Back Home!

As quickly as I left home, I'm now back! New opportunities to be had back on the east coast, so I up and left CO for familiar territory!

Enroute back east from Colorado, I made a series of pit-stops. Among those stops I got to swing by and check out the RepRap powerhouse of a company, Ultimachine, located in South Pittsburg, TN.

Thanks goes out to Johnny Russell and Brit for housing a wayward Reprapper such as myself. Great operation you guys got going on down there and I can now visualize the operations that go under way every time I place an order! (I guess I should've taken pictures... :( )

So in the meantime, plotting for the next RRWT. Do you (and at least 5 - 10 other people) want to build a RepRap? If that's the case, shoot me an email and lets start hashing something out.

For all you Old-School RRWT heads, keep your eyes posted on my blog. I will be doing an in-depth walk through in updating your toolchain. And yes, a lot has changed (for the better too!).

DC WEEK is coming up! Are you in the area? Not sure what DC WEEK is all about. Check it out here!

I'll be there assisting the soon the be open Fab Lab DC (as well as representing RepRap in some capacity). If you're coming, let me know. It's always fun to put a face to a name!


As always, feel free to contact me for anything and everything!

It's like I never left!

Lot's of things going on...

Long overdue post here, let's catch up on life for a moment.

Well, safe to say even with a hurricane, RRWT #0000000002 carried on with another 100% success/print rate. People came ready to build bots and many a bot was built! A big shout out and thanks goes out to the crew @ NextFab Studio for hosting us and letting us build through hurricane Irene. You guys are awesome! I hope we have a repeat course sometime in the near future

Another special thanks goes out to Jordan Miller and Chris Thompson of Hive76 hackerspace, without your time and dedication the class would not have happened. Thanks again, dudes!

Lastly, the most important folks, the students! Thanks for weathering the storm and my many mistakes throughout the build :P. Without you guys there would absolutely be no class. Thanks a lot for living on the bleeding edge and I hope you enjoy your new 3D printer.

So, you want a workshop for your hometown/city/hackerspace/whatever. Give me a shout out and we can work on making it happen. I'm willing to work with anyone, anywhere that 3d printers are wanted!

To get a glimpse of all the fun that unfolded during the workshop, feel free to visit NextFab Studio's Flickr stream.

So, what has been occupying me so much that its been a good few months since my last post? How about a change of jobs and a move across the country?! Yeah, I've left my post at Fab Lab Baltimore and the east coast for the mountains of the west! Where am I? Colorado!

I've recently been offered a position at a new 3D printer start up by the name of Aleph Objects, Inc., home of Lulzbot.com. Check us out for all your RepRap 3D printer needs!

If any of you are going to be at World Maker Faire NYC, I'll see you there! Until next time.

RRWT Carries on...

Well, sorry to the folks who signed up for the planned second stop of the RRWT in the McLean, VA area. Due to last minute logistics issues, the class had to be postponed until a future date and time (TBD).

In the meantime, the show must go on! So the next planned city is the great city of Philadelphia, PA. We will be hosted by the local fab lab, NextFab, who has graciously opened up their facilities and is allowing us to carry out our class on the premises. All the while working in conjunction with the native hackerpsace, Hive76, represented by Jordan Miller and Chris Thompson who are doing the work for promoting the event in the area.

Glimpse into the room in question, this is where all the building action will unfold. ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/whmchale/4310351527/)

So the details:

Date: August 26th - 28th
Times: Friday 5 -10PM, Saturday/Sunday (10AM - 10 PM)
Location: NextFab Studios (NextFabStudio.com)
Costs: $1,200, that includes EVERYTHING! (well, besides some basic tools)

So, for $1,200 and ~30 hours of building, you get your very own RepRap Prusa Mendel. This kit for the class isn't like any kit you can find on the internet anywhere. For one, we are using linear bearings (LM8UU flavor) instead of the printed PLA bushing or the brass bushing alternatives you may have seen when you were shopping around. More details on the specifics of the kits will be available shortly, just check back here often.

Any questions/concerns/inquiries/curiosities, please do not hesitate to contact me. My email address is ta.anderson.h@gmail.com. If you are a RepRapper in the general area and would like to volunteer your time to help others get in on the hobby, feel free to join in on the festivities! (Do email me as well)

Attached at the bottom is the promo flyer we have floating around the Philly area, take a look, it sums up all the knitty gritty details you'd need to get your piece of the AWESOME 3D printing future!

Pretty much the same bot you will end up building. Might have  a bit more bells and whistles in the end though.

RRWT 00000002 Flyer:

Update of things in the work flow...

Well, seeing as the second build class has been post-poned, I guess I better find something else to talk about. How about we get back to the point of this blog? What have I been up to?

Well, I've been working on making machines that make more machines (or at least more things!). Current project on hand is the MTM (Machines that Make project from MIT) Snap. It is a small form factor mill cut from 1/2" HDPE. So why the name "Snap"? That is a result of the fastening mechanism of this machine. You won't find nuts and bolts holding this little baby together. What you will find is the following mechanism:

Yeah, its pretty much the same mechanism as a buckle. Pretty nifty and def one of those "Why didn't anyone do this SOONER?!" kinda ordeals. But yeah, I got most of it cut out and assembled, just waiting on a few more components and I should be ready to mill some PCB's! I'll post pics as things develop to a point where I want to show someone, until then, hold tight.

Nonetheless, you can find the knitty gritty details and specs of the machine (as well as maybe make your own?) here.

I'm def finding myself more and more intrigued by MIT's MTM Project, next target is going to be the super awesome FAB-in-A-BOX! One machine to do it all! Sounds good to me.

Also, for all you fab labbers that happened to still stay tuned to my rants, I have established a Fab Lab IRC channel (Freenode server), come and join. ATM, there is hardly anyone on it, let's fix that!

That's all for now...until next time...

Class Post-poned!

Due to some supply chain issues, the second stop of the RRWT is going to be postponed. Sorry to all the folks that registered and was looking forward to their piece of 3D printing future.

You should have received a notice on your refund, if not please notify me and I will look into it.

RRWT #2 - McLean, VA

Hot off the heels of the first RRWT, working in conjunction with the Northern Virginia RepRap Users Group (NoVA RRUG), Palantir Technologies and VaMakers, I am happy to announce the registration opening of the second stop in the RRWT, McLean, VA!

I would like to take this moment to thank Jason Kohles, of Palantir Technologies for allowing us to gain access to his company's superb facilitiy, and Travis Good for organizing the bulk of this event. Thank you gentlemen for all your planning! Not only is this increasing the population of RepRap's worldwide, but it also helps in establishing a larger community of 3D printers in the NoVA region, but also promotes the Maker mentality through the region (shout out goes to the recent hackerspace, ReverseSpace!).

So where is this event specifically? Here is where:
Palantir Technologies

1660 International Drive

8th Floor

McLean, VA 22102

A few pics of the facilities here:

YES! WOW INDEED! The workspace is absolutely awesome! That being the bottom most photo. All condiments will be moved from the tables (right, Jason?)

So onto the more interesting tidbits. How much will this course cost? If you sign up early (before July 8th), the cost of this course is $1,000, after that date prices will be $1,200 up until the week of the event.

What does you kit include:

- RP Parts

- LM8UU Bearings

- HW bits and rods

- Electronics

- Motors

-12V 30A PSU

- 1# of PLA

- MakerGear Hot end

- Hands on instruction and guidance

- Machined couplings

I learned a lot from the first  build class and have made some improvements to the design. This new machine is going to be AWESOME! (in case you haven't noticed, I like to use the word "Awesome!" a lot, bear with me)

When is this all happening? 

Mark you calendars, the dates are July 22 - July 24th

5 hours for Friday the 22nd of July

12 hours for Saturday/Sunday the 23rd and 24th of July

That's all for a ~30 hour build session (Thanks, Travis)! I'll post more details and send them out to folks as they get registered. On that note, registration will be open later this evening. Please include all information I ask of you when registering. The nature of the facility we will be using has some security procedures we must follow in order to be on site (it'll just consist of your name, you address and phone number...stuff you would have already given me anyways).

Feel free to ask me any questions at all. I know specifics might be lacking, but feel free to look at the previous post for a gist of how things will work and tools you might need. The itinerary is the same, we just made improvements to the kit and are working out of a new location.

AGAIN! PLEASE INCLUDE ALL NECESSARY INFO WHEN REGISTERING!

RepRap World Tour (RRWT) a SMASHING SUCCESS!

Well, the title pretty much sums it up. 100% print rate! All printers were extruding by the end of the event and participants left with their RepRaps in hand and heads held high.

In one weekend, we increase the RepRap population by a whole 1%! Ok, maybe thats an exaggerationg, but a nice addition to the community nonetheless.

This was the first of now/soon to be many build classes across the eastern shore of the U.S. From my knowledge, this was the first of any "official" RepRap Build Class. I am now in talks for a build class in the VA/MD area for the weekend of July 24th and talks have also begun for a build event in Philledalphia in August and Washington, DC for September.

Seems like I might have lit a match in a room full of RepRap gas. I have been approached by many folks throughout the US in hopes of securing a build event in their city. People are coming out of the wood works and want RepRap 3D pritners in their homes! THIS IS AWESOME!

Thanks again to Stever Kelly, Jordan Miller, and Chris Thompson and most importantly my UNCLE! Together we are one super, awesome, bad ass team of RepRappers. Really appreciate the time and dedication you put into the build class.

And thank you all the folks that participate as students, thank you for making this event a huge success and I hope you enjoy your 3D printers in your home.

Time lapse video!

Keep your eyes peeled, "RRWT Coming to a Town Near You SOON!"

To All Students of the RRWT Baltimore: Join the Google Group! Facebook Group! IRC Channel! Whatever else you find that is RepRap or 3D printer related.

I'll post pics later, this is already way over due.

SOLD OUT!

Well, I guess extending the deadline for the build class registration was a success after all. The class is completely sold out. Unfortunately I had turned away some instructors due to the original outlook for the class sing up. I might be able to scrounge together a few of the local experts to lend a hand, but the crew I got so far is more than enough.

Those of you that registered for the class have been getting a flurry of emails from me these past couple of days, but in case you lost it, here it is again:

Alright folks,

The time is nearly upon us! Within a weeks time, you will be sitting
comfortably at your home desktop/laptop and be printing away with your
very own RepRap Prusa Mendel 3D printer.

So, let's run through all the fine details.

I would like each of you to try and install these various software
components yourself first. PLEASE READ THE readme files in each of the
following software packages, they are very helpful and well
documented! (it is OK if you do not know how to install the software,
we will help you come class time):

- Sprinter Firmware: this is the firmware that will be loaded onto
your RAMPS (the electronics that will be running your machine). You
can find the file here, https://github.com/kliment/Sprinter. For
Windows and Mac OSX, download the zip extension. Those of you on
Linux, the tar extension. Save it a convenient place. Feel free to
read any of the provided documentation. If you are curious enough to
try and fiddle with it before hand, just don't save any of your
changes!

- Repsnapper: this software allows you to interface with the RepRap
machine (to do such things as set temps, load gcode, manual movements,
etc.). You can find details on Repsnapper and instruction on how to
install here, http://reprap.org/wiki/RepSnapper_Manual:Introduction.

- Pronterface: this is as a secondary option for a way to interface
with your printer, it is very NEW, but has been received by the
community with much success. You can download and install with files
from here, https://github.com/kliment/Printrun. It a nice clean and
simple GUI and has native SD card support for the SD add ons you can
purchase at the class if you wish too (the SD add on can be purchased
from me at a later time or at the class).

- Skeinforge 41: this is the piece of software that allows you to take
a 3D model/STL and slice it into gcode which you then feed to your
printer. The latest version can be found at the top of the list of
this link, http://fabmetheus.crsndoo.com/. (You want to 2011-04-27
version)

Again, please remember to read the README files with each of the
packages. They are well documented and easy to follow. And again, if
you do not wish to try and install any of the packages in fear of
____________ (insert something tragic), that is fine as well. We will
help you come class time.

Tentative Work flow (nothing has really changed from my first email):

Friday (5PM - 10PM):
- Introduction to the Prusa Mendel : overview of the machine via
YouTube video courtesy of community member OhmEye
- Introduction of build instructors
- Overview of instruction manuals (find the PDF manual here,
http://garyhodgson.com/reprap/prusa-mendel-visual-instructions/)
- Building of the main body and frame assembly ( I aim to have the
majority of the printer assembled and squared off the first day, but
it is OK if we don't).

NOTE: we will progress as a group, we will only move one when everyone
is at the same point. If someone seems to be struggling and an
instructor is not present, feel free to step in if you can help them.
It's all about community folks!

Saturday (10AM - 10PM):
- Finish up body/frame construction
- Attaching X/Y-axis
- Catchup Time
- Extruder attachment
- Electronics Wiring/PCB
- Software downloading and uploading/Computer Prep
- Overview of SF and begin test printing

Sunday (10AM - 10PM):
- Printer Tweaking
- Catchup Time
- CELEBRATING your completion of your RepRap!
(Time allowing, a brief overview of design programs to create your 3D
designs and places where to get things to print!)

***Food breaks are present, pretty much will happen when everyone
starts getting grouchy/faint/onset of nausea, etc.***

TOOLS NEEDED (there have been some recent additions):

- at least 2 of 13mm wrenches, pretty much for your M8 nuts. At least
two if you are working in a group, if your solo, 2 will do.
- Calipers: digital would be nice, but any will do
- Pliers
- M3 and M4 hex keys
- Your own multimeter, we do have a few in the lab so if you don't
have one already, it's OK.
- A good attitude! I just added that to be cheesy.
- In reality, if you have a tool bag or an idea of a tool that I have
not mentioned, feel free to bring it along. The tools I listed should
suffice.

Ok, sorry for the really long email. PLEASE read through it a million
times! And ask me LOTS of questions. There will be a test first thing
come class day. So study HARD ( I MEAN IT!)!

Until next time,
- Andy

Class Registration Extended!

Alright, as of right now, there are only 4 spots left for the RepRap Build Class @ Fab Lab Baltimore. Seeing as all supplies have been ordered, mine as well leave registration open until the end of the week (just to maybe let you last minute stragglers sleep on it a bit longer).

This can be your table at home in the not so distant future!

So, the time schedule for the class:

Friday - 5PM - approx 10PM
Saturday/Sunday - 10AM to 10PM

Take a look at the last post on my blog to get a feel for what each kit comes with. I will be sending out a mass email to all participants with detailed info on class schedules (essentially what will be doing the entire weekend. I'll also ask for your laptop/computer operating system in which you wish to operate your RepRap printer, just so I can prep everything for smooth downloading and installation. I will also be asking for your food/drink preferences (please nothing to fancy, I'll be heading to Costco before hand or simply getting fast food for the class).

Keep your eyes peeled for my email. And as always, feel free to ask me anything at all.

The prep work BEGINS!

RepRap Build Class @ Fab Lab Baltimore!

Hello everyone!

It's been a long time in the making, but I can proudly announce today that come the weekend of June 18th, you will be able to live in the exciting future with your own RepRap 3D printer at home!

The event will span across the weekend of June 18th, starting on Friday evening and carrying into Saturday/Sunday. You can expect to be building/working for 4-5 hours on Friday and approx 12 hours (w/ breaks) for Saturday/Sunday. The cost of the class is going to be $850, this includes absolutely everything you will need to build a 3D printer. I have searched high and low to source out every component for you guys at the lowest cost. Food will be provided on each day, 1 meal for Friday and 3 meals for Saturday/Sunday. There will be at least 6 instructors on hand (if not more), you will have all the assistance you need to guide you through the class and answer any questions. The goal is for you to not only build a 3D printer, but to understand it as well. Oh and to have fun!

Groups (up to three people) and individuals can sign up. There are multiple ways to pay for the class: 1) visit my blogdigifabindustries.blogspot.com and pay via Google Checkout on the left side of the main page 2) PayPal me directly at ata0921@gmail.com 3) Pay in person with credit card/cash/check. Registration for the class will be open until the May 31st, only 10 spots will be available and will go fast. When using electronic methods of payment (i.e. Google Checkout and PayPal, please leave a note containing the lines "RepRap Build Class").

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at Ta.Anderson.H@gmail.com.

Looking forward to assisting you into your new futuristic life with your own 3D printer!

What does each kit include?

- All Hardware needed for the RepRap Prusa including Wade's Extruder (metric)

- All printed parts (metric)

- MakerGear V3 Hot end

- RAMPS Electronics (V1.3?) w/ heatsinked Pololu steppers

- Arduino 1280 Clone

- 3 Mechanical switches, for endstops

- 12V 30A PSU

- 1# Filament (PLA) from Ultimachine

- PCB HBP (heated build platform)

- 50mm wide Kapton tape

- Laser cut MDF Y bed

- T5 Belting and machined pulleys

- Machined flexible Z-Couplings

- Nema 17 motors

- 2  x 40mm fans, for hot end and electronics

- 608 Bearings

- Wires and Euro Style Terminal Blocks

EVERYTHING you would need to get printing is provided. I've searched high and low for the best prices.

Below is a picture of a RepRap Prusa, the model in which we will be building. It does not include many things included in the kit I am providing, but its a good preview of what you will be building.

No HBP and I am using a MakerGear Extruder (not a Wade's, the one we will be using).

AGAIN, if you have any questions at all, feel free to contact me at Ta.Anderson.H@gmail.com

Quick Update

Whoever knew keeping up a blog was such a difficult task. Sorry I've been quiet for a little bit, been busy in the world of 3D printing goodness.

Unloading at the Rayburn House

Last week was 3D/DC, an event organized by Michael Weinberg of PublicKnowledge.org. Please check out the RepRap blog post by Wade Bortz (yes, the WADE of the extruder fame) for a quick recap and photos. PublicKnowledge also has a highlight reel that you might also want to check out.

All in all it was a good day for 3D printing in general. In attendance were the "luminaries" of the 3D printing industry, from the closed source to the open source end of the spectrum.

Finally got a chance to put some real faces to IRC tags (drgone, jebba, etc.) and also a good chance to get in on some free BOOZE! Good times. It's great to be out and about with like minded individuals, I look forward to similar events in the future.

That same week was also RobotFest, the mid-Atlantic mini-Maker Faire. I was there representing RepRap yet again. Found myself nearby the awesome folks at MakerBot yet again. Us 3D printing have got to stick together after all, right?

Quick pic of getting things setup:

RepRap Representing

Who wouldn't be intersted in self-replicating robots?!

Still working on the build class in case you are wondering. Turns out I might just fund the entire class myself. Registration will be through my blog as well. So if you are interested, stay tuned for registration opening (a maximum of 10 spots will be available, groups of 3 are welcome!). I know a lot of you have been anxious to get one of these built and in your hands/home...Just a bit longer, I PROMISE!

CCBC FAB LAB

I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but it's all due to good reasons. I recently caught wind of a Fab Lab opening nearby, well I knew of the beginnings of Fab Lab DC (but that's not going to be happening anytime soon), at CCBC in Catonsville, MD. So I signed myself up for the intro class to get access to the facilities.

I've seen fab labs before, but physically being in one is something else. Maybe it's just the fact that I had planned/dreamed to somehow own a fraction of the machines in this place over the next 20 years of my life and all of a sudden having them all in front of me. Nonetheless, it was awesome to get access to the machines and get some hands on time with them.

Well one thing led to another and I started talking to the lab manager about 3d printers and how I dreamed of owning these machines sometime in the distant future, during this conversation we also discussed the possibility of volunteering/working, he said he was looking and I said I was interested. So, a couple of emails and a few more visits later....say hello to the latest employee of CCBC Fab Lab! Yeah, it's me!

So, now that I have access to the dream workshop of my life...I'm at a lost for what to do, it'll be interesting. But enough of my ranting...how about some pics!

Computer stations

ShopBot 4' by 8'

40W Epilog Mini Laser cutter/engraver

Roland CAMM-1 Servo Vinyl Cutter

Dimension uPrint

"So what do you use a 3D printer for?"

Through all my rants and bantering to people in my life about 3D printing, no matter what, they always ask me..."So what do you use a 3D printer for?".

When I was first getting into the hobby, the question was followed shortly by a long pause. Now with a year of 3D printing under my belt, I tend to leave them in amazement with my 3D printing adventures.

So as most of you don't know, I am a recent college graduate (University of Maryland). So during my graduation party, beer and food was aplenty, but what was missing was something to open the said beer with. So most normal people would go out and buy one or use a more drastic measure of opening beer bottles (smashing caps off, using their teeth comes to mind). Me? I had recently built and assembled a 3D printer (MakerBot CupCake #1727), so what I did was run down to my computer, load up a bottle opener from thingiverse. Loaded it up and my MakerBot started to print away, some minutes later, ripped it off the platform, inserted a penny and beer bottles were poppin'. Party SAVED! Thanks to 3D printing.

Party Savior! Still alive and poppin' bottles.

After accumulating a small army of 3D printers in my basement, it really has changed the way I see and consume things. My daily interactions with objects has me thinking, "I could def make that!". My usual instincts would have been "I wonder how much something like that would cost?" It offers a new perspective in which objects/things you would normally buy are only a download or design away. It is really amazing stuff.

So for me, my current uses of 3D printing varies. As you can see from the store section, I use it to print more 3D printers so more people can get 3D printing. I also use it to fix things around the house, make items I would normally have to travel to IKEA or a hardware store to buy like handles, hooks/hangers, bottle openers and the list goes on and on. This is bleeding edge stuff, and with everyday that passes, the potential for such technology really amazes me. Frostruder from MakerBot Industries gives hint to a day where we can print food (Star Trek Replimat anyone?), RepRap with their experimentation in multi-material extrusions shows us a not so distant future where we can print our own circuitboards and others attaching different tools to their own 3D printers (lasers, spindles, etc.).

My failed attempt at designing a replacement gear for a paper shredder.

RepRap sets prepping for shipment

 Imagine this stuff in middle schools or high schools for instance (most colleges/universities seem to already have access). What a great tool for showing kids applications of what they are learning and have them walk away with tangible results! Looking towards the future, the question sometime soon will be "What can't you use a 3D printer?"

So, on a parting note, let me ask you, "What do you use a 3D printer for?"

Creating/Manipulating/Working with 3D models, the easy way (IMO)

There are a lot of great applications out there for individuals looking to work with 3D models. From thousands of dollars worth to the open source and free. I have personally chose to go with Google Sketchup for the time being.

My reasoning for doing so, mainly, its free. Second, it's pretty user intuitive. The learning curve for Sketchup was the least steep at least when compared to the other applications I was looking at (OpenSCAD, Inventor, Pro-E, Solidworks, etc. to name a few). It was the only program where I could jump into right away and create objects rather instantly. With the combination of the 2 previously mentioned reasons, it allows me to show people how to use it relatively easy as well. I could go on and on with reasons, but those are my main reasons.

RepRap Mendel created in Sketchup

So if you're up for using Sketchup, the stock setup won't get you doing anything insane. So you need some little things called plug-ins. Some of the plug-ins I have loaded into my Sketchup are the following:

• skp_to_dxf.rb: this allows you to export your .skp file into a .stl or .dxf file.
• drawhelix13.rb: this allows you to draw a helix, pretty useful for making threaded holes or even screws.
• JimsSTLimporter.rb: this allows you to import .stl files to work with in the Sketchup enviroment.
• wafer.rb: this allows you to create object which you can then generate g-code for your CNC machine. Will def come in handy when I get my CNC router up and running (keep telling myself it'll be soon)

Gear Assembly

These are the basic plug-ins you'll need to work with 3D files you download or create yourself.

If you are unsure how to load plug-ins for Sketchup, here is a quick how to:

Download the said files,

for Windows extract if you have to and copy and paste them into:

C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 8\Plugins

for Mac OS X:

User/Library/Application Support/Google Sketchup/

When you reach the Sketchup folder, you will have to create you own folder, name it "Plugins". No drag/drop/copy your downloaded files into you newly created file.

If you have any issues with the plug-in, it might because you are using the later version of Sketchup, which might not be compatible with the plug-in. I personally keep the most recent and the previous version around to be safe.

Although doing some more complex/ornate object in sketchup might take other applications, its great for most things. OpenSCAD is probably the next 3D modeling application I'll choose to tackle.

Enter the world of Making. First Stop, 3D Printers!

This is the year, the year where people start understanding all the thing I've been ranting about for the past year. The year the 3D printer goes MAINSTREAM! OK, maybe that's asking for a little much, but I expect big things for the 3D printing hobby this year.

The year 2010 might have been the year for MakerBot's, but the real vision in 3D printing (IMO) is with the RepRap project. I'm just shocked at how there aren't more people in the know about it. Self-replicating robots that make things?! What's there not to like about that?

So to lend a hand, I am offering sets of parts to make your own 3D printer! It's a shame to see the prices around the internet for sets. Cheapest set I could find on eBay was for approx. $99, so I'll start $1 on top (not to brag, but my print quality is pretty good). If you are trying to get a set for your hackerspace/node/makerspace/etc. or educational institution, please contact me (special pricing for you!). Also, I am still trying to source hardware parts (nuts,bolts, etc.) so as soon as that works itself out, that'll be available as well.

Every 3D printer sold helps to sustain my ability to crank out more sets. Ultimate goal is to create a RepRap farm to really drive costs down. The longterm target is to be able to get sets of RepRap down to $50 - $75, lower barrier of entry = more people with printers = more people making things = ???? (fill in with something everyone finds desirable).

Go take a look, current offerings are of the Prusa Mendel only. If you would like an alternative, feel free to contact me (Huxley, Sells Mendel, etc.). Having 4 personal 3D printers on hand does have its perks after all!

Imperial Prusa Mendel

My current area of interest in personal manufacturing lies withing 3D printers at the moment, but I have also invested in creating a CNC router and a laser cutter within this year. In the meantime, feel free to check out the best DIY resource I can find for CNC routers at buildyourcnc.com. And for the laser cutter, please check out lasersaur.com (maybe even help fund them while you're there!).

Hardware kit from buildyourcnc.com

3D printers RIGHT NOW! --> CNC Router --> Laser-cutter...that's the plan for now. Oh and of course I'll try and provide whatever kits I can in the process. Just check in often in the store.