Rostock Mini or V2 with Diamond Hot end need help with parts

[prussiap]

Hey all,
I already have a Rostock Max V2 that I love. I kickstarted a Diamond Hot end and I received but I'm too new and scared to modify my existing Rostock . I've decided to build a Rostock mini for dev experimental work and Diamond Hot End.

A learning journey that I plan on documenting and sharing with a full month of "build and learn with me" events at our local Hackerspace.

Sadly we will all be learning at the same time so before I put down more cash I need help choosing parts and with research from more experienced folks.

Diamond hot end needs 3 extruders, plus the x,y,z for printer. Ideally I'd like 1-2steppers extra for safety.

I've been looking at Rumba, Azteeg X5, Smoothieboard (I like but no docs or info on adding more steppers), Azteeg X3 pro (looks like it handles lots of everything).

I need help choosing controller that will work smoothly with that many boards, has firmwares and people have used. I'd love something modern but not bleeding edge .

What have you guys used and what would you use for your ideal build with parameters for stepper motors, extruders etc.

I'll probably need lcd, wifi would be nice or bt for modernity but i'm not greedy .

Any thoughts or suggestions. Cost doesn't matter at this point as much as extruders and decent firmware/configs.

[0110-m-p]

If you want to run the 3 axis and 3 extruders you will need at least 6 drivers...the only two boards I know of that can handle this natively (meaning no custom expansions) are the RUMBA and Azteeg X3 Pro.

If Smoothieboard V2 Pro comes out as pictured several months ago that will be another option.

[prussiap]

yep for the boards you mention. I don't mind adding add ons or doing some soldering.

The smoothieboard seems to say I can solder my own extra drivers with free gpio. but then ends there..

[ZakRabbit]

yep for the boards you mention. I don't mind adding add ons or doing some soldering.

The smoothieboard seems to say I can solder my own extra drivers with free gpio. but then ends there..

http://smoothieware.org/extruder Simply enable more extruders, with which pins were used.

[prussiap]

not sure which ones from the schematic.

Also I'm looking at boards like the RUMBA to compare. They seem to all have terminal pins for steppers AND spaces for these Paolo stepper boards https://www.pololu.com/product/1182/pictures

What's the advantage of the boards if any and is it an either OR proposition?

The RUMBA seems like a solid well documented workhorse but it's also older. Feels like I either splurge on something fancy (maybe bleeding edge) with not much support or get a RUMBA and go with the flow.

Thoughts suggestions based on experience ideas?

[Polygonhell]

A lot of the older electronics solutions use plugin drivers like the pololu ones.

There is no real advantage, other than they are replaceable and the drivers usually used in those boards and on most reprap electronics (and their are many variants around) tend to be very sensitive to over voltage, and can be blown by unplugging to the motor wires with power to the board. They usually also have a pot on the board to set the current, so you can't easily set the current via a digipot like the RAMBO does.

If you want to add a driver to pretty much any board I'd use one of those types of driver, all you need to use one is to wire Step/Enable/Direction inputs, the 4 stepper outputs, the jumpers for the uStep settings and a filtered 12V line.

[prussiap]

Well I got both an Azteeg X3 Pro and Rumba with the Greetech kit from Aliexpress. Gonna build two printers. one for diamond hot end that will be experimental. and the other maybe for laser or cnc later ? or just different experimental. not sure.

I did get a bunch of those pololu ones I'm sitll confused. do you use the driver in the socket AND the terminal cables or either or ?

I'll have some pics of the kit. and my mini Kossel from scratch build. not sure what to do for the effector pullies yet or use the carbon fiber arms for the hot end..