BOM Finished; Sourcing Finished; Ready to order

A quick update. I just finished the 'standard' aka 'Johann's' Rostock 3D printer BOM and I believe I located the cheapest (small volume) suppliers around (all but two, European to save on shipping costs).

This means it is now time to start ordering all the parts for my "Generation 1" 3D Printer. I consider the first one as a 'Generation 1' because once it is build and performing well, it will just serve to print the parts of my own Rostock derivative I have in mind (Gen 2, etc).

As parts come in, it will be quiet on this blog, unless something goes wrong that's worthwhile sharing.

Keep checking in for the build process.

Rostock Build: Status Update

As I mentioned before, it takes one to make one. So, the first thing to do is build one.

As I intend to develop an iteration on the Rostock type 3D printer, I decided to start by building one just to 1) have a printer to print the parts I will need in the future to develop my own iteration and 2) to get some experience along the way.

As of now I am finalizing the sourcing process for my initial Bill of Materials (BOM) and am just waiting for some shipping cost information.

I decided to build kind of a mix of Johann's Rostock (the original Delta Type 3D Printer) and Bill's variation of it (neither published a complete BOM; so there is some 'guestimating' involved.

Once I get the last information on shipping costs (I am sourcing all over the planet; so watching shipping costs is quite important), I will start ordering the parts and keep you guys and girls posted on the progress. So check in regularly for some news on the Rostock/Bill and spread the news.

Nice example of the real future of 3D printing

It seems 3D printing is evolving from "nice thingies for geeks(*)" to real usefull objects.

(*) As I am kind of a geek myself, I hope you don't blame me for using this phrasing.

This seems a very good example of what I mean: Printable Headphones by jmabry http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31392

We're on Facebook

Just a short one: we're on Facebook: www.facebook.com/YaRRp

It takes one, to make one

In RepRap, the "Rep" stands for Replicating. Kind of obvious for those acquainted with Dr Bowyer's pioneering work and its derivatives. For all the others: enjoy reading the hundreds if not thousands of pages here if you want to get to know "all there is to know about Reprapping, but were afraid to ask".

In short, it means it takes a 3D printer to make (part of) a 3D printer.

As I set out on a journey to design and build a Delta style 3D printer, and as I don't have a 3D printer right now, I will have to start by building one in order to make my own design come to life (kind of chicken and egg story).

Here are my options: buying a 3D printer; buying a kit (most if not all of them Darwin or Mendel based); Repstrapping a printer or buying all the parts required to build a 3D printer of my liking.

Let's go over my options and see what comes out .

1. Buying a 3D printer: just too easy and I would not learn anything about 3D printing and the obstacles it takes.
2. Buying a kit: all kits available - that I am aware of (please send me a message in case I missed something) - are either Darwin or Mendel based. As I intend to go for a delta type printer and not for a carthesian one, I would not learn anything in the process if I would use a carthesian type of 3D printer.
3. Repstrapping means building any kind of 3D printer - whether it be Carthesien or delta type - requires having parts laying around that one can use. As I am more of a theoretical kind of guy, I don't have that many stuff lying around in my shed to get me even started repstrapping a 3D printer; which brings me to option Nr 4.
4. Building a 3D printer of my liking. As I plan to design and build a delta type 3D printer (also know as a Rostock in the RepRap community and still in prototype phase), I decided to start by building a standard Rostock as Johann initially designed it and use that Rostock to print the parts I need to build my own type of delta type 3D printer. I just might learn a thing or two, ... or more, in the process; or at least I hope so.

So as we speak, I am completing my BOM (Bill of Material) based on the Johann's partial BOM, some information I found on the net and on some ... guessing.

Check future posts for the rest of my journey and (hopefully a complete Rostock BOM).

Rostock it is,... with some modifications

With the ever growing interest in home 3D printing and the pioneering work of Dr Adrian Bowyer and the numerous (sometimes commercial) derivatives, modifications and add-ons developed by hundreds of fabbers, modders and tinkerers (see thingiverse to get an idea), the Mendel based 3D printers are all based on a very mature design by now. Recent developments in 'multi-extruder' printing and color-mixing are the talk of the town with some promising developments.

All this is reason enough to consider walking a less beaten path. Enter Rostock (delta robot 3D printing). Johann did some fine pioneering work here, but, as he states himself, Rostock is still a prototype for now. This makes it all the more interesting to me to actively participate in the further development of the Rostock type of home 3D printers. So, the choice is made. Let the journey begin!

Steps to take:

1. Brainstorm & design
2. Bill Of Materials
3. Buy parts
4. Build
5. Back to 1 till satisfied.

Keep you all posted!

To Mendel or to Rostock? That's the question...

Since Dr Adrian Bowyer started with the whole 3D printing RepRap story, a lot of derivatives of his first self-replicating 3D printer (Darwin) and its more popular iteration (Mendel) have been developed by an ever growing RepRap community of tinkerers/makers.

However, a new 3D printing project started last year by Johann may add some new blood to the gene pool. Johann developed the Rostock printer.

Where the 'classical' RepRaps are all cartesian 3D printing robots (x, y & z axis), Johann went for the Delta-type 3D printing robot.

All this makes me question which path to follow; hence the title "To Mendel or to Rostock? That's the question". Let me work a bit on this one; I'll be back (soon?).

Darwin

Mendel

Rostock