Soon to be "MPG3DP" (Mostly Pink and Green 3D Printer)

[thesfreader]

It all started with Flitetest, where I “cut” a few planes on foamboard, and via the Needle cutter thread, I came here to discover CNCs…

So I decided to build my own CNC. Since I had no access to 3D printers, I got inspiration from Jhitesma Instructable contest co-winner design of the “Build a CNC Router” project, and started building my (bad looking/imprecise/flexible/nut sufficient for CNCing anything other than soap and polystyrene), with the result here.

While mechanics are inspired by the wooden CNC router, for the electronics, I MUST thank you all (especially Ryan) for the bounty of information.

(I found friends who could print 2-3 pieces (which helped some).

Later, I decided to “improve” and update it, by adding a printing extruder, and while it has BAD tolerances, it’s sufficient to iterate on itself by upgrading parts, but also now to the next step, by printing the MP3DP parts.

 

I’ll use the CNC to write the plans down on the MDF with a pen holder to make sure it’s exact, and will need to cut by hand, but I need to increase the working area, so that’s the next update to my “CNC”.

 

And of course, when I have a printer that has good tolerances, I’ll be able to finish the full circle, and print an MPCNC, which I may use to cut the plates for the Lowrider…

As for its name, it’ll be self-explanatory when it’s finished : my daughter gets to choose the colours since I didn’t let her paint the “horror” that is the first CNC…

 

(2 of my co-workers also will make their MP3DP at the same time )

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

Fun right!?

It’s my job and my job is awesome!

[thesfreader]

Update : “Traced” the plans on the MDF using my dodgy CNC, and marked the lines with a razor blade a few times to help guide the cutting. Cut them using a scroll saw and drilled using a drill press. Since I have difficult access to Imperial size screws, I’ll use 3mm ones for the most part.

While not “milled” precision, it turned out quite OK, and only really minimal touch up was needed for 1 screw or two.

I had also printed (using a different/better) printer a few PLA bearings, and waiting for the other arts to arrive, have begun assembly.

[attachment file=43113]

Tested the Y bed with a steppe motor and Ramps setup that I had lying around, and … It works ! (for now)

 

Now I need to wait…

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

Do you have hollow rods? If you do that is awesome.

[thesfreader]

Yes, went to the hardware store, and found “that”. (plain steel, 8mm tube) (Finding “mm” sized hardware is easier this side of the pond.)

Not really smooth, nor absolutely straight, but with my sub-par PLA bearings, it works as a “proof of concept”, while waiting for the motors and rods orders to arrive. I guess I won’t use them with real bearings, because that would probably wear them down fast.

On the other hand, since I plan on a bowden setup, the X axis woouldn’t have to support the extruder motor, so the X axes shouldn’t flex, even if the rods are hollow…

[jeffeb3]

Ryan, if you figure out how to find hollow 8mm rods, you’re going to get plenty of more chances to answer, “How about filling them with concrete?”

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

OMG, so true.

[thesfreader]

Update : Couldn’t wait for the orders to arrive, so made do with what I had lying around, PLA printed “LM8UU” bearings, M8 screw and random steel rods, old RAMPS and a few switches, the print bed from my old printer … And voilà. ready to print.

[attachment file=44110]

Will probably re-print it almost completely since most of the parts were out of alignement (and have been heavily sanded to allow at least some sliding) but apart from big backlash on the Z axis (and I will compensate for that), should be good to go.

Finished last night, but didn’t try it before bed. Hopefully this evening

Will paint it all when the final hardware is there though.

Oh, and it’ll be Mostly Pink and Green 3DP

[ponydevil (Krzysztof Rygwelski)]

Looks good but I think you will have a lot of problem with retraction becose of the length of tube.

[billsey (Bill)]

Yeah, I’d trim the Bowden tube down to just over the minimum needed for the position you show in the picture. No reason to be longer, since it’ll reach everywhere at that length. The longer the Bowden the more you have to overfeed to get enough pressure to make a good bead as you are laying down plastic. The more overfeed you have the more you need to retract when cornering or traveling. You can alleviate the retraction pause a bit by retracting really fast, but it’s pretty easy to use up all the gains from the lighter weight with the time needed for the retraction.

[thesfreader]

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll probably shorten the bowden a lot to minimal length, and increase the retraction speed.

Since the last photo, I’ve worked on it, received the rods and linear bearings, switched the frame to a better cut one (mostly esthetics), and have yet to print anything.

I’ve had troubles with the Z axis bearings, since my printed X-Z pieces weren’t aligned correctly (bad alignment of the printer used for them), so used “PLA” bearings, which I heavily reworked so that it slides correctly.

Hope to have the printer fully functionning today or this week.

 

 

[ponydevil (Krzysztof Rygwelski)]

Im just wondering why you use bowden tube And not directextruder.

 

[thesfreader]

Well, mostly curiosity, and it killed me… Currently printing an MK mount ;-).

It’s a group project, and my friends and I wanted to try a bowden setup, so we all went bowden. But I’ll switch to direct on both this and my other printer.

[ponydevil (Krzysztof Rygwelski)]

Bowden is okey if your design need to be very light and speed but anyway in my opinion printing at hi speed have more disadvantages. Soon I will be making secend printer that need to have Bowden then you will see why I’m not using direct there?

[barry99705 (Barry)]

Yea, even my delta’s bowden is only 4 inches long. The extruder is a flying extruder hung off the arm mounts.

[thesfreader]

Finished the conversion to “direct”, had to unclogg my “old” nozzle, and still some troubles with Z initial height (need to add almost a half mm to all Z during print after a good levelling), but it WORKS !!

(And Yes, my daughter chooses the decoration, including the giant Heart on top, which we designed it together with Fusion360, she’ beginnning to master sketches and extrusions )

[attachment file=“45160”]

[jeffeb3]

Needs a pony.

[billsey (Bill)]

I switched to Bowden both to learn how it works and because I want to play around with multiple extruder designs, and eventually mixing designs. Now that I’m fairly comfortable with the Titan:Bowden:E3D combo I’m going to install a dual head. Eventually I’ll expand that to a Diamond head.

[thesfreader]

@jeffeb3

Needs a pony.

Does the unicorn on the heart qualify ? (bad picture doesn’t show it…)