I've been thinking about buying or building something "to make stuff" for years. It started with a 3D printer, then I thought a CNC mill would be nice - not long before I digressed towards just a plotter to draw plans on foamboard (because a mill would make too much noise and dust...). I even started to build a micro plotter of DVD-drive parts to play with steppers and gcode like jhitesma did, but I got a motor shield for the Arduino that was incompatible with all the gcode software...
Anyway - a while ago Hobbyking announced that they are going to sell the Mini Fabrikator 3D Printer by Tiny Boy a very small open design 3D printer designed to be easy to build so that kids can use it in schools. It has very small print area, but it should be fine for parts like mounts for motors, cameras, antennas or cases for flight controllers, etc... (I've already been asked to print figurines for board games ). Best of all - it is cheap: $179.77 from the international warehouse.
I still wasn't sure if I wanted to dive in head first, but after a few weeks the first reviews seem nice and since it got available in the European store I just ordered it together with some "ESUN 3D Printer Filament Grey 1.75mm PLA 0.5kg spool" - because that was the only 1.75mm PLA available in the European warehouse...
In this thread I'll try to collect additional information (therefore the two reserved posts) on this 3D printer and the journey of an absolute newbie (me) into the world of 3D printing.
Reasons for buying:
Specs:
Ressources:
Hobbyking videos:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:957550
Anyway - a while ago Hobbyking announced that they are going to sell the Mini Fabrikator 3D Printer by Tiny Boy a very small open design 3D printer designed to be easy to build so that kids can use it in schools. It has very small print area, but it should be fine for parts like mounts for motors, cameras, antennas or cases for flight controllers, etc... (I've already been asked to print figurines for board games ). Best of all - it is cheap: $179.77 from the international warehouse.
I still wasn't sure if I wanted to dive in head first, but after a few weeks the first reviews seem nice and since it got available in the European store I just ordered it together with some "ESUN 3D Printer Filament Grey 1.75mm PLA 0.5kg spool" - because that was the only 1.75mm PLA available in the European warehouse...
In this thread I'll try to collect additional information (therefore the two reserved posts) on this 3D printer and the journey of an absolute newbie (me) into the world of 3D printing.
Reasons for buying:
- First reviews are pretty good even though it has some drawbacks (just as you'd expect from HobbyKing... :-/)
- Open design (CC-BY-SA) - community will (and already does) invent upgrades
- Marlin based, therefore compatible with commonly used software on Windows, OSX and Linux
- Portable(!)
- Fully assembled, but looks simple enough to be taken apart and be put together again
- Beginner friendly(?)
Specs:
- Size: 15cm(W) x 15cm(D) x 22cm(H) (excl. filament holder)
- Print size: 80mm x 80mm x 80mm (actually a few mm smaller because of the design - more later)
- Filament: 1.75mm PLA
- Board: mega2560 ramps1.4 with 4 A4988 stepstick (clone?)
- can control two extruders(?)
- allows upgrade with SD card reader and display
- Power supply: External 12V 6A Transformer
- Suggested software: Repetier-Host
- Minimum layer-Height: 0,1mm (?)
- Bowden extruder
- Hotend: E3Dv6 clone (?), 0.4mm outlet
Ressources:
- Original design files and info: http://github.com/HKCOTA/TinyBoy
- Original Website: http://www.tinyboy.net/
- Original Community: http://www.tinyboy.org/
- Hobbyking Website: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=80713
- Hobbyking Daily Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Ej88hYdYU
- Thread on RCGroups: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2469638
- Very good review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owja1jn0LL0
Hobbyking videos:
- Set-Up Video: http://youtu.be/JodDOfOiqEQ
- Bed Leveling: http://youtu.be/v1aLddsEQu0
- Printing Guide: http://youtu.be/EIGfol2M1sI
- Filament Jams: http://youtu.be/5EAQzrFKiwM
- Print Adhesion: http://youtu.be/k86xRBMekLw
- Loading Filament: http://youtu.be/GsDW5xS5Mag
- Changing Filament: http://youtu.be/jTtxXcuKEy8
- Unusual Noises: http://youtu.be/DxfpRcR8FvI
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:957550
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