3D-Printer kit to build with X-Carve

Hi All,

I’m looking for suggestions on an Open Source 3D printer that I can build parts for using my X-Carve. So ideally an electronics kit with bearings rails and motors that ties into a good set of design drawings that can be fed into CAM.

Anyone have experience with such a thing, or suggestions? The PrintRBot Simple type of printer looks like a good design candidate.

Thanks,

Roger

IMHO your best bet is a Prusa i3 variant since the frame can be anything from plywood, melamine, aluminum… etc. (old Printrbots are based on the reprap/prusa printers).

You can find all the plans & parts list on the RepRap website Prusa i3 - RepRap .

However… Just know in advance it will be cheaper to buy a full kit (~$300) then it would be to cut the frame and buy all the parts one by one.

If you have the $$… a better 3D printer design is the Ultimaker 2 style (faster, more stable & cleaner prints… Ultimaker 2 Aluminum Extrusion 3D printer by jasonatepaint - Thingiverse). You really don’t need a X-Carve to build one though… but you can buy most of the parts from inventables :smile:

Thanks Brian,

I came across this Instructable to make a “Delta” style printer too - http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-3D-Printer-with-a-CNC-router/. What are your thoughts on the Delta style versus the Prusa one? Mentally, I feel like I can wrap my head around the Prusa style more easily than the Delta one, but I know nothing about either.

I’m fine with the ~$300 - $350 price range. I just think it would be fun to use one machine to build the other and I’m interested in learning more about 3D Printing.

1 Like

This is a good resource:
http://openbuilds.org/?category=3d-printer-builds&id=272

I have been looking at this one:
http://openbuilds.org/builds/delta-six.476/
Thought with this build you need a 3d printer to print the parts to make a 3d printer :wink:

Delta’s are very cool to watch… but they are complicated and tricky to keep running. Your going to spend a ton of time tweaking, adjusting and bashing your head on the table in frustration.

One of the big problems Delta printers have is printing outside its ‘base’ triangle. The farther out the printhead goes on the build plate, the more errors are introduced into the print. This picture shows what im talking about…

My advice… buy a FolgerTech 2020 i3 ($270) kit, then build a nice enclosure for it on the X-Carve :wink:

If you don’t need a large print area, a great option is:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=107&cp_id=10724&cs_id=1072403&p_id=15365&seq=1&format=2

@NAM37, You may want to check the reviews of that printer. It has some bad Z-Banding issues.

LOL “My advice… buy a FolgerTech 2020 i3 ($270) kit”, that’s pretty damn good advice - thanks!

For $199 you get a 3D printer with 5 stars on Monoprice and and 4 stars on Amazon. You’re not going to do a whole bunch better than that at that price.

Oh for sure, and I’ve had great luck buying from MonoPrice in the past. I think I’d like something a little bit larger though. Interesting to see Monoprice is selling them now.

@NAM37… 4.7x4.7x4.7 build volume will make you regret that $200 :slight_smile: .

I’m not bashing it… im just saying for a few $ more you get more bang for your buck.

For the record, i bought my kid a ‘Hoverboard’ from Monoprice last Christmas. It got 5 star’s also :sweat_smile: :fire:

Completely agree. Much more than any technical issues, small build area is the problem with this one.