Even LowER-end 3D Printer - Part 1

[originally drafted 2018-02-18]

So with my up!mini dead i thought i might have a break from printing... but as it so happens i've just had a request for 'cookie cutters' (actual cookie cutters) which of course i could do, except i don't have a printer.

Seeing as they're apparently popular (and presumably people get them to work well enough) i ended up going down the ebay, cheapy, DIY assembly options... a prusa i3 clone, with a wooden frame.

Turned up within a week and I started assembly on (a) friday evening after work. 

After effectively completing the hardware assembly by mid-afternoon saturday i turned the power on. Turns out there are a few issues. Most noticeably (initially) is the z-axis where one of the screws is slightly bent and getting tension right through there is a right old pain in the botbot.

After that there's a 'MIN TEMP' error on the display. Turns out this is a common problem with this model printer... issue with the thermistor (thermometer+resistor my guess). Looks like the component is shattered inside the clear heatshrink. Anyway have ordered a replacement widget and we'll see how this one goes.

As an experiment i actually held the two stripped thermistor wires just in my fingers and my body has enough resistance (and at approx 20-30o C) to get the LCD display working ok, so at least i should get a result with a functional component.  Resistant-fingers crossed...


Initial Impressions
The end results are... obviously enough... slightly disappointing, though i'm waiting to see how deeply that disappointment runs.  This in light of owning a printer that quite literally ran out of the box until it died, with zero maintenance.

I'd be annoyed to have dropped 200 bucks on a non-functional printer, but also not entirely surprised. My 'mechanic attribute' is bare-minimum capable and this is a couple of steps harder than lego (though the instruction manual is surprisingly useful which makes me want to get it working somehow).

Also i don't care that much, it's basically an experiment; but, if this had been my first foray into 3D printing i'd potentially bit a little pissed and annoyed and dissuaded. Having read a reasonable amount about DIY printers i'm already tempered for requires-screwing-around-to-get-a-result.

Worst case scenario i have new bitz for my bitz box, and buy a more-assembled model. Though, yes i would like for this one to work.... so not giving up just yet.

[ed] as it so happens i walked by a pile of aldi printers at my local store and after doing a tiny bit of research they are more or less the same duel-screw-z axis models that i already have albeit with a metal frame and pre-assembled. I find it difficult to imagine that most people would be down with mucking around with getting these to run. but i went back... the next day and they were all gone. my gut feeling is that they shipped them off to another store but they could have gone to locals. no way to know for sure.


In situ
if the component arrives before estimated deliver date... and if it works... and if i work out the software... and if i manage to convert all that into an actual print... then i might get a result before the deadline next weekend.

As a certain space cowboy says... "i smell a lot of if coming off this plan."

To be concluded...