# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > MakerBot Forum >  Found at the local junk shop

## Torby

Out-of-work autistic brat and AVRFreak here.

I dropped by the local junk shop to see if he had anything interesting and found a MakerBot Replicator. Couldn't leave it there, so now it's mine.

replicator.jpg

Has 1 1/2 rolls of filament, red and black. There's a dual head and heated bed. Seems to be missing the power supply. I'll see if the junk shop guy has it in a box of junk. In case he doesn't, what are the power supply requirements? PS connects to this round 4pin connector on the back?

What do I plan to do with it? Hmm... I'm always making electronic things, playing with "G-gauge" trains, sculpting people from polymer clay and making other odds and ends. I don't think I'll have any trouble thinking of things to do with it, but first need to get it going.

Story seems to be a guy broke up with his girlfriend, had to move out of her house and dumped everything he owned off at the local junk shop. There are a couple pieces of plastic here that look like it printed once.

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## curious aardvark

psu - look on ebay or a 3d printer supply company. given that it's 24v and not 12, you can't just attach a pc psu to it. which is a shame.
There are 100's of thousands of replicator clones around so I don't see it being a problem getting parts.

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## Torby

> psu - look on ebay or a 3d printer supply company. given that it's 24v and not 12, you can't just attach a pc psu to it. which is a shame.
> There are 100's of thousands of replicator clones around so I don't see it being a problem getting parts.


Well, that got me part of a power supply spec. 24v at how many amps?

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## curious aardvark

not a clue - look on ebay and it will tell you :-)
Actually these things seem to be non-existent on the net. I have pictures from when I took my bottom cover off in the workshop, i'll dig them out and see what it says on the psu.

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## Torby

I have the bottom cover off mine to see what the pinout is for the power connector. Hmm. It's mounted on the board. Thought I'd find red and black wires. This looks like a regulator, I'll bet the power supply is connected to that....

I see a 24v 10a power supply for 20USD on ebay. Maybe I'll mount is underneath here.

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## jfkansas

If it is dual extruder with heated bed you will want 24v at 15 amps.

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## Torby

Thanks. That's what I needed to know!

The junk shop guy says he thinks he found the power supply and two more roles of filament. He's at a sale today looking for bargains. It's an outdoor sale and expected to be below freezing, so he figures on finding some good stuff.

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## Torby

Nope, that wasn't the power supply, but he did have two more spools of filament.

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## mutat1

I see it with the filament, whether it is a kind of energy supply?

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## curious aardvark

found the pictures. no actual shot of the end of the psu - but it is made by: mean well http://www.meanwell.com/
that might help: 
pics below.
DSC07713_800x600.jpg

DSC07704_800x600.jpg

You can see where we added an on off switch to the front of the printer. But this was before I fitted the print area cooling duct fan.
Once you know the make you can get a model number from a search: Mean Well NES-350-24 power supply.  https://www.amazon.com/Mean-NES-350-.../dp/B00KTJE3L4
This is all assuming my clone uses the same board as your original :-)

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## Torby

Not quite the same board as I have. Mine has a power switch and some sort of power connector mounted to it that shows out the back beside the USB connector.

I'll have to wait till next payday to get the power supply, unless the junk guy turns it up. He says there is some more stuff from the same source he hasn't sorted through yet, but he has his eyes open. That's how he found the other two spools of filament he gave me. One is white. The other florescent green.

This shop is quite a sight. His wife was sorting through a box of children's clothes. "Why do people do this," she laughed. "Here is a nice canvas tennis shoe, but only the left. How many size 3 boys do you know have only one foot?"

I went looking for an electric skillet I could use to reflow surface mount parts as mine had gone missing. He didn't have one, which is good because I found mine.

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## curious aardvark

> Mine has a power switch and some sort of power connector mounted to it that shows out the back beside the USB connector.


so does mine. we just wired another switch at the front - probably the second best mod you can do after a print area duct fan.

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## Torby

If it doesn't turn up at the junk shop before next payday, I'll get the meanwell.

Can you point me to some info on this cooling fan idea?

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## curious aardvark

I this: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:537918

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## Torby

Mean Well NES-350-24 power supply has been ordered.

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## curious aardvark

just out of curiosity - does it come with the right cables and connectors ?

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## Torby

Of course not. I don't know what the connector here on the back of the replicator is. I'll take the board out and solder some wires to connect it. Might put a power switch on the front too.

You lubricate this thing with synthetic grease? I'll see what Daryl has at the hardware store.

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## Torby

Oh. Yes.  I downloaded "Makerbot Print." Is this the right program or would you suggest something else?

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## Torby

Amazon says the power supply should arrive Sunday? Ok, I look for it sometime next week. I also got a "power entry module" with a socket for a cord, power switch and fuse. Might not mount that on the front.

A friend pointed me to "Cura" for the slicer. Version 15.04.6 has a profile for the replicator. I sliced the silly little figurine model it came with and got a gcode file. I guess this is what you put on the SD card.

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## curious aardvark

gcode file probably won't do you any good - what you actually need is an x3g file. 
Basically makerbot designed an open source printer then made sure it could only be used with their own software. 

Your best bet is either makerware(you need an early version - the current one won't talk to the older printers) or flashprint and choose the rep pro option.
links here: http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ilable-slicers

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## Torby

Well, it's not FlashPrint 3.10...

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## Torby

Power supply is here!

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## Torby

I got my power supply mounted and wired up.

PowerSupply.jpg

I also got a "power entry module" with a socket for a power cord, an onoff switch and a fuse holder. Googling around for a cutout template, I found LOTS of posts of this one melting when used well within it's specs, so I just connected a power cord directly to the power supply and use the existing switch. Maybe I'll do something different later.

When I fire it up, the display shows black boxes. 
BlackBoxes.jpg

Hmm. As an avr freak, I recognze these as "you have something wrong."

Looking for my camera to take a picture, the printer played a tune!

And now the display is in a language I don't understand.

Gibberish.jpg

Oh! Here we go. I can read this!

Display.jpg

I used the jog mode to move all the steppers around.

Hmm. The build plate is warming up. I see fans running. The LED strip is on.  This thing might be working!

Now, to put something on my SD card.  Better clean the kapton tape.   Oo. Better get some fresh kapton tape as there's a hole in my kapton.

"There's a hole in my kapton, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in my kapton, dear Liza, a hole."

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## Torby

I've done the nozzle calibration. At first the left one wouldn't print. I "unloaded" the filament and reloaded it and now both work. I think I have the table somewhat level.

Still have to learn how to get the x3g file. I guess I need to find a slicer program as old as the printer.

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## curious aardvark

flashprint, or the early makerware or simplify3d (but you have to buy that one - or 'cough' look on emule - but I didn't tell you that)

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## Torby

I got a copy of ReplicatorG from replicat.org. It can give me the x3g file, OR the gcode file. My replicator still just stops and looks at me funny when I tell it to print from the SD card, but I have an idea what to try. Was getting late, so I said, "Tomorrow."

There's just so much provocation an Autistic can deal with in one day66.gif

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## Torby

ITS WORKING!

ItsWorking.jpg

It needs an .s3g file.

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## curious aardvark

not .x3g ?
I did say you needed the x3g - file.

But congratulations - so how much has it cost you in total ? 

And repg is probably the worst slicer ever invented. makerware desktop - the one I linked to. is much much better. 
Flashprint is better for single extruder prints.  No idea what it's like with dual extrusion. 

But as far as rep-g goes. I tried it  - once. And moved on :-)

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## Torby

Just downloaded makerbot desktop and will try it.

Oh. How much did it cost?

Original purchase at junk shop: $50 for printer and 4 spools of filament.
Power Supply: $49
A bit of red and black wire from the junk collection: free
An old power cord from the junk collection: free

Lots of downloads....

Ooh. Makerbot desktop has quit working... I just launched it.

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## Torby

Makerware desktop: You mean this one?

StopsWorking.jpg

For my second attempt, ReplicatorG has the generate to s3g button disabled. It will make gcode, but not s3g

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## Sebastian Finke

There is a link to Makerware 2.4 in the Flashforge forum. Get that. RepG is good for updating firmware, not much else.

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## Torby

That's a pretty big haystack to find a needle in.

Figured it out: Generate the gcode first. It seems to scan the gcode to make the s3g file.

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## Torby

My second attempt. It came out a little bigger than I figured. This is the "Parametric Tardis" by "Gossamer." I set it for 75mm, and that's how high it made the main box, but there's about 15mm more for the top.

DSCF1443s.jpg

The layers seem to have warped and separated a bit.

DSCF1448s.JPG

It got very cold in the room while it was working. My apartment isn't exactly upscale and we had our first cold night here in NE Oklahoma. Perhaps the mod where you put covers around it should be the next project.

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## curious aardvark

that's abs right ? 
no way you should ever get that with pla.

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## Sebastian Finke

> That's a pretty big haystack to find a needle in.


Did you even look? Stickied on the first page!

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## Torby

you mean the flashforge forum at 3dhubs.com?

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## Torby

"no way you should ever get that with pla."

Is that why pla is popular? Works better. These rolls are all abs. Printed the tardis smaller and it came out quite nicely. I'll snap some photos.

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## Torby

> Did you even look? Stickied on the first page!


Oh. The flashforge forum at this site. Duh... I was looking and looking and looking.

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## Torby

"Did you even look? Stickied on the first page!"

Got it. Tried it. Printing something now.

Here's the little TARDIS. I'm rather pleased, though it's really hard to photograph. Now to paint it blue.

TardisSmall.jpg

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## Sebastian Finke

ABS requires a heated build chamber. You can achieve this with a simple homemade hood and a (preferably see-through) cover for the front. Basically you need to block anything that can cause a draft. Then let the bed heat up to 95° for 10-15 minutes before starting the print to heat up the chamber. Fine tune this to suit your enviroment. 

Do not heat your HBP above 105°
Slurry works best for ABS

I personally that ABS gives a better part than PLA. At CA's recommendation I have been using PLA exclusively and the results are mixed. I really should sort out my cooling but that's a different story.

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## Torby

Oops. I think you call this a fail.

MakerwareFail.jpg

Using makerware, it seems to tangle the nozzle in the last layer and rips it up. The first two tried weren't this interesting. "I believe you are trying to invent a new art form?" Perhaps it's because today is the 9th?

First attempt with makerware this morning it stopped extruding, but didn't rip it off the build plate. I notice makerware sets the temperature to 230. ReplicatG used 220.

I saw the hood mentioned some where, I think in this thread even. How do you keep the warm air from escaping out the open top of the unit where all the guide tubes and wired go?

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## Torby

Oh. I see. You make the hood over all the moving parts. Kindof obvious, eh?

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:23386

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## Torby

I think this one isn't going to work. See how the raft has peeled up in the corner and the bottom has peeled up from the raft.

peeledup.jpg

So, with a hood to keep things warm and an extra fan shroud to keep things cool... Um, might have to wait for another payday.

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## Torby

Ruined! The bottom of the object broke away from the raft.

ruinedA.jpg
ruinedB.jpg

So it tried to print the next layer in space.

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## Torby

Tried the slurry method with the same results. Perhaps I don't have enough plastic dissolved in my acetone?

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## Torby

Hay! It almost worked.

I put LOTS of slurry, then for a hood, I put a blanket over the whole thing.

AlmostWorkedA.jpg

You see it peeled up a bit on the left edge, but it managed to make the box.

AlmostWorkedB.jpg

My footprint logo is there a little bit. I don't think you'd know it was a footprint just by seeing it. My  name isn't there at all.

AlmostWorkedC.jpg

The port on the end worked well, though there was supposed to be an indented legend above it.

AlmostWorkedD.jpg

Here's a print screen from OpenScad. The text is set in a couple mm with "difference." It shows in makerware, but didn't on the print.

AlmostWorkedE.jpg

And here is the project in the box.

Unfortunately, the port in the side misses the connector. Oh. I remember, I was worried about the mounting screws in the bottom so I made the bottom thicker and forgot to move the ports. There's one on the other end too.

The bottom looks a bit like shredded wheat.

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## curious aardvark

get some pla.

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## Torby

Another friend suggested that. Have a little money. Well, I should have some later today.

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## curious aardvark

Abs is a constant battle with temps, adhesion, shrinkage. 
In comparison, pla simply works. 
For 99.9% of uses pla is probably better than abs - for that other 0.1% use pet-g or one of the newer filaments that are coming on the market. :-)

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## Torby

Hmm. The money is a little short of the bills. Ok, I'll get some PLA next time I have some money.

Anybody want to buy some ABS filament? Maybe I can ebay it.

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## Torby

Well. Still don't have any PLA. Too much bills at end of paycheck.

I played with settings in Makerware and got pretty handy at printing 3cm tall tardises in red ABS. So I tried the power supply box again. Got one almost perfect. Can even make out the writing on the sides.

AlmostPerfect01.jpg

AlmostPerfect02.jpg

AlmostPerfect03.jpg

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## Roxy

Torby, you can fix that wrap by putting some slits in your box.   The wrap is caused by the plastic shrinking as it cools and eventually, with enough layers, it pulls up off the bed.   One answer is don't let the stress get that high.  Put some slits in the box to allow cooling.

Pump_Jack_all_pieces.stl

Take a look at the bottom of the main Pump Jack piece in this .STL file.   You will see tiny slits that relieve the stress as the filament cools.   This piece is much larger than your box.  And it can be printed in ABS plastic because the slits relieve the stress.   And also, the big circles in the I-Beams help make the design look 'real' but they are part of the stress relief.

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## Torby

Interesting.

Having trouble seeing them in makerware. You put them through the wall parallel to the layers? 

Round holes would look good in the box.

Googling for more information gets me an article about heated enclosures and this thread, along with many suggestions to relieve stress in my life.

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## noiseboy72

It's funny what you say about ABS. I print with it 90% of the time on a CTC clone very similar to this machine and have virtually no problems at all. I have enclosed the printer and print onto Buildtak and have very few problems with warping or lack of bed adhesion. 

Once you get the printer dialled in with the bed height correct and a nice high adhesion substrate to print onto, you will never look back!

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## Torby

With vertical slits, better labels and decorative holes:

WithSlits.jpg

There's a tiny crack along the left corner, but no laminations separated. The lettering on the front is a little lost in the waviness. Perhaps I'll just say it's "wibbley wobbley."

WithSlitsB.jpg

The writing on the OUT end came out very clear, but there's a typo! Both output terminals are marked "-". Duh....

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## curious aardvark

> It's funny what you say about ABS. I print with it 90% of the time on a  CTC clone very similar to this machine and have virtually no problems at  all. I have enclosed the printer


Abs works on enclosed printers, mainly because the whole model cools and shrinks at the same rate. In an unenclosed machine each layer shrinks and cools at it's own rate, so even when the model prints, it's weak and the layer binding is poor. 

To be honest even if I had an enclosed machine I wouldn't use abs (it would be great for polycarbonate and nylon). It smells horrible and you end up using a lot of acetone. I just find pla and pet-g to be better all round. Plus there are so many new and amazing materials around that There is no actual necessity to use abs.

Torby - do you have a print area cooling fan ? 
That would help with print appearance a lot. 

Plus I've lost track - is your print area enclosed or not ? :-)

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## Torby

Not yet enclosed and I don't yet have the extra duct and fan.

It seems you have to get the duct in two steps: Print the old one, then use the old one to print the one.

Might not have any money for spending (or eating) for a while. The phone bill is atrocious and I expect the electric will be astronomical 'cause my apartment has only electric heat.

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## Torby

I think I've played with this box plenty. Perhaps time to do something else.

I widened my slits to 1mm and it put a support in each one. They're really hard to get out. 

PSBox01.jpg

The little 2mm holes look great.

PSBox02.jpg

PSBox03.jpg

Now where's my minus sign? Don't tell me... 

Nope, it's there. Must have got lost in the slop.




> translate([29,0,-6]) 
>     rotate([90,0,90]) 
>     linear_extrude(height=3) 
>     text("- OUT +", size=6, halign="center", valign="center");


You know, maybe instead of slots, I could put an array of holes. (sorry, OCD kicking in)

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## Torby

I put holes instead of slots. Seems there is always a disruption where the bottom is, so I made the bottom thinner and moved the end labels up. Unfortunately, I moved the footprint logo to the bottom. I left my name off the front.

WithHoles.jpg

I have a whole bunch of these, all of them perfectly adequate to the task, so it's time to think of something else to make.

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## Torby

I now have the "Low Detail" fan shroud printed. Hmm. Might have to wait to get a 40mm fan.

LowDetailDuct.jpg

fp.png

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## curious aardvark

those are great little duct units. 
Work a treat. You can pick the fans up for  a couple of bucks. https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Cutter...s=24v+40mm+fan
Just remember you need a 24volt fan not 12 volt.

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## Torby

I thought I was going to be stuck for a week with a negative balance. That didn't happen (yet). Have one coming.

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## Torby

Fan arrived yesterday. I seem to have an extra fan connection on my makerbot "Mighty Board" revision E. I'd need to find how to turn it on and off using Makerware, or perhaps just leave it run?

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