I just ran across this project on kickstarter. It might cut down on the amount of 3d printed parts required and might help with rigidity.
I don’t know if you guys have issues with keeping the apparatus rigid, but my machine has enough torque to wobble the pipe during G0 rapids so I’ve been pondering ways to strengthen the conduit joints.
Anyways, check this out, looks interesting: http://www.makerpipe.com/about/
-Pete
This seems like a neat idea if you don’t have a 3D printer. I honestly don’t see a good use for it with the mpcnc. The MPCNC corners are tougher than then need to be, and everything else is more complicated. Plus, the appeal to me isn’t just a low cost CNC, I want to make it myself.
But apart from the CNC, it does seem like a neat idea for making custom stands and stuff. Sort of like a zip tie for table making.
The advantage to MakerPipe appears to be that it’s made of metal, not PLA, and isn’t heterogeneous.
That’s what I was thinking as well, William – my PLA supports wobble. The whole apparatus would stiffen up considerably if the connections were metal.
It’s not necessarily something I’d suggest as the default way of building an MPCNC, because as jeffeb3 says, part of the allure is building it all yourself.
For those of us with extremely torquey (if that’s even a word) motion systems, having some increased rigidity would be welcome.