Abstract
Building your own 3D printer can be a really cool project. Building a 3D printer requires basic mechanical skills and the ability to work with wiring (crimping and soldering). It also requires a certain set of tools to build the printer. There are a number of things you can do to help make the build more productive and successful. I cover all these topics and more in this chapter, starting with the tools and skills required.
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- 1.
Much of the information in this chapter appears in my book, Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your 3D Printer (Apress, 2014). This chapter is a condensed version of that material with a specific focus on delta printers. If you need more information than what is included here, see my other book.
- 2.
Avoid toolkits designed for working on cars, trains, RVs, semitrucks, or anything larger than your body. The tools included will be far too heavy-duty for working on delta printers.
- 3.
In fact, you will need these to build a Mini Kossel.
- 4.
Just like Xerox is a synonym for copier, X-Acto knife is a synonym for a small, sharp, and guaranteed-to-make-you-bleed if you’re careless hobby knife.
- 5.
That being said, I’ve used pliers a few times when I didn’t have a crimp tool handy. However, these connections eventually work loose, especially if the wiring is under stress. It is best to use the crimping tool.
- 6.
For those of us suffering from repetitive stress injuries, an electric screwdriver is a must.
- 7.
Unless, like me, your OCD condition simply won’t permit such blasphemy.
- 8.
But I assure you that your cat won’t think it is funny. Nor will your spouse.
- 9.
Guilty as charged.
- 10.
OK, maybe one ( http://reprap.org/wiki/Duct_Tape_RepStrap ), but that’s pushing things.
- 11.
No, it does not involve squirrels.
- 12.
There are at least three that I have never been able to find.
- 13.
My mild OCD condition will drive me crazy trying to find a rattle like that.
- 14.
Which is entirely too tight.
- 15.
They would say, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
- 16.
Yes, I have terrible handwriting. This reads, “Therm HPB” for thermistor, heated print bed.
- 17.
You may also see it referred to as thread locking glue or thread caulk.
- 18.
To all you Klingon fans out there, Qapla’! ( http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Qapla%27 ).
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© 2015 Charles Bell
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Bell, C. (2015). Tips for Building a Delta Printer. In: 3D Printing with Delta Printers. Apress, Berkeley, CA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-1173-1_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-1173-1_4
Publisher Name: Apress, Berkeley, CA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4842-1174-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4842-1173-1
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