorts of useful
> things. Thermistors, steppers, etc. Most of the parts that I've listed
> under "We Have" are still over at his place. I figure that will
> significantly reduce the cost of this project.
>
> Per discussion at the hacking society last night, this is the status
> of the local reprap project:
>
> We Have:
>
> 3 steppers (200 step, not 400, so they won't work for darwin v1.0 but
> for the McWire it won't matter.)
> Power Supply - the steppers take 24 volts, but the power supply is with them.
> Electronics to control the steppers
> Plastic (on order, be here in a week or two)
> Gearmotor for the extruder. (I'm not 100% sure the gearmotor I have
> will work, but I'm confident we can mock up something functional)
> Various electronic bits
>
> We Need:
>
> Host software updated to talk to the controller card we have.
>        This is written in Java, which I've never worked with - but how hard
> can it be? ;)
>        I should have the specsheet on the protocol in a few days.
>        I'll be working on this as time allows - which is to say, not very
> much. I figure this is the place to start (for me) because I have the
> steppers and board to practise with
>
> Mcwire CNC frame
>        Howto at
> http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-to-Build-Desk-Top-3-Axis-CNC-Milling-Machine/
>        I would guesstimate the cost of this at around $50 (but that's
> probably high)
>        You'll need the steppers to mount on it to complete it.
>        This is probably the next step. Takers?
>
> Extruder controller
>        We'll use the v2 arduino based controller, I think. Paul hummer said
> he had them coming out of his ears.
>        http://reprap.org/bin/view/Main/Generation2Electronics
>        Notice that there is no "heater coil driver" to supply power to the
> nichrome heater wire in response to the thermostat. I don't know
> what's up with that.
>        Paul hummer has volunteered to do this bit.
>
> Extruder plastic parts kit
>        $20+shipping at http://store.rrrf.org/
>        This is cheap enough that I figure there's no reason not to
>
> Extruder nozzle
>        Go to http://www.reprap.org/bin/view/Main/ExtruderMechanicalParts for
> a basic overview. Cheap parts mostly, but a quite a bit of filing and
> shaping and whatnot. Some JB weld and some nichrome heater wire (can't
> you get that from a busted toaster?) There was an interesting bit
> somewhere about using a bigger drillbit, soldering the hole closed
> with a bit of wire in it, the pulling out the wire to make a very
> small hole of the right size. Probably a lot easier than drilling with
> a wire gauge drill bit, and cheaper too. Might not do HDPE extrusion,
> but we certainly don't need that on the first one.
> _______________________________________________
> NCLUG mailing list       NCLUG at nclug.org
>
> To unsubscribe, subscribe, or modify 
> your settings, go to: 
> http://www.nclug.org/mailman/listinfo/nclug
>
>   




More information about the NCLUG mailing list