3d Printer build update

[Chris McDonald]

Hey Guys,

I finally made some progress on the prusa i3 3d printer I've been building. The 3d printed parts showed up just over a week ago. I originally ordered them something like 4 months ago but the first order never showed up. Thanks to aliexpress I got a full refund and ordered again(from a different seller) which took nearly 6 weeks to show up. 

So far I'm pretty happy with the i3 design. Everything is much sturdier than the mendel style machine. I've made a few minor deviations from the published design. I forgot to order flex couplers for the Z axis so I made my own solid couplers on my mini lathe. I've managed to align everything really well so the flex shouldn't be needed.

I've also changed the bed linear bearings to a block type and made my own base plate. 

Next step is building a wiring harness to connect the steppers to the RAMPS and make some mounts for optical endstops. 

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Chris McDonald

[Shawn Wilson]

Very cool. What's the footprint and maximum print size? Are you going to have a heated bed?

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[Chris McDonald]

Its pretty much the same size as the prusa mendel. It maybe has 50mm more Z travel.  So 200x200x150mm ish I won't know exactly until I get the hot end installed and run it through its motions. 

Yes, it will get a heated bed. I don't have a piece of borosilicate glass yet so I might just steal the bed off the old makerspace printer. I haven't decided if this one will replace that printer or not. I've condemned that old printer either way, there are just too many problems with that frame and z axis. If this printer works really well and doesn't need constant attention it will become the makerspace's 3d printer. 

I'm not totally sold on the plexiglas frame. Its the weakest link in this printer so far. I might just use the plexiglas as a template to make an aluminum frame from 1/4" 6061 plate. 

Right now I'm trying not to rush into wiring and do it right. If I wire it up temporarily I'll never get around to wiring it up proper. I left the connectors and wire at work to do it right. Its killing me right now not to go wire it up with whatever scrap I can find.

I think I'll work on assembling the new extruder next.

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Chris