UP! vs. CupCake

[Anderson]

Looking through this group (ain't too many people in here after all),
I noticed that some of your names are frequently on the MakerBot
Operators group. So I got to ask, is it worth it? If you could, would
you go back and buy an UP! instead of a CupCake, or what? Insights
please, waiting for mine as we speak!

[Luis E. Rodriguez]

Well I have to say I appreciate both for different reasons. Would I recommend the cupcake to my fellow non-techy office work. I don't know about that. It really is dependent on the amount of enthusiasm to learn that you bring to the table that make its an enjoyable experience. If you want to just design and print without ripping skeinforge guts apart than the UP! is for you. That being said, I've had the Up! warp prints due to me not preparing the surface or leveling it. But by in large (correct saying?) its a VERY interesting open structure that I personally plan to emulate. I'd love to Macgyver its structure with Gen4 thing-o-matic electronics. The Up!'s use of linear guide rails make its office friendly out of the box. I've made my Makerbot quite through a series of mechanical (X/Y Mendel upgrades) and electrical (Pololu stepper drivers). I've had the Up! printer fry a filament feeder or allow me to build an object that hangs off the platform (experiment) I have to say THE biggest difference is the software. The UP! software is a no brainer. It will slice and support any orientation you give it, even if it doesn't make sense. I have seen beautiful prints via skienforge a la cupcake/Mendel/Rapman so i know its possible but I get better when I make myself read articles like this: http://blog.makerbot.com/2010/11/02/configuring-skeinforge-five-critical-settings-with-dave-durant/ but some days I just want to design a part, or download, and just get it printed. Period. When I printed the first object on the Up! I nearly crapped my pants seeing how nearly identical it was to a Dimension uPrint printer. it also got me excited to continue to tweak by Makerbot. I am definitely a house divided.

Luis E. Rodriguez

[Bo Lorentzen]

Don't get the question.. "is it worth it"..?

The makerbot is a hobby device... as in the hobby of building printers... read the makerbot forum, it is all about tweaking and trying to fix problems.

I don't really follow the UP! forum... sorry I'm busy printing. i don't give a rat's ass how it works as long as its pumping out prints with no problems all day long, that is what the UP! does. I made the mistake of buying a CupCake because it thought it would, and my printer paid for itself many times over... but I wasted way too much time trying to figure out how to make it work and repair problems etc.

If you want to discuss skeinforge settings - get a makerbot. you will now be a intellectual discussing and experimenting with a low-rez 3D printer school kit which can be modified to prove or disprove your ideas. (printing optional)

If you want to print stuff.. get a UP!

Does that answer the question.?

Bo

[Luis E. Rodriguez]

Yeah what he said! Hilarious. I can't wait until the next Up! arrives on the scene. They have a lot to live up to. No pun intended. I 've noticed UP!'s forum has more posts than the google forum.

 

http://www.pp3dp.com/forum/index.php?sid=f8a6769cabdefceb9784f19c1711ecc3

Luis E. Rodriguez

[TeamTeamUSA]

I set up this group because PP3DP's phpBB forum was frequently down. I
wanted the community to have a venue for discussion while phpBB
spazzed, but not take the discussion away from PP3DP's official forum.

Yes, there are only a few posts here and none by Edward, Darkhouse or
the other PP3DP folks. Being in China, I'm not sure they can even
access this group.
So, post here only as a last resort.

And I agree completely with Bo. Think of the Cupcake as an
experimenters platform that prints, and the UP! as a 3D printing
appliance.

Go!

=ml=

On Nov 2, 12:02 pm, "Luis E. Rodriguez" <lrodriguezm...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yeah what he said! Hilarious. I can't wait until the next Up! arrives on the
> scene. They have a lot to live up to. No pun intended. I 've noticed UP!'s
> forum has more posts than the google forum.
>

> http://www.pp3dp.com/forum/index.php?sid=f8a6769cabdefceb9784f19c1711...

[Anderson Ta]

Sure does Bo. I agree with everything you said. I also made the mistake of buying a Makerbot, and trust me, if you look at that forum I am posting all the time. It is very re-assuring reading what you just wrote. Its exactly what I needed, a slap in the face with the facts. What I meant with "is it worth it?" is whether it lives up to the price you paid for (PP3DP is still honoring my contract from back in September since I was waiting for Paypal option, so I am paying $1,500). Can't wait for it to arrive.

Any tips for when it ships, I hear some people run into issues when it goes through customs.

- Andy

[Paul Jehlen]

Try the forum ;)

http://pp3dp.com/forum/

You'll find there's more people in there :)

[Anderson Ta]

I have a CupCake as well (and a Mendel), its been almost 4 months now and I have had it crap out on me more times than I can count with my fingers. I consider myself to be a moderate tinkerer, but I am at a point where I spend more time tinkering than printing with the CupCake. You can only be enthusiastic for so long until you are wishing it would just work. I fix one thing or address one issue with the CupCake only to have another one arise. I went ahead and ordered an UP! and I get the feeling once it arrives, my MakerBot will just collect dust (that's why its on eBay right now). The CupCake has taught me a lot in terms of the 3D printing world, drive mechanisms, certain design principles and so on. And I am on the same thought as you, I was in the process of working on the MakerWave prototype (with my own tweaks) but at this point, I just want something that works.

Well since I got someone with an UP! attention, can the UP! print raftless, although I hear/see that the raft and support material can be removed fairly easily? Or is it necessary due to the support structure?

- Andy

[Anderson Ta]

Well, it might just be me, but it looks like their entire site is down.

- Andy

[Paul Jehlen]

This forum is more for when the Up forum craps out... Their server occasionally craps itself.

--
Regards,
Paul Jehlen

Mechanical Engineer
Purveyor of Many Things Awesome.

[TeamTeamUSA]

Like now ;)

Still down at 2010 15:41 PDT.

Go!

=ml=

On Nov 2, 12:07 pm, Paul Jehlen <paul.jeh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This forum is more for when the Up forum craps out... Their
> server occasionally craps itself.
>

> On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 11:02 AM, Luis E. Rodriguez <lrodriguezm...@gmail.com

>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > Yeah what he said! Hilarious. I can't wait until the next Up! arrives on
> > the scene. They have a lot to live up to. No pun intended. I 've noticed
> > UP!'s forum has more posts than the google forum.
>

> >http://www.pp3dp.com/forum/index.php?sid=f8a6769cabdefceb9784f19c1711...

[Bo Lorentzen]

Andy,

Forget raftless on the UP!  it is part of their scheme for tacking down the print.  they have a really clever interface thing going on and the raft is less attached to the print than a regular layer so it literally peels.

 Bo

[Bo Lorentzen]

I told them it was a automatic hot-glue-gun... OK they said and released the thing.

[Anderson Ta]

Yup, still down as of now.

Bo: good to know, I was just curious.

- Andy

[Paul Jehlen]

Andy,

With respect to customs... I get a lot of stuff from China for work (and personal - I've got a ridiculous bike on the way). "Engineering Sample" has never let me down. As soon as you see the tracking number land, call the courier and ask if there's any customs issue. That will help streamline any paperwork you might need to fill out.

A chat with a customs agent at the airport revealed that what they really care about is commercial resale. If you're importing 50 or 100 units, they're probably not all for you and the government wants it's piece of the pie.

With respect to rafts.... What's the big deal with going raft less? Every other commercial 3D printer I'm aware of lays down support material under the object. Enjoy the higher quality you get with them ;)

TeamUSA,

Mid August this year, I was able to access Google Groups in Shenzhen. It, along with all other Google products, was extremely slow having to go through the Great Firewall and such.

Bo,

Agreed... "a slap in the face with the facts." 

[Anderson Ta]

Paul,

Yeah, the raftless wish is a side effect of owning a MakerBot. The rafts on the prints for that thing has always been a disaster, at least for me. But seeing the vids on how easy it is to remove and clean off, I am fine with the rafts on the UP! 

- Andy