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It should work fine. I'm working on a config file to give to you so you can download a new version of Repetier-Firmware to flash to the printer.

It REALLY is that old. It should really be a collector's item at this point.

Oh, it can be made to work. The question is, how much $ (pounds) do you want to spend?

Let's start with the basics...

Although it is possible to get RAMPs to work, I don't know if anyone will have firmware (Repetier) that is configured for RAMPS - or at least even in the ballpark. You would likely be on your own there. Ideally you would swap the electronics for a RAMBO, or better yet, Duet (made in UK) and do the upgrade to a seriously nice electronics platform.

Secondly, the Steve's extruder is going to cause you nothing but problems. If you lived in the US (or willing to pay postage) I'd send you one of my unused ezStruders. That will actually work and be problem free.

Thirdly, the hot end really should be replaced. Since you would be buying something new, best to go with an E3D hotend (they're made in the UK to boot!).

Did you get a great deal on this printer to the point where it makes sense to do these upgrades? Or do you have time to fitz and fuss to try to get this to a point that it can (almost) print? But even if so, the extruder REALLY needs to be replaced as does the hot end.

Ok, so Nylocke comes through on firmware configured for RAMPs. Now you need to sort the extruder and hot end but at least you should be able to get this beast to move around and LOOK like a delta printer!

@mcdarren23 if you don't like acrylic, Nylocke can set you up with a birchwood rostock! High tech look to retro look! Throw on some brass bits and turn it into steampunk.

Does anyone know if the endstops are configured normally open or closed? I would assume closed but if I can avoid back and forth it would be nice. These endstops are the larger switches. Also I'm guessing they are EPCOS thermistors (the larger ones) since I recall SMC using them more often during the earlier years.

It seems that the glass plate is missing from their bed?

Normally, they are configured normally closed (NC).

And likely ECPIS thermistors, I have a box of those from the early days.

The original kits did not come with the borosilicate plate as I recall so that is likely missing.

@Nylocke, are you skipping classes today or on spring break?

Classes are sort of optional this week. Its meant for studying, but theres only one class that I need to study for and its already done.

Looking around at the old manuals it actually seems like they used the smaller ATC GT2 ones. This manual depicts smaller leads similar to the ATC GT2 ones.

Nylocke wrote:Does anyone know if the endstops are configured normally open or closed? I would assume closed but if I can avoid back and forth it would be nice. These endstops are the larger switches. Also I'm guessing they are EPCOS thermistors (the larger ones) since I recall SMC using them more often during the earlier years.

It seems that the glass plate is missing from their bed?

Endstops by default (seemecnc repetier) are configured to be Normally closed.

I think this might work, though I just realized that you said it said it was a RAMBo in the device manager? It might be possible the old owner had installed the RAMBo as an upgrade and didn't remove the RAMPS. Or windows might be confusing the RAMPS for a RAMBo since you installed the RAMBo drivers for it. We might need some more pictures of the base.

Personally I think that you only have the RAMPS, and you probably need to uninstall the RAMBo driver. after doing that if you install the Arduino IDE, it should install the correct drivers for the Mega you have onboard. You might be able to connect and do things with the printer at this stage.

Get that figured out, then get the Arduino IDE. This is configured for RAMPS, so its the Arduino/Genuino Mega with the MEGA 2560 processor.

Oh sure, it'll work - it's not a standard SeeMeCNC Rostock MAX v1 though. I suspect it was one that was cut in the UK. The v1 was never shipped with the RAMPS board, but the UK-origin ones were.

RAMBo-configured firmware will NOT work on that board you've got. I wish I had more advice for you beyond that, but I've only ever seen pics of the RAMPS, I've never used it.

g.

If you try this firmware be very careful. I'm not certain if the steppers are configured to move the correct way, or if the endstops are configured correctly. If the endstops are configured properly but the steppers are reversed the printer can crash into the bed upon homing, so keep your finger on the power switch.

Let me know if the motors move backwards when you home it, or if they only move a little ways (means the endstops are normally open instead of closed). Also tell me which direction they move if they only move a little ways, that can tell me wether they are moving the correct direction.

Nylocke wrote:If you try this firmware be very careful. I'm not certain if the steppers are configured to move the correct way, or if the endstops are configured correctly. If the endstops are configured properly but the steppers are reversed the printer can crash into the bed upon homing, so keep your finger on the power switch.

Let me know if the motors move backwards when you home it, or if they only move a little ways (means the endstops are normally open instead of closed). Also tell me which direction they move if they only move a little ways, that can tell me wether they are moving the correct direction.

If he is truly running ramps instead of the Rambo, couldn't he just make sure in configuration.c that the board type is set to Ramps?

I'm fairly certain that the RAMBo config of .91 has some significant pin differences, as in custom defined pins for fans and things. The RAMPS only has 3 12 power outputs, one for the bed, one for E0, and the other for E1 or a fan, etc.

Eaglezsoar wrote:

Nylocke wrote:If you try this firmware be very careful. I'm not certain if the steppers are configured to move the correct way, or if the endstops are configured correctly. If the endstops are configured properly but the steppers are reversed the printer can crash into the bed upon homing, so keep your finger on the power switch.

Let me know if the motors move backwards when you home it, or if they only move a little ways (means the endstops are normally open instead of closed). Also tell me which direction they move if they only move a little ways, that can tell me wether they are moving the correct direction.

If he is truly running ramps instead of the Rambo, couldn't he just make sure in configuration.c that the board type is set to Ramps?

It's not quite that simple, there are some explicit pin assignments outside of pins.h in configuration.h.

Boy the clear acrylic sure makes for a pretty looking printer too bad about the cracking problems.

Yeah, they were the bees knees at the time. I think there was a black version and maybe a blue version too.

hi all thank you for all your help again

Ok, you do have 15 tooth pulleys on the tower steppers.

If that is the only board in the machine then it is definitely a RAMPS and not RAMBo. I have no idea how RAMBo could even show up in device manager! Any Windows gurus have any ideas on that? Have you had another printer in the past that ran RAMBo? Is it maybe still connected to this computer?

Did you try the things I recommended in an earlier post with connection rate, etc? If so, what were the results?

Also, can you unplug the USB from your computer, make sure the COM14 port disappears and then plug it into a different USB port and see what happens please?

i have taken it out of one usb and placed into another. its name now is arduino mega 2560 (com14)
yes i did and nothing changed. just seems like they dont want to talk to each other at all !
just my luck

further to your other comment about changing a few things over. i have had a look.
i think you suggested.......
duet board... could you suggest a model type or number for this ?
any certain extruder ?
e3d hot end v6 1.75 12v be ok ?

thanks

Perhaps it is loading the Rambo driver in windows when it should not be. That is the only way I can think of for the Rambo to appear in Device Manager.

Keep in mind that the rambo "driver" is just a little text file that tells Windows that it's a serial port. The .inf file should work for the RAMPS.

Try setting the baud rate in Repetier Host to 115200 and see if you can connect to the board then. The 250000 baud rate is typically a rambo-only thing and the RAMPS may be at 115200 by default.

g.

ok that did something extruder temp is coming up now.... bed temp doing nothing still a blank screen as well

geneb wrote:Keep in mind that the rambo "driver" is just a little text file that tells Windows that it's a serial port. The .inf file should work for the RAMPS.

Try setting the baud rate in Repetier Host to 115200 and see if you can connect to the board then. The 250000 baud rate is typically a rambo-only thing and the RAMPS may be at 115200 by default.

g.

Agreed Gene but where did the word Rambo come from that is sitting in device manager? I am confused about exactly what the Rambo driver does besides identify ports and baud rates.

never had a 3d printer installed on this comp befor either
thanks