3D Printer build.. In the spirit of my X-Carve

[BrianM]

I was hanging out in the o'l man cave the other day and noticed my 3D printer sitting on my X-Carve. I thought to myself "My 3D printer needs to look like my X-Carve"

So.. I started ordering parts.. and they are slowly showing up!

And here is what i've built so far..

I decided to follow the D-BOT design (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1001065) for a few reasons:

1. I really like the CoreXY motion control system.
2. Stability, Reliability.. and more Stability.
3. Faster print speed's then my Prusa i3.
4. I can make it look like my X-Carve (ok.. this is really the #1 reason )

I should end up with a distant cousin of my X-Carve.

[BrianM]

More progress... only a few things left to finish

If your looking for a 3D printer and can put together a X-Carve... i highly recommend this design.

[MidnightMaker]

May I ask how much you have invested? It says $550?!

[BrianM]

You are going to get me in trouble since i didn't add everything up and told my wife "it will just be a few hundred".

... but.. $500 seems about right.

$140 for the Aluminum w/shipping (i ordered Black which is more $$)
$80 for a genuine E3D v6 hotend.
$50 for the motors.
$40 for the nuts/bolts (keep an eye out for coupons from Mr. Metric)
$40 for heatbed + Aluminum build plate.
$25 for Linear Rails
$20 for the Arduino w/Ramps 1.4 board
$20 for PSU

$100 for bits-and-bobs (gears, GT2 belts, bearings, end stops, wires)

I didn't order anything from China like the 'Bill of Materials' recommends. You could definitely get that price lower by ordering some of the parts from China but i don't like to wait. You could also save a large chunk of $$ by going with a lower cost hotend to start with.

[MidnightMaker]

Wow! Thanks! I could have my own little MakerSpace... With a J-Tech laser added. Seriously...

On a side note, and not to hijack the thread, but ever since I started seriously researching building my own CNC machine, I've always been a little frustrated that you need a CNC machine to build a CNC machine, and forum members have 3D printed a lot of parts for their XC's. While looking at the BOM, it appears that you need to 3D print a lot of the bits for your 3D printer. Sigh...

Then we're just one step away from machines replicating themselves...

[BrianM]

Actually.. my plan is to attach a J-Tech laser to the new 3D printer. My X-Carve is covered in sawdust all the time and I'd prefer not to burn down my house

IMHO the best way to get into 3D printing is to buy a simple ~$200 Prusa i3 kit from eBay. If you decide its something you want to keep messing with then you can always upgrade (aka.. print your own parts for a better printer).

Both the Prusa and my new printer fall under the 'RepRap' umbrella.. And the first line on the RepRap website says:
RepRap is humanity's first general-purpose self-replicating manufacturing machine.

I for one welcome our new robot overlords

[Milbot]

FYI: here is a CNC you can build with a 3D printer: http://www.vicious1.com/specifications/ - been planning to making/hacking one of these for a large 'cheap' laser cutter.

I have also been tinkering with the thought of building a 3D printer from CNC-made parts. Might be fun (read time consuming) project to modify the C/D-bot to be made from CNC parts. The real question is what to call it?

[BrianM]

If you figure out how to machine the D-Bot Motor Mounts and rear idlers out of aluminum... I'd buy a set from you

This one would probably be doable on the X-Carve..
https://github.com/smartfriendz/smartcore/blob/master/images/smartcore-front.jpg

[ErikJenkins]

@BrianM - now that you have had the machine for a while, what do you think? I am currently building the D-Bot as well. I am going with a larger machine with a 12 x 24 (300 x 600) buildplate.

[BrianM]

I still love it.

I've upgraded a few things over time (switched to a Titan direct drive extruder, auto bed leveling, improved the frame.. etc) but the basic design (and corexy system) hardly needs any maintenance.

Over the past few months i've printed 2 spools (~3lb's) of copperfill (copper/metal filament). My other printers struggle with copperfill.

[ErikJenkins]

Good to hear you are still happy with it. I'll post some pics as I get further along.

[BlueLocktite]

so this is an X-Print?

[BrianM]

so this is an X-Print?

It's technically a D-Bot..

D-Bot Core-XY 3D Printer by spauda01

Its just a collection of Aluminum Extrusions, Bolts & Belts... so it looks a lot like the X-Carve

[ErikJenkins]

Just about ready to begin assembly...I still have to cut the extrusions to length, but almost every part has arrived.

EDIT: It took longer to print all of the parts then I thought it would...it just wouldn't end

[BrianM]

Nice.. i like the blue

I've converted a few of those pieces into SVG format that can be cut out of aluminum on the X-Carve. Let me know if you want them and i'll post the files/projects.

[ErikJenkins]

If you are willing to post them I may use them, not initially but after I get this thing built. I just cut all of the extrusion to size, waiting on bearings to arrive now.

[ErikJenkins]

Here is the frame...what a beast...

[BrianM]

Wow... looking good!

What are you going to use for the build plate / heat bed?

[ErikJenkins]

I found a 13" x 25" (330mm x 635mm) heated bed. It uses a 600 Watt powersupply for the bed.