3D printer PRUSA I3 MK2

I’ve been looking at the PRUSA I3 MK2 3D printer. I will probably buy one.
Anyone here have any experience of the printer?

I would likely be able to build any IKEA kit, most prebuilt printers are too expensive anyway so I don’t have much of an option if I want a 3d printer of any quality.

I really want a liquid printer, but thats seems to be a lot more complex and immature technology.

Never heard of that one, it looks pretty cool though. If i could justify buying one i would, but i have no practical use for it. Ive really only seen people make toys or weapons.

My intention is to build robots. The most difficult part of building robots seems to be to build the mechanics.
Motors, sensors, control and all of that are pretty straight forward and not that expensive nowadays.

If I had access to a workshop with lots of tools I’d use that instead of a 3d printer any day of the week.
I’ve tried to build in a meccano style so far, it works but is very limited.

I could start buying real tools instead, not 100% sure what to do…

Well now everyone needs some pictures of that! How limmited? Can it kill yet?

Promise not to laugh :blush:

I’m still at the concept of construction.
I’ve used nuts, bolts and mounting band.

By bending the mounting band 90 degrees the stability increased greatly. Soldering nuts also added new possibilities. I’ve used a plastic tube to transfer motion.

I’m trying to figure out a way to add bearings since that would make for some very stable joints.

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Nice! I wish i did more machine shop stuff when i had the opportunity. You should update your progress here as it goes

If i ever finish my work in progress mobile game, im going to commission you to print me some game themed toys

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@tbo

I did buy the 3d printer Prusa i3 mk2. (In US I think Makerbot is more common?)

I haven’t had time to fiddle so much, but I did find a working chain from design to finished robot, and you probably dig this since there are loads of free programs to work in. Cheap electronics and free controllerprograms.

What you probably want to print a character in would be a liquid printer and not an extruder. The liquid fluid printer has a very high resolution compared to extruded prints. I understand that a liquid printers cost several thousand dollars, but apparently you could build them yourself cheap. My brother is building one liquid printer right now and mechanically they are not that difficult compared to a regular 3d printer. The fluid however has its own ecosystem, smells, and is quite expensive.

Every menu in these 3d model/print programs seem to have a button for online 3d print, so if you just want to print a single model, that should be very easy.

Personally I would model a character in clay, thats more fun :slight_smile:

This is a successful gear test with a stepper motor and 3d printed parts combined with bearings and threaded rods.

You printed those gears? Awesome, it looks so professional.

Yes i do recall seeing online services that will print and mail items out of various materials. I still dont have a need yet i just think its so cool.

That item you built there, it reminds me of Homer Simpsons priceless invention in his dream that he couldn’t quite get a look at.

I have to show you fusion 360 :slight_smile:

Fusion 360 is one jawdropping free* construction program for mechanical parts. I really really like it. It would put Homer Simpson construction abilities on steroids.

This is my very fist try at a gear. Look at the fillet, chamfer and gear construction.

Is there a footnote to go along with “free*”?

*It’s free for personal use for a whole year, and that year seems to be extendable. Just make sure you tick the correct license.

i.e they seem to have a policy that they will renew the free licenses for a couple of years?

Are there services where you can order custom designed metal mechanical parts with plans from something like this? Like machine shop type stuff?

For example, if you designed one of these with a screw on cap?

Edit: ok obviously there is, i dont know why i didn’t just search first. I’ve had this one invention in the back of my mind for a few years but don’t know any machine shop people. You now pointed put i can design and order a prototype for relatively inexpensive.

Looks like when i get time, ill be adding another project to my life that i have no time for. Then all i have to do is find some time

I guess you would press sheets of metal in several individual molds for something like that? I’ve seen it once, but that was a really big machine. I think the mold is manufactured with cnc etching in metal? Not sure? I dont think it is cheap or easy and you probably need to do large series?

Plastic bag drinkmixer? How about that? :smiley:

Edit: with measurment markings in sets :slight_smile:

Is that a cocktail shaker?

Yeah i would need threaded cylinders and caps, among other things. Standard machine shoppy things, i just figured the cocktail shaker was a similar example.

I know nothing about this stuff except everyone in my 9th grade exploratory machine shop class tried to make weed pipes.

So just a quick search finds this

I could prob find better or even local to make something if i made up the drawings.

Looking at that site, its pretty cool that you can basically prototype a small hardware gadget for under a few thousand. Prob a lot cheaper elsewhere.

Edit: ah, see i know so little about this that i just realized you would do early prototypes in plastic to save cost. Make sure everything fits and stuff. Haha, i was just gonna make a joke that u guys found my secret and I was making a “smart cocktail mixer”. Then i googled it and sure enough it exists, so funny