Today, I went and acquired the screws that would be needed to attach these strange stepper motors to the frame. The screws, washers, and nuts run a total of $3.00 at the nearby bolt & screw place, which wasn’t too bad. I went ahead and started mounting the motors and came across some of those issues I had worried about. (more…)
RAMPS

SeeMeCNC H-1 3D Printer Project (and RepRap update)
Currently, the RepRap project is on hiatus, due to physical issues with the machine and the time required to bring it up to working order. But here to fill the rapid-prototyping void is the SeeMeCNC H-1 3D Printer! Its design is based on the RepRap Huxley, which means it has a slightly smaller build area than the Mendel, but it can still get a lot done. (more…)

RepRap Prusa Mendel Project (RAMPS 1.4 Board)
The electronics setup that I decided to go with for this RepRap build was the RAMPS 1.4 platform. I ordered the RAMPS 1.4 DIY Kit Complete from Ultimachine with optical endstops and the pre-soldered SMT components. I did feel that it was worth $15 of my time and frustration trying to figure out how to solder all of those tiny parts, and I think it was a good choice. Perhaps the next build will involve using the re-flow oven, but that’s another story. (more…)