Category: MakerBot

All things MakerBot! MakerBots, RepRap, and robots!

Alternate alternate extruder controller mounting

Tony Buser’s post about his Alternative Extruder Controller Mounting reminded me that I’ve been meaning to show a better picture of my own setup.  I had blogged about it earlier, but not shown a good picture.

Side mounted extruder board, rotated motherboard
Side mounted extruder board, rotated motherboard

Here you can see where I’ve mounted the extruder board at the top left and how I’ve rotated the motherboard 90 degrees counter clockwise.  This gives me better access to the SD card slot.   If you don’t rotate the motherboard, the SD card slot is blocked by the extruder board.

Totally clear plastruder
Totally clear plastruder

Here you can see Leonardo Robot’s arm and how I’ve run the wires from the extruder motor and heater up to the board.

Like little lambs

I just assumed I would have no followers on Twitter except those interested in my particular MakerBot.  But then I see people with HUGE numbers of followers/followees who are following me.

Thus, I ask these non-rhetorical questions: Do some people on Twitter follow you for the purpose of getting more followers in return?  How could anyone with monitor more than a few dozen friends without giving up their day job?

First part prototyped!

I’ve just prototyped my first part for a client!  What fun!

He sent over some design files, we discussed some of the constraints of the MakerBot Cupcake CNC (overhang limits, printing resolution, ABS warpage, build sizes), went back and forth over several iterations of the design, and today I printed it up!

In getting ready to print his part I had tuned my ‘bot over the weekend.  The part has the absolute smoothest sides I’ve been able to print on anything to date with minimal stringing.  I’m really really proud of that print.  The resolution came out so well I want to reprint several prior prints – such as the TARDIS and dalek.

Anyone want a second hand TARDIS?

MakerBot Hacking: More build space?

If you got a totally different set of lasercut body panels and larger threaded/precision rods it would be a snap.

But how would you get more build space out of your MakerBot without a big structural change?

I’m not sure how I would go about it – but I suspect I would start by fiddling with the Y stage.  As the smallest stage I suspect it may be the bottleneck.

Test