My MakerBot

This is my DIY 3D printer. It's comprises of a kit purchased from Makerbot Ind. I received the kit back in November of '09, but due to the holidays and work I wasn't able to get it assembled and working until April of 2010. Since then I have added several upgrades.

My first upgrade was more of an attempted upgrade. I tried to add a heated build platform. The build platform is what the part is printed on. Due to the nature of the plastic used (ABS) the prints have a tendency to warp as they are printed. A heated build platform significantly reduces warping in the print. My first heated build platform didn't work out due to epoxy failure.

The wedge shape is due to the epoxy around the screws holding the top ceramic plate to the wood base. After this failure I purchased a different heated platform kit. This went together with much more success.

The detail image show my solution to losing the small surface mount components during my attempt to solder them without tweezers and compromised fingertips (band-aids). Additional upgrades I've added include the new MK5 extruder and a filament spool so the Makerbot can auto-feed. I'll post pictures soon.