[CNC74]

I would love to add this to my FLA-100 setup!

I look forward to more info!

-CNC74-
CNCART.NET Welcomes you!

[darrinp]

This is a router, just as you described, it's just being used in a different way.

[DeadTom]

Might I ask what the costs were in adding this to your CNC router?
When I looked into the costs it was starting to get up around the $300 mark for all the parts and then I would have to manually edit the gcode to work correctly with Mach3.
I have since then purchased the $300 MakiBox, still has not arrived yet but it is a complete 3D printer. So I will not have to change out anything on my CNC router and I can run both machines at the same time on separate projects, this is only my opinion and the way I choose to work ohterwise I would have made my router into a multi use machine also.
Tom

[Jay C]

Just one comment. I can't think of any case where you would need or want to mill a printed part. That's the beauty of reprap, you print what you need including any bores, countersinks, etc. Furthermore, most prints are a percentage fill, so drilling/milling anything other than a solid will weaken the structure.

[Markwind]

Might I ask what the costs were in adding this to your CNC router?
When I looked into the costs it was starting to get up around the $300 mark for all the parts and then I would have to manually edit the gcode to work correctly with Mach3.
I have since then purchased the $300 MakiBox, still has not arrived yet but it is a complete 3D printer. So I will not have to change out anything on my CNC router and I can run both machines at the same time on separate projects, this is only my opinion and the way I choose to work ohterwise I would have made my router into a multi use machine also.
Tom

I just finished building an extruder for my cnc router, I made almost everything on the extruder myself, loosely based from this design, cost was approx $70,:banana: but as you mention, it would have been higher if I had to buy every single part,

I also looked into the makibox, but could not part with the money even at the low price of $300, it was tempting, but I personally felt it too much of a risk to buy something that was not a real product and still experimental, plus I wanted something right away, and my cnc router was already built, so adding the extruder, was just too easy,

No editing on the gcode, 3D STL + Kisslicer + Mach3 + Cycle Start = Printed Part

[DeadTom]

Yeah, I have had my doubts and reservations with parting with $350 but I did not have the time to commit to buying and building all the needed parts for a conversion. And I did not mind waiting for this MakiBox also I am currently building another CNC router all welded steel and higher end parts (no flex). I do like what the others have been doing on this thread though, all good stuff.
Tom

[BanduraMaker]

Just one comment. I can't think of any case where you would need or want to mill a printed part.

Just because you can't think of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

BTW, not knowing much about how solid these structures are but, my router has a work envelope of about 19"x28". How big is the table on a rep rap?

[PaulRowntree]

Would the precision of the machined surface be superior to the raw extruded plastic? If so, the combination would be quite useful.

[Jay C]

Just because you can't think of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

BTW, not knowing much about how solid these structures are but, my router has a work envelope of about 19"x28". How big is the table on a rep rap?

The envelope is 210mm X 210mm, by ~120mm on a Prusa Mendel.

And don't get me wrong, adding a print head on your CNC router is great, but thinking you'll need/want to mill it afterwards makes no sense is all.

[Markwind]

The envelope is 210mm X 210mm, by ~120mm on a Prusa Mendel.

And don't get me wrong, adding a print head on your CNC router is great, but thinking you'll need/want to mill it afterwards makes no sense is all.

My wife says the same thing, "it makes no sense" with everything I do

but I do it anyway (flame2)

[BanduraMaker]

but thinking you'll need/want to mill it afterwards makes no sense is all.

You're just lacking imagination :stick poke

If you can envision a feature that requires resolution finer than one can achieve with an extrusion type 3D printer, you can envision a reason to machine a printed part.

[darrinp]

Just one comment. I can't think of any case where you would need or want to mill a printed part. That's the beauty of reprap, you print what you need including any bores, countersinks, etc. Furthermore, most prints are a percentage fill, so drilling/milling anything other than a solid will weaken the structure.

With all due respect Jay, I disagree. Think beyond printing plastic parts.

Having more than one process at your disposal opens many doors. Maybe you would want to mill traces into a PCB and then print plastic over a certain area to seal it off... That's just one idea outside of 3D printing, I'm sure folks besides us can think of many more.

Ever tried adding small engraving to a part on your 3D printer? The results are less than spectacular - unless of course you print the part and then come back and engrave with the mill. I even want to try to mill a mold or 3D pattern and then print plastic over it to make a part. It would take a bit of tricky programming on the gcode side but that's okay. Better yet, mill a small mold, close it up and use the extruder to "inject" plastic into the mold - there's a whole industry centered around "micro molding", maybe they need prototypes?


I hope I can sway you to the "dark side" Jay C - you seem very knowledgeable on this subject.

[Jay C]

I hope I can sway you to the "dark side" Jay C - you seem very knowledgeable on this subject.

I own a CNC router too. It hasn't seen much use since I built my first Mendel. Once you start printing, you'll "get it", and understand where I'm coming from. Have a look: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKw9d8cF1hk]Reprap Prusa G0704 Z Axis Stepper Mount - YouTube[/ame] The intent is not to add more post-processing, it's to print it in one go.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just one man's opinion based on personal experience.

-Jay

[Markwind]

I guess it really depends on what you perceive as finished, if the part is good enough for you straight from printing, that's great, I personally like things better, see the whole video, but skip to around 8:30 for accuracy of printed parts
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rMG5aWEY0&t=8m40s]Reprap Prusa Printed TTS Toolholder Test 1 - YouTube[/ame][/URL]

[Drools]

I might be a little confused here but what I'm thinking is using the extruder to do something like an inlay on a wooden or acrylic sign. If using the glow in the dark plastic as lettering, it might turn out cool.
V-Carve the sign the fill the carved sections with plastic, if it will stick.

[BanduraMaker]

I think the more folks think on it, the more creative possibilities of combining the two folks will dream up.

[Jay C]

I might be a little confused here but what I'm thinking is using the extruder to do something like an inlay on a wooden or acrylic sign. If using the glow in the dark plastic as lettering, it might turn out cool.
V-Carve the sign the fill the carved sections with plastic, if it will stick.

It won't by itself. But you could print then epoxy it.

[Jay C]

I guess it really depends on what you perceive as finished, if the part is good enough for you straight from printing, that's great, I personally like things better, see the whole video, but skip to around 8:30 for accuracy of printed parts

Just curious how one might post-process this part to make it "better" FDM has it's own set of challenges mostly around the heating and cooling properties of the print material. He has another video showing him cutting aluminum with a printed TTS holder too.

[Markwind]

Just curious how one might post-process this part to make it "better" FDM has it's own set of challenges mostly around the heating and cooling properties of the print material. He has another video showing him cutting aluminum with a printed TTS holder too.

I believe in the video of the TTS holder he cut aluminum, the holder was machined true after it was printed,

[Jay C]

I believe in the video of the TTS holder he cut aluminum, the holder was machined true after it was printed,

I think you are right. He talked about using a lathe to remove a chamfer he had to add for overhangs, probably to true the mount stem, and he used a reamer or boring bar for the hole. Neither of which was done in situ so my opinion is not changed on that. And I admit I have had to ream/drill holes, sand, and cut stringers after a print so there is post print clean up.

What he didn't do was mill it, though based on the first video and a 6-hour print time, looks like he printed it solid so he could have. But, what you'll learn as you experiment is that you want the print to stick so the part stays flat, but not too much to where it won't release with some help from a putty knife or hand pressure. Otherwise, you will be less inclined to use it due to the extra post processing effort. In the example video he glued the printed ABS part onto ABS using acetone on the ABS plate before printing. That holds it great for milling, but how you you get your part off

The best part about the approach shown is that the print head is on the backside of the router and thus out of the way and not requiring any swapping to do one or the other.

FWIW,
Jay