3D Printer Kit

[Displaser]

I walked into a local electronics supply shop, only to discover that they are selling a Velleman 3D printer kit now for $799 (K8200 - supports PLA and ABS filiment). I haven't kept up with who's entered the market for 3D printers/kits in recent months, but am encouraged that there are larger companies now offering kits.

[chad]

Not too bad. For just a Little more you can have something much nicer. I bought one of these and they are really well built. I looked at ALL of them and this was the closest to what I would build. So far it has been lots of fun and works great!

http://www.makergear.com/products/m-series-3d-printers

chad

[The_Doctor]

That is so strange, it looks like some old Edwardian typewriter. I can imagine Terry Gilliam totally filling his movies with them, wherever he can find space between all the ducts and bladders. Does it hiss?

Not too bad. For just a Little more you can have something much nicer. I bought one of these and they are really well built. I looked at ALL of them and this was the closest to what I would build. So far it has been lots of fun and works great!

http://www.makergear.com/products/m-series-3d-printers

chad

[chad]

LOL, no It doesn't hiss but it does buzz and whine! Over all it works really well. It is all steel and aluminum, very sturdy.
chad

[The_Doctor]

It does look good for sure. Stable, and the results look cleaner than I've seen on other pictures from cheaper machines. I have no idea if or when I'll want to buy one, but this looks like a guiding standard to watch.

[mixedgas]

The M2 is the first one I've seen that is starting to look like a quality machine for under 4000$. Amazing how makers of 3D printers don't bother with feedback encoders on the steppers. A lot of calibration would go away if they used encoders. Next time I'm up at Beechwood I may stop by and look at the plant. Being made in N.E. Ohio where we have a long history of machine volumes.manufacturing plus a high tech sector shows in the engineering of this device.

Chad has taste in tools, and endorsement by him speaks volumes.

Steve

[The_Doctor]

Taste in movies too! How did you notice the lack of encoder on the stepper? I never noticed that. I think they're usually on the back end of the drive shaft but I just assumed they had some other way. For one thing drive belts can slip a notch, and I thought they might watch its business end. Ok, I'll come clean: I never thought of it at all.

[buffo]

Greg, did you see the 3D printer that Cfavreau had running at SELEM this year?

He might be a good one to seek out regarding options...

Adam

[chad]

Thanks for the kind comments!

Steve: usually you don't put encoders on steppers just because of the way steppers work. Steppers are the cheap way of doing a "servo", in other words closed loop-ish, but with out the added expense.
And I am already ahead of you on the encoders. I have three servo drives and 10 (ebay deal) dc servos with encoders ready to go.

I have a bunch of mods I plan on making to it. I want to see if I can improve an already really good print.

chad

[JohnYayas]

I have a feeling that within a few years they will be commodity items just like any $100 inkjet printer.