Jamie's Primo Build

I’ve mentioned fragments of this process in other threads but here it is in one place.

With some help, I decided on black and pink, and I used a scheme similar to Ryan’s except that I want the corner tops to be pink instead of black, and I made the feet pink to try to fit everything within 2 spools. With 4 perimeters and 0.3mm layer height I sliced each part individually to get an estimate of time and material:
image

I’ve also been weighing some of the parts and the actual weight is quite close to what the slicer predicts.

This is the steel tube that I bought. I think HTR/1120 is hot rolled and I like the thick wall.

Then it is time to disassemble my smaller box frame machine which was assembled here.


Upgrade kit arrived in record time.
Recovered the hardware from the older machine.
Got new tubes.
I’ve got all the large pieces printed and just a few more small ones to go.

More to come…

14 Likes

Nice. I haven’t been weighing mine. I’m doing a .28 layer height and 3 perimeters. My steel comes in today as well as my second color filament. You’ll probably have yours built by the time I’m through printing.

Dreading cutting down the tubes for legs, I think I’m going to build one of those fixtures to use an angle grinder as a chop saw.

In the meantime, thinking about what screws I want to use to secure the feet. And trying to do everything else that I can. Also seeing how much I can do without the instructions. Most of it is pretty intuitive and I have decent confidence that my guesses are right so far, but coming up is some assembly where I will need the instructions.

3 Likes

I took some wood and nailed it around some pipe to make a long U shape. Then I cut a groove in it square to the side using my table saw. I could then put my pipe in and have a kerf that I knew was straight and I cut it with a hacksaw, using the edge of the cut as a guide. If you want, I can probably find a picture.

I have one of the wooden mitre saw boxes, but cutting all that steel by hand makes my arm hurt just thinking about it. I’m actually considering buying a metal chop saw because of this project. I want to start metal working in the future and figure I’ll use it more later too.

You should have chosen pastel green to go with the pink instead. Then you should have called it TBTT80 CNC!

(Throwback to the 80’s)

As for cutting the tubes, get one of these if you have an angle grinder, i use mine all the time cutting steel for use when blacksmithing.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=angle+grinder+stand

1 Like

Thanks for the ideas. I own a hacksaw, but one of my life goals is to never use it again. I also found an angle grinder to chop saw conversion on thingiverse but neither of the tool clamps happens to fit my angle grinder. So I have a choice to make but either way I should be able to get a good square cut with accurate length. It’s also stimulating other ideas so I have to stay focused to not take too much of a detour.

1 Like

That’s what my first MPCNC was. The forum nicknamed it Miami Vice.

2 Likes

I had the same problem.

Someone should make a version that just uses hose clamps.

Not sure whether this belongs in its own thread, but this was a minor detour from my build, but related.

One of those things that made me chuckle, what a ridiculous idea, but then… hmm, maybe I could actually do it.

7 Likes

The things one comes up with, just to NOT have to use a hacksaw! :laughing:

1 Like

But I already took my MPCNC apart :frowning:

1 Like

Haha. I like the offset tracing method too. That is very clever.

3 Likes

Looks good!

I was just pricing out some tubing because I might make the 25.4mm version rather than wait for the 23.5mm. Seems that you got a really good price on that; most of the tubing I’ve found online is significantly more expensive, and that’s not even including shipping.

Would you say that 1" DOM is recommended if I eventually want to cut some aluminum, or is EMT feasible if I already have it and wait for the 23.5mm files?

Some progress.

AC went out and I couldn’t get motivated to work until it was fixed, so that put me behind schedule a bit…

8 Likes

I am in the process of printing mine. I have a silly question. Does the PRIMO use the same tool mounts as the burley?

I havent gotten to that point yet. The tool mounts are different but there is an adapter/Burley compatible mount so tool holders made for Burley can be used on Primo.

2 Likes

Ah, I found your problem! If you just don’t schedule anything, you are never behind schedule!

7 Likes

That’s how I roll…