Hey everyone and v1 engineering
I’m in the process of trying to source and purchase my parts list in AB, Canada.
It’s proving challenging during this time with our dollar so low and shipping slowing to a crawl but i’m gonna try regardless.
I’m wondering if i can use a Rambo 1.3L board for my build
instead of the 1.4 version that’s recommended on the website?
not sure what the differences are between the tw0?
Thanks in advance!
Shawn T
Hello and welcome to the madness!
I’m sorry, this sounds flippant, but if it can drive three stepper drivers, you can use it. The Rambo 1.3 should be fine. I’m not sure what the differences are. There’s not a good chart on the RepRap site.
As a suggestion, build as basically as you can to start, then add features as you need them. i.e., You have the drivers to run dual endstops, but go ahead and run standard serial steppers to start. The firmware is getting much better, and if you’re making your own wiring harness, the serial connections can be confusing at first, but it’s still simpler than the tangle of stepper motor cables, and endstop connectors… Plus, the closer to “standard” your rig is, the easier it is for more of the inmates here to help you out. If you’ve got a bunch of non-standard things going on, maybe one or two folks could even speak intelligently about any problem you have (not that it would stop the rest of us from adding our two cents).
But I ramble as the coffee kicks in… Welcome again! The differences are likely minor and have more to do with electrical robustness than any true functionality. I didn’t see a 1.3L on the RepRap site, so I’m guessing it’s a clone (which is not inherently bad, it is an open source design, after all). If they did a decent job, and you treat it like a RamBO 1.3, you won’t fry anything more than a fuse if something is truly different. Worst case, post up a link to the technical specs, and I’m sure someone will take up the gauntlet just because (but please, let’s try to work through it together, the more you know about your own machine, the better).
Wow that was a fast response!
Thanks allot for your advice and weighing in.
Ill probably opt to build with a genuine Ultimaker board if possible, I hear they’re quality is really good.
Just curious are you currently running a MPCNC yourself currently>?
If so i’m wondering the limitations of materials it can cut on the recommended build size?
I was planning my machine to have a usable bed of 24(x)x24(y) x 6(z) but not
sure if thats a good size to start with.
Thanks again appreciate you taking the time !
ST
What are you planning to cut at 6 inches tall? Keep it as short as possible or you need to block up the work piece the problems I’ve had were reaching to far.to cut. But for mantles and 4 x 4 type things it will be good
The 1.3 needs an adapter for the LCD, The 1.4 does not. Only difference that I remember.
Actually running one? Not yet. I’ve been “building” one for a few years now. I’ve finally gotten to the point of having all the materials I need for one, but the wiring harness keeps growling at me every time I get near the box it’s in, so I haven’t touched it in a while…
But I spend a lot of time on the forums, and have absorbed a vast amount of high-quality second-hand knowledge. And I can certainly present as competent online. Much like I can present as neurotypical in person… 
As Tim says, 6" is a pretty steep Z-axis. It’s not an inherent problem in your build, but you’ll want to always shim up your stock so that the surface is always as close to the gantry as possible. The further down the tool has to reach, the longer the lever arm is to apply lateral force and deflect the bit. If you plan on including a 3D printing head to your arsenal, then that would make sense, as the nozzle won’t be pushing through anything but air (hopefully). Also remember that unless you are well-funded, CAM software can only account for the bit when planning toolpaths, so it can only use that depth anyway. If you need to “reach” into your stock with the tool itself, you’ll have to manage all of that yourself with separate toolpaths, extra safe Z heights, etc., etc.
Thanks for the advice and support guys!
Really cool community you have built around these machines.
I forgot to say that this is my first CNC build and my knowledge is absolute beginner so please bear with me.
I will change the Z height to the recommended 3" for this build and then modify in the future if necessary.
I’m just about to start printing off my parts and I’m wondering if there’s any strength or rigidity benefits to printing with a higher % infill??
IIRC, from CNC Kitchen, the biggest win will likely be from more perimeters. At a certain point, more infill will just give you more weight. 3-5 perimeters at 55% infill is pretty sturdy, if you’ve got good layer adhesion w/ a 0.4mm nozzle. And oddly, you’re likely to exert more force on the parts by over-tightening the bolts and screws than the machine will under normal operating conditions (all bets are off if you go crazy with your feeds and speeds, or run it into heavy steel hold-downs).
OK, that last claim probably isn’t quite true, but anecdotal evidence shows that, barring catastrophic bouts of bad luck, bad planning, or cranial flatulence, more parts are broken due to excessive manual torque than stepper power.
Haha cranial flatulence :)) nice one man:+).
Right on the money though! That makes sense just beefing up the perimeter lines.I’ll go with 5 just to be safe and take care not to over torque the bolts if I ever make it to assembly.
Appreciate your advice man! Seems to me your overqualified if anything to build your own CNC at this point.
This has to be the all-time worst time to build anything with filament shortages and postal slowed down to a turtles gait. To make matters worse, I disregarded the Bold, italicized warnings of acquiring tubing first.
Used up all my filament on a 25mm set (which i thought was 1") and I can’t source the pipe to match my prints anywhere locally… My only option seems to be to re-print a set at 25.4 mm … If only I could spool my tears into a reel of sky blue PLA 
Ouch! Don’t fret, you’re not the first, you won’t be the last. I’m sure there will also be loose grub screws in your/my/our future… 
You may have to settle for a different color but at least they’re shipping: