when I try to compile the reprap arduino firmware 1.3 I got this:

error: 'char word [128]' redeclared as different kind of symbol

what do I have to do ?

Drill rod is a smooth hardened rod. I think drills bits are (were) made from it.

The ball bearings in this design are loaded both radially and axially (up-down and sideways, looking at the picture). Small axial load is not a big problem, but in this case it is also applied at a single point, not distributed evenly as in, for example, the shaft mount (pic on the right). This results in ball bearing wear.

On the shaft mount question: I think the load applied by e.g. leadscrew drive could pull out the bearing out of such a hole. You'd probably have to drill a shallow partial hole to hold the bearing in place, and it would be hard to get it level without a drill press.
Also, 1/2" drill bits are sort of special and may not fit into all drills, while 3/8" is usually the biggest size in a typical drill bit set. 1/2" countersink bit can be used, but it produces a conical surface which would again make it difficult to keep bearing level.

It is in German, but maybe You understand this translation by Google

Christoph

It is in German, but maybe You understand this translation by Google

Christoph

I have a couple of questions about the construction of the linear motion sets:

http://www.contraptor.org/linear-rails-bearings-subset
It says the rails use drill rod. Does that mean they have a thread? If yes, what for? Or is my understanding of English wrong, and a drill rod is a rod with a smooth surface?

http://www.contraptor.org/basics#toc5
About the linear rails and ball bearings it says that the bearings are side loaded. Is that an engineering term which expresses that the bearings are fully on the rails, but a bit sideways? Is this design due to the fact that the slide can only move along one axis?

http://www.contraptor.org/make-shaft-mount
The current design of shaft mounts uses screws to put the bearing in place. Why did'nt you simply drill a bigger hole in the angle and press the bearing inside?

Thanks,
Markus

there still exist interest in the metric version ;) You might take a look at Gatoneros site at http://gatonero.wikidot.com , in the forum there we are recently talking about several aspects of the metric conversion (in german).

Your acrylic prototype parts look good, it will be interesting to see how well they work and whether they are stable enough. At least they give you the advantage of getting very lightweighted contraption elements.

Greetings, Oliver

I started to prototype some angles using ponoko.com in order to create my own metric version of contraptor. My aim is to progress slowly as I am not so much an mechanical guy and I still need to figure out how some of the slinding elements, motor couplings, pulleys and rails work together.

My first batch of laser cut angles can be seen here: http://justjoheinz.posterous.com/contraptor-teile It is just a small prototype production.

MY next attempt will be to create linear motion kits and go large scale in the cutting of angles of bigger sizes. The acrylic parts seem to be reasonably stable. Of course they would not match the aluminium angles, but I guess it should be doable to construct e.g. the X-Y plotter.

I would be delighted if others respond to this thread if there still exists interest in the metric version of contraptor. As I am not limited to exisiting aluminium profiles sizes, I can pretty much lasercut anything, as long as it is 3mm thick. So currently I try to design something which adheres to the grid style of contraptor, as I have not really found matching elements in metric versions of alumunium profiles, which would allow this.

i'm also new to this and use this point to step in.
Just ordered my first angles and thinking about how to drill them most acurately (by drillpress, as vitaly suggested).

@generalSocial: using contraptor as guideline is surely ok, and i think also in Vitalys intention if we develop further enhancements systematically (and integrate them in the recent system, e.g. as metric contraptor ). I admire very much the way, it is framed by a detailed documentation and well structurized approach which means double work beside the practical R&D stuff.

And congrats to your XY contraption! ;)

Btw., i am also from Europe/Germany and interested in the metric conraptor, i just contacted gatonero.

greetings,
Oliver

I'm still interested in the ongoing of the metric Contraptor development. I would like somebody steps in. The biggest challenge now is to develop the motion parts so that they fit into a metric grid and using standarized parts at the same time.

Christoph

If you reply to this thread: http://www.contraptor.org/forum/t-192150/suggestion:metric-version-please#post-639779, you might get in touch with Christoph who started some work on metric conversion.

Regarding using Contraptor to drill the angle - I tried that (http://www.garagefab.cc/contraptor/what-can-be-built/perforaptor) and it was a fairly slow process, although it could probably be made faster with stiffer structure (e.g. steel tubes) and more powerful motors. I think center punching using templates and then drilling on a drill press may actually be faster.

Vitaly

There are a lot of great ideas for construction within it.

I managed to get a nice XY contraption going. Without the contraptor site, it would have taken me much longer.

I take a different route now. I construct a lightweight kit using laser cutted arcyl parts using ponoko.com
I created a prototype yesterday of an Angle-6 in metric design. It should take a week or so, to get results.

By the way, is the Contraptor Metric project still active. Whom could I contact when it comes to design decisions?

One challenge I have is holding the piece under the drill press.

We talked about me putting some of the up for sale but there wasnt really a market at the time for it. But it would consist of all wood 2 - 18"s. You just tap and then drill. Find a center punch drill bit.. (not sure if thats the name.. ) it has a little point in the center to get you started at the right point.

Riley

I think the key is to find good ways of drilling and cutting. I tried drilling by hand with a hand drill. That sure wasn't easy. I guess if I had a vise it would have been easier. I added a small drill press and that makes it much better. But I'm still struggling with the accuracy of drilling (despite using the templates in the system). I think it's because I still haven't found a good way of clamping guides on the drill press.

For cutting, I got a cheap miter box. It sure makes it easy to cut parts accurately as compared to my jig saw and my hack saw (the hack saw was disastrous for me).

I think there should be a few ways shown of making each part based on different tools to permit lower friction to getting started. I'd publish how I'm making my parts but I'm not getting much in the way of accuracy yet.

I still think its worth making a CNC part maker but that would be more to incubate a community in a city. But drilling and cutting Contraptor might need something more sturdy than Contraptor. At least to do it with any speed. Also, it's hard to work with longer pieces so the machine would either have to be very large (or at least have a roller system to support the angle) or the pieces would have to be precut.

Cool idea however. I really do like it. Vitaly and I primarily use Google Sketchup for drawing our contraptions so if you decide to take a stab at it let me know. I will think about a few designs in my free time. But I think this would be a really cool thing to see working. The equiv of the maker bot printing its own parts.

Riley

I recently stumpled upon the contraptor site and love the idea of it. Since I live in Europe I would be looking into the metric contraptor and hope that it is still alive and kicking and making progress.

Whilst I was thinking how I could acquire all the parts, I wondered if it is not possible to create a super mini cnc, which solves the only task of drilling the holes into say a 1m beam of the aluminium profiles. The meter could then be cut manually. That way one could basically bootstrap building parts of the complete kit, e.g. for building the CNC contraptor and one would require to purchase only a minimum set of new elements.

When the material to be drilled is only the beams of profiles, it would save an axis and make the bootstrap CNC machine easier and simpler to build, wouldn't it? I'd love to hear from you,

Markus