@Jonathan_Buford , you are crazy. $200? I decided to see what else you could get for that, and the printrboard from printrbot is $129. Also, I did a quick search for reprap RP parts, and it looks like the going rate for a full Prusa i2 (ignoring i3 for now, because it has a big, expensive custom part that is not RP) RP parts set for about $70 (wow, I remember waiting for a set of Sells Mendel RP parts to drop below $1000). A set of MendelMax RP parts seems to go for a bit more. So basically, assuming the #Makibox turns out to be a usable printer capable of making reprap parts, you could buy it, use it to print a set of Mendel parts, pull the printrboard out to control the mendel and scrap the rest, and still break even compared to buying a printrboard + RP parts.
The Azteeg X1 for $70 + SD8825 for $46 = $116 (with shipping, probably less than getting 4x Pololu A4988 for $39.80, OTOH, Pololu has a price break at 5 units, so getting a fifth one as a spare costs negative five cents) is superior to the printrboard, but I wanted to compare apples to apples. Also, with the alternatives currently available, I STRONGLY recommend against building any of the A-frame mendel derivatives (including anything with “Mendel”, “Huxley” or “Prusa” in the name other than a Mendel90 or a Prusa i3), but I figured the i2 would still be the most fair comparison.
If you get the $200 Makibox, you’d have your Mendel parts printed in PLA, though – and I am given to understand that that is not a great material for RP parts on a reprap. The ABS capable one is $300 and of course there’s the shipping, which is significant.
As soon as I see people opening and building non-beta units is when I will be sending in my money
Already sent in our money (for the hackerspace) - we mentioned doing Makibox-based classes sometime back in February, and people are still knocking down our doors, hunting us down individually asking when we’re going to do it. =D
I hate to jump you here @Jonathan_Buford but I tried the Makibox email & forum and received no response.
I placed an order for a Makibox about a day ago and my Paypal account was charged, but the website says that I haven’t placed any orders, and I never received a receipt.
I’m wondering if you can confirm that my order was placed and get me a receipt? I’d greatly appreciate it.
I’m really looking forward to checking out the Makibox, I’m asked daily what printer to buy and it seems like a great machine to get people into the tech if it turns out to meet expectations.
Right now, if you want to build a printer, it would cost at least 400$. Thats really the bare minimum (electronics, drivers, motors, hotend, some metal parts).
It’s almost at the point where people will buy a Makibox, just to get a package of parts for their own builds. Just think, you’ve got hot end, stepper motors, electronics, all the drivers, add a $20 PCB heat bed, some 8mm rod and linear bearings and you have a cheap set of parts…hell, I’d love that option!
Why avoid the A-frame? Be gentle. I am a newbie and recently built a RRP huxley. Still trying to dial it in. I had grandiose plans of buying a small printer that would print a bigger one. Any recs on what it variant it should attempt to print?
A- frame printers waste a lot of height, they lack rigidity on the X axis and you’ll get “ringing” around corners. I swapped all the pieces from my Prusa Mendel to a Prusa i3 and went from a 200x200x90 build area, to a 200x200x200 build area, and I have much more rigidity (and thus increased speed attainable)…same linear rods, everything except frame/plastic.
@Andre_Edwards Here’s a good photo that shows it in this post: https://plus.google.com/108759417352673945861/posts/bKTTicBKD8e – Not the tornado, but look at where the extruder corners on the vase; you see that little echoing wave after it turns the corner? That’s ringing, and caused by not enough stiffness on the axis. Not surprising, seeing as it’s a printrbot jr.
