tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32587762732982050462024-03-13T23:05:57.895-07:00FabLocker Winston SalemFabLocker Hackerspacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07410823460857230012noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-8965287678297133762011-11-19T21:57:00.000-08:002011-11-19T21:57:57.173-08:00Demo at Mace 2011 in High Point<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For all the cool things that happen at <a href="http://fablocker.org/">Fablocker Hackerspace in Winston Salem</a>, we are horrible about updating the wiki/blog. So to change that fact I am going to start updating this thing more. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">November 11-13 we did a demo about <a href="http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Hackerspaces">Hackerspaces</a> and 3d printing at <a href="http://www.justusproductions.com/index.php/justus/mace/2/2/2">Mace 2011</a> gaming convention in High Point. We had a wonderful time printing off Dragons, Taris(i) (how the heck to do plural tardis?), Dalek, bracelets, Yoda(s/i?), priate ships, and other things I can't remember.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was amusing because most people had never heard of <a href="http://blog.reprap.org/">RepRap</a>, or the idea of a Hackerspace, so many a mind where blown. We didn't have anyone from the con show up at our hackerspace unfortunately, but I have heard a few showed up at <a href="http://splatspace.org/">SplatSpace in Durham</a> and <a href="http://hsclt.org/">Charlotte Hackerspace in Charlotte</a>, which is a major win.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the top of this post is a cool video blog by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/doremicom">Doremicom</a> where he shows some pictures of the Con and then spends the last 10 minutes of the blog talking to me about RepRap and 3d printers. I think we had the most traffic at the con of all the vendors, which is usually how it works when your the only one giving away free miniatures at a convention. :)</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-76886265722110894312011-07-27T21:02:00.000-07:002011-07-27T21:04:12.484-07:00Our Makergear Prusa RepRap kit is done!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Our hackerspace now has 2 operational RepRap one on loan to Splatspace in Durham, and we now have our second RepRap at the space.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5KiiIVYWdus?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
As you can tell I am a bit over excited! :) Our new member Bill is very close to 1st extrusion on the 3rd, and the 4 one will be what I will be focusing my time at the space on in the coming week.<br />
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Ohhh yeaaa! :)<br />
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Lots of tutorial videos to follow. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-51845666450235257122011-07-01T06:32:00.001-07:002011-07-01T06:32:09.648-07:00Skeinforge Profile ExchangeNathan of <a href="http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=reprap">RepRap IRC</a> fame is working on a Skeinforge setting exchange, until that's done I have made a small bot in #reprap where we can share our Skeinforge settings. If you notice a lack of my settings it's because I got some really nice prints with SF41 out the box using the RepRap World Tour settings (had to change a few things because I use .35 nozzle, but that's it).<br />
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Just go into the irc and type profiles? and it will post the below links and any others that have been added.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-4616011724848029462011-06-30T20:11:00.001-07:002011-06-30T20:11:50.802-07:00Skeinforge 40+ Calibration guide<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s3iXnLo0kYs" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
If your reading this blog you likely know I am a bit obsessive with documenting stuff. I did a tutorial series on building a <a href="http://youtu.be/lEOxp6gAydM">Makerbot</a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/KxFS19Fal-w">Sells Mendel</a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/vO1mSThu4oA">Huxley</a> (not finished, I thought the design sucked), and a <a href="http://youtu.be/hFaZ7wO_rGI">Prusa Mendel</a> so far. Rick over at <a href="http://www.makergear.com/">Makergear</a> has asked that I start actually start doing tutorials helping people after they have their Cartesian bot. So as my 1st venture in I decided to do a video on the most complected part of RepRap. Skeinforge.<br />
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By the way I am sure the 1st 80% of this video is right, but after having a conversation with <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/GregFrost">Greg Frost</a> in the <a href="http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=reprap">RepRap IRC</a>, I am pretty sure I am off on the Infill Width/Thickness part. I am trying to wrap my mind around what Greg said (<a href="http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=reprap">here is a log of his wisdom </a>), and once I have picked up the tiny pieces of my brain that was left when I found out infill w/t changes the infill pattern... well i will reshot the video. Till then I suggest you watch the video, then read the log and try to meet the two in the middle.<br />
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Considering how much I love reading all your blog posts about the reprap's your building, I am going to be a lot more active documenting the stuff we are doing at the space. Like today I put together 9 Makergear heatercores ( He gives you 2 when you buy one, and well none of mine have died, so we have lots of extras at the space, decided to use the extra nichome and cement to do up all of our extras in 1 shot... we only need 3 of them :) ), and it looks like in the next few weeks I will be shooting a tutorial video on building a <a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/3d-printers">MakerGear Prusa Mendel</a>, and continuing to try to get our 6 (soon to be 8! 3d printers all running)... YAY!<br />
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Please if you understand the profound wisdom of the Sage Frost, and can reduce it to a level that a simpleton like myself can comprehend PLEASE comment here for in the Youtube video.<br />
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Thanks for continuing to follow me in Youtube, and all the wonderful comments in my old blog. I hope this one is a lot more fun and varied.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-88201434558503219162011-06-30T19:45:00.001-07:002011-06-30T19:45:56.354-07:00New Blog, Same old Spacexula / Neil, still extruding!I have decided to move my blog over to the blog <a href="http://repraplogphase.blogspot.com/">RepRapLogPhase</a> of my local hackerspace, <a href="http://fablocker.org/">Fablocker</a> in Winston-Salem NC. Mostly because all my 3d printing equipment has moved over there. We have 6 3d printers, 2 server towers, electrical workstations, and a MAME cabnet... it's geekapoluza over there. :)<br />
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The hackerspace's youtube channel is going to be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RepRapLogPhase">RepRaplogphase</a> just because it's already got so many subscribers, and 90%+ of our stuff is always going to have a 3d printer kick.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-75292826404572167342011-06-19T18:41:00.000-07:002011-06-30T19:40:13.691-07:00The final death of Makerbot #469<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After 18 months of ownership, and literally not going more than 3 days ever without printing or being took apart, my Makerbot has finally died. She lived a very hard life.<br />
<br />
-1st 4 months was spent rebuilding the hot end on a nearly weekly basis (back then, all of us Makerbot folk where purely convinced that the reason our Mk4 extruder crapped out all the time was because of "nozzle blockage"... Well it was a crappy idler that was causing it the whole time. We all learned that lesson the hard way.<br />
<br />
-I did my very 1st Demo last year at the 1st Annual Makerfaire in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Raleigh</city> <state w:st="on">NC</state></place>. I had over 40 different kids print off those awesome Zodiac pieces from thingiverse.<br />
<br />
-After that I sort of got demo fever, I have done demos at over 5 different schools in the last year.<br />
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-They wrote an article up on my and my Makerbot for the local paper, they even interviewed Bre for it.<br />
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-Eventually because of repeated issues with my printer I designed the Brutstruder. To be followed very shortly by helping Rick at Makergear design his Brustruder that is used to this day on his kits.<br />
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-I got sick and tired of the Z wobbling all over the place so I replaced them Acme Rods.<br />
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-My Heated build plate died several times. I used every single iteration of the Makergear heated build plate, and found every way to screw up it's construction and fry it.<br />
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-I jumped in both feet on cheap plastic from 3d Ink, only to find the only way to break a Makergear hot end. Feed it filament that seems to have sand in it (no crap).<br />
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-I had to replace the relay board, I had to replace the motherboard, I had to replace the extruder controller... TWICE. I had to replace a stepper controller. I went though over 15 thermistors, 25 feet nichome, 5 PTFE thermal barriers, and 1 PEEK (how to you break a PEEK? cross thread it that's how :) ).<br />
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-The final death came when Makerbot decided to no longer sell extruder controllers and mine died. So my Acme rods and Brustruder have moved over to a friend at the hackerspace who has never managed to get his Mk5 extruder to act nice. <br />
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Final Tally:<br />
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-33 total RepRaps printed, 8 being Sells Mendels, 1 Huxley and the rest Prusa Mendels (Of those 5 are at the hackerspace and still "mine". Plus the ability to give away over 10 extruders in the old loaner program, and very casually print replacement parts for people with broken extruders, gears etc.<br />
<br />
-I think RepRaplogphase is one of the most subscribed RepRap related Youtube channels and blogs in the community, of course behind Nophead, reprap.org, and Makerbot... But that’s still not bad for it just being me.<br />
<br />
-My Makerbot made out hackerspace, literally. Even though I have always had RepRap (since I manged to print my 1st one over a year ago), my Makerbot has always been my bread and butter machine. The people who helped start the hackerspace partially joined to have access to that machine.<br />
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So as I sit here, and look at my Makerbot, with the motherboard sitting in the build chamber, no Z axis, a whole in the front for the manual control for my 1st HBP, and wood that is almost black in places where skin oil and silicone has stained the wood.... I can't help but smile. <br />
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As much as I have hated this machine at times, it's the best purchase I have ever made. Now it goes to the attic for my grandkids to marvel over in 30 years when they clean up after my death (Don't worry kids, people picked on the wood box printer before it was even new!). And the Steppers are going to live on in... you guessed it, another RepRap.<br />
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Thank you Adam Mayer, Zach Smith and Bre Pettis It was a great machine and I will always be in your debt.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-68033803177159980382011-04-03T07:06:00.000-07:002011-06-30T19:29:16.264-07:00Full Sized Prusa Mendel, Fully Assembled and Calibrated, T minus 10 hours :)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvIJAMEKoMwtMr80iT3V3qGwumdgjel3kwbb1B82jxsgK9rRC_SDn70V7C7ebU1IKLZlHFBxaPN8s_510niLGCpTVXa9lez-acVDnRMaFQnNX_oU2_BZxxt6jMst0YiSU49hacKl3PR2O/s1600/ebay+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvIJAMEKoMwtMr80iT3V3qGwumdgjel3kwbb1B82jxsgK9rRC_SDn70V7C7ebU1IKLZlHFBxaPN8s_510niLGCpTVXa9lez-acVDnRMaFQnNX_oU2_BZxxt6jMst0YiSU49hacKl3PR2O/s640/ebay+001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180645671068#ht_500wt_1156">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180645671068#ht_500wt_1156</a><br /><br />I feel dirty doing this on by blog but WFT why not? My Mendel is now at $812, and the auction ends in 10 hours. I guess I am nervous because I messed up the title and said everything but RepRap in it :). So if you search reprap you don't find my machine.<br /><br />Anyway, back to being a good dev and not some used Robot salesman :)</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-78452466692109438682011-03-27T17:36:00.000-07:002011-06-30T19:29:16.264-07:00Selling my Mendel for $1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvIJAMEKoMwtMr80iT3V3qGwumdgjel3kwbb1B82jxsgK9rRC_SDn70V7C7ebU1IKLZlHFBxaPN8s_510niLGCpTVXa9lez-acVDnRMaFQnNX_oU2_BZxxt6jMst0YiSU49hacKl3PR2O/s1600/ebay+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvIJAMEKoMwtMr80iT3V3qGwumdgjel3kwbb1B82jxsgK9rRC_SDn70V7C7ebU1IKLZlHFBxaPN8s_510niLGCpTVXa9lez-acVDnRMaFQnNX_oU2_BZxxt6jMst0YiSU49hacKl3PR2O/s640/ebay+001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />She has done great, she printed for 14 hours straight at Posscon, did a 18 hour straight print for a 1 shot replication, and did another in smaller chunks till I had the bed level enough for the 1 shot print. She has copied herself twice, printed a ton of odds and ends to test designs, and now it's time for her to go out into the world. I wanted to be fair, so I posted her for $1. Let the market do what it will. I will do anything I can to help the person that get's her have a good experience with it. Here is the link.<br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180645671068#ht_500wt_1156">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180645671068#ht_500wt_1156</a><br /><br />I really hope this goes to a good home, with someone who will print with her 24/7. It's a heck of a machine. God I am a little teary over this.<br /><br />BTW as with all my sells, the proceeds for this just goes to make more Mendels. I want everyone in the world to have these things, best invention ever.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-23999459811305706092011-03-16T01:04:00.000-07:002011-06-30T19:29:16.264-07:00I thought I had done something pretty cool<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6bo9sFGFLQg?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />My 1st time printing with my Prusa Mendel in Starbucks. I was disappointed, no one even noticed.<br /><br />Come to find out Rick over at <a href="http://www.makergear.com/">Makergear</a> likes printing in Panera Bread.<br /><br />The girl sitting in front of me never even turned around for a 30 minute print... disappointing.. <br /><br />I mean I know your Mac Book Air is cool and all, but a RepRap doesn't even score a turn around?<br /><br />So where have you printed for the fun of it (demo's don't count, just random printing)?</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-63458628724015851782011-02-01T08:47:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.265-07:00It's just can't be that easy can it?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgeAYg68jz8lTZgNd2ueKEyZrjYIms9_7J0p1XGukGOvnp6XI3vR2Jay89WMIU3M8rgP0BWu8r0i62I5EjAke9gRdsnGf6brg8Tbw_H62mp88h5sD0fPlHfWidTrQQusx-OzhbXLZA5GC/s1600/20111+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgeAYg68jz8lTZgNd2ueKEyZrjYIms9_7J0p1XGukGOvnp6XI3vR2Jay89WMIU3M8rgP0BWu8r0i62I5EjAke9gRdsnGf6brg8Tbw_H62mp88h5sD0fPlHfWidTrQQusx-OzhbXLZA5GC/s640/20111+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />On the left is my 1st calibration print with my Prusa, on the right is my Prusa Mendel motor block. I am officially heart broken.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliBDNC6FSEUPKH5-TIXaKF3UBWWRmlywVcupH1Mbgz92dqQ148Xy7as7L2Pz_6brEAcD_KH8juSgG-CzleGEHVJO2CSjYNirP14NFxOzzwLMbCQQmLzY4ID2DUVQpg1JqleJpQvAxbGlh/s1600/20111+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliBDNC6FSEUPKH5-TIXaKF3UBWWRmlywVcupH1Mbgz92dqQ148Xy7as7L2Pz_6brEAcD_KH8juSgG-CzleGEHVJO2CSjYNirP14NFxOzzwLMbCQQmLzY4ID2DUVQpg1JqleJpQvAxbGlh/s640/20111+012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />I use Makergear .5mm big head nozzle, heatercore, PEEK thermal barrier, ACME threaded rods, a Brustruder, Teflon filament feeder tube from my horizontal filament spool... I have spend a YEAR getting my Makerbot calibrated to the point where most people can't believe I get the quality I do. I mean, heck I have had over 1000 people download MY calibration set on Thingiverse.<br /><br />And here I am !1ST! print off my Prusa, and it looks better than my Makerbot print. This Home made Prusa just blew my Makerbot out of the water BEFORE calibaration.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I don't know if you can see it in these photos, but there is no visible Z wobble on my Prusa, but even with the ACME rods, there is a very slight wobble in my MB.<br /><br />Here is a video of my getting as excited as a little school girl over a box :)<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yMFTLWuJ-gE" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br />And here is a video giving you the sound difference between my two machines<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-HzZKjETGmo" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />Now I go onto printing on Makerbot, Calibrating Prusa White, and building Prusa Pink. I know I am hugely behind on the goal for the week, 2-3 family emergencies, and learning the eccentricity of Gen6, Repsnapper, and 5d firmware took a bit more than I was expecting. But it all came out in the end :)<br /><br />On to printer 3!<br /><br />BTW Prusa White thank you list.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mendel-parts.com/">Mendel-Parts.com for the Gen6 Electronics & motors</a><br /><a href="http://ultimachine.com/">Ultimachine.com for the PLA</a><br /><a href="http://ultimachine.com/content/mendel-notes">Ultimachine for the Skeinforge Settings </a><br /><a href="http://www.makergear.com/">Makergear for the Hot end</a><br /><a href="http://www.eckertech.com/public/admin/About.cfm">Eckerteck for the hobbed bolt</a><br />Lowes Hardware for the wood<br />My local plastic supply <a href="http://triadplastic.com/">Triad Plasticfor the Acrylic</a><br />My local fastener supplies <a href="http://www.automotivefasteners.com/">Automotive Fasteners</a> and <a href="http://www.salemfastener.com/">Salem Supply </a>for the fasteners, tool rod, and threaded.<br /><br />But the largest thanks has to go to <a href="http://www.makerbot.com/">Makerbot</a> & <a href="http://www.makergear.com/">Makergear</a>. Makerbot for getting me off the fence about the kit over a year ago with their great price at the time, and Makergear for spending a year giving me wonderful customer service helping to get my Makerbot reliable. <br /><br />And of course Klimnent, Prusajr, Tesla, Makergear_Rick, arspitfire, Camiel, Spec, and ALL the others for answer 1000 stupid questions in the <a href="irc://irc.freenode.net/#reprap">RepRap IRC</a><br /><br /><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-88912812472941520782011-01-25T07:45:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.265-07:00Day 1: One step ahead, right into a wall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzBZkps7aRrw5cgeuyHhdkGV5Ti-l44i4ZAfOXofb_1GfHj02LJlv7dUCjnnFZyPLIA0_Q6RAZhgqCbzy2XwQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On the up side:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />-I got one set of RP parts printed on day 1, I assumed I would not get much of anything done<br />-Installed <s>Redsnapper</s> Repsnapper (I keep calling it redsnapper, and people get getting hungry), found an out of date RepRap Wiki page for Repsnapper. Luckily half the dev community for RepRap are in and out of #reprap in Freenode IRC all day and night. Tim Schmidt, they guy <a href="https://github.com/timschmidt/repsnappe">that runs the github for Redsnappe</a>r was in there and straightened me and the wiki page out. Check it out, he has written a a pretty great on how to install Redsnapper<br />-Ordered $500 worth of parts for the printers (all money from prior RP sales)<br /> <a href="http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=28M063">8 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> 4218L Nema 17 steppers from Alltronics (I have two others in my office, so that's enough for two more printers</span></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_552066676">1 Groovemount for Makergear's Groovemount thermal barrier</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_552066676">2 36mm brass barrels from Makergear</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_552066676">1 .35 Bighead nozzle from makergear</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.makergear.com/">2 V3 Hybrid Groovemount 3mm thermal barriers </a> (I have the rest of the stuff in hand to finish off 2 hot ends), and I plan to use Rick's Groovemount as a jig to make more (sorry I am cheap).</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_552066686">1 5lb roll of 3mm Natural PLA from Ultimachine</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_552066686">1 set Pre-Assembled RAMPS Kit from Ultimachine</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://ultimachine.com/">1 1lb roll black PLA (for calibration, from what I understand black is easier to calibrate with</a>)</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">32 PLA sliders for T</span></span><span>esla893. I can't print in PLA and he decided to help me out with PLA sliders. He is </span>awesome<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">So there goes $500 in about 20 minutes. But that should give me everything I need to get up to the testing point on 2 more Prusa. Still need more stuff but I am sure I can sell enough RP sets to get me further along.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">On the down side:</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">-My god forsaken Makerbot DC gearmotor died again. That's <b>5, FIVE freaking motors failed!</b> </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">I understood the justification when we didn't have gears worked well, but why would Makerbot put DC gearmotors in the ToM, a freaking $1200 Machine, when they have KNOWN for the last year that they are fail prone. The Thingomatic seems to be a great Cartesian bot, but it's extruder is junk. I am done with the DC gearmotor extruder on my MB, time to go stepper.. on that note.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">-When one asks a <a href="http://www.makergear.com/">vender </a>to not include the printed parts so you can get a few dollars off on the parts. It's a wise move to go ahead and print those parts BEFORE your extruder breaks. That way your not stuck with no printer to print the RP part you need to put together your new extruder for your Makerbot. Not that I would EVER do that, just a note. :) When stupidity meets procrastination, fun things happen</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">-<a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/plastruder">I now have to solder stepper driver board for a stepper extruder for my Makerbot.</a> God I hate soldering. I killed 3 opto end stops when I put my Makerbot together last year... I have got much better, but none the less the all or nothing aspect of soldering scares the heck out of me.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">-Speaking of Makergear. I wanted to go Geared Stepper Extruder on all my bots, and use Prusajr's HBP on them all.. But SOMEONE has grabbed up all the really nice HBP and good priced geared steppers in the world.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSm33XZfZ9vtE4Ga_qi0n8jOEBS9eabQK28cQpT4Bqm1uE6jUsxrnwGaMF-rZSPFagkXIuq3v2KOP5D9xWLFXpVM-Okd1iSpAhGtMaag0I7s4t6acProdn75xsBmZxAPKrX1h2NUaEfd3J/s1600/5382716290_0b42cfa76c_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSm33XZfZ9vtE4Ga_qi0n8jOEBS9eabQK28cQpT4Bqm1uE6jUsxrnwGaMF-rZSPFagkXIuq3v2KOP5D9xWLFXpVM-Okd1iSpAhGtMaag0I7s4t6acProdn75xsBmZxAPKrX1h2NUaEfd3J/s400/5382716290_0b42cfa76c_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/makergear/5382716290/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/makergear/5382716290/</a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">Ohh yea, Makergear hogging all the "good stuff" for his customers... In the words of James T Kirk " RRRRRIIIIIICCCCKKKK!!!!!!!!". </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">Anyway, now that I got that off my chest. That's a freaking nice kit for $825. Self aligning brass bushings, 1.75 filament, HUGE 200x200 build area, Ramps electronics, floating Z motors to get rid of Z wobble, spring tensioned Z nuts to alleviate Z binding... That's one mean looking machine.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;">God you would think this guy pays attention to what the RepRap folks want and builds it or something.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Conclusion:</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Ahead on the RP, need to list, anyone want a set of Prusa RP parts for $100 plus shipping to anywhere in the world?. guess I have to get the Mendel going to print the replacement part for the Makerbot. Unfortunately a day of soldering... yay.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-18372726427668740642011-01-24T10:35:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.265-07:00Arcol's mean little hot end<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jDmSRiSm09kdwsvCWKK1i5F1KLmoiIRb-uswCDMjLbEf3hVcKmGe4QTw2hCHbqeGhX2hC2pf_l-hvBtviI3A4oHEVQ64XsXmWRHW6u-BtwEtdLD834PurDz12humrDzn2e1lyWRnYDLR/s1600/IMG_4612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jDmSRiSm09kdwsvCWKK1i5F1KLmoiIRb-uswCDMjLbEf3hVcKmGe4QTw2hCHbqeGhX2hC2pf_l-hvBtviI3A4oHEVQ64XsXmWRHW6u-BtwEtdLD834PurDz12humrDzn2e1lyWRnYDLR/s640/IMG_4612.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> <a class="chatzilla-link" href="http://koti.kapsi.fi/~kliment/photos/commissions/hotend/mountinstructions/IMG_4612.JPG" target="_content">http://koti.kapsi.<wbr></wbr>fi/~kliment/photos/<wbr></wbr>commissions/hotend/<wbr></wbr>mountinstructions/<wbr></wbr>IMG_4612.JPG </a><br />photo from Kliment of Prusa / #reprap fame<br /><br />Arcol, of the http://blog.arcol.hu/ blog and the <a href="http://planet.arcol.hu/">Planet RepRap feed</a> (the more selective version of my <a href="http://www.google.com/reader/bundle/user/04483651751598287761/bundle/RepRap%20RepStrap%20Aggregate%20Feed">RepRap Google feed</a>) has a new hot end he has came out with. As you can tell it's loosely based on the BfB Rapman nozzle, but he has took the design and took it into open source overdrive. He has some prettier pictures out there (go looking though Kliment's website) but there is something about the look of a used nozzle that just feels more honest.<br /><br />Per Kliment, who is the owner of this example, the brass get's warm, and the 4 hex spacers stay cool to the touch. This makes it a MUCH cooler nozzle than the Stock Mk5 and BfB Rapman nozzle sets. With it's benign thermal characteristics, and captured PFTE design, it should give trouble free service in what ever bot you decide to marry it to.<br /><br />Arcol is in the process of setting up a web store, but if you want one of these he is asking 69 euro ($95), which puts his hot end right in the middle of the pack on price point. He has mounts for Brutstruder, Mk5, Mk4, BfB Rapman, Prusa Mendel, and Sells Mendel (Sells Mendel requires a altered X carriage). Until he get's his store up and going you can find him in the #reprap IRC or email him at order[at)arcol.hu.<br /><br />Anyway I am a sucker for Steam Punk, and that my friends is a Steam Punk beauty of a hot end. I wish Arcol well, and it's nice to see we have a growing group of developers that are strongly aligning themselves with the RepRap organization.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-16088523164638756052011-01-23T12:16:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.265-07:0018 day RepRap Marathon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDVDpjFcY8wNZ2VHnQCZ16dwHNBZArvJKQ2q_bvtBbSMBaeQt9PU_tR75UsNtB-qYD3LGhGeAYuD6rKVp8EIBBEsIlnQjlmZtPhgO_Ydj3MD5-dll-HHZYDmZZSYlBye5EAKkAaafLTz2/s1600/4251453506_9281900f25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDVDpjFcY8wNZ2VHnQCZ16dwHNBZArvJKQ2q_bvtBbSMBaeQt9PU_tR75UsNtB-qYD3LGhGeAYuD6rKVp8EIBBEsIlnQjlmZtPhgO_Ydj3MD5-dll-HHZYDmZZSYlBye5EAKkAaafLTz2/s400/4251453506_9281900f25.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4251453506_9281900f25.jpg">http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4251453506_9281900f25.jpg</a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A experiment in self funded exponential replication.</div>For the next 18 days, it's just going to be me and my RepRap hobby. It's something I have wanted to do since I first read about RepRap 2 years ago, and finally I have the time to do it (Use it or loose it vacation days, got to love them :) ). This will be an experiment in how exponential growth works in the real world of RepRap. <br /><br />To keep myself honest, I am going do to 1 blog post each day telling about the progress i have made toward my goal, and what I have learned. It should be interesting considering my pension for doing stupid things and telling the world about it. :)<br /><br />I go into this project with<br /><br />1 95% completed Prusa Mendel <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdiskVUSZ1iRhYtjz7-TzWJjhhsCnTfrtxmMEqua9vojcUO3jESwBvJiVFTVs92Hm3T5_T052UXhL5NcHlFtaRwBYUx-SrNl9IkIw8t7FqteiY5weSGaAzLZh7i91u9WhSp0ESRcPWiDl/s1600/5373622677_ffc6bc931d_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdiskVUSZ1iRhYtjz7-TzWJjhhsCnTfrtxmMEqua9vojcUO3jESwBvJiVFTVs92Hm3T5_T052UXhL5NcHlFtaRwBYUx-SrNl9IkIw8t7FqteiY5weSGaAzLZh7i91u9WhSp0ESRcPWiDl/s320/5373622677_ffc6bc931d_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1 50% complete set of Prusa RP parts set to SAE fasteners<br />1 100% at this time operating MB Cupcake (with DC gearmotor, so let's see if it holds out)<br />1 1 set of the Makergear Stepper extruder kit to replace my DC gearmotor if it dies<br />2 Set of screws, smooth , and threaded for Imperial Prusa Mendel<br />1 Set of screws, smooth, and threaded for Metric Prusa Mendel<br />2 sets of PEEK barriers from Makergear<br />2 NEMA 17 stepper motors (two different makes, so must me by X & Y)<br /><br />My goal is to by the end of the 18 days have enough money coming in from RP parts sells, and enough experience with the Prusa Mendel Design that I can reach exponential growth (If only mathematically for a few days).<br /><br />I am going to set a lofty goal, 6 new printers in 18 days, all funded via selling RP parts online. I feel I can use what I have already because besides my Cupcake I got 14 months ago, everything else has been paid for by selling RP Parts.<br /><br />The "Plan" assumes that I will not have the Prusa printing parts until Friday, that the Makerbot holds out for 18 days at a 20+ hour printing pace (We will see), that I will at no point have more than 2 printers functioning at one time, and that I have a quick turn over on the Prusa Mendel RP sets.<br /><br />To this end all RP parts sold from this project will be only $100 ($50 less than the going rate), so that they go quickly. All parts will come with a certificate stating how what number replication it is for me, and what machine made it.<br /><br />My "base" build will be as follows<br />$50 4 <a href="http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/item/28M056/55/Lin-Engineering-4118M-02-07RO-bipolar-stepper-motor"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/item/28M056/55/Lin-Engineering-4118M-02-07RO-bipolar-stepper-motor</span></a> 63 oz-inch stepper motors<br />$220 1 <a href="http://ultimachine.com/content/ramps-pre-assembled-kit"><span style="color: purple;">http://ultimachine.com/content/ramps-pre-assembled-kit</span></a> Ramps Electronics and 4 connectors for motors<br />$165 <a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/plastruder"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.makergear.com/products/plastruder</span></a> 1 plastruder kit from Makergear, if they are out of stock I will just get 1 more stepper motor and $87 <a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/operators-pack"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.makergear.com/products/operators-pack</span></a> an operators pack and mount<br />$40 <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110538227436&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNAFP:US:1123"><span style="color: purple;">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110538227436&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNAFP:US:1123</span></a> a 20A power supply<br />$35 <a href="http://www.mcmaster.com/#9368T115">http://www.mcmaster.com/#9368T115</a> 12 brass bushings, and <a href="http://www.mcmaster.com/#7959K24">http://www.mcmaster.com/#7959K24</a> 8 foot of .2" xl 1/4 inch wide belting.<br />$50 Local fastener store all the Tool & threaded rod and fasteners.<br /><br />So $560 that's the simplest, easiest way to build a Prusa, I could cut that by $200, and likely will if it seems practical, but considering I am going to be printing 20+ hours a day, I might not want to get into complicated soldiering :)<br /><br />I go into this project with $600 from selling RP parts, so on Monday I will order 1 of everything I need for Prusa2<br /><br />So for the 18 day run, this is my "plan"<br />1. Finish partial set, and 1 more for getting ahead on Prusa Mechanicals<br />All components for 2nd Prusa ordered<br />2. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)Altronics<br />3. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)Ebay Power supply<br />4. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)electronics<br />5. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)belts/bushings<br />6. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)Hot end<br />All components for 3rd Prusa ordered<br />7. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)Alltronics<br />8. Sell 1 Prusa Set ($100)Ebay<br />2nd Printer online<br />9. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)Electronics<br />10. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)belts/bushings/hotend<br />All componetns for 4th Prusa ordered<br />11. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)Electornics<br />12. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)Motors/Hot End<br />13. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)belts/bushings/powersupply<br />All components for 5th Prusa ordered<br />14. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)Electronics<br />15. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)Motors/Hot End<br />16. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)belts/bushings/powersupply<br />All components for 6h Prusa ordered<br />17. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)Electronics<br />18. Sell 2 Prusa Set ($200)motors/Hot end<br />All components for 7th Prusa but hot end belts and bushings ordered<br /><br />That would mean that in 18 days I could supply the world with 27 new Prusa Mendels, and they would return the favor by giving me 6 1/2 back. of course there are a lot of ways this could not work out.<br /><br />-My MB loves to eat DC gearmotors, if this happens before I get Prusa1 up and going the Geared Stepper falls into the critical path.<br />-The parts could not sell, but I think at 1/3 less than the going rate I shouldn't have an issue with that.<br />-It could take more than a week to get Prusa1 up and going (All I need to do it put the build plate & hot end on, calibrate, and I am good). Not likely, but with the help of #reprap in IRC I think I will have no issues<br />-The Great Gremlin, we don’t' talk about him, but Makergear and Prusa designs are mostly Gremlin resistant.<br /><br />Next post tomorrow evening. I made Day 1 pretty easy considering I work 14 hour days on the weekend, and those days are hard. Wish me luck, and if you see me in #RepRap tell me to print faster. :)<br /><br />Still Extruding</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-59507805311071859022011-01-21T18:03:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.266-07:00Death of the "sub $1000 Desktop Factory"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScNn9pohT43CogUTA-Yf2QZp7zMImG0oMiRdgWTXM4LRZRpHTb7_pfGPJHlIKHrXT-yxVDwPKqtheY-HBqmIkGNszHMFrLPaNbT2SXcuzN5iemplh4Nb4HcqVeCkUg1loVCNhuOLmjtHb/s1600/5227470402_a38ce8af5d_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScNn9pohT43CogUTA-Yf2QZp7zMImG0oMiRdgWTXM4LRZRpHTb7_pfGPJHlIKHrXT-yxVDwPKqtheY-HBqmIkGNszHMFrLPaNbT2SXcuzN5iemplh4Nb4HcqVeCkUg1loVCNhuOLmjtHb/s640/5227470402_a38ce8af5d_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Bre Petis just announced today over at the <a href="http://blog.makerbot.com/2011/01/21/cupcakes-out-of-stock-until-spring/"><span style="color: purple;">Makerbot blog</span></a> that after a small hiatus the Cupcake will be brought back for a 250 set run, and then the Cupcake is over. It's a pretty good assumption that the death of the Cupcake also comes the death of the Gen3 Electronics, but I might be wrong.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">THEN</span></strong><br /><br />Around 18 months ago I had to make a decision, I had just finished watching Adrian Bowyer's Poptech speech.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TZfcETkbGWk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />I wanted a <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Darwin</place></city>, and I wanted it BAD. Looked into getting the RP parts, no luck, professional printed was going to be $1700 plus just for the plastic, and I could tell a repstrap was going to be outside my technical ability. So it was a kit for me. At the time there where two choices, <a href="http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/content/rapman"><span style="color: purple;">Rapman by Bits From Bytes</span></a> and <a href="http://makerbot.com/"><span style="color: purple;">Makerbot Cupcake</span></a>. To me at the time the Math was obvious:<br /><br />Rapman:<br />-$1250 for the kit<br />-200x200mm build area<br />-single source nozzle<br />-Expensive electronics (what happens when you loose a board? Which I read happens a lot)<br /> -Superior Build Quality<br /><br />or <br /><br />Makerbot Cupcake<br />-$750 for the kit<br />-100x100 build area<br />-All the parts where source able from different venders<br />-RepRap based hot end <br />-Cheap Electronics ($175 for complete kit or $150 for DIY at the time)<br />-It used the official RepRap electronics<br />-Loudest printer on the market<br /><br /><br />Well if you’re reading this blog, I went with the cheaper, more open design.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">NOW</span></strong><br /><br /><a href="http://pp3dp.com/"><span style="color: purple;">Up! by pp3d</span></a><br />-$2700 for a pre assembled printer<br />-140x140 build area<br />-1.75 filament stepper extruder<br />-Single source everything<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/catalog/rapman"><span style="color: purple;">Rapman: (some things don't change)</span></a><br />-$1275 for the kit<br />-200x200mm build area<br />-single source nozzle<br />-they don't even sell their electronics any more<br />-3mm stepper extruder nozzle<br />-No heated build platform<br />-Multiple print heads available<br /><br /><a href="http://store.makerbot.com/makerbot-thing-o-matic.html"><span style="color: purple;">Makerbot Thing-o-matic</span></a><br />-$1225 for kit<br />-96x108 build area<br />-3mm DC gearmotor extruder<br />-Single source nozzle<br />-Expensive electronics ($100 dollars more than Rapman's electronics’ where)<br />-still the loudest printer on the market<br /><br /><a href="http://botmill.com/3D-Printers/BotMill-Axis-2-1-Kit/prod_93.html"><span style="color: purple;">Botmill Axis 2.1</span></a><br />-$1025 for kit<br />-200x200 build area<br />-RepRap nozzle, stepper extruder-3mm stepper extruder<br />-Single board electronics (1 thing fails, the whole electronics fail)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mendel-parts.com/index.php?cPath=53"><span style="color: purple;">Mendel Parts Mendel</span></a><br />-$950 for kit<br />-200x200 build area<br />-RepRap nozzle, stepper extruder<br />-Single board electronics (1 thing fails, the whole electronics fail)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/3d-printers"><span style="color: purple;">Makergear Prusa Mendel</span></a><br />-$825 for kit<br />-200x200 build area<br />-only kit printer to offer 1.75 filament option<br />-Only kit printer to use <a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/Arduino_Mega_Pololu_Shield"><span style="color: purple;">RAMPS electornics</span></a> based off the "<a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/Pololu_Electronics"><span style="color: purple;">offiical" reprap printed electornics</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://repraplogphase.blogspot.com/2011/01/cheap-skates-guide-to-510ish-mendel-360.html"><span style="color: purple;">Self Source Prusa Mendel</span></a><br />-$525ish<br />-<a href="http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?LH_PrefLoc=2&_nkw=reprap"><span style="color: purple;">Find Prusa Mendel parts on Ebay</span></a>, <a href="http://www.emakershop.com/">http://www.emakershop.com/</a>, RepRap IRC, or in the <a href="http://forums.reprap.org/list.php?175">RepRap forums</a><br />-<a href="http://ultimachine.com/catalog/electronics/electronic-boards-and-kits"><span style="color: purple;">Get your electronics form Ultimachine</span></a>.<br />-<a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/operators-pack"><span style="color: purple;">Get your Extruder from Makergear</span></a><br />-Get your hardware at the local fastener supply (type in your zip code and fastener supply in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl"><span style="color: purple;">Google Maps</span></a>)<br /><br />I love Makerbot, and I love my Cupcake. But the reason I bought my Cupcake was it was solidly the best deal PERIOD in RepRap at the time, and it had a great brand image.<br /><br />But that was last year, now the Thing-o-Matic has the smallest build plate, with the least reliable extruder, the most expensive electronics, and the most complicated printer to put together. I have been suggesting the Cupcake as a great alternative to the Mendel kits, but now MB has not a single product I could recommend. It's a shame really.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-58350534789538375692011-01-20T19:43:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.266-07:00Heekscad 0.16 for windows is now avialable<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSA5t2z8rAeHHF1qAydjPuSGqFTtkRVyRUm7DuqnWtjuVDt3GS5ymusxYfXA_QK1wt69DJWMkWYz8VOuBbAK6eu5ayK9ZuWbYyrzy3-uLvgSr5U9gAvinvMEuscMrjQAXar0Ak8cWaJy3/s1600/heek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSA5t2z8rAeHHF1qAydjPuSGqFTtkRVyRUm7DuqnWtjuVDt3GS5ymusxYfXA_QK1wt69DJWMkWYz8VOuBbAK6eu5ayK9ZuWbYyrzy3-uLvgSr5U9gAvinvMEuscMrjQAXar0Ak8cWaJy3/s640/heek.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />You can get it over at it's <a href="http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/downloads/list">Google code webpage</a>.<br /><br />HeeksCAD is always my 1st suggestion for a solid modeler for several reasons.<br /><br />-It will run off a Thumb drive no problem<br />-It's free<br />-It works<br />-It's easy<br />-It's GUI is dead simple easy<br />-It can handle all the major file formats (iges, dxf, jpg, stl, step, & svg)<br />-They don't make you jump though hoops to get it, just go there, download, and your good.<br /><br />If you just need to design a part to print, and don't want to have to spend hours learning how to program 1st, or spend $50-$3000 on a design program which has lots of features you just don't need, well this is the program for you.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-47050952356741463682011-01-18T06:38:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.266-07:00Cleaning ABS from a RepRap (or MB Cupcake) Nozzle & Barrel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6bTfl35zlHE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br />Yet another in my series of how to do things in RepRap. BTW I know that :<br /><br />-ABS let's off some strong fumes when burnt (I have the windows open, and fan on high)<br />-ABS when burnt let's off black soot (I know, I had to dust the house after my wife tried to kill me)<br />-My had was under the drop zone for the plastic about 1/2 the time<br /><br /><br />Ohh and I let myself run low on alcohol, a 3 foot tall fireball is what ended the video (and a section of my eyebrows). This will not happen if you don't let the alcohol get as low as I did (about 1cm).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-72872111789138354552011-01-16T15:47:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.266-07:00Welcome to these Chinese Ebay, land of the $1105 Mendel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0l0qUehcpQUBAdw7or29asOZCgQc8CSKmUoVnmWlQ2GZCSa2EIkIZpFsvLd94L4aWply9Paj1TuW73I3SC8CDhScdfPWHJH0h-dlra6r42Rl0QezatLiPlPs64CZN_tuvKPAlTkJgg-r/s1600/china.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0l0qUehcpQUBAdw7or29asOZCgQc8CSKmUoVnmWlQ2GZCSa2EIkIZpFsvLd94L4aWply9Paj1TuW73I3SC8CDhScdfPWHJH0h-dlra6r42Rl0QezatLiPlPs64CZN_tuvKPAlTkJgg-r/s640/china.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Ebay may be king in the US and the rest of the world, but in China, it's <a href="http://taobao.com/">taobao.com</a>.<br /><br />Thought it would be intersting to see how RepRap is going in China, so I did a search for RepRap. They have 1 person selling <a href="http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=7996861749">cast parts for $265</a>, and a <a href="http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=8492283089">full mendel kit, using what looks like knock off Gen3 electronics for $1105</a>.<br /><br />You can go crusing for stuff in the reprap search <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fs.taobao.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dreprap%26keyword%3D%26commend%3Dall%26ssid%3Ds5-e%26search_type%3Ditem%26atype%3D%26tracelog%3D%26sourceId%3Dtb.index">translated to English via google here</a>.<br /><br />Considering how little competiton is going on over there at the moment I can't beleive the prices are so good. One thing that was amusing, no pp3p Up! in their Ebay yet. :)<br /><br />I have been trying to figure out how to list parts from the US on there for the last hour, how fun would be be to sell RAMPS boards and Prusa Menel Parts into THAT market :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-78403597897368024502011-01-16T12:59:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.266-07:00Cheap skates guide to a $510ish Mendel ($360 if you have access to a 3d printer)(This was a much longer and more detailed post, but Blogger ate my 3 pager, I am not typing out all the details again, I don't love you that much :P)<br /><br />Just a few shopping notes, getting ready to start building my second Prusa (3rd one will be a lobotomized Cupcake turned into a Prusa, poor MB) , and was going to use some of my lessons learned to make the next one a little cheaper.<br /><br /><strong>Cheapest Electronics:</strong> <a href="http://ultimachine.com/content/ramps-diy-kit"><span style="color: purple;">Ultimachine DIY Kit $162</span></a> or $170 with shipping<br /><br />I tried buying the generic Arudino off Ebay, or stepper controllers direct for Pololu. Didn’t matter what I did, it was going to be $162 or more. You can usually get the power supplies for dirt cheap at your local computer repair shop, just remember you need 60W plus.<br /><br /><strong>Cheapest Full hot end:</strong> <a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/operators-pack"><span style="color: purple;">Makergear Hybrid Operators Pack $70</span></a> or $80 with shipping<br /><br />The cheapest and most respected hot end in the community. Mendel-Parts came close, but Shipping put it way over the top.<br /><br /><strong>Cheapest Motors:</strong> <a href="http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=28M036"><span style="color: purple;">Alltronics ~43n-cm NEMA17 Steppers $9.95 a piece</span></a> or $55 with shipping and $5 more for the clips from Ultimachine<br /><br />You will need to add the plugs for your ramps, and likely extend at least 3 of the stepper's wires, but if you need cheap, that's cheap, and the steppers are strong enough to each run an extruder.<br /><br /><strong>Cheap Hardware:</strong> You can get all the hardware for a Prusa Mendel locally. The bearings from a skate shop, hardware from your local fastener supply (you have one local, I promise, and they are cheap on screws, threaded, and A2 tool rod). I got all the hardware for my Prusa Mendel for $50. If you try to buy this stuff online any savings is likely going to get killed by shipping. If you’re scared to hobb your own bolt you can pick those up on Ebay for $10.<br /><br /><strong>RP parts (the plastic bits):</strong> CHEAPEST place is likely always going to be #reprap IRC, the RepRap forum, and Ebay. Currently Prusa parts are going for $125-$150. Just keep in mind if you get a "normal" Sells Mendel, you’re going to pay $100 more for the plastic, and then $100 for the added hardware it needs for no benefit in build quality. <br /><br />Next cheapest place, but (unless order from the right person on Ebay) higher quallity will be the Webshops that sell RP parts. These include Makergear, Emakershop, and a few others I can't think of right now.<br /><br />So the total is:<br />Electronics $170<br />Motors $60<br />Hot End $80<br />Hardware $50<br /><u>RP Parts $150 if you need them</u><br /><br />So that comes to $360 is the cost of a second RepRap, and if your new to the hobby a Prusa can be self sourced for $510. Of course this is trying to minimize cost. If you want a HBP, or not to have to solder much, etc etc then the price goes up. Getting the Electornics done by Ultimachine and getting the motors from him so you don't have to deal with any soldering outside the hot end would add $100. HPB is going to run you $50+ from Ultimachine or Makergear. <br /><br />2 years ago the official RepRap was Darwin, and at the time the official cost to self source (if you had access to the RP Parts) was over $1000. A Year ago a Sells Mendel costs $600-$700 if you had access to the RP Parts (And VERY few people did). Now we as a community are down to less than $400 dollars. Amazing times my friends.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-74790930826357571472011-01-15T01:10:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.267-07:00The power of a good name.A year ago I bought my Makerbot, It printed 2-3 times then it broke, I then bought some replacement parts from Makerbot, and followed some advice from some guys in the Makerbot Google Group. Sage advice like "Crank the Heck out of the idler wheel", I then need new idler wheels from Makerbot, and "Turn your temp up higher", and then I need to buy a new PTFE after it comes off the barrel, and then my favorite "You have a clog, you need to rebuild your hot end", whole new thermistors and nichome. 5-6 times. MONTHS of no printing. This is heart breaking when you where promised a 3d printer.<br /><br />After a bit I realized that Rick at Makergear was actually willing to help a person instead of just filling orders. I starting going to Makergear because they where on average 20% cheaper than Makerbot, and the Makerbot Google Group was making me a very regular purchaser of extruder parts, I kept going to Makergear because over the course of a few orders my Makerbot started to work as a printer and not a<b> </b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Science Fair Electronics Project Kit it had become.</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now I wake up in the middle of the night, and see that Rick at Makergear has managed to sell out of the 1st batch of his Prusa Mendel kit, and is on batch 2. We have not seen a picture, nor a video of it printing, heck we don't even know how close to the current Github Prusa it's going to be or how he is going to power that HUGE HBP. But you know what? I have NEVER, in all the 300+ blogs I follow though the Google Aggregate feeder, nor in my obsessive following of the RepRap/Makergear/Makerbot forums, or my near constant vigile in the #reprap and #makergear IRC channels EVER seen Rick not deliver everything he has ever promised, and a little bit more.</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Wiki's and Forums are great, but sometimes having someone around who cares enough about his good name to spend dozens of hours a week doing the customer service and design work to fix the flawed designs of others, well it's humbling. </span></b><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Congratulations Makergear, I am glad you guys have a commercial success in your kit, and I know Rick will not sleep untill all those Prusa are Grimlin <strike>Proof</strike> Resistant.</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I'm still extruding, are you?</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-89278129001148365982011-01-11T09:20:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.267-07:00First Robotics Design Principles.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />It's not RepRap, but good design is universal.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8mU2kDEDyEA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br />This will be a good series to follow. Do you have a 1st in your area? Unfortunately the nearest one to me is over 2 hours drive :(. We as a community make the perfect mentors, and resources for these teams.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-3070701492785184942011-01-02T10:18:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.267-07:0011 Predictions for 20111. By the end of 2011 the majority of Printed parts sold on Ebay will be of the Prusa instead of Sells Mendel variety.<br /><br />2. Ultimaker will be released by Erik, and he will have found a solution for the latency issues of the bowden extruder, which will drastically improve the build quality of those style extruders (and paste extruders)<br /><br />3. RAMPS by Ultimachine will continue it's improvement, and become the de facto of electronics for RepRap in 2011 as Gen3 by Makerbot was in 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>RAMPS will have HBP, Multi Extruder, Bluetooth, Print from SD, and be a SMD board. <br /><br />4. The wedge "Mendel" design will continue to be the mainstay of RepRap design though 2011 for FDM, but RepRap will officially add a pic-n-place either detla or arm based, and a "offical" CNC Router design.<br /><br />5 The Makergear Prusa Kit will become the most popular "RepRap" kit, because Makergear is the only kit seller that does not rely on forums to do their Tech Support. Relying on Forums/Wiki for tech support isn't community; it's just lazy/cheap if the seller is not active in that wiki/forum.<br /><br />6. By the end of 2011 more 1.75 filiment will be sold than 3mm.<br /><br />7. Makerbot will offer a commerical "plug and play" 3d printer in 2011. It will retail between $3000 - $4000, and will use the Gen4 Electronics. I think Gen4 was not designed for Thing-o-Matic (it could have been run on Gen3 or Ramps just as easily). Gen4 I think is the brain for that industrially manufactured non kit printer, and Thing-o-Matic is being used as a field test for those electronics. I don't believe Makerwave <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is dead yet.<br /><br />8. Legal action will be threatened against Thingiverse some time in 2011 for distributing proprietarily designs. It will make big news in the real world.<br /><br />9. By the end of 2011 more of the "who is making what" photos on Thingiverse will be RepRap printed than Makerbot product printed.<br /><br />10. Before the end of the year the average cost for the RP parts for a full sized 20x20cm print area Mendel will be $75 (with some being as cheap as $50), full "kits" will be available for $550, and fully integrated and tested RepRap will be avialbe for $750.<br /><br />11. Someone is going to offer an injection molded 3d printer before the end of the year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-17260156954754837162010-12-25T08:35:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.268-07:00And RepRap comes off the Top Rope for 2011!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>2008</b></span> Was a Year of self Made RepRap Kits. Ponoko Darwins, and various RepStraps/Junstraps<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2009</span></b> Was the Start of the Commerical RepStrap Revolution, with the BfB Rapman, and the Makerbot CupCake.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>2010</b></span> Has been the Year of Transition, with the explosion of Makerbot Marketing, and maturing of the RepRap Design, with Mendel, and the supply chain filling out with Makergear, MendelParts, Botmill, Techzone, Reprapstores, the German RepRap Foundation, and Ultimachine. 2010 saw the 1st year where RepRap had multiple venders offering interchangeable parts, based off a common design. It started with the extruders, and by the end of this year expanded to include the kits themselves.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">2011 </span>is the year that RepRap will come to the forefront, I know this because like all good declarations, it happened a month or so before it was declared.<b> </b>2011 will be the 1st year where the price and quality points are more on the RepRap side than the RepStrap side. The era of the Lasercut kit being the better choice than the RP kit has ended. Let me give you a few examples why:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MakerGear Prusa Mendel Kit: $825!!!!</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0030/7372/products/Prusa_Printed_Parts_large.jpg?1291089812" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0030/7372/products/Prusa_Printed_Parts_large.jpg?1291089812" width="320" /></a></div><br />With Makerbot having decided to end the Cupcake standard kit, they have officially ceded the low ground in the RepRap/RepStrap community to Makergear. MakerGear is officially the cheapest off the shelf 3d Printer kit that I can recommend, and boy is it not a compromise.<br /><br />Prusa 20x20cm PCB Heated Build Platform<br />Ramps Electronics<br />High Quality printed Parts printed on an Up!, and RepStrap printer (second only to Stratasys is FMD build quality)<br />All hardware and Bearings<br />Makergear's Planetary gear extruder (The only extruder available with a metal planetary gear)<br /><br />All that from a company where you can find the owner in IRC almost all the time, and the most responsive customer service in the community. <br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">MendelParts.com Sells Mendel Kit: $916!!!</span></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mendel-parts.com/full_machine/IMG_8046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.mendel-parts.com/full_machine/IMG_8046.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">MendelParts is something special, they are taking the RepRap concept to it's logical conclusion that all of us have surely thought of. Build a Mendel, print the parts for a second and sell them, use the funds to build more. Well Camiel now have 6 folk running full blast running over 8 machines 24/7 printing Mendels for the world. Poor fella isn't sleeping or seeing his friends any more, but his loss is your gain at this price point. :) Again No compromises here either.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><br />Gen6 all in 1 board electronics (developed by Mendelparts, and shared on the RepRap Wiki)<br />Aluminium build plate<br />PLA printed parts printed on a Mendel, they way all RepRap's really want to be<br />Adrian Extruder, with Mendel parts v4 hot end<br />Stainless or Zinc rods<br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>BotMill's new Sells Mendel Kit: $1165!!</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://botmill.com/images/uploads/dan1-1000px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://botmill.com/images/uploads/dan1-1000px.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />The issue always I had with Botmill was that they used the Gen3 Remix electronics by Techzone, which are known for having issues (read the RepRap forums). Botmill has remedied this by going to the Gen6 electronics (I do not know if these are sourced through MendelParts, or if they are a copy. If they are sourced from MendelParts they have a proven track record of reliability). This is an awesome kit also.<br /><br />Professionally printed RP parts produced off a Stratasys 3d printer (The gold standard of FMD printing)<br />Looks like only 1 color is now available (yellow?)<br />Prusa Heated Build Plate<br />Gen6 Electronics<br />Adrian Extruder<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>All of these kits have something no lasercut kit can offer:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can replicate each one for 1/2 what you pay for your 1st kit.</div><div style="text-align: left;">RP based printers using 1/2 stepping are ghost quiet (even a lasercut kit using 1/2 stepping can't say that)</div><div style="text-align: left;">All parts for these printers can easily be upgraded in the same material, in the same color as your base printer, so upgrades don't make your printer look like a Frankenbot.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">His name is RepRap</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EwL0G9wK8j4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One year ago RP parts where going for $750 dollars, we only had one choice in electronics, there was a 2-3 month wait for a Makerbot, and not even the best of us could print the RepRap parts without warp issues. The majority of interesting research was being done by the core team that had been with the community from the beginning like Zack and Adrien. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today the hottest new RepRap was designed by a DJ from the Czech Republic (Prusajr), & the hottest electronics come from south of the Mason Dixon Line in the US (Ultimachine's Ramps Electronics). In this short year RepRap has exploded. The number of designs on Thingiverse has doubled, as have the pages on the RepRap Wiki.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's only the beginning folks, the RepStraps have served their purpose, they got RepRap jump started, now it's time to see how how well this bird flies. Merry Christmas!</div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-22545737611303684972010-11-23T06:11:00.001-08:002011-06-30T19:29:16.268-07:00Automatic Mechanical Self Replication<iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/10298933" width="400"></iframe><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/10298933">Automatic Mechanical Self Replication (part 2)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2935790">chead</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />Posted by NickC in <a href="irc://chat.freenode.net/#reprap">RepRap IRC</a><br /><br />Here is the paper that this video is based off of.<br /><br /><a href="http://vxheavens.com/lib/mlp01.html">http://vxheavens.com/lib/mlp01.html</a><br />I had never heard of Lionel Penrose before, but his work was intersting. I bet he would have loved RepRap, shame he isn't around any more. Read up on him over at his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Penrose">wiki page</a>.<br /><br />Wouldn't this be a wonderful tool to teach the concept of replication without intelligence in schools?<br /><br />Anyway back to printing, thanks for indulging me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-48489699539332465612010-10-24T09:33:00.001-07:002011-06-30T19:29:16.268-07:00Contemplating a Pod CastHas anyone else besides me seen a real need for a weekly video podcast for RepRap? I LOVE watching videos by/about other people in the hobby, but most interviews I see are by people who don't know much about the hobby, so you spend 3 minutes with them asking questions like "So that's plastic right? When will the robot revolution come? What can it print?, and Bre, how do you do that with your hair?". <br /><br />I would love to see a Weekly vidcast for RepRap that had:<br /><br />-Little tips that people tend to have a hard time grasping, like how to wrap nichrome, to set up and operate skein forge, the difference between the electronics, etc<br /><br />-A non company view of the printers. How awesome would it be to see an interview with the Makerbot, UP!, Mendel-Parts, Botmill, Techzone, The RepRap core team, Ultimaker, Makergear, Ultimachine, 3dink, BfB, the list goes on and on, where the questions come from the community (sent via twitter), and they all get to show off on a show directed at our community.<br /><br />-How great would it be if we had someone from our community going around interviewing people at the NY Makerfair? I wanted an Interview with Rick from Makergear, and Tony Buser, Someone at Makerbot besides Bre or Zack, or how about the other folks that where there, I saw some awesome bots in the pics, but we don't know anything about them.<br /><br />I could think of a 100 things I would love to see in a nice 4-5 minutes pod cast each week, the only issue is I really don't want to do it myself, mostly because.<br /><br />-I am a overweight white dude, not exactly the image I think we want to portray.<br /><br />-I am from the Southern United States, and I have an accent that does not convey... intelligence :)<br /><br />-You have likely seen my videos, the video quality is good, but the production quality is really poor, I don't have a communications degree, and it shows.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Should I:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A. Start a pod cast and hope someone comes along and does it better than me and lets me off the hook.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B. Just drop it, there is no need/let someone with more skill start it.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Please do me a favor and respond in the comments, I am very on the fence about this idea.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">BTW I got my Gen6 Electronics and motors in, and 1 of my Prusa Mendels is nearly completed, and 2 others are started, videos and pics hopefully later this week :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3258776273298205046.post-48842399735424224692010-10-09T00:18:00.001-07:002011-06-30T19:29:16.268-07:00So many intersting things in the last few weeks..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Hot Rod Makerbot</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5061026885_d32db0e065_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5061026885_d32db0e065_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Nice little kitty right? Must have been printed on a UP! or BfB Rapman right? Wrong. A Makerbot with <a href="http://www.makergear.com/products/plastruder">MakerGear Compact Plastruder</a>. The drive is an abridged version of the <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4036">Brustruder</a>, and the hot end is new <a href="http://www.makergear.com/blogs/frontpage/2056392-1-75mm-abs-filament-is-here">Makergear compant hot end using professional grade 1.75 mm orange filament</a> with support material enabled in skeinforge.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5061643482_e120ace230_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5061643482_e120ace230_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Seriously, printed on a a Makerbot, who knew a Makerbot could do that? I guess that's the end of Up! and others uploading stuff to Thingiverse that no Makerbot can print, go Makergear!<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So many different RepRap Electronics are now in stock! (How much 6 months can change things)</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ultimachine.com/ramps"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ultimachine's Arduino based electronics</span></b></a><b> <span style="font-size: small;">($195 complete kit)</span></b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://reprap.org/mediawiki/images/f/fc/Ramps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://reprap.org/mediawiki/images/f/fc/Ramps.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Johnnyr </span><span style="font-size: small;">of Ultimachine has done some wonderful work on these electronics, and they are <a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/Arduino_Mega_Pololu_Shield">written up in the wiki</a>. Adrian and Johnnyr are neck and neck on the RepRapable electronics for RepRap "race". <a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/Pololu_Electronics">Adrian's version is written up in the wiki also</a> (but to my knowledge are not currently commercially available).</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://store.makerbot.com/electronics/generation-3-electronics-mostly-assembled.html">Makerbot Gen 3 Electronics</a> ($199 complete kit)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://store.makerbot.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/e/gen3-mostly-assembled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://store.makerbot.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/e/gen3-mostly-assembled.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />They have been in stock for a few weeks now, this has to be a record. But considering how many alternatives there are now, and the fact that Makerbot has now shown the Gen 4. These are very likely to stay more reliably in stock now. To my knowledge Makerbot electronics and firmware are still the only ones that allow for Printing from SD cards, which I am slightly addicted to.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mendel-parts.com/index.php?cPath=33_45">Mendel-Parts.com Gen 6 Electronics</a> ($210 complete kit ($180 without End Stops )<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mendel-parts.com/images/gen6_PCB_final_batch1sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.mendel-parts.com/images/gen6_PCB_final_batch1sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mendel Parts newly introduced Gen 6 Electronics. These boards are in pre-order currently, but according to Camiel there is only a 2-3 week lead time, and he is scaling up quickly. These are professionally designed boards, so look for good things to come from these.<br /><br /><a href="http://botmill.com/Electronics/Electronics-Kit-excluding-Power-Supply/prod_5.html">Botmill's Gen3 Remix Electronics</a> ($179 complete kit)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://botmill.com/images/uploads/electronicskitwops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://botmill.com/images/uploads/electronicskitwops.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Botmill / Techzones shrunk version of the RepRap Gen 3 Electronics. <dodges thrown="" tomato="">One point I must bring up, these are based off the Makebot manufactured Gen3 Electronics, but they are not a component for component copy, so even though they are "Gen 3" they bare very little in commonality with the Makerbot manufactured Gen3 Electronics. </dodges><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>OR</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.reprapstores.com/catalog/electronics/complete-electronic-kits-0">RepRapstores community shop Electronics</a> ($143 w/ power supply)</span><b> </b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.reprapstores.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_full/ebayelectronicskit3610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://www.reprapstores.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_full/ebayelectronicskit3610.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Seriously WTF. RepRap Electronics for $143 with a power supply? I knew Botmill/Techzone had sort of a bad name in the community for not shipping quickly/not responding to emails/minor issues with quality of the electronics, but RepRap Gen 3 Electronics for less than $150 with a power supply? Seriously, if you have ordered these recently, please comment, do they burst into flames when you plug them in or something, or are they just being aggressive as heck on their pricing? If they work that's a GREAT deal.<br /><br /><a href="https://shop.grrf.de/elektronik-generation-3-%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cstandard%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D-kit-p-216.html">German RepRap Foundation Gen 3 Electronics</a> ($267 complete kit)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://shop.grrf.de/images/elektronik_gen3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://shop.grrf.de/images/elektronik_gen3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>These are to my knowledge a component for component copy of the Makerbot/RepRap Gen 3 Electronics (I might be wrong). But non the less they are not Makerbot sourced, so again, each "Gen 3" is different. These are not Makerbot or Techzone sourced Gen3.<br /><br /><br />I think that's all of them. The ones that have peeked my interest are the Makerbot's Gen 4, Ultimachine's Arduino Electronics , and Mendel-Part's Gen 6 electronics. But RepRap is entering a whole new world of commercially available, open source electronics, in stock even.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Brustruder, STILL EXTRUDING (and a little red in the face)</span></b><br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ECxv8Yf_ErU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ECxv8Yf_ErU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />I designed the <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4036">Brustruder</a> because I honestly got sick of all the headaches I was having out of my Mk4 Extruder. I have not had 1 issue in the month since I installed it in my Makerbot. But the coolest thing is it's been downloaded over 80 times in the 30 days it's been up, and I have not had one person say they have had issues out of it. Which is just the best feeling in the world.<br /><br />Now what is not the best feeling in the world is having Make Magazine pick up a video where you accidentally punch yourself in the face with a Kysan Gear motor, and run it on their national blog. Then it get's even less fun when people at work find out... Explaining to your coworkers why you where straining pickup up 20lb of water, or what you mean by "steal extruding", while groaning, or why your floor is dirty, not so fun. :)<br /><br />I kid, it's flatting that so many people like the Brustruder, and that over 4000 people watched the video, and the fact that every time I go into the RepRap or Makergear IRC people pick about "Still Extruding". Thanks for the Fun!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Bits from Bytes acquired by 3d Systems</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">So many litmus tests have happened in the last few weeks for our community. 1st it was the Makerbot/Techzone Electronics Drama, then the Up! Printer Drama, now BfB has been acquired by 3d Systems. Before I comment, a lot of Folks in the community don't really know who 3d Systems is, and what they are known for.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">-3d Systems was started by Chuck Hill, who was the creator of </span>the 1st rapid prototyping technology, Steriolithography, and created the STL file format. He was also the 1st one the bring 3d commercial printing to market in the 80s.<br /><br />-A little over 1 year ago 3d Systems acquired Desktop factory, which was at the time a failing 3d printer company, that never really managed to sell their promised "revolutionary inexpensive 3d printer" at $5000. Some say the death keel for Desktop Factory was Makerbot squeezing them on the low end with their $750 kits and Z-corp's Z-150 ($10,000) on the high end. 3d Systems likely acquired them for a song.<br /><br />My personal take is this is a VERY smart acquisition for 3d Systems. With this acquisition they get the product that Desktop Factory always wanted to be able to sell, the <a href="http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=185&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1">BfB 3000 Panther</a>. The Panther, which at this time is being pathetically marketed by BfB is a full up 3 head, multi material 3d printer for $3200, a full $1800 less than the promised Desktop Factory price.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7REpjqJDi2I?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7REpjqJDi2I?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />But what I don't quite understand is where does the Rapman 3.1, and the Bits From Bytes brand name fit into the picture? It would not suprise me to see the Panther sold under the 3d Systems moniker as one step below the V-Flash $10,000 printer. But the Rapman does not fit the 3D systems model at all.<br /><br />1 year after Desktop Factories acquisition<a href="http://www.desktopfactory.com/"> their web page</a> is little more than a redirect to the low end V-Flash $10,000 printer. I don't think BfB will suffer quite the same fate, simply because they do have 2 products, and a valuable brand name. So what would be the logical, and profitable reason to acquire BfB, and not just build a BFB 3000 printer alternative in house?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Just Speculation</b></span><br /><br />If I had to guess, I think 3d Systems has read the same tea leaves a lot of us in this community have. 3d printing is exploding, and I think 3D Systems is getting ready to use the BfB brand name to come in hard on the personal market. I think the purchased BfB for the brand name, and the Panther. So this is what I think is going to happen:<br /><br />-V-Flash shows up on BfB website<br />-The BfB 3000 Panther shows up in a few months as a cartridge unit on the 3d Systems website<br />-BfB will release a new 3d printer to replace the Rapman 3.1 in the next few months. This will be their new competition for Makerbot.<br /><br />The new printer would be optimized to be quicker and easier to assemble, the harder bits to assemble would come pre packaged (The X axis and the Extruder), and be a part for part copy of the Panther. It would look like a cross between:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Fab @ Home</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fabathome.org/wiki/uploads/thumb/2/27/Model_2_White_-_CCSL.JPG/800px-Model_2_White_-_CCSL.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.fabathome.org/wiki/uploads/thumb/2/27/Model_2_White_-_CCSL.JPG/800px-Model_2_White_-_CCSL.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Panther</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/images/bfb3000/BFB3000SmokeM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/images/bfb3000/BFB3000SmokeM.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Think of the possiblity for such a machine. It does not have to compete with the Cupcake, so as long as they can keep the same price point as the Rapman, it would be price competitive with the Thingomatic.<br /><br />Makerbot really needs a competitor, I was hoping Up! would be it, but they just priced themselves out of the Market by trying to sell a a visually cheap printer at the same price that BfB is asking for the Panther. I was hoping Botmill/Techzone would be that competitor, but they don't seem to know how to hire someone for $7.50 an hour to answer email questions and send tracking numbers. I was hoping that the Old BfB would be that competitor, but they never seemed to learn how to market their obvously superior product. I even hoped that Profound Devices would be that competitor, be he just turned out to be an over promising hobbyist with a inflated ego.<br /><br />So if I am reading the tea leaves right, I hope Makerbot has some more ammo in that clip, because I have a feeling the 3DS/BfB is going to come out with all guns blazing in the next few months, with a mission to become the defacto 3d printing brand that Makerbot currently is.<br /><br />If you have read my blog, you know I am a Open Source fend, but in the end it really doesn't matter to me if the printer is open source or not, as long as it prints RP and is a good price. If 3DS/BfB can compete with Makerbot on price, I know they can beat them in quality.<br /><br />Honestly I can't wait to see the real reason 3DS bought BfB, but no matter what, they are going to use that Brand name for something, and I have a feeling it's going to be fun to watch.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14841570845002675047noreply@blogger.com9