Looking for help on building my Mendelmax 1.5 3d printer. What do you recommend for a good active website and vids.



I have been watching a bunch of vids on Youtube from 3Dprintertek The 3D PrinterTech Girl



Now I have 24 years of assembling Thermal Night Sight for the M60A3,Lasers,XYZ Theta tables( 8 Axis was my most complicated), IC Parts Pick and Place systems.



I have equipment and dial calipers some that are accurate up to 1/10,000 of an inch.( I have a very expensive tool box with calibration tools.)
This should be easy, but parts and Filaments at a good price is always helpful. Unfortunately I have been away from that work for 8 years. Some I'm going to have to brush up on old and new terminology.



BTW. I found these videos funny and distracting. This girl was always changing outfits and dragging her boobs across the work bench. She screwed up the assembling of the first machine and went on to another. Really. All the parts are aligned in mid air. Ever use a plumb bob to align an XYZ Theta table.
I use squares and flatness tables. Still. The Boob thing was funny. BTW. I find her HOT.

I could have ordered the complete kit for $1099 but chose to order the Mech kit instead for $550. The seller told me that the other items can be ordered separately for a total cost of under $900 and some extra waiting time. But it looks like for the same cost of a complete system I'm also get spares and add on accessories for upgrades.
This is what I have ordered and waiting for shipping, and delivey. Most parts were purchased on Ebay








- Mendelmax 1.5 Mechanical Kit $550 free shipping (E-bay)
Kit Includes:
-Build envelope: 9.75" x 11" x 6" (x) x (y) x (z)
- Mine will be Black rails with Neon Green



- Plastic Parts Kit w/Extruder & Spool Holder (We have Neon Green, Red, Blue and Black*)



- Extrusions Kit- Pre-drilled and Tapped (Silver or Black)



- 8mm & 10mm Smooth Rods



- 1/4" Precision Leadscrews w/nuts and springs



- Aluminum Bed- Pre-drilled & Countersunk



- 12V Silicone Heatbed + Built-in Thermistor



- GT2 Belts & Pulleys



- Flexible Aluminum Couplings for Z axis



- Hobbed Bolt kit



- 4 LM10UU Linear bearings



- 6 LM8UU Linear bearings



- 11 608ZZ bearings



- All Hardware- You can choose Stainless Steel or Black



- Sample length of ABS filament



Delivered late on the April 20th.



Ordered March 31. Shipping Label made on April 13(Notified me that it was shipped) before Ebay deadline of April 15th, but actually shipped on the 18th



Then the BS lies and link to shipping tracking indicating that it was delivered. I don't live in Golden CO. I turned down his trinkets and free display board. No apologies from him yet.
Parts not in the Mech. Kit
HotEnd
Please note: You only need one but the other items are for upgrades and spares
1-G3D Buda-style HotEnd v1.2 Ebay $69+$15 shipping



2-J-Head MK-V-BV Hotend Kit 0.4mm Nozzle for 1.75 and 3mm filament($56)(E-bay)



1-Aluminum Head Mounting plate for MK-V (for single head only)(Ebay)($16)
Electronics
- RAMPS 1.4 Ultimate Electronics Kit ($186)(E-bay)



- 1x RAMPS 1.4 Board



- 1x Mega2560 Board



- 5x A4988 Stepper Drivers



- 5x Heatsinks



- 5x Heatsink Conductive Stickers



- 1x SD Card Reader



- 1x Ceramic Screwdriver (Safely adjusting stepper drivers)



- 1x 40mm Fan



-Labeled Cables for wiring (1 meter long each)



- 3x Mechanical Endstops
Motors
5- NEMA 17 Motors(E-bay)



3-Stepper Motor NEMA 17 Cork Gasket 4-Pack. Perfect for RepRap or MakerBot motors



Note:



Ordered 10- 70 oz. in. motors($135) Better Deal for 10 motors very fast delivery
Power Supply







12V 30A Power Supply(E-bay)
-Ordered Spares and Accessories
Delivered and waiting assembly
1-Borosilcate Glass


1-Sheet of PTFE for Y-Axis .03x12x12
Medelmax Main Parts
Mendelmax 1.5 Mechanical Kit (E-bay) Starting Building Assy



Didnt get the ABS Sample and kit sheet calls for 2x- X End Idler but picture on the web shows one(typo?) Waiting for answer.



Just recieved 4/29 missing hardware. Never sent the Filament
, Holes in wrong location on large aluminum bed plate






12V 30A Power Supply



12V DC 30A 360W Regulated Switching Power Supply
RAMPS 1.4 Ultimate Electronics Kit(ebay)



3 spare Pololu/StepStick Stepper Motor Driver board Ebay



Note: Motor wires were miswired. Never got an answer from seller after email him of the problem.






Motors



5 Nema 17 with 5 spares



12 cork isolators for the motors
Hotend and spare parts
1-G3D Buda-style HotEnd v1.2 Ebay



2-J-Head MK-V-BV Hotend 0.4mm Nozzle for 1.75 and 3mm filament Kit(E-bay)



1-MK7 Drive Gear.(Aluminum) Pulley for 1.75mm and 3 mm plastic filament. Ebay



3-Head Mounting plate (Ebay)



1 Roll of Mil Kapton Tape (Polyimide) - 1/2" X 36 Yds ebay



1.5m PTFE Teflon Tube For 1.75 mm Filament(Hotend)



1.5m PTFE Teflon Tube For 3.0 mm Filament Ebay(hotend)
Spares
2- Pololu/StepStick Stepper Motor Driver board Ebay



OOPS. The seller sent me three boardsContacted the seller and told him. See page 71-Spare Heater Cartridge



Lots of Misumi Series 5 T-nuts(5mm)



200-Series 5 5mm T-nuts




1-Glass


1-PTFE sheet






Accessories
11-3 Pin 40mm Computer CPU Cooling Cooler Fan PC 4cm DC 12V 40x40x10mm ebay



20- 2x3" Prototyping PCB Printed Circuit Board ebay



2-Led boat lighting, Waterproof, Adhesive, 6 LED ebay



22- 12" 15-SMD 3-Chip 5050 - Flexible LED Strip Lights Ebay



2- 3 SMD HID Xenon White LED Strip Light Cup Holder Interior Glove Box Map Lamp ebay



2-New Emergency Stop Switch Push Button Mushroom Push Button High Ebay



4-Small PCB Drill Press Drilling With 0.8mm Drill Diameter 28mm Motor Diameter 12V(future test item)


2-40" Plastic Cable Wire Chain Track 15*28 10/20


2- sets of 4 Series 5 corner braces


2- packs of 4 M5 SHCS caps( for making adjustment screw)


4- 2.1mm power jacks


1-LCD controller housing


20-3pin Male computer electronic Fan Connector Green UV 3 pin











Base composed of:
  2-sheets of Athlon plastic 1/4x16x24 inches



  2- Series 10 1x3x22 T-slot rail



 10-Neoprene Rubber Isolators 3/4x1 1/2 inches



 20- Nylon 3/8x1/2 inch standoffs




20-#8x3/4 PHPS (Athlon plastic was drilled and tapped)









Tools needed
Torqx Wrenches



Metric Allen wrenches



Dial Caliper



Measuring tape



Straight edge



T-Square



Small steel Combo Square for tight areas(mine is a Stanley with a built in level.)



Very flat surface. Example. Stone coffee table is nice. But not perfect. Still nice.



TTC Plastic 10" x 20" Shim Sheet Stock Set ebay



X-acto blade and handle



Pin Vise(see page 9)



1/8 or .125 drill bit for 3mm hole through



5/37 or .157 drill for 4mm hole through



13/64 or a .203 drill bit drill bit for 5mm hole through



Small round files(for the 5mm I'm using a 3/16 round file)



Small Flat files



Countersink



Deburing tool( http://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-Deburring-Tool-T090/100166541#.UYj3YsrXqRM )



A set of Steel dental picks (discout store for $2)



Scotch Brite pads(for the shafts)



Small and Medium Combination Plastic/rubber mallet
Chemicals







*** Locotite Plastic Bonder *** (Great Stuff. You will need it.)



Acetone (to clean shafts and other none plastic parts)



Isopropyl Alcohol



Tri Flow Superior Lubricant with PTFE or equivalent




Filaments
1-Orange ABS 1.75mm



1-Black ABS 1.75mm



1-White ABS 1.75mm



1-Neon Green ABS 3D Printer Filament 1.75mm 1KG (2.2lb)



1-Blue 1.75 ABS Filament 1.75mm 1kg (2.2lb)
Post Build Tools for objects made or Maintenance
Parts removal spatula



Small Combo Square



Metric Allen wrenches



Dial Caliper



X-acto blades and handles



Deburring tool



Pin vise



Small round files



Small Flat files



Small sanding block



Loctite Plastic Bonder (Great Stuff)



Tri Flow Superior Lubricant with PTFE or equivalent
NOTE:
This kit and most Mendelmax 1.5 use Misumi Series 5 Extrusion.



Misumi Info and specs on Page 8
Also Buyer Beware on these kits.



Some dealers will not replace bad or send you missing parts.
Be careful when buying a kit. If you buy on Ebay. Do not give a Feedback until you build the kit.



The hardware on my kit did not match the parts that were made. The seller played games and only replaced the first set of missing screws.




ETA Updated 6/2/13



More  Mods and repairs of defective parts on Page 12




FYI
Warning from DEFCAD.com






Update on this matter on page 9 but I also put here in OP











                                             
 
 

Where did you order from? It would be cool to have one.


What do you old to make?

I downloaded the files for AR mags and a lower in the event I ever get one.

Adding more info to the above including picture of type of Mendelmax 1.5



I tried ordering the Budaschnozzlev1.3 but they were back ordered. So I went to the new J-Head MK-V HotEnd Open source Hotend.

Sweet

Unfortunenately the New Flash software might prevent you from running those. You would have to draft up a mew file to get around it. If the Electronics has the old flash software then you ae in luck. I will have to download the new software when I am ready, then I might be also screwed with my files.
I'm planning lots of fishing, biking, automotive add ons and accessories. Downloaded a shit load of files.
Also found at least 9 3D Printers and 7 CNC designs .
You can buy a complete kit for a Makible for $200. It is small but very easy to build. It has a 6-8 week lead time after you order.
http://makibox.com/products





Hey! That looks like the AR15 Bolt pattern inside.
 

im also building a mendelmax 1.5 piece by piece

so far i just have the extrusion kit ($100) and linear bearings ($21).  

I just bid on the plastic parts kit for $80 and looking to buy the hardware/bolts/nuts/spacers for $100

still doing research on the electronics needed.

ill be making chassis' for my .22 and different handguards and stocks.

learning autoCAD off www.lynda.com

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ramps-1-4-ULTIMATE-KIT-Smart-LCD-controller-3-Endstop-MK2-1-wiring-set-/150869543703?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2320868b17





 
 
 

1- Hotend $50 and $6 Shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281087403469?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649



1- Aluminum Mounting plate $12 with $2 shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221191426064?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649



1- 1 mil Kapton Tape $6.95 Free Shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150876135254?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649



10- Nema 17 motors 70 oz in $135

http://www.ebay.com/itm/140931939027?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Oh, so tagged.......

TAG



I'm planning on getting one too when I get the coin.

The Mech kit ships after the 15th.





Looks like everything else will be here by then.





Will be buying more spools for colors to use on lures. Just found olive drab.





Checking shipping from Canada for three rolls.

 

What kind of resolution can you get with that nozzle?

Well. I have seen some with real smooths surfaces and others with rough surfaces.
If you go to [url=http://Thingiverse.com[/url]](free Open Source models) you will see some real smooth printed objects and some really bad printed objects. From looking at them you can figure out what really happened.
If you watch the videos on YouTube you will see some that printing smooth and clean. Others are printing rough.
The rough issues could be related to speed, alignment, and the model being enlarged or poor resolution textured surface of the design itself.
Most issues from watching these videos are both speed and alignment. The Hotend is either pushing down to much or riding high over the layers. Alignment will give you some bad holes into the work. The Hotend has to be perfectly vertical so it is not pitched, otherwise it will drag rather than applying the material. Once I get the hotend I will measure the ID of the tube. I'm wondering if I can set up an adapter tube with a cheaper small laser light(maybe with a fiber optic to help with the alignments when changing or cleaning the Hotend(head). I use to fabricate my own laser targeting alignment equipment for a company that I use to work for.
One seller was selling plastic kits where as the voids were filled with epoxy. That can only be repaired with a plastic welder not epoxy. While it may not matter. It could be either a blemish or a all the way through the part. Let the buyer beware.
I read where one guy's car model was rough after being printed. So he lightly sanded and puttied it up and fined sanded it again. The painted model was awesome.
This picture frame would have looked great using the wood ABS reel. The side would look like wood grain.




BTW. Model railroaders are posting all sorts of buildings, tractors, barns, trees ect. the free model sites. You could go to sites that sell models also, but why pay when it is free.
There are hundreds of IPhone and Ipad cases available on these free model sites. One case looks like a handset.
This person put a picture in it.









 
 
 

BTW. I did receive the electronics from China. Also the 2 - 12" LED(Audi grill lights) lights that I hove will light up the top of the table. I may need to order another set of two for the back.


I also purchased a small 12 vdc 1.5 A power supply for the lights and small fans. The 40 watt supply may already be maxed, I cant take the chance.



I also didnt tell anyone at home of this project. They are suspicious of the foreign packages.



I will have to explain that I am making a mail order bride.

I think you should print a hot looking chick first, just get that out of the way.
Everyone on here could give you dimensions to go by.

Huh?  More details, please.  I thought Gcode for these things was produced by an open source program that just took STL files in one side and kicked gcode out the other...  

Trying to find the topic that mentioned that here.





Some Commercial Manufactures of Commercial 3D Printers like Stratasys do not want their equipment used for manufacturing #D guns. It is a libility and legal issue.





Some of the software companies are altering their software to block Defense Distributed files. It is in response to the anti-gun backlash and media/government threats. Most of these companies have big lib ties and the fact that Obama has giving lots of money our money to the 3D printing industries. They will bow down to the Holy One.
ETA



This book mentions the big cash to the industry in this book.

3D Printing: The Next Technology Gold Rush - Future Factories and How to Capitalize on Distributed Manufacturing [Kindle Edition]

 

Yeah, I have a hard time believing that unless we can get some hard links and evidence.  For the most part, the manufacturers like Stratasys don't control the software that produces gcode, and they aren't connected to the code base for the control software the open source systems like the Prusa and RepRap use, by my understanding.

EDIT: There's also nothing on the DefDist website about anything of the sort.

There's a ton of free software out there already, even for doing 3D post.

Plenty of not free but cheap software out there, too.

The thing that makes me want a 3D printer?   Investment casting.   With a high resolution 3D printer, you could make investment casting cores lickety split.

The above books talks about using the full scale models for molds.



Got this book also.

The Charcoal Foundry (Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap) [Kindle Edition]

 

Haven't heard back yet from the dealer of the electronics kit. Found this link on the board and system.



http://reprap.org/wiki/RAMPS_1.4



Looking for a PDF to place in my kindle. But I could always run the 17" Toshiba laptop. But it is a space hog.

thanks for the electronic links.  are the electronics reliable?

how come you got 10 Nema motors?  

what if i can 3D print .22LR bullets?  that would be interesting.

id want to cast my own .22LR shells too.

Hey. This page shows the 6th motor for the Double Extruder for two color printing.







Can't find the carriage info and parts for it.

hey win,

that electronic kit you posted, is it a plug and play or do i have to do any soldering?

also where did you get your power source?

so is there a file for printing out the hardware? the corner mounts and stuff?

mpja, burden surplus, or keling as a last resort for a power supply.   Try MPJA first, tho.

Be glad you went with the Ramps board instead of the Sangulnololu. Make sure you have at least one extra motor driver.  When you're setting it up you need to watch the driver temp like a hawk until you find the amp setting that results in the lowest temp. Go ahead and download slic3r and pronterface now.  If you plan on using a computer to control your print job, go to monoprice and order a nice USB cable with a choke.  Most people find it's easier to write their job to an SD card and print from the card since there's no issue with losing comms halfway through a print.  Is your unit PLA only or heated bed for ABS too? If it's the latter, have you decided on kapton tape or ABS sludge as your bedding? Just go ahead and buy some acetone and a big jar of pickles too.



Dual extruders can be used for two color print jobs but that seems like a waste to me.  They're better used printing with two types of media.  For long unsupported spans you can get sag.  If you use a water soluble media in one of the print heads you end up with a support structures that make certain jobs possible that otherwise wouldn't.

Tagarooski.

The controller kits are frequently Arduino Mega shields. You can assemble one in a few minutes. You need to know how to hook up the stepper motors to your drivers/power supply.  There are a bunch of wires coming out each stepper and it can be confusing until you watch a few youtube videos.

If you want to be a badass you can get continuous revolution servo motors which generally add an extra level of protection to prevent missed steps and ruined jobs.  They just cost a level of magnitude more than steppers in most cases.

Thingiverse has lots of models for bullets and ammo trays and box for reloading.
http://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=ammo&sa=
I am surprise that they have not deleted them.
Spoke to soon.





AR sights.
SP101





http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6392

.50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Sabot

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8802
AR15 grips and flash light holder are still there





http://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=ar+15
Malcolm Reynolds gun model





http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:62723
.223 round





http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11732
Ruger LCP Grip Extension





http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:15632

.38 Special Snap Cap

[url=http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:36158[/url]]

7.62x39 Dummy Round

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:14872

Glock 9/40/357/45GAP Floorplate

Hellboy PROP.

Medieval PDAs - With Iphone Version

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:25772
 
 
 
 
 

Saws picks the other day of a Quad Extruder. The writer was using it and writing the software for it.





 

 

How durable are the products that these things make? Could one make an AR pistol grip and have it hold up?

Most of the common controllers have the ability to accept 6 drivers. With 6 drivers you can do X, Y, Z, extruder A, extruder B, extruder C, if you don't need 2 steppers for any axis. After I finish my current CNC builds I may build a larger scale 3D printer with 3 extruders. I'm mostly interested in using different materials and different extruder diameters.

This was interesting. Problems he found with the printing.



http://www.geek.com/news/makerbots-dual-color-replicator-2x-experimental-3d-printer-lands-in-march-1535348/

MakerBot makes and sells the dual heads for $299
They can print two small duplicate parts at once. OK for making parts for sale.But slow when printing two colors on one model.




http://www.geek.com/news/makerbots-dual-color-replicator-2x-experimental-3d-printer-lands-in-march-1535348/
I found pictures of another one with the extruders closer together for speed when printing with two colors.
 
 
 

Where's a good place to start on this?

I've built a 3 axis wood mill, so I know a little bit of the necessaries.... but where can I go to learn about the plastic extruder magic?  I mean ground up.   That part is voodoo to me.

For example... what do you use to drive the extruder?   Does someone make pre-programmed arduino drivers for that?

http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page
This one is better




http://www.mendelmax.com/
 
 

wow thank you!

the Local Community College said I can come down and print some stuff out! score! and I found the STL files..

You are welcome.
Check out the Mendelmax 2.0. The cabinet and Z axis are amazing heavy duty. Dammit. Did I order the wrong kit?





http://www.mendelmax.com/?wiki=getting-started-with-misumi-extrusions/
The Flicker picture are incredible. Also it has a bunch of samples showing defects from cooling with different quantities of fans.
Have to hit the sack. Goodnight.
 

here is the STL Files for the 1.5

Downloaded them the other day.



I have download at least 15 3D Printer of different sizes and shape units. Also about 8 CNC machines.



Someone made blocks to raise the unit for clearance for his PS.



 

so which one was the best out of the 15?

just won an ebay auction for the mendelmax 1.5 black plastic parts kit for $80 + $5 shipping

the printers now are using PLA which has a pretty low temp melting point and susceptible to UV breakdown and susceptible to water damage

Or you can print with ABS which has a higher melt, good strength, high UV resistance and impervious to water BUT you NEED to print on a heated bed which isn't hard to make but does cost more.

FWIW I made my heated bed from a flexible heater pad and a piece of granite floor tile.

ABS should be fine for printing a grip.

If you have a CNC wood router, you have 90% of a printer, I have a 4' x 4' cnc router and convert it to printing by removing my router bolting the print head to the mount and setting up my heated print bed.  


the only setting I have to mess with in Mach3 is setting the "A" axis to the stepper for the print head.  I use Kisslicer to cut the STL file into layers and Mach3 prints it, easy peasy.

3 parts to convert a CNC router to printer

Plastruder  http://www.makergear.com/products/plastruder

thermal controller : I used a Gnexlab controller  http://cnc2printer3d.wordpress.com/gec2-1/

heated bed: I used one of these glued to a granit floor tile http://store.qu-bd.com/category.php?id_category=19

qu bd also has a dual head extruder as well

Woot! my parts are printing now.. Now on to source everything else.

thanks OP for posting! Keep it updated..

Nice.   Thanks.

I was kind of wondering if popular PC controller software had a "3D printing" mode.

I've been using EMC2 exclusively, but I might have to go over to Mach3 if there isn't any support for 3D printers in EMC2