Not done much motion control timelapse stuff recently . I do have the arm project but thought i would sort myself a 3d printer first . If you make machines to make machines it gets a lot easier . Must admit never impressed with the output of 3d printers prefer milled stuff any day . But i suppose it as its uses anyway have a CNC mill its not much more work to turn it into a printer .
So have started with the extruder and hot end . Really over engineered it as lot of the stuff out their is quite flimsy . This does as its advantages though my hot end can get to well over 300 c with out effecting the rest of the extruder , This means more exotic filaments can be used . Nylon been one which means it should be possible to make Igus type bearings .
Anyway thought i would share as nothing much happening in the place i usually lurk.
D1

[flickr]2014-09-07 11.44.47 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

[flickr]2014-09-07 11.48.50 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

[flickr]2014-09-07 11.49.10 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

Hi, D1,
Distracted but not off topic yet Looks an interesting project, useful for your model making ?
TL and Stop motion almost ground to a halt also, managed an hour or two when in the Lake District last week, had lens set to A-Focus, silly mistake

Received my kickstartered rigidbot a month or two back.
Just sold it.

3d printing takes way too much time and effort for me right now...

Hi Mike don't worry we all make mistakes . But yes my interest in timelapse is waning fast everything seems to have been done a thousand times now . Will still potter in my shed though and the arm may still happen . Can always use it as three dimensional CNC for poly carving . The 3d printer will also be handy for work but as Sctotch says they are slow and require a lot of testing to get them set up right . The rigidbot doesn't look to bad scotch but their are so many out their its hard to tell the difference between them . On a plus note only spent about £18 so far rest of the stuff was in the shed . Even used that little TB6560 single axis stepper driver think you got a couple of them Mike . They do work OK too !
D1

Hi, D1, I found those TB6560 quite useful. As soon as the winter weather drives me inside and closer to the wood burner I will look at a couple of stop motion projects I have in mind until then the garden and ongoing general maintainance will take priority.
Off topic, heaven forbid I see the Clangers are back early next year so I expect to see not only the Soup Dragon but also may examples of you handiwork on screen.

Also off topic: https://www.apertus.org/ I wonder how much under $10K. Like the high speed aspect.

Hi Mike agree far to nice not to be enjoying the great outdoors. Yes pleasantly surprised with those drivers, going by stuff on the interweb their almost unusable .

So don't believe everything on the interweb
Yes Clangers went well and it looks really nice . All the moves you will see are done on my rigs but their aren't that many . Time restrictions and all .
I will prob return to the shed soon like you it will be more animation and prob macro timelapse with moves . I like that and theirs not a huge amount of it out their.
Slow mo would be nice to get into and i do keep looking for a affordable camera with decent specs . Nothing out their yet but i am sure their will be soon .
Quick update on printer well it is the off topic section ! Got extruder mounted to mill just got to connect everything up and then the fun bit starts

D1

[flickr]2014-09-09 17.35.58 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

[flickr]2014-09-09 17.30.50 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

Well everybody does a Yoda ! First tests 20mm cube and said Yoda . Actually very fine layer resolution 0.05 but you still get the lines . Most cheaper printers print at .2 layer height . So not bad but still prefer to machine stuff or sculpt when i can .
D1

[flickr]2014-09-15 15.38.47 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

Well regardless of finish you must be pleased with getting your set-up to work ok. I guess knowing what the finish / accuracy is will help decide what will be an acceptable printable item.
To spur you on with the arm and maybe a high speed camera :-

Hi Mike nice find its a Mark Roberts isn't it .If i ever get the arm going don't think it will be doing things fast . The logical thing with the arm would be to buy a scrap industrial robot . They do come up at reasonable prices its just my metal working gear is just not up to that heavy type of stuff .
I have collected a few bits and done some testing so its not dead yet and i am never in that much of a rush .
Yes the 3d printer will have its uses but i don't think its the answer to everything as some people seem to think .Plus it was more or less free
D1

Prob last post on this one . Think solved all my little issues just need to tidy everything up . Spent a bit more money but not a great deal. £9 to be exact on a PID temp controller they are great and god bless China as i have said before don't be scared of buying direct it saves a lot and you don't normally pay tax .
The PID is foreground pic 1 it controls the temp of the hot end to a couple of degrees giving you a better print consistency .
Quite happy with the print quality now although it does take ages at the resolution i am printing . We are talking days here for larger items !
D1
[flickr]2014-09-22 17.06.24 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

[flickr]2014-09-24 17.41.47 by DISPLACEMENT101, on Flickr[/flickr]

The temerature controller is doing a good job, this one has stayed white Looks to be a much smoother finish to your latest model.

Wow, great job. I wish I was into this stuff!

Hi Mike yes the temp control makes a lot of difference to quality . Theirs so many variables in 3d printing you can spend days tweaking stuff . Think even color of filament can make a difference hence my new choice of white . Its one of the cheaper ones out their apparently the quality of filament makes a huge difference to .
But got it working good enough for my needs so just going to brush up on Blender again and start printing stuff . Blender not perfect but my brain cant take to many programs these days .
Hi scotch 3d printing is hugely time consuming you prob best swerving this one unless you like sitting in sheds for hours . Which unfortunately i do
D1