Custom Transparent Makerbot Thing-O-Matic
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Published on November 13, 2011
Derived from
Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer
by MakerBot
Description
I work at the Columbia University Lab for Unconventional Electronics, where we do a lot of work on organic electronics and fabrication, amongst other things.
We recently got 2 Makerbot Thing-O-Matics and decided to cut out the panels for the second one out of clear acrylic using a laser cutter. We also added some custom decals into the CAD file and etched them in. Two cold cathodes also add an extra bit of flare.
Here's a video of it in action: youtube.com/watch?v=pWmJrci-lg8
Our lab's website: kymissis.columbia.edu/
We recently got 2 Makerbot Thing-O-Matics and decided to cut out the panels for the second one out of clear acrylic using a laser cutter. We also added some custom decals into the CAD file and etched them in. Two cold cathodes also add an extra bit of flare.
Here's a video of it in action: youtube.com/watch?v=pWmJrci-lg8
Our lab's website: kymissis.columbia.edu/
Instructions
The standard CAD file can be edited and used to cut out custom side panels for the Makerbot Thing-O-Matic. There may be a newer version of the files on Thingiverse, in which case you'll want to use those (or whichever version matches your kit).
We used 5mm acrylic panels, the same thickness as the wooden panels used for the Thing-O-Matic.
The acrylic did not fit together as easily as the wood, so you may need to just smack it into place a little.
Finally, because the acrylic was a bit more rigid than the wood, the stages did not move as smoothly as the wooden ones. This was not a problem except for the Z-axis, where the stage would actually jam. Adding a bit of lubricant to the gear shaft of the stepper fixed it up nicely though.
Standard Molex cold cathodes (like the kind used in PCs) can be attached to the ATX power supply. You may need to use a Y splitter if there aren't enough plugs.
You might also notice that the power supply is not the same one as the one in the kit- after a bit of an accident when tinkering, we shorted something and blew the old one out so we replaced it with a 500W Antec Earthwatts standard ATX power supply.
We used 5mm acrylic panels, the same thickness as the wooden panels used for the Thing-O-Matic.
The acrylic did not fit together as easily as the wood, so you may need to just smack it into place a little.
Finally, because the acrylic was a bit more rigid than the wood, the stages did not move as smoothly as the wooden ones. This was not a problem except for the Z-axis, where the stage would actually jam. Adding a bit of lubricant to the gear shaft of the stepper fixed it up nicely though.
Standard Molex cold cathodes (like the kind used in PCs) can be attached to the ATX power supply. You may need to use a Y splitter if there aren't enough plugs.
You might also notice that the power supply is not the same one as the one in the kit- after a bit of an accident when tinkering, we shorted something and blew the old one out so we replaced it with a 500W Antec Earthwatts standard ATX power supply.
License
Custom Transparent Makerbot Thing-O-Matic by amabhy is licensed under the Attribution - Share Alike - Creative Commons license.
At least with Acrylic you don't have to deal with the black from the burnt wood of the original kit. :'( *DONT_KNOW*