My burly is just fine, I’ve printed everything for the Primo upgrade, just haven’t done it.
But I’ve been hit with a request by my better half that has me thinking…
She wants some figures cut out of styrofoam, up to 6’ tall by up to 3’ wide.
Not ready for the LR3 quite yet due to space among other reasons, and I think it would be easier to just jumbo size my current build vs starting from scratch on something new - but I am willing to do the primo upgrade since I’m tearing it apart anyway.
Since I already have the tube, am I crazy in thinking I could stretch my Burly or Primo to this size for milling of foam - with supports for the longer axis of course.
Sagging doesn’t bother me since it is 1" foam cut clean thru, probably would use a foam spoilboard just incase sag gets aggressive, don’t need a 1/8" bit cutting into wood that deep…
Once the project is done, I would revert the machine back to it’s more normal dimensions.
Any thoughts from anyone out there more sane than I?
I had my burly streched out to 1,70m x 1,10 m (about 5.6’x3.6’) and i made this with it. (just the head of Nefertiti, not the dancing girls). I did’nt jut cut through, but “3d-shaped” the styrofoam. I did brace the long tubes.
I did it this way: Made in slices
Well one yes vote, no are you crazy votes, so I guess it’s a go.
Now just have to decide if I should rebuild as a primo as I go, or just make the trusty burly super-sized.
As far as that goes, I’d upgrade to a Primo.
As far as ,acbine footprint goes, I think a LowRider with the same work area has a smaller table, and can be easily scaled up.
I’d upgrade to primo and stretch it. I’m going to stretch my x axis another six inches. Need to make cabinet doors that are three inches too long for my machine. Thankfully i didn’t cut the excess belt off and have eight inches to spare! Just need two longer rails. I’ll probably need the mid span supports like you’ll need.
I agree about the LR, but right now, I don’t have room for both, and I have to admit, I’m on the fence as far as a controller for the LR. I currently use an open builds control and software on my burly, and I love it, love it, love it. But the LR requires 5 axis, and the open builds is only 4 axis. And I gnash my teeth, about what I’m going to use to drive it. Being an old man, I don’t like change!
Not true. It is designed to take advantage of 5 drivers, but there is no reason not to put the Y drives in series, like you do with your Burly. I do recommend keeping the separate Z drives myself, but those can also be put in series if you’re careful to start your motors with the gantry level. If you do this, you simply disregard the homing switches, or put them in series so that triggering either one will tell the machine that it’s homed.
I’m using RepRap Firmware for mine and I love it. I’d be reluctant to change now, too.