How much to build a RepRap on Average?

[RP Iron Man]

Have you looked at the Nophead's Mendel 90? I am not sure how the price compares but I have heard great things about the Mendel 90 kit. The Mendel 90 design is arguable the most stable RepRap printer design, and does not have some of the issues with X/Y perpendicular alignment that I have heard about the Prusa I3.

Eric

[MadMikeMitchell]

OK, so it costs $600 to build one (perhaps even less). What is the going rate for a completely built RepRap? Also, how much time does it take to build one from scratch?

[old man emu]

OK, so it costs $600 to build one (perhaps even less). , how much time does it take to build one from scratch?

You can pick up a kit delivered in the USA for around $600.

To build from scratch, you have to take into consideration the time you will spend researching and solving design problems; sourcing components, cutting and joining and redoing the steps that caused your mistakes.

While the desire to DIY is commendable, I'd suggest that you buy an entry level kit, get some experience with it, then go on to build your own. Remember, the expensive components used in a store bought kit can be recycled into your DIY machine. As well, toy will start with a machine that can print a lot of the components you will need for your DIY machine. Remember that RepRap started out to be a self-replicating machine.

Old Man Emu

[Markum_Debreeze]

Yes, I agree with old man. Start with the kit, so that you know how things work, see how the parts fit together, etc. Then you can print new parts, and start building additional printers to eventually perhaps replace the one you have.

[Kingoddball]

Emblem Robotics in Australia is a good site, good service.
I bought my original i2 from there and just modified everything from their base edition.

Unit was around $750 and it was a DIY kit.

[Layke]

Hey Derek,

If i were you I would buy a printrbot simple 2013 version, get the kit. After buying this you can build it and then print out parts for a custom printer! Once you print the parts you can use some stock parts of the printrbot and buy better parts as needed. It would cost $350-$500 (depending on the quality of the parts)

HOPE THIS HELPED

-Layke

[papabur]

Its the electronics thAT get you but if your patient and use Amazon or Ebay to find good deals yo ucan easily keep it under 400$..and ive seen better prints off a 400$ reprap then a lot of makerbots...

[papabur]

@MattSteiner

For reference, I have built a few semi-custom Prusa I2 printers for about $600 with print quality comparable to that of the Makerbot printers. Of course the build volume is not as large and it cannot print as fast (doe to the lack of stability of the Prusa I2 design) but my prints look great. The key here is to spend your money where it counts: GT2 belts and pulleys, and precision linear rails.

BTW, makerbots are definitely NOT the leading printers...

Eric

They only act like it, lol.