Breaking down the cost of RepRap firmware

Given the delay in MakerBot restocking the Makerbot Store, I decided I was going to go the Hacker route and just build all the components myself (Considering I haven't touched a soldering iron in 10 years, what could go wrong?). I started going through the RepRap parts lister, and after flipping through 20 pages, I was COMPLETELY confused.

You can tell someone put a lot of work into it, but it seemed to be set up for someone who would have some of this stuff sitting on the shelf, which I assume most RepRap enthusiasts will not.

So I decided I would try to improve on the idea. I added an electronics section to the Mendel M4 Assembly Data Sheet. Hopefully I didn't make it too confusing, or miss post anything. Sort of intimidating when you boot Mr Bowery from the top spot :).

I am glad I completed this project, because I learned something I would have never guessed, MakerBot is BY FAR a cheaper choice than trying to build the boards yourself... Let me explain.

The cheapest route to getting all the firmware is Buying the MakerBot DIY kits from MakerBot. For all the boards you will need it comes up to only $148 dollars.

Second cheapest route is buying all the PCBs from MakerBot, and all the chips and such from Mouser & Digikey. Total Came to $158.81 plus 2 chips I could not find (HELP!!). Assuming they go for $1 a piece, which looks about right, that's $163.81, or 15 dollars more than Buying the MakerBot DIY kits. This surprised the heck out of me.

Both of these options require you to buy a hot plate, Zeph paste, solder, and likely destroy some PCBs and chips in the process. Everything I have read says that the soldering process on the 11 boards would take someone who knows what they are doing 5-6 hours, or 2 days for someone like me. At $10 an hour, that's $160 of my time to put them together... ICK!

The 3rd cheapest option is buying the MakerBot Assembled Kit. Open it up, plug it in, and you are good besides the end stops, which need a little love. I hate spending money, but I think I spare some beer money to let them handle that job! $10 more is a steal... when they get them back in stock.

Most expensive option is buying the boards separately from Makerbot. That would end up being $203.00. Again considering it would take a real hacker $50-$60 dollars worth of time to put it together, it's still a deal.

Makes me wish I had bought the boards separately when they where in stock...

If you have a chance, go over to the RepRap Wiki and see if you can add more information to the Mendel M4 Assembly Data Sheet. God knows we are all dreaming of that Mendel RepRap goodness at this point.