HM version 4 Rpi 3d print case


 
M Miller said:
So now I need to print one to see if it'll work...
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I keep thinking that I need to buy a 3D printer so I can make awesome cases for all the experiments I create. Then I look at how much work you've put into the mechanical design and realize I'd be more likely to 3D print Homer's BBQ Grill than a usable case design. Looks good!
 
I print everything in ABS any more. PLA is a bit too stiff for most useful things, especially things that need to be re-worked after printing. PLA would be nice in that you can make parts that are semi-transparent. And it's a bio-plastic which makes environmental sense.

But for this application ABS is just better. It melts at a higher temp, so any accidental contact or close placement to a heat source won't ruin it. And it's tougher to boot. PLA is very hard, but brittle.

I'm glad everyone is receptive to the re-design. There is one minor thing I have yet to do, but it's a non-issue really. I'll give printing it off a go tonight and tomorrow (my in-laws are staying with us, so I can't run the printer at all hours of the night like I usually do).

Once I get the thing assembled and tweaked (seems like everything needs tweaking) I'll upload the files to github for your downloading pleasure.

Bryan,
I gotta tell you - having a 3D printer at your disposal is kinda life-altering, especially for those of us who are involved in these kinds of projects. But having a 3D printer is just part of the equation - you've got to put some serious time into learning a CAD package to get the results you want. But that is some of the most rewarding learning you can do. I can model just about any object now, and being able to output it to a 3D printer is awesome. For me the creative process is really rewarding, especially when people actually use the things I design (or co-design in this case - thanks Tom!).

As an aside, I was looking at the Cajun Bandit website and looked at their BBQ controllers. HOLY CRAP! Now I know why this project is so popular! I had no idea those controllers were so expensive. Is it just me or does the HM4 out-perform those commercial contollers? The web-interface alone makes it better in my eyes.

Matt
 
Yah, the commercially available controllers can set you back, the CyberQ is abut $300 bucks without the blower, by the time you buy their fan you'll have $400 into it... WOW! I really wanted one bad but couldn't justify the expense. Building a HM is not cheap by far, but compared to $400 it's cheap, and like you said, it's rewarding to have built something yourself... and you also end up with a rPi which you could use in other ways if you want....

Speaking of using the rPi in other ways, I was wondering if it would be possible to somehow make the SD card accessible (to be removed/changed) from the back of the unit without opening it up (without removing the screws)? Perhaps just enough of a slot in the back/side so you could grab the SD card and slide it out, or a door like a battery compartment or something? Cause I wouldn't mind having the ability to change SD cards and do other things with the unit when I am not BBQ'ing, like say, a media PC. I realize the audio jack is hopelessly buried into the IC chip, but it wouldn't be too tough to remove the audio jack and replace it with a header that you could wire into a jack mounted on the case. I know you have already gone above and beyond with the case design, but I just thought I would throw that out there in case a slot on the back would be easy enough to create and give access to the SD card.
 
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M Miller said:
That may be possible...
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Awesome!

Also, I was wondering if you ran across my idea for making a waterproof case? Well, not a waterproof HM case exactly, but a waterproof shell that the case would go into. The shell would have a clear plexiglass face that would affix to a plastic box/tray printed on a 3D printer, being sealed together water tight with silicone. The bottom of the shell would be left open to push the HM (in a case) up inside where it would be protected from rain, the shell could be mounted and left outside by your smoker and you just push your HM into it when you fear rain.

This would be a real simple way to make the HM waterproof, and setup would remain easy as well, all the leads would just come out of the open bottom. Could be an optional companion product to go along with the standard HM case. What do you think?
 
RalphTrimble said:
Awesome!

Also, I was wondering if you ran across my idea for making a waterproof case? Well, not a waterproof HM case exactly, but a waterproof shell that the case would go into. The shell would have a clear plexiglass face that would affix to a plastic box/tray printed on a 3D printer, being sealed together water tight with silicone. The bottom of the shell would be left open to push the HM (in a case) up inside where it would be protected from rain, the shell could be mounted and left outside by your smoker and you just push your HM into it when you fear rain.

This would be a real simple way to make the HM waterproof, and setup would remain easy as well, all the leads would just come out of the open bottom. Could be an optional companion product to go along with the standard HM case. What do you think?
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Or you could just place a cheap Tupperware container over the unit. I do it all the time. For some reason it always rains when I plan to bbq.
 
Tom Kole said:
Or you could just place a cheap Tupperware container over the unit. I do it all the time. For some reason it always rains when I plan to bbq.
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Right now the case for my HM IS a tubberware container, I'm really tired of it... It's bulky, doesn't mount, doesn't look good, it does keep out the rain but it looks pretty hillbilly...
I just figured if we go through all this to have a neat 3D printed case, why shove it in a tupperware when there is a cloud overhead when you could print a nice waterproof mount the HM could push into instead? It would be more convenient, attractive and professional looking....
 
M Miller said:
I gotta tell you - having a 3D printer at your disposal is kinda life-altering, especially for those of us who are involved in these kinds of projects.
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Oh man I can see that. I have like 50 projects sitting around either with bare circuit boards or enclosed in a too-giant box that are all just crying out for 3D printed parts. Not to mention other devices I can't figure out how to attach would probably be easy if custom printed. Has anyone asked how much your Prism ended up costing you? I see complete Prism 1.5 kits going for around $1200 or PrismX for $1800. I think it might be a little out of my price range.

No kidding about the costs of the commercial systems. I started on the HeaterMeter project back when I first saw the Stoker and considered buying it. It was wired ethernet only so that would mean I'd need to run a WiFi AP in client mode to connect it back upstairs and there'd be like 10 cables and two devices all trying to cram into the same tiny table. Also you need to keep another computer running to get graphs and you can only see if from that computer? Pfff. The web page looks like Baby's First HTML circa 1998 too. All that inconvenience *and* it costs $400? No way man. That's where the design of the first HeaterMeter came from. It's just been evolving and getting better all the time, while getting easier, and staying roughly the same cost I started with.
 
There are so many holes. I'm not sure that a waterproof enclosure is even possible. Weather-resistant maybe. It really depends on the orientation of the box, unless you've got special ports to pass the wiring through.

Couple that with the fact that 3D printed parts are not 100% solid...

To be honest I think the best thing to do would be to mock up the heatermeter in its' case, install the probes, PWR and fan leads then put that whole setup on a vacuum table and vacuum form a piece of clear plastic over the whole works. This way you're pretty much covered (from the top at least). Just cut away the plastic from the button and add a flexible membrane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maH5Ech0wK8
 
There are Prism 1.5 kits? I've seen the Prism X. Maybe MendelMax 1.5 kits?

Anything more than $1000 is too much IMHO.

To be honest I haven't considered total cost yet. Let me run some numbers and get you and others a ballpark figure. I really, really hate seeing people get ripped off when it comes to 3D printing. Especially if you go the DIY route it can be pretty affordable.

I've got a few minutes to kill...

So I'm in the camp that you should spend the money where it counts and skimp on things that aren't important. Seems sensible enough.

The important bits you should splurge on:
$85 Stepper motors. NEMA 17's, preferably 400 step motors (0.9 degree) 5 @ $17 each at sparkfun : https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10846
$12 GT2 belting 2m belt at sdp-si, part # A 6R51MB09060
$12 Machined pulleys, not printed ones. If you want to really go all out aluminum pulleys with fairloc hubs. 2 @ $7 at SDP-SI, part # A 6Z51M036DF0605
$50 Stepper Drivers - Pololu A4988 Black Edition drivers are worth the extra $1 5@$9.95 http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/2128
$66 Hotend - J-head with mounting plate from hotends.com - Brian originated the design and makes one of the best, most reliable and most affordable hotends available today. Your first hotend should be a 0.5mm https://www.hotends.com/
$13 Hobbed bolt - don't bother trying to make one. Laszlo has these beautiful machined "hyena bolts" at arcol.hu - they are worth every penny. http://shop.arcol.hu/item/hyena
$238 :Total cost of splurge list


Other stuff you'll need (for a Prism anyway)
$40 HFS5-2020-400 aluminum extrusions, 400mm @misumiusa
$20 HNKK5-4 T-slot nuts @ misumiusa
$30 Linear shafts, 8mm or 10mm @ mcmaster or misumi
$18 608 bearings vxb.com via amazon.com
$24 LM8UU or LM10UU bearings for linear motion. Or you can go with self-aligning bronze bushings which are way cheaper. You'll need 12.
$10 M3 hardware (20mm bolts, 10mm bolts, nuts, washers, lockwashers) at mcmaster.com
$10 M4 hardware (16mm bolts, nuts, washers, lockwashers) at mcmaster.com
$3 M6 threaded rod, 1m
$5 M6 hardware (nuts)
$30 Arduino Mega (clone is OK)
$50 RAMPS package (Ultimachine has a DIY kit for $50)
$5 (3) microswitches
$1 aquarium tubing - 12"
$5 zipties
$10 22ga wire
$261 :Other stuff cost

That's right around $500 so far.

There is some other stuff you'll need too.

$100 Plastic parts (duh) - typically I charge by weight for reprap parts. I haven't printed a Prism in a while, but the last one I printed I charged $100 bucks for the printed bits. It's more expensive than a Prusa as there are a lot more parts. :(
$30 for a heated bed (not totally necessary, but nice to have)
$30 for a 12V power supply

So right around $660. Add shipping costs in and you're probably at $700 ~ $750

Tom, are these costs in line with what you spent on your new machine?

But these costs should be very similar for other machines as well, including the mendelmax (1.5 or 2.0), prusa mendel i2, prusa mendel i3 will be cheaper of more expensive depending on the material you choose for the main plate. There is also the Mendel90. I would not recommend anyone to build a delta robot for their first machine as they can be quite finicky.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask. :)
 
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I had no idea the 3D printed objects were not solid and waterproof like regular plastic items, wouldn't do any good trying to make a waterproof shell out of that. I guess I will start looking for another type of box I can use to make my waterproof shell then... Thanks for taking the time to read my comments and reply....
 
Thanks Matt and Tom (who PMed me) for the answers to my 3D printing questions. I'm definitely going to do this and spent the past 6 hours googling and watching assembly videos. I eventually came across this Prusa i3 kit which seems to be really well priced, has a j-head hotend, heated bed, all the electronics and motors, as well as not-printed GT2 pulleys. The guy assembles the whole thing on youtube in what looks to be no time at all, prints from SD card, and only $560. Everyone posting about it on reprap seems to have nothing bad to say about it. Is this a no-brainer purchase? It is well inside my price range even if I had to replace some parts with upgrades along the way.

Sorry to derail this thread into general 3D printing talk but you two have gotten me really excited about the idea.
 
You and me both! The price of entry has just been so high, but that Prusa unit looks pretty sweet for the price indeed... I'm glad to hear you are taking the plunge, and hope to hear how it works out for you. I think it might be time that I decide to make a move on a 3D printer too...
You know, two years from now when they are selling a 3-color 3D printers for $175 bucks at Best Buy were gonna look back at this thing and say WOW! LOL
 
It looks like a well built machine. Should get the job done nicely. I would skip getting an atx power supply though and get a quality 30 amp 12v dedicated supply.
 
M Miller said:
Here ya go!

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So now I need to print one to see if it'll work...
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Have you had a chance to try this design and if so how did it go? If it went well, Will they be available soon?
Just waiting for one more part to arrive today to finish my build. Will need to order a case to complete part heights of LED's and switch.
Thanks for all your hard work. That goes for all the amazing people involved is this entire heatermeter endeavor. You are all rock stars in my world!!!!
 
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Bryan Mayland said:
Sorry to derail this thread into general 3D printing talk but you two have gotten me really excited about the idea.
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It's an exciting technology! And an increasing number of people are turning into amateur mechanical engineers and artists because of it. Couple that with the resurgence of the "Maker" culture and we may be seeing the beginning of a fundamental culture shift away from mindless consumerism toward much more goal-focused behavior. Especially when doing these projects is fun, and sharing your outcomes and struggles with the rest of the world is so easy. Collaboration becomes the norm and status is not based on wealth but on knowledge, ability and a willingness to help within the community. Look no further than the HeaterMeter project as an example. We all bring differing skill sets and contribute in our own way. For instance, I am not a programmer and I haven't used unix/linux in a VERY long time - it was a minor miracle that I got my HM4 to work. :) But I can do CAD and PCB layout and design. So designing a custom daughter board for my setup was easy (I outsourced the programming to a friend). So was designing the fan duct. I'm open-sourcing both of these things once I'm happy with them, BTW. But I digress. I think the tool at the core of this shift in perspective is the 3D printer in that it will democratize "making" by removing the need to possess a specific skill set to make things (woodworking, metalworking, etc). Just my $0.02.

That's a good price. The reason it costs so little is that it's made entirely of plywood - which is not a bad thing. It will be very stiff in X and Z, which is a good thing.

I printed out the bottom of the case last night too:
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I need to adjust some of the ports for fit, but overall I'm pretty happy with the bottom so far. The top is printing now, so I should have an idea of how it will fit together later today. Hopefully the nut traps will be right (fingers crossed).
 
She fits!

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But I need to move the nut traps up slightly to make it easier to assemble. So I've got some fine-tuning to do when I get home tonight.

But the new case is nearly there! :)
 
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