So You Just Bought A MakerBot

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* Arduino 0018 * Arduino 0018
** http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software ** http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software
 +
 +== Start Building! ==
 +
 +* MakerBot Build Instructions
 +** The CupCake body: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake
 +** The Plastruder heated extruder: http://wiki.makerbot.com/plastruder-mk4
 +** The Frostruder pressurized extruder: http://wiki.makerbot.com/frostruder-mk2
 +
 +* RepRap Electronics - http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Generation3Electronics
 +** Motherboard v1.2 - http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Motherboard_1.2
 +** Stepper Motor Driver v2.3 - http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Stepper_Motor_Driver_2.3
 +** Extruder Controller v2.2 - http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Extruder_Controller_2.2
 +** Optional
 +*** Optical Endstops v1.2 - http://www.reprap.org/wiki/OptoEndstop_2.1
 +
 += It's Built! Now What? =
 +
 +Before you dive head-first into your first print, run through the following sanity checks.

Revision as of 18:31, 4 May 2010

Contents

So You Just Bought a MakerBot

You raised the funds, placed the pre-order, waited a few weeks, then suddenly received the shipment notification e-mail. Now What?

Well, the first thing you (or your group) need to do is tool-up for the build.

Tooling Up

  • For Everything
    • Empty egg carton(s) to manage all the little nuts, bolts and washers.
    • Metric wrench set or a couple of small adjustable wrenches
    • Needle nose pliers
  • For the Plastruder
    • Soldering iron
      • If you haven't already, invest in at least one good Weller-type iron with settable temperature.
    • Electronics solder
    • Hook-up wire

Optional But Useful

  • Multimeter
  • 3mm or 1/8" drill bit
  • Painters tape
  • Thermocouple-based temperature probe
  • Metric hex key set
    • If not at your local hardware store, check out sports and cycling shops for sets.
  • Magnifier lamp
  • Dremel with cutting wheel
    • Useful when bolts and threaded rods turn out to be longer than desired
  • Protective eyewear
    • Use when cutting and/or drilling
  • Fan/ventilation
    • Use when soldering.

Soft(ware) Skillz

While we'd all love to have infinite budget to buy all the best toys, the fact of the matter is most of us enthusiasts are either students, parents, or employed in fields that don't need the tools. With that in mind, here are the free and mostly open source (SketchUp is free of cost but not open source) tools I use:

  • MeshLab: http://www.meshlab.org/
    • Useful for troubleshooting 3D model issues, converting between formats, scaling from imperial to metric units, etc.

Start Building!

It's Built! Now What?

Before you dive head-first into your first print, run through the following sanity checks.

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