" more approachable to the population at large" its works great as is and even so for the population at large.
OK. I vote no for UM2, IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT!!! There are many things that can or should be changed with-out, out lay of money. Cura upgrade is one. I have a Lulzbot TAZ 6 at home, (excellent, reliable machine). Cura is ther TAZ6 suggested software. My biggest problem is the lack of knowledge about setting up Cura to do what I want printed, (Pilot error). I suggest that if UM2 is not printing what you want, it may be pilot
error! UM2 is older but working! If it stops fix it!
Hi Dave,
Would you be willing to vote for a plan of action for when it fails so that we can reduce down time?
JP B
Do we really need a vote budget just hanging out there for an unknown eventuality? chances are next time it goes down it will be within warden’s budget to fix it just like the bowden tube fitting was. If it’s more, I suggest we put the vote up then. Enough members have 3D printers they don’t mind bringing in that we could have another printer in for the week or two it would be down for the vote and shipping time.
I know there was also some discussion about buying a second printer. with the low cost of the import FDM printers, it really seems viable that we get a second Hive-owned printer. Or, I think Will or someone recently donated a printer that could be made to work with some effort? not sure the status of that…
In my opinion the entire point of a makerspace is to have equipment and space which is out of reach for the majority of the populace. This seems to be uncontroversial for tools like welders, routers, lasers, and machine tools. For some reason with 3D printers we need to be in a state which artificially raises the barrier of entry to cater to the caucus of people who already have equivalent tools at home?
In my opinion there are two needs:
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A reliable, easy to use machine with broad material support with little nonsense and a low barrier of entry. I don’t feel an import machine fits that bill at all, and I don’t think buying cheap tools is productive for a makerspace. A stock Ultimaker 2+ fits this bill rather well. We are $400 away from that.
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The second need is an interesting one. If members have printers at home then a low cost printer doesn’t serve them. The printer above does not serve them well, either. Why not spend money on a printer that is above and beyond what members would have at home? Something like an Ultimaker 3 or S5 would have utility to both the membership at large and members who do not have reliable dual-core printers at home. This would also fill the need of a low barrier of entry machine, in which case the caucus of members that want to continue modifying the Ultimaker 2 may do so without damaging hive’s ability to print reliably.
JP B
Here’s what I see as the fundamental philosophical question being asked. This happens frequently enough at Hive13, and we should consider this larger, overarching question:
Should Hive13 fundamentally be a workshop / techshop or a hackerspace?
Workshop = shared space with curated, unmodified tools for members. Membership dues defray the cost of purchase and maintenance. ie Techshop, Manufactory.
Hakerspace = I think Steven Levy defined the hacker ethic best in his book “Hackers” – Specifically the hands on imperative. Although that book refers to the culture surrounding computers in the 1950s-60s, it is highly applicable to “maker” and physical hackerspaces. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_ethic#Hands-On_Imperative
I think Jeff’s ideas are fine, and deserve consideration. The friction is not about filament or printers, it’s about the broader mission and ethic of hive13. I don’t have any clue what that mission or ethic is, as it is ever-changing. Pinning it down from time to time is helpful, though.
I am not sure all that philosophy is really in debate at the moment… I think the debate is whether or not the ultimaker as it currently sits is low barrier of entry…
As I mentioned earlier, I have never 3D printed, but I have a part I need to model up and print in the very near future. I am perfectly happy to report back with my experience as a data point on if the printer is new-user friendly.
Yes let’s keep the conversation civil and productive.
No one is “wrong”, we are getting somewhat into the philosophy of the space.
Arguments can be made that we’ve spent good money on some big pieces of equipment (laser cutter, CNC, lathe, metal brake) and why not continue. I’d welcome a bad ass 3D printer that could do some cool stuff, but I think that is another conversation thread.
The other side is to not buy something that wouldn’t be used much, or only a select few want/need.
Getting the Ultimaker into a more easily fixed state is not a bad thing. Perhaps just good documentation and some spare parts is the answer.
I’m not sure why the 3D printer is a sore spot with folks but let’s keep talking and decide as a group how to move forward.
Someone offering to look into improving our space is a welcome thing, I don’t want to discourage people.
Jeff’s comments have been pretty much about making the space better, try not to take them as “you suck”. (Also try not to just pee all over his suggestions, be productive).
This is a public facing discussion board and I don’t want outside people to think we are a bunch of trolls. (even though some of you are - you know who you are).
Personally if we are gonna get a new printer should be a SLA printer, like the form 3.
Joe Pomeroy
Ha. Now the thread will go down the rabbit hole . . . . .
Perhaps another thread about new capability for the FabLab.
I agree that that should be another thread (and I think there was one recently?). That said, if it does jump over to another thread, I just submitted a proposal at work for purchasing a Form 3 setup with the washing machine and post-cure machine. I could lend my $0.02 to that conversation.
In regards to the budget question,Kevin, no. Budget money has to be revoted on if not used within 3months. At least that’s what it used to be.
Tiffany, (sorry Jeff, hijacking your thread again) where are rules related to purchase votes documented? I had assumed the bylaws, but I recently read the bylaws and there was nothing in them detailing our purchase vote process.
We currently have a data point of 1.
I got a general instruction from Brad on this is how you get a file in CURA, this is how you get a print a file onto the SD card, this is how you make the UM2 turn the file into a physical thing. It prolly took us 45 min start to finish.
Then another conversation afterward with Ryan about the philosophies of printing, what what settings affect what and why one would play with them. The following day I printed almost all the parts for the hurdy gurdy.
I had never operated a printer prior to that.
I’ve committed some updates on the wiki.
I’m bringing in a nozzle this evening along with some CPE (E3D Edge to be exact) to build a benchy with. I’ll be posting from my laptop running the latest Cura. By the end of the evening I should be able to send out a report. This should knock out some of the lower hanging fruit of the conversation and inform the major decision.
JP B
evidence++
Thank you
-D
Side note.
The other printer (Wiiboox) was donated a while back. I found a power supply that can supply it and managed to boot it up and get a cleaning bit stuck in the nozzle. 
Feel fee to mess around with that one if you have time. I don’t know diddily about that model.