RepRap

(RepRap – short for Replication Rapid prototyper) 

I almost forget that this blog still exist. Let’s talk about my newest hobby which I’m hooked for quite a while now. 6 months maybe?

3D Printing.

Well it doesn’t sound like something very special, but seriously. It’s fun! (and painful at the same time)

Way back in 2015. I pledged these project on kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiko3d/tiko-the-unibody-3d-printer

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/xmachines/genesis-surpassing-every-expectation-but-your-budg

Well. Both of them failed to deliver product to me and I just forget about it. I lose all the money! After, Thailand implement a law to prevent unauthorizes import of 3D printer. Until prior notice for at least 14 days is given. So it seems like even if they could ship it would be so easy to get what I wanted.

Although I sounded like I gave up. During late 2016, I stumbled on Thai Lazada website and try to order some cheap Chinese printer. It’s few thousands baht and I didn’t expect it will arrives.

But here it is!

As a kit though so I leave the box as is until I’m free enough to assemble it.

Feeling blue from doll hobby so I started to assemble the machine. It feels like playing with lego in the old day but with ac wiring which sounds scary at first.

First successful print!

The printer is somewhat popular about fire hazard and poor quality. Luckily that it’s one of the most popular printer during 2016~ So community was large enough for great supports and information available online.

Endless upgrades. Raspberry Pi for Wifi and remote control, Frame brace, Filament guide, Air duct, and much more.

This type of printer is called FDM. It melts plastic and lay down as layers. These plastic arrives in a form of spool and it hates moisture that it may ruined print quality. So I need to make a filament box too

Then it’s time to start printing some goodies

Some doll prop.

Stuff for sell

Well. One printer is never going to be enough so I need extra machine. So how to do it? Just keep printing more machine!

Also need to learn about electronic so my room kinda look like a lab now. (Old pic cuz now I moved these stuff to dedicated room already)

And why stop there.

I also bought one SLA printer for high quality print. Form 2 printer from Formlab.

QUALITY IS ANOTHER LEVEL from those machines above. But running cost is also much higher so I would use it for commercial work only. not for daily print 🙂

And that is probably all about what I currently have now. 3 Total – 2 FDM printer 1 SLA.

I have plan for future. I’m building three more printers similar to one above to increase my production speed. (one of them will be larger scale printer focusing on larger print). My goal is to have 6 printers (1 SLA 5 FDM) 2 CNC machines within June.

Once I’m done. I might show the picture of workspace 🙂

—–

Enough about progression, Let’s talk about what I feel about this new hobby that came into my life.

I don’t just enjoy 3D printing, but I enjoy experience to build printers, tune them, and see good results I expected.

If I chose a ready to use printer as a first printer instead of cheap kit from China. I would just focus on the printed parts. I probably not spending as much time as I currently do. I won’t really going to change my life as it currently is.

Building own machine is tedious task. But if I have to buy overpriced kits from local merchant (same first machine would cost x 2.5-3 as much if I bought from local merchant and not via Lazada deal). I rather get a really decent machine from official distributor or just build my own machine as I do now.

It really feels like my early day into figuring or doll. Much excitement. Many thing to explore. And I could really enjoy it without any involvement in community that may shift my interest. Good old day indeed.

While this is fun, this is my most overspent hobby every while it took only 6 months comparing to over 6 years in doll hobby. (If not accounting doll related Japan trip) I think I could buy a decent cars out of these printers and parts already. That resin printer set alone is almost 300000 THB with VAT. But it’s my second hobby that I feels like I could earn something from it. It’s not pure minus after-all. (First one is iOS coding)

What I really scared is, I allocated too much time on printing and now I have to ditch mobile gacha gaming and PC gaming (if not then maybe forever). Doll hobby also affected cuz I no longer take photo in daily or weekly basis. I still have photos lying around Lightroom Catalog but I also don’t have time to process them anyway.

Do I regret about diving into this printing world? No. I believe this is my best hobby ever since the doll hobby. No regret, no turning back. (My only regret would be I’m way too late in the hobby, which I knew it since my early day in my uni so this might be my final projects haha)

To wrap-up, 3D Printing will stay alongside with doll hobby. I hope I could better allocate the time and…

enjoy printing, enjoy taking photos too.

PS. that first printer is Anet A8. In the time of writing, it’s no longer the best bang for bucks. Just get a CR-10 variance if u want a cheap starting machine 🙂 I also need to mention the original Prusa. just get that one if u could afford it.

Ps2. Kit is not recommend for ppl who work on regular hours. It takes time to tune and adjust print. Just get a complete kit if u value time more than something else.

Ps3.  note to local ppl. I do accept 3d printing commission. Price depend on material and quality of print. Just contact me via known channel 🙂