Tag Archives: CNC

Unbelievable deal on Cupcake CNC’s

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Apparently MakerBot is getting ready to launch a new 3D printer and is putting their Cupcake CNC’s on sale.  I’ve had an absolute blast with my MakerBot over the last nine months.  I bought the Deluxe Kit for $950.  With shipping and taxes it came to just over $1,000.  I haven’t confirmed it with MakerBot, but it looks like their new Cupcake Starter kit is the same thing as their Deluxe kit except it doesn’t have the extra 5 pounds of plastic.  Sure, this kit doesn’t have the MK5 plastruder, heated build platform, or automated build platform – which means it’s basically identical to Cupcake kits sold a year ago.  Oh, and the Starter kit is only $650.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to buy a 3D printer anyhow, this is your chance.  I don’t know what the new printer is, but $650 is a crazy deal for a kit with everything you need.1

  1. Yes, I now write for the MakerBot blog, but all I really do is post what I would have written here anyhow over on their blog.  I don’t get kickbacks or anything for saying how awesome I think this deal is. [↩]

Pick a path

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I’m dating myself a little here, but do you remember those pick-a-path books from years ago?  Basically, you get to the end of a chapter and you’re given a few choices.  Depending upon your choices you are sent to different areas of the book and can get drastically different endings.

Yeah, this post really isn’t about that.

Can a MakerBot or RepRap be converted to a Pick and Place CNC? 1  I suppose if you did you would:

  1. Need to install a camera
  2. Have to write a bunch of nifty software
  3. Have something that can feed the MakerBot2 the electronic parts
  4. A solder dispenser
  5. Have a little arm that picks up the electronic parts, rotates them3 as required, and deposits the electronic parts
  6. Can the HBP get hot enough to reflow?  I suspect not – otherwise it would fry it’s own electronic bits.

This doesn’t seem far fetched to me.  Let me rephrase.  It doesn’t seem far fetched to me that someone with programming and electronics skills could develop attachments for the MakerBot or RepRap that would work as a Pick and Place.

Update: I hit publish and then remembered a moment later I wanted to attribute VoxelFab with reminding me about Pick and Place machines with his recent post.  Thanks man and congrats on the new blog.

  1. Showing my ignorance:  Are pick and places CNC’s?  They certainly seem like they would be computer numerically controlled… [↩]
  2. or RepRap [↩]
  3. or the board [↩]

How much for that doppleganger in the window?

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Suppose you had a one MakerBot and just had to have a second.  How much would the rest of that MakerBot cost assuming you were willing to design and print every possible printable part? 1  Perhaps it would be in line with the $575 laserless MakerBot Cupcake CNC kit.  Then again, perhaps it would be the cost of the $750 MakerBot Cupcake CNC Basic kit less the $50.00 lasercut plastruder parts and $200.00 lasercut body parts, which would clock in at $500.00. 2

Are you really just $500.00 away from a second MakerBot?  That’s about half the cost of a Deluxe kit!  This brings to mind an even MORE interesting question.

What would you have done if MakerBot offered this deal:  Buy one Cupcake CNC Deluxe kit and get a Cupcake CNC Basic kit half off?

Well, if you already own a MakerBot, it’s like they gave you this deal anyhow!

  1. Including a printable Y stage. [↩]
  2. Admittedly, this assumes zero value to the lasercut external parts.  So, let’s pretend you have a box of the appropriate dimensions. [↩]

C is for Catalyst

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I purchased the MakerBot Deluxe Cupcake CNC kit – which came with plenty of tools and TONS of plastic.  The Deluxe kit came with things that you’ll need to operate your MakerBot such as the USB2TTL cable, power supply, and ethernet cables.

However, the wrenches and hex keys could be reused to build another ‘bot.  Parts printed up on a MakerBot could be used to print several very useful, and sometimes expensive, parts for another MakerBot.  The plastruder toolhead is $125.00 without the circuit board.  If you could print up the dinos, printstruder, idler wheel, and insulating retainer ring, you’re replacing all of the lasercut acrylic parts ($50.00 at MakerBot).  A persistent person could even replace all of the plastic spacers, wooden or plastic pulleys, the various wooden holders (Z rod caps, Z stage guides, X end rod caps), and probably even the  entire Y stage with printed parts. 1

Heck, if you had all of those parts you would basically just need a box in which to install them all.

Hmmm.  Anyone feel like designing a printable Y stage?

  1. In fairness, the Y stage would have to be printed up in several pieces due to size limitations. [↩]

Bummer – MakerBot order delayed

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The good folks over at MakerBot Industries just notified me that my CupCake CNC order has been delayed.  Unfortunately, the holiday season delayed their incoming shipments of electronics.  It was a very nice and apologetic e-mail – not their fault.  They expect to ship on December 11th.

I’ve waited this long, I can wait a few more days.  ;)

Looking forward

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This website for documenting my attempt to build a MakerBot Industries CupCake CNC 3D printer.  I’ve got just about no experience working with electronics and no experience building robots.  So, its going to be a wild ride.

It is named “Bender.”

Here’s what I’d like to see happen:

  • Documenting everything inside the CupCake Deluxe CNC kit
    • Right now I’ve only documented the unboxing
    • I’d like to document all the bits inside the various boxes/kits as well
  • Documenting each step (and misstep!) of taking a box of parts to a fully functional 3D printer
    • As I’m a total and complete novice, this should be educational for everyone involved
    • Since the guys at MakerBot suggest two people could assemble a CupCake CNC in leisurely weekend, I suspect it would probably take me about a week or two
  • Printing crazy plastic things for myself and others

Why did I name the website MakerBlock?  Well, if when I get this robot operational, I’d really like to design and print custom blocks that are compatible with various toy construction sets.

Frivolous?  Undoubtedly.  But, a man’s got to dream.