On 29 Sep 2015 16:34:11 +0100 (BST), Theo Markettos
wrote:

T i m wrote:
On 28 Sep 2015 23:19:45 +0100 (BST), Theo Markettos
wrote:

T i m wrote:
Yes. I built a MendelMax 1.5 with / for a mate who would only buy one
(in kit form) if I agreed to help build it with him. ;-)

More costly, but we bought an Ultimaker 2.

Is it also open source OOI? We actually wanted to build something
(open source) so we could then fix it if / when we wanted.

It is, sort of:
https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ul...es#information
They release designs and code but not CAD files.

Ok. Thanks for that.

Having previously had a RepRap that required endless fiddling, we realised
was costing more in time than it saved in money. So we wanted something
that worked out of the box. The files released mean we can repair it or fix
bugs if we have to. Compared with most other equipment the software isn't
terrible, so we haven't needed to go near it.

Maybe then we were just lucky with the RAMPS / Marlin solution as
since we first set it up we haven't touched it either. ;-)

It's a printer, it Just Works.
Take STL file, load into software, set quality dial, save to SD card. Put
SD card into printer, select file, press Print. Thassit. Oh, and wait
somewhere between 10 mins and a couple of hours.

;-)

Or presumably you can also print direct from a PC (if you wanted)?

You can, but the little ATMega inside doesn't have a lot of RAM so the PC
has to feed it gcode in real time.

Sure.

It's also a USB-serial thingy so not too
quick.

We often print directly to ours using USB and can't say we have had
any real issues?

Octoprint supports it.

I've only played with that, not actually used it in earnest (yet). ;-)

It is possible to send gcode to save
downloaded files to the SD to save pulling the card - I haven't tried that.

You are supposed to be able to do that with Repetier Host but I
haven't figured out how to yet? So that means if we are printing a
long job, we generally stick the gcode on an SD card and print
directly from the RAMPS.

PLA is 30p/m, and usually an inch cube plastic widget comes out at some
fraction of a metre.

I guess that depends on the density of the print? Ie, if you are
printing 100% (density) and using .3mm nozzle and .3mm layers then
assuming 1" to be 25mm that would be (83 x 25mm / layer, 83 layers?)
more than 1m of filament?

Yes. I imagine it's the same for any printer.

The thing I liked most is there is zero calibration.

Similar with this MM. The X and Y axis positions are set from the home
end-stop micro switches and are not critical (as long as the print job
ends up on the bed g).

The Z axis is a bit more critical re setup but once set (and it takes
about 5-10 mins to do with nothing more complicated that a strip of
paper as a feeler gauge) seems to be pretty 'hands off'.

All this is done in the factory. You do have to level the bed when it comes
out of the box, but there's a step-by-step guide on the LCD.

Yes, we do that (with the paper / feeler gauge technique) and in so
doing set the Z home position. Is yours automatic on the Z axis (after
bed level calibration).

Ok, if you change the nozzle and the replacement is slightly longer /
shorter then you may have to re-tweek the Z but we printed a
micrometer mount for that so even that is pretty easy / quick now. ;-)

I haven't tried changing the nozzle; they were experimenting with a dual
extruder Ultimaker 2 but it turned out not to be good enough, so they
didn't go into production.

Mate bought the 'deluxe' kit that came with dual extruders and whilst
both are mounted and wired up, we have not actually tried it with both
as yet. *Personally* I just see it as a liability but have agreed with
my mate that we will try it, if only the once. ;-)

Getting the spatial thing right so they didn't
bump into the thing they just printed turned out to be trickier than
expected.

It still amazes us to see it in action and how it deals with all that
sort of thing. I bow to the folk who did all the programming, all the
movement dynamics and path optimisation etc.

Cheers, T i m