Assembling Your Own 3D Printer?

[Maggie]

Has anyone here ever built, from the ground up their own 3D Printers? I see there are many part available online, especially on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A6066132011

My husband is awesome with DIY projects like this, and I was wondering if maybe I should give him this as a projects, to build a 3D printer.

Would love to hear or see some success stories.

Maggie

[old man emu]

Of course you husband can do it. It is very simple to build the machine from purchased parts, and probably cheaper than buying a kit such as the MakerFarm Prusa.

The hardest part of getting a machine going is setting up the Arduino controller. He would need to either have a deep understanding of how to install software, or be able to get someone with the knowledge to do it for him.

What a wonderful wife you are.

Old Man Emu

[Brian_Krassenstein]

Yes, the mechanics of a printer are not exactly Einstein material, however like Old man Emu said, you will need to have an understanding of Arduino, or know someone who does. By far the software is the most difficult part, and integrating it into the hardware.

[old man emu]

To get an understanding of setting up the Arduino software, look at:

http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Windows#.UwkPvfmSyDt

Old Man Emu

[WildZBill]

I have built them from kits, and tried to design my own. Mechanically designing them is difficult without the correct equipment, as all of the bearing rods have to be very parallel to avoid jamming.