Building the Velleman K8200 3D Printer, Part 1, 2 & 3

[Lee Roberts]

I follow a number of machinists on YouTube and recently one of them purchased a Velleman K8200 3D Printer (http://www.velleman.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p576_k8200.html), these look like great entry level machines, they come as a kit so you also get the fun of "building" your own.

Part 1: Unboxing

http://youtu.be/-lxZuI5CJpI

Part 2: Assembly

http://youtu.be/9zqaOEqUuVQ

Part 3: Printing and Calibration

http://youtu.be/f92FHc5E8qM

What is around the right price for designing and building your own now days?

I thought it was a really good price, £499 off the shelf at Maplin (http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/velleman-k8200-3d-printer-kit-n82qg) or a quick look on eBay is showing this one: Assembled Velleman K8200 3D Printer (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Assembled-Velleman-K8200-3D-Printer-PLA-ABS-Colour-Plastic-Filament-Model-/111486934854?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_Printers_Printers_ JN&hash=item19f5239f46) at £320 but they are also taking offers, surely it's just a bit of linear rail and some 40x40 ali profile when all said and done?

.Me

[Neale]

I probably spent around £250 for components for my Prusa about 2.5 years ago. That's buying a kit of printed parts, stainless studding, nuts and bolts, and enough material to build several hot ends from scratch. I also bought the control board as a kit. I wouldn't build a Prusa again as there are much better designs around, but my guess is that my mk2 when I build it will cost around the same. I wouldn't use profile rail as the designs based on a gantry cut from sheet look much better to me but they need the ability to profile, say, alloy sheet.