Author Topic: 3D printer - cheap as chips  (Read 20830 times)

Offline Jo

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3D printer - cheap as chips
« on: January 06, 2020, 01:27:38 PM »
You don't get much for £70 but I decided as a learning tool I thought it was worth a punt: www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1311.R3.TR3.TRC1.A0.H0.X3d+printer+prusa.TRS0&_nkw=3d+printer+prusa+i3&_sacat=0.

So this morning I became the proud owner of a box of Mechanio that I hope will go together to make a 3D printer. I immediately realised there was no instructions  :facepalm: However having found the CD with the software on it, it also has extensive build instructions  :)

So we are off on the build... The frame is made of plywood  :thinking: and it is clamped together using M3 Allen screws through some slots already in the wood. I wonder if some wood glue would help with rigidity  :noidea:

Jo
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Offline Mike Bondarczuk

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2020, 02:12:06 PM »
Hi Jo,

Will be following your activities related to this 3D printer closely, especially the printing applications.

Mike
"Everything I can't find is in a totally secure place"

Online Twizseven

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2020, 02:26:34 PM »
Hope to see this printing by tea time (today)  :) :)

Expect to see modifications occurring from tomorrow onwards.

Have fun.  We are all looking forward to see what goodies you produce.  I still need to get to grips with my CAD package to be able to make good use of my printer.

Colin

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2020, 02:33:54 PM »
I too will be following this journey closely, Jo. Especially when you get the "black magic" of designing and printing parts.  :thinking:

Jim
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Offline Jasonb

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2020, 02:50:25 PM »
I have some "dark wood glue" that looks like it may suit your ply  ;)

Look forward to the first printed elephant :)

Offline gerritv

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2020, 02:51:49 PM »
The start of another addiction.

I am on my second kg of filament since buying my Ender 3 Pro in July. A great tool for the workshop, making brackets, right angle viewers, prototypes, dial indicator holders, collet racks, etc. Like a shaper, it beavers away whilst you are productively busy doing something else.

Gerrit
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Offline Jo

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2020, 03:35:19 PM »
I don't think it will be printing by tomorrow as there are some connectors missing. The missing crimp from the power supply cable was easily dealt with. The 3 pin PCB connector is not as easy. Does anyone know what these are called so I can order one? The other option is to see if I have an old bit of electronics with a 3 pin connector on it  :noidea:


Some of the brackets you need to attach are hiding, it took me a while to find the supports for the bars as they were already on the bars  ::)


It is slowly coming together.... might get it finished tonight but need that missing connector for the bed end stop :thinking:


Hi Gerrit: I purchased 2 Kgs of PLA and 1KG of ABS for learning with. I am guessing this is another of the usual printer thingies where you can buy a printer for £20 with next to no ink in it and the ink costs £30  :ShakeHead:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.


Offline Bluechip

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2020, 04:18:26 PM »
If they're like the standard (?) XH series JST doins  CPC have them.

Look @  CPC # CN14273             crimp contact                3p each 50 off min.

               CPC # CN14243             housing                         4p each 10 off min.

Dave

RH Page; bottom left ...  :ThumbsUp:

https://www.easyflip.co.uk/CPC_Catalogue/?page=1339

PS  Does your 3-pin header look like this .. or am I gawping at the wrong pic. ????  :facepalm:

https://cpc.farnell.com/jst-japan-solderless-terminals/b3b-xh-a-lf-sn/header-vertical-3way/dp/CN14254?CMP=CPC-ebooks-BIGBOOK201


« Last Edit: January 06, 2020, 04:30:32 PM by Bluechip »

Offline steamer

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2020, 04:41:25 PM »
William is fast becoming an expert in printing...  We've enjoyed ours no end.     70 pounds is cheap!

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline Jo

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2020, 05:00:42 PM »
Those look like the connector beasties but I am not waiting for them to turn up on the slow boat from China  :ShakeHead: As this is the second time I have needed one of these I've ordered a box of 560 of various sizes of them should be here in a couple of days (not going to try getting the Chinese supplier to replace them could be waiting ages) My crimping tool will be a pair of pliers  ::)

Any suggestions Dave, or any one else, on fun things to make I am all ears. I believe a bezel is on the order list so far.


I am calling an end to the day... It is wired up and the wiring looks like that in the manual  :lolb: As a retired Electronics engineer it is not staying like that  :hellno: I am going to read the manual now, then more tomorrow...

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline PeterE

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2020, 05:29:07 PM »
The following link goes to my page on building a Prusa 3 printer. http://daaseberga.se/projs/3D/PrusaBuild/BuildIntro-se.html

The document and other info is at the end of the page. Unfortunately in this case, the page is written in Swedish, but the documetns are not. Hope it may provide something useful.

/Peter

Offline Roger B

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2020, 05:32:17 PM »
Spaghetti for dinner tonight  :)  :)  :)

Looks fun, one of the many things I still need to learn like 3D CAD and CNC  :old: 
Best regards

Roger

Offline Jasonb

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2020, 05:38:08 PM »

Any suggestions Dave, or any one else, on fun things to make I am all ears. I believe a bezel is on the order list so far.


Best start looking through your casting sets to see if any are missing aluminium parts you can cast and start printing some patterns for when the oven is done. It's got to be more satisfying than just printing trinkets.

Also just a simple 25mm cube so you can measure it and see if you need to callibrate any of the axis to get close to size and get a feel for any shrinkage that you will need to allow for in future.

Online Twizseven

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Re: 3D printer - cheap as chips
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2020, 05:39:11 PM »
If the filament does not stick to the bed, prints sometimes come out looking like that. :lolb:

 

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