[Cerrado] Prusa + Box  

Re: Prusa + Box

While waiting for my mk2 I took a trip to ikea.
I plan to have filaments in the top cabinet.

Here is the list of what i used.
I'm in norway, so i linked to the gb site to get it in english for you guys 🙂

2 x LACK side table 200.114.13
STUVA frame 301.281.77
SINDVIK glass door 902.918.58
BESTÅ soft closing/push-open hinge 802.612.58
LAPPVIKEN door 502.916.76 (used this insted of the backplate from the Stuva frame to stiffen up)
BESTÅ frame 702.458.48
SINDVIK glass door 802.918.54
UTRUSTA small hinge for horizontal door 602.046.50 (these hinges are not made for the Bestå frame, so you have to make your own holes)

Re: Prusa + Box

Is there an economical place to order cut acrylic or poly-carbonate from?

Re: Prusa + Box

I am waiting for my Mk2 to ship, so plan on making an enclosure while waiting. I found on the product page that the exterior dimensions are 42 x 42 x 38 cm (16.5 x 16.5 x 15 inches). Guessing this is Width x Depth x Height? Can someone also tell me what the full height would be with the filament spool mounted on top? Thank you.

Re: Prusa + Box

I just finished my box... need some details to be done (cable management, lights, cam, rack UPS) and than will be perfect.

Re: Prusa + Box

I just finished my box... need some details to be done (cable management, lights, cam, rack UPS) and than will be perfect.

Can you list all of your parts and expenses? This looks like 3 Lack tables.

Re: Prusa + Box

I needed to print something in ABS, so I made a box.

Ok, I lied. I just bought a box. hot glued some strips from a camping mat under it, and voila.

Pretty? well... kind of..

In case you are wondering why I have 2 stacks of old CDs taped to the top?
Becasue the top was hanging/sagging/bowing down/concave. So I made a hole in the middle, put a iron bar from a disassembled printer on 2 stacks of cds, and pull the middle of the top (former bottom) up.

Re: Prusa + Box

I just wanted to share what I came up with for a cheap printer enclosure for my MK2. Yes, I know wood is not ideal, but I have plans to add a flammable gas sensor to my Octoprint.

Cost Breakdown
3/4" MDF Sheet $42 Home Depot
Lexan Sheet $20 Home Depot
Handle $5 Home Depot
Hinges $13 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IY8CTLM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Misc Fasteners $10 Hardware Store
Total $80 + time

Construction:
Have Home Depot make the cuts for you. You need:
Bottom: 22"X 25"
Top: 22" X 25"
Back 22" X 28"
Right 28" X (25 - x)"
Left 28" X (25 - x)"
Door (28 - 2x)" X 22"
These cuts can be made from one 4' X 8' sheet of MDF as follows

Bottom | Back | Door
Top | Right | Left

After that, assembly is straightforward. I used screws to hold the bottom and sides together for easier disassembly (compared to glue). The top is held on with two hinges so I can open the top and the door is held on by the other two hinges. There is a hole in the top for filament and a hole on the inside for power to come in. My Octoprint and relay control is mounted on the left and the printer sits on a 1" dense foam with a piece of tile under the printer (not as quiet as it could be, but quieter that without it. I have an LED light and fan as well. I used my router to cut the window opening on the door, but a jigsaw would work as well.

Re: Prusa + Box

While waiting for my mk2 I took a trip to ikea.
I plan to have filaments in the top cabinet.

IMG_20161028_164535.jpg

IMG_20161028_164552.jpg

Here is the list of what i used.
I'm in norway, so i linked to the gb site to get it in english for you guys 🙂

Hi Jonas,

Cool build!
I have a technical question, how did you mount the LAPPVIKEN door in the back? I found that drilling the boards isn't great as they seem to have a lot of empty spaces inside(low infill, ha ha...)?
Maybe soom woodglue would help?

Re: Prusa + Box

I posted earlier about this enclosure before I got my Prusa.

The enclosure was handmade and designed to heat the enclosure and scrub the air of any toxins. Air is sucked through a Hepa filter into a chamber to the right of the printer and through a carbon filter (grow up exhaust filter). The air is then drawn through a subfloor and past a reptile heat lamp. The temperature is thermostatically controlled. I print ABS at around 38C internal temperature. The electronics and particularly the PSU prefer cooler temps. I find the PSU on the prusa runs hot even not enclosed. The vent fans suck cold air from outside and directly blow cool air on the electronics. The PSU runs very cool using this method.

Re: Prusa + Box

John-

Can you elaborate on your design (if you would not mind) and share the parts/build? I too am concerned with health issues for myself and family and have been actively searching for an enclosure that is realistically priced or something that I could build that will still offer VOC capture and active carbon/HEPA. Thanks in advance!

James

Re: Prusa + Box

I posted earlier about this enclosure before I got my Prusa.

The enclosure was handmade and designed to heat the enclosure and scrub the air of any toxins. Air is sucked through a Hepa filter into a chamber to the right of the printer and through a carbon filter (grow up exhaust filter). The air is then drawn through a subfloor and past a reptile heat lamp. The temperature is thermostatically controlled. I print ABS at around 38C internal temperature. The electronics and particularly the PSU prefer cooler temps. I find the PSU on the prusa runs hot even not enclosed. The vent fans suck cold air from outside and directly blow cool air on the electronics. The PSU runs very cool using this method.

Dude.. This is Amazing! and exactly what i need... i use my anet a6 for ABS and have it enclosed in an IKEA LACK enclosure.. but you can DEFINITELY still smell the ABS when printing.. it worries me a bit.. so i would love to get something like this built so i'm no longer killing my roommate and myself -.-. Plus, getting my MK2S enclosed as well is a decent perk

Re: Prusa + Box

Ok so first up some requested info on the build.

Thermostat that is linked to the heat lamp.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01IBK9I12/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Carbon filtration - these filters have several pounds of carbon
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00E582DV2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Exhaust fan
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01L6EFLK2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Particulate Filter
Any of the 3M furnace filters with an MPR Rating of 1900 or higher

The smaller air intake fans that push cold air onto the electronics are simply 12V DC computer fans. If you have old electronics lying around the house then you can likely easily find DC fans and also quite likely a 12V DC transformer. Dont worry about current rating as these fans draw very little power. I have a 1000mA transformer with several fans attached.

I will post more pictures of the setup in the next day or so and give some details on how it is constructed.

One thing I have noticed with a lot of builds with filtration is that they go about it the wrong way. My background was in biological and chemical research. For fumehoods that did not exhaust air externally, they are setup to scrub the air. This is because filters are partially effective unless you spend crazy amounts of money.

Let's assume filter is 80% effective

1st pass
80% clean 20% contaminated
2nd pass
96% clean 4% contaminated
3rd pass
99.2% clean 0.8% contaminated

You get the idea.

After I have finished printed I let the unit cool down while the filtration is running.

Re: Prusa + Box

Hopefully this helps understanding how I built it.
Let me know if any questions.

Re: Prusa + Box

I saw that a lot of people building a box are setting the power supply and most electronics outside of it.
From technical point of view, this makes a lot of sense. Did anyone already design a part to insert instead of the power supply to still get the improved printer frame stability?

Re: Prusa + Box

I saw that a lot of people building a box are setting the power supply and most electronics outside of it.
From technical point of view, this makes a lot of sense. Did anyone already design a part to insert instead of the power supply to still get the improved printer frame stability?

Yes this was my concern as well.

I find that even sucking cold air from the outside and blowing it onto the power supply that I am still able to get a reasonable temperature without additional heating even in an enclosure as large as mine. It is also very advantageous to have cold air blowing on the power supply. The power supply is passively cooled which means that it can get quite warm even when not enclosed. I find with my solution the power supply is cool even when enclosed.

Re: Prusa + Box

Wow! some great enclosures here!
It's given me some great ideas for my next chamber build!
I made a heated enclosure out of urethane foam sheets... had fun making it... will eventually get around to sharing the details here 🙂

Re: Prusa + Box

I have a BESTA 60x60x40 but I read that the printer will no fit....depht isn't enough? can someone tell me sizes of a mk2s finished? Still waiting mine to check it...

Re: Prusa + Box

I have to say, I dont understand no one is selling a decent 3D print enclosure. Sure, most 3D pinter users are "makers" and likely to hack something themselves, but I would like to just buy a good looking box, ideally with built in ventilation and lights, or at least a kit so I dont have to shop around looking for bits and pieces everywhere; yet no amount of money seems to be able to buy one ❓

Please, someone do a kickstarter for a good enclosure. Surely this market is big enough!

Re: Prusa + Box

bob.b2: regarding box, someone having patent for that 🙁

Re: Prusa + Box

bob.b2: I was also wondering why nobody is selling an kit or something like that. And because I'm not such an advanced craftsman as many here (and because I'm a little bit lazy 😀 ) I was searching the web for "easy-set-up-alternatives". And because I'm a big fan of "misuses" I found this solution you can see on my pics. It's a so called "grow box" you usually use for planting... hm... yes... let's say "green plants" 😉 And I must say... it's perfect (for me). I ordered it online as a complete set with all the ventilation stuff (ok... only active carbon filter but for me fine) for just 110 euros. Just added a 10 euros table from ikea, some concrete blocks against the vibrations, a simple 5 euro led-stripe and that's it. Built up in 10 minutes. Ok... I also put a filament box, but this is another thing. But it's even enough place to put it there. No smell, no air draft because almost perfect airtight and "not sooo ugly". Another "cool" thing is that I always have a constant temperature of 30°C in the box without any heater or fan. The only disadvantage of course is, that you have no glass that you can see it printing. But you just have to open the zipper and that's it. And for me no matter anyway because I put the printer in a separately room and I installed Octoprint with a camera, so I always can see the printer online with my computer/mobile. For me a very handy, easy to build, cheap and functional solution. Of course not as "nice" and advanced as many others here (respect to all those impressive boxes!) but for anybody who wants it just easy... perfect 🙂