Start!

This is the first blog post. I intend to to record this summer 2011 as I attempt to construct a rapid prototyper.

A rapid prototyper is a machine capable of constructing any form of geometry from a 3d cad file, anything that you can draw can be "printed" in 3d using one of these machines. There are many different types of machine that come under the heading of rapid prototyper, I will be building a machine that constructs parts by melting plastic and then extruding the plastic out of a fine nozzle to build the parts I want.

This type of machine is complicated I will be using electronic parts from Makerbot, this is a company that produces hobby level rapid prototypers. (Buying one off the shelf would be no fun.) I will be design the mechanical layout myself and using off the shelf bearings and lead screws etc available over the net or via ebay.