The Blacked out Rostock

[CJGerard]

So i have started my build and have a few pic's, but haven't gotten that far into it so i'll keep posting as i progress. First up is me picking up the Rostock from SeeMeCNC. Part Daddy was on hand to give me and my buddy "Crazy Dave" a tour of his shop. It was really fun and if you ever get the chance to go there i Highly recommend it! Also take your coolest car, here i took my month old 2014 Mustang to pick up the rostock. It made the 4 hour road trip to northern IN so much more fun.

[CJGerard]

So during my trip Part Daddy dropped his phone. I felt so bad for him but it was freaking hilarious considering the story he told me about his buddy loosing his phone on the way back from the KC maker-fair.

[CJGerard]

So i finally got the Rostock home and out of the car. here it is still in the box, then unpacked, and starting to clean up the melamine pieces and paint the edges. (put my kids to work at this point and my daughter is using a black "uni-paint" paint marker to paint the edges before we begin assembly)

[CJGerard]

The rostock unpacked

[Eaglezsoar]

Looking good so far. Thanks for posting this, I always enjoy a documented build because everyone does it differently and it is a learning experience for both the builder and for
the Forum members. I learn something new from each build and that's why I enjoy each one. Involving your children is a great idea, they can learn a lot from the build and
hopefully become interested in Science. Have a great build!

[ApacheXMD]

Quick tip: if you get a plastic container with lots of compartments (like a tackle box), it really helps keep all the different screws, nuts and fasteners organized during the build.

[CJGerard]

@ Eaglezsoar Thanks for the well wishes. As for involving my kids, I'm a toolmaker so im constantly trying to find ways to involve them in anything remotely close to my trade.

@ Apachexmd Thank you for the tip! I have an old tackle box up-stairs that im gonna put stuff in for now. (the original plan was to use a Gerster tool chest, but i have to dig that out ) I'm always constantly amazed at the stuff people over look until a second set of eyes take a peek.

[kbob]

This build log needs more Mustang pictures. (But seriously, that's a nice car.)

My MAX is already pretty black; it'll be interesting to see what your "blacked out" printer looks like. That same paint pen will be handy to touch up any chips in the melamine.

I'll look forward to your next installment.

[CJGerard]

Thanks, I've always been a Chevy person, but when i saw it on the lot shopping for a new car for my wife i had to have it. Other than the placement of the cup holders, i have yet to find anything i don't like about it. Ford did one hell of a nice job designing it.

Basically i'll be swapping out the nuts and bolts and black-oxidizing the aluminum parts. First though i want to get it up and running so i'm just doing miner things at this point.

[CJGerard]

So today I got the point where i installed the limit switches. Man they were a pain, I ended up running a wire coat hanger through the hole and then just pushing the wires through. every other way i tried (including fishing line) didn't work. I left the center of the limit switched attached so i can install a led on them at some point in the future and covered the exposed wires with heat shrink tubing.

Squaring and leveling this thing was a royal pain in the but, i got through it but it took quite awhile. I'm probably going to make some brackets for it at some point in the future. I just don't trust the platform always staying reliably square and level.

[Eaglezsoar]

So today I got the point where i installed the limit switches. Man they were a pain, I ended up running a wire coat hanger through the hole and then just pushing the wires through. every other way i tried (including fishing line) didn't work. I left the center of the limit switched attached so i can install a led on them at some point in the future and covered the exposed wires with heat shrink tubing.

Squaring and leveling this thing was a royal pain in the but, i got through it but it took quite awhile. I'm probably going to make some brackets for it at some point in the future. I just don't trust the platform always staying reliably square and level.

Can you share your vision on the brackets, I am interested in what you plan to do and where you would place these.

[JohnStack]

Agree, wanna understand more about brackets!

[CJGerard]

Im still in the brain storming stage, but there are several area's i can focus on to do this.

First of all at the base, i can take some off the shelf angles (used to re-enforce corners on shelves and such). Dust one side on an angle plate to ensure that they are perfectly square and place them on the base. (three would be used per extrusion)

Also the area on the outside of the rostock can be utilized to place a bracket or plate from the melamine to the rostock. I'm assuming that the servo drive mounts in the base are going to be pretty square considering how they were made. plus this will cover up the exposed belts in the base.

In all areas the slot in the alum extrusion would be used to bolt the extrusion to the base.

[CJGerard]

So all i managed to get done tonight were to mount the cheapskates and the ezstruder. Im probably gonna finish the hub for the printhead when i get up in the morn ( wait its already morning....****). This thing is coming along alot slower than i expected, i guess im just being a perfectionist at this point or im to busy chasing my little ones around trying to get them to help.

the plastic arms feel weird to me, they don't move as fluidly as the spinny thingys do.

Anyway i did manage to mount the ezstruder backwards and no i didn't take a picture.

[Capt Jack]

Welcome to the club of black Rostocks!
Wait...is that thing staying in your living room

[CJGerard]

My wife put her foot down about it going in the bedroom So yes.. yes it is staying in the living room as long as i clean up my GIANT mess that me and the little ones have made in the living room.

[CJGerard]

So, i went back and reread the instructions and fixed my arms. now they move really nicely, of course i know that the first print will really tell how well of a job i did.

I also forgot to buy some kapton tape. i realized this last night and got bummed that i stalled my rostock build. But i can get it locally at grainger or part express, i just have to wait until Monday.

Now that im waiting to get the tape i started working on other areas and makeing mods.

[kbob]

Did you add the top-mount EZStruder holder or is that a standard feature now?

[CJGerard]

From what i know its standard now. I bought the last rostock that was for sale at the KC maker-fair. It just so happened i made my trip to pick it up on the first day they were back from their trip.

I have been watching them since the rostock campaign first took off and i'm amazed at how quickly the guys at seemecnc adopt and incorporate new ideas into their products.

[Capt Jack]

Did you add the top-mount EZStruder holder or is that a standard feature now?

I just purchased/built mine and I had bought the top mount kit, not knowing that it's now included (doesn't say that on the spec sheet). I guess I would've appreciated an email just confirming I wanted a top mount kit instead of giving me two.

[CJGerard]

So on my last day of vacation I am done with my build. Now im stalling before I turn it on because i dont wanta let the "Magic Smoke" out.

anyway i still have more to do to it to completely "Black it out" but for now its time to turn it on and watch it go "BOOM."

here are the pics of the completed kit. i will post more as i upgrade or work with the machine.




"Crossing my fingers"

[CJGerard]

So i have no magic smoke, but when i go tyo load the firmware i get an error

[kbob]

Oh, good. Now Gene gets to write another version of the manual. (-:

How long is the PTFE tube on the new top-mount extruders? Did you have to cut it?

[CJGerard]

I dont know i never cut it. its the exact size seemecnc gave me. it appears tobe the correct size.

Thank you for your tip on the adrino now im working on trying to get my hotend to heat up

[CJGerard]

Just checked all my connections on the hot end, they all checked out. the only thing that didn't is the resistors they are maxing out my old school analog multimeter. Time to contact seemecnc