Buy a Prusa 2020 Folger Tech kit and upgrade the hardware, or start from scratch?

[augustolfp]

Hello everyone, I'm a new user in this forum and I created this thread to see some opinions from more experienced users (anyone that already touched a 3d printer is more experienced than me haha).
So let me explain: I'm a brazilian mechanical engineering student and since I was a kid I'm involved with DIY projects, art, woodworking, so prototyping is a strong part of my life, and a 3d printer would be a incredible tool for me. I want a 3d printer mostly for actually usable parts, such as supports, moving parts, knobs, gears..this kinds of stuff. Print beautiful things would be really nice, but is not the most important point here.
Here in Brazil, ABS is half the cost of PLA, and its properties seem interesting to me, so I was thinking about having a decent ABS printer, so I would be able to leave PLA when I feel more confident haha
The problem is that printer and parts are insanely expensive here in Brazil (a original prusa i3 cost almost 2500 dollars, that is more than I spend in a semester to live), so buy anything here is not an option.
Bigger international packages (above 50 dollars) have a more than 60% in taxes and take forever to arrive..So I live in a hole
The happy part is that i'm going to visit my girlfriend in France, in this christmas...So I want to buy everything that is critical, and leaving the less important updates for the future.
I was thinking about buy a prusa i3 2020 aluminum frame by folgertech because the frame itself looks good to me, modular, resistant, easy to modify. The kit would cost 340 dollars with shipping, and the start upgrades would be: E3D V6/LITE6, auto bed level (any kind), Igus RJ4JP bearings for silence, IMC2100 drivers for silence, and stepper motor dampers for silence (silence is important, it will be in my bedroom).
The question is: Is a good idea to buy this kit? Do you know similar kits in Europe, to cheaper and easier deliver? Do you think build from scratch would be (a lot) cheaper and possible?
The upgrade ideas are good? I accept sugestions.
Thank you!

[Roxy]

I was thinking about buy a prusa i3 2020 aluminum frame by folgertech because the frame itself looks good to me, modular, resistant, easy to modify. The kit would cost 340 dollars with shipping,

I am very impressed with the FolgerTech i3-2020 machine. I bought one after I saw one. And as it turns out... Up until a few weeks ago, I was using it as the development platform for the next generation Auto Bed Leveling software. If you look here you will find Configuration.h files already tuned and setup for the new bed leveling software on a FolgerTech i3-2020.

https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Ma...ations/Roxy-3D

And as it turns out... You don't even need a Z-Probe to use the bed leveling system. You can see the steps for getting setup without a Z-Probe here:
https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Ma...ment-256203643

And if you decide you do want to add a Z-Probe to the FolgerTech i3-2020, you can just use these files that I did to add the Z-Probe to my machine. (Source code written in OpenScad is available if you want it or decide to make changes.) The files are attached at the bottom of this post.

and the start upgrades would be: E3D V6/LITE6, auto bed level (any kind)

You should be able to print your own bed leveling probe (and servo mount) from the attached .STL file. But if you bring up the UBL bed leveling system... You may decide you don't even need a Z-Probe.

Igus RJ4JP bearings for silence, IMC2100 drivers for silence, and stepper motor dampers for silence (silence is important, it will be in my bedroom).

The Folger Tech i3-2020 is very quite. You may decide you don't need to do anything.

The question is: Is a good idea to buy this kit? Do you know similar kits in Europe, to cheaper and easier deliver? Do you think build from scratch would be (a lot) cheaper and possible?

This kit is well worth the money. It is $269 in the US. https://folgertech.com/collections/3...3d-printer-kit

BUT!!!!! You should spend the extra $10 and get a 20x4 LCD Panel and it is wise to buy an extra meter of 2020 aluminum.
https://folgertech.com/products/2020...l-diy-projects

Because you will want to use that to make filament roller to sit above the printer to dispense filament nicely. (The filament rollers use a 608Z bearing on a 8mm bolt (or 5/16" bolt) ) .STL file is attached.

[augustolfp]

Wow! This new bed leveling is really awesome haha! I really appreciate because is as elegant as the inductive/capacitive sensor, but a lot cheaper to implement, and it doesn't add weight to the main carriage haha. Awesome! I would definitively go this way.
Today I searched about the folger tech kossel 2020 aluminum printer and..I fell in love. That's a good looking printer
So now I have this doubt..folger tech kossel or I3? What do you think is better overall? I know that the kossel is more complicated, but I really don't mind to spend more time figuring something out, as long as it will work properly.
The difference in price is not that big, right?
In what aspects kossel is better? In what is worse? Speed, print quality, noise, reliability...
Thank you for the tip of ordering extra aluminum profile, it's a good idea, and I will buy the LCD screen too.
If I buy the prusa, what would be the best upgrades? stepper drivers, board, hotend?
and for the kossel?
too many questions, and I don't have a very good english, sorry!
And thank you

[Roxy]

For any first time 3D-Printer kit buyer.... I would suggest you stay away from Delta's. Delta's are super cool!!!! But you are going to have so many issues trying to get it calibrated and running right. And being in Brazil is going to make it much tougher to get parts to try different things. The Folger Tech i3-2020 is going to be a much safer choice for you. And even though that kit is very well done, don't kid yourself!!! You are still going to have issues you have to work through. And the big reason for steering you away from Delta's is this: You won't get any advantage for the extra trouble. The Folger Tech i3-2020 is going to do everything you want it to do.

Other than getting the $10 20x4 LCD Display and an extra meter of 2020 aluminum (you actually only need 8" of it to make the nice filament spool), you shouldn't need anything else. You can order both the cheap servo on eBay along with a micro-switch for under $5 (including shipping). And then just print up that .STL file I posted.

[augustolfp]

I get the point. I agree with you that the i3 is the rational choice.

When you say I shouldn't need anything else, you say that the upgrades doesn't make a big difference? If you were to do an upgrade in the prusa kit, what would you do?


And about the Delta...In the case that I end up buying it, do you think the ramps board will be a problem? I read somewhere that arduino based controllers have a hard time to do Delta's calculation stuff...

[Roxy]

I get the point. I agree with you that the i3 is the rational choice.

When you say I shouldn't need anything else, you say that the upgrades doesn't make a big difference? If you were to do an upgrade in the prusa kit, what would you do?

The whole thing about RepRap's is they can be used to modify themselves. The filament roller (if you can call it that) on the FT-i3-2020 is totally lame. So... With an extra 8" of 2020 aluminum you put the arm straight above the bed. You add a piece that goes straight up and then put the standard arm at 90 degrees off of that. And then you print out the filament rollers I attached above and order a package of 10x 608Z bearings off of eBay for $2.58 ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/10Pcs-8-x-22...MAAOSwQTVV88qx ) And at that point, your filament will unroll very easily.

Those kind of upgrades are fun to do and you learn about everything doing them. Between the Z-Probe .stl I attached up above and the filament rollers, you won't need any upgrades. The printer will do what ever you want at that point. As you can guess... I'm not opposed to modifying my printer. I do it just for the fun of doing it. The only other modification I've done to my FT-i3-2020 is I've added a little switch panel in the front corner so I can turn power on and off and have a reset button handy if the printed does something crazy (during software development). You probably don't care about that kind of thing.

And about the Delta...In the case that I end up buying it, do you think the ramps board will be a problem? I read somewhere that arduino based controllers have a hard time to do Delta's calculation stuff...

If you do get a Delta... DO NOT GET A GRAPHICS LCD CONTROLLER! You will have problems if you do that. With a 20x4 LCD, the Delta's work OK. They are right on the edge of not having enough processing power. But they work. You will have all kinds of calibration issues. I can promise you that. If you are only going to print small things in the center of the bed, don't sweat the calibration issues. But if you want to use the full print envelope, you really might not want a Delta as your first printer.

[skyjuice]

I have to disagree on the Delta style and difficulty in use. I own and put together a RostockMax V3 and the setup was painless and the calibration was even easier. Couple that with superior customer service and high quality parts and you have a world class printer for under 1k. Some delta's are crap, but not all. Seemecnc has the good ones in my opinion.

[Roxy]

I have to disagree on the Delta style and difficulty in use. I own and put together a RostockMax V3 and the setup was painless and the calibration was even easier. Couple that with superior customer service and high quality parts and you have a world class printer for under 1k. Some delta's are crap, but not all. Seemecnc has the good ones in my opinion.

I'm glad you are happy with yours! I'm very frustrated with mine! If augustolfp wants a Delta... He should get a Delta! And the way they move is really cool! Its just that I don't really see any advantage to them considering how much simpler an i3 type design is to get running and keep running. But, that is what makes the world go around! Everybody sees things differently! And if he does get a Delta, I'll certainly help him with any question he asks.

[skyjuice]

I'm glad you are happy with yours! I'm very frustrated with mine! If augustolfp wants a Delta... He should get a Delta! And the way they move is really cool! Its just that I don't really see any advantage to them considering how much simpler an i3 type design is to get running and keep running. But, that is what makes the world go around! Everybody sees things differently! And if he does get a Delta, I'll certainly help him with any question he asks.

Are you a factory representative for Folgers?

[Roxy]

Are you a factory representative for Folgers?

No. Of course not. I'm just very happy with my FT-i3-2020. And up until 3 or 4 weeks ago... It was the development platform for Marlin's new Automatic Bed Leveling System. https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/tree/devel-ubl

The FT-i3-2020 Rocks!!!! But I need a bigger bed to stress the UBL code base.

And just to refresh your memory... Why don't you take a look at the title of this thread once again. Perhaps you will find a way to reconcile my conveying a very positive experience with my FT-i3-2020 and what this this thread is about.