Help choosing a second 3d printer

[xojins]

I was checking out my inventory and it seems that I have enough electronics and hardware to make a second 3d printer (with a minimum investment). I want to have a larger build area next.

With all the open source printers, what would be a good printer to make with a minimum 200x200x100 build area?

How difficult would it be to make a H1.1 with an expanded build area?

The only parts I need are what I can print, linear rods, belts and heated bed.

Thanks!

[michaellatif]

I voted other. I have a Printrbot LC+ and like it, ~8x8x8 print area, no failures and build sturdy. The only things I don't like about it is the dual Z-axis motors, I prefer a single motor with a belt connecting them (makes for easier setting/zeroing the z-axis) and I think it takes 3.0mm filament only.

[Eric]

If I wanted another, I'd probably be thinking about designing a scratch-built Delta-style printer. Look at the similarities between the Rostock Max and the H1: Arduino-based electronics options are the same, same extruder/hot-end, same stepping motors, same bearings. Most of the other moving parts (arm-ends, slide brackets, and hot-end mount) can be printed or are easily found (extrusions, belts, assembly hardware). That leaves fabricating the supporting frame out of dimensionally stable wood, plastic, or metal, getting/making a heated bed of the right size, the bowman extrusion tube, and a few odds and ends.

[johnoly99]

Delta printer! (obviously i'm not biased or anything right?)

Seriously though, you can print all the parts for Johann's origional rostock on your H1, and we carry the LM8's etc.... for most everything else. I'm lovin the RAMBo board for control, but RAMPS is still a good choice.

[xojins]

I was researching upgrading to M8 rods and different timing belts. Seems it wouldn't be too difficult to switch.

Can the rostock do 0.01 layers?

Printrbot LC looks great if I had a CNC to make my own frame.

[johnoly99]

calculated res on max is .0018mm soooooo, yep! Now, can you calibrate your extruder that well is the real challenge.

[Polygonhell]

I have a MendelMax, it's a nice printer, I'm not completely sold on the way it's evolving, it's becoming more and more expensive with the move towards linear slides, and I'm not sure the return is there for the more expensive components.
I'd also look at a Mendel90, I really like the attention to detail.

[johnoly99]

Polygon, trinitylabs sharef a booth with us at NY. Theyre going more towards the linear slides for their aluminati machine, for the rigidity needed to rout and mill. The max will prob stay LM style etc... for straight printing. I got to spend a lot of time talking with the guys, and ezra, good guys.

[xojins]

A lot of choices... very different paths to take...

I love the speed of the rostock but it will require a few extra dollars

Mendel90 looks solid and I have almost everything I need to make one.

Darn... wish I could build 2 more right now!

[xojins]

I think I am going to make a CNC next. I want to be able to fabricate aluminum parts. This will open up the doors to injection molding and other machines.

Now.. which cnc? ShapeOko looks to be a solid contender and I can use my extra Sanguino board to control it.

[Polygonhell]

Polygon, trinitylabs sharef a booth with us at NY. Theyre going more towards the linear slides for their aluminati machine, for the rigidity needed to rout and mill. The max will prob stay LM style etc... for straight printing. I got to spend a lot of time talking with the guys, and ezra, good guys.

Interesting I just noticed they'd upgraded Y to linear slides, last time I was on their site.

The Max is a good product, and stunningly easy to assemble for anyone whose built a H1 or any Mendel variant, mines somewhere between a 1.0 and a 1.5, most people I've spoken to with them have had some teething troubles, they've been generally responsive in the evolution of the design to address those.

Mine had some marginal ZWobble when it was originally built, and it took me several iterations to figure out what was causing it and how to address it, the design has changed since then it's now got bigger Y Rods, they relocated the motors to the bottom and I think they are recommending precision acme lead screws and Delrin nuts, all positive improvements, but I'm not sure that's not overkill to solve the issue.

My only real problem with the Max though is it's just a mendel re-imagined in AL extrusions, rather than rethinking how best to use AL extrusions to in a printer design. The new LulzBot TK0 looks to be about the best thought out extrusion based design I've seen recently, I particularly like the way they use printed one piece plastic ends to hold the extrusions for the Table, even though it moves the Y bars closer together, it pretty much guarantees good alignment.

The reason I like nopheads Mendel 90 is the attention to detail, his use of ribbon cable and DB9 connectors and the wire routing. The design seems to be well thought out start to end.

Having said that is I were building something other than my own design for a 3rd printer I'd probably build a delta printer and I do like your take on it.

[stienman]

I like the mendel90 because as long as you cut a nd drill the frame correctly, alignment is nearly perfect. Also minimal parts count.

I'd like to tinker with a delta, but I don't know that it has any particular advantages.

I'm tempted most by machines with the print bed on z, and the print head on x and y due to the high build volume to total machine size ratio. Very efficient users of space. Also would like to tinker with faster prints using lower mass Bowden setup.

But I'm still tinkering with the h1, and while I printed out a complete set of Mendel 90 parts, I don't know that I'm going to build it anytime soon...