A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..  

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Great price! Technically, I don't believe you can use the name "Prusa" on the side of your enclosure as that's a violation of their trademark.

Unusual in that you've used aluminum extrusions in place of self-printed components.

Good luck with the design!

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Thanks.

"Prusa": I think it falls under the 'Fair Use" policy - like bumper stickers that say "Love my Tesla", or maybe make it "PRUSA  I.C.E." so that 'Prusa' is an adjective. It's easy enough to remove, if Josef complains!  

Aluminum: To get a 'superstructure' to support the LEDs and the roof-rails to make the whole thing sliding, I needed a fixed, rigid overhead structure to support everything. That was a big decision, and it is surprising how 'flimsy' things get over that long of a length - even some aluminum!

Question: Did you see the pictures on the website? Do you think it does a good job of explaining what the"ICE" is, and its advantages over a conventional 'box' structure? Being different - even if something is better - is always a risk....

Thanks again,

Henry

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

I saw your site. I think a simple gallery of images rather than the fancy javascript type display is better. Plus, those images should click to see a full resolution picture. There's not enough detail in them. More images of the sides would be useful as well. Folks like things to match too, so if you're serious about this product, get all your aluminum parts anodized black like the XL. Same goes for the printed parts.

As for "Fair use", that doesn't apply to a commercial product. Use of a trademark without permission can cost you EVERY cent and more that you make on a product. The trademark owners can remain quiet until you've sold enough to pay for their lawyers too. Ask anyone who uses the word "Ferrari" in a product how that ended for them. Hint: Not good.

Do yourself a favor and use your own company name on the side of YOUR product. It might go on a Prusa, but it isn't a Prusa. Now if you get their permission, then it's ok. So if you want it to stand, you should get official permission from the trademark holders.

The price point is certainly appealing. If you can hold it to under $300, you should generate some sales.

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Thank you.

Point made, we'll put I/C/E on the side and avoid the potential conflict.

Black aluminum is a premium product, and will drive the price up.  Actual out of pocket Raw Material for all the Acrylic, stock-aluminum , lights, etc is at least $300 as it stands, which partially explains why the other enclosures are also 'so darn expensive': That much acrylic costs bucks.  And that puts $0 on the cutting of the aluminum, the many printing hours, the ASA cost, etc.  So $300 ($299) truly is a 'below dealer cost' price point.

Well, thanks for the feedback which we will attempt to implement, and see who else is interested.

Thanks!

Henry

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

I like the price also and nice design.  

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Thank you!

The price will have to go up, once I get the 'initial customer feedback' in place ($300 is actually less than all my raw material cost, including $0 for all the labor! - that's a LOT of acrylic!), but I am curious if this 'sliding door' concept is too far out there and unconventional to be accepted.

Again - thanks for the feedback!

Henry

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

I really like it and if I had the XL, I'd consider buying it. 🙂

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Thank you for the feedback!

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

I'd like to see an installation video. hopefully soon. 

RE:

Thanks for the reply, but I'm a little confused.

The "Installation guide"? for the I/C/E?

For the most part, there's just 3  ASA 'rails' on each side (left + right) of the lower half (for bottoom, back, and top of the 'C-shaped frame' on the bottom of the XL) , and you just 'peel and stick' the included 3M "Command strip" removeable tape to the marked sections of the ICE rails, and 'stick the rails' onto the XL frame.  There's edge guides to make sure they go on straight...

Ditto for the ASA rails that go along the top ridge of the XL, as well.

After that, you just slide in the vertical aluminum rails and drop the pre-assembled top rails onto these vertical aluminum rails, plug in the lights, and you're done.  (Oh, and then you just slide in the pre-cut Acrylic panels..)

I was planning on just doing 'step by step pictures' (with the ASA rails printed in yellow, to stand out).

Think people would need a video for that?
Thanks so much for  your input.

-Henry

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Posted by: @henry-9

Hi, I’m a retired engineer who got my XL as a retirement hobby at the urging of my Prusa-loving son who also has an XL, but we couldn’t find an enclosure that was reasonably priced and didn’t ‘lock’ the XL inside for all those times that you do not want a 360 deg enclosure.

So I built my own that is both functional-and-affordable.

But before I start selling it ‘at retail’, I’d like to hear from other “XL’rs”  if this is

A) is a really good design or

B)“No Dad, it's just you....”

You can view the everything-included, ready-to-assemble enclosure and send comments at PrusaXLEnclosure

 Is anyone else interested in this

I do like the designe but before i bought it id want to see an instillation video i know a few people would want this, and an option to print your own parts for slightly less and an option to have anodized black metal eben if you charge more, good luck

RE:

 for $299 a video seeing how your enclosure would be nice. not much work to do with a common smartphone nowadays(like the stock pictures you have)some people comprehend well visually and not just by reading your directions/description. not all are engineers after all. this will also help prospective users check out if it'll work for their individual preference.  mine is just a suggestion though. i personally wouldn't go with just the pictures you posted and im intrigued with the sliding design you implemented. 

RE:

Thanks for the feedback!

Video: Tell me what you'd like to see, and I'll make one.  Being the guy who built it, it is all 'common knowledge',  so I am oblivious to what others would want to see. Like 'sliding the roof/sides/front' out of the way?

Not a 'how to build/assemble' but a simple "Uh, show me it working, in real life please..." video? 

Like: Here's the ICE in the 'fully closed' mode, now let's 'slide it open' and see how fast and easy it is to make the enclosure 'disappear' ?" That's easy!

Rails: Someone else mentioned that, and here's my dilemma. Anyone can get a $5 can of black Rustoleum spray paint (matte, gloss, etc) and color the vertical rails to their own desire, IF they want to.  But while the 1/2 x 3/4 x 1/16 used in the ICE enclosure is fairly industry standard, this is not the case with black.  So I will investigate this size in black to offer it as an option, but such may not be possible (w/o Rustoleum 🙂 )

Thanks for the feedback!  Very much appreciated.

Henry

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Posted by: @henry-9

Thanks for the feedback!

Video: Tell me what you'd like to see, and I'll make one.  Being the guy who built it, it is all 'common knowledge',  so I am oblivious to what others would want to see. Like 'sliding the roof/sides/front' out of the way?

Not a 'how to build/assemble' but a simple "Uh, show me it working, in real life please..." video? 

Like: Here's the ICE in the 'fully closed' mode, now let's 'slide it open' and see how fast and easy it is to make the enclosure 'disappear' ?" That's easy!

 

Rails: Someone else mentioned that, and here's my dilemma. Anyone can get a $5 can of black Rustoleum spray paint (matte, gloss, etc) and color the vertical rails to their own desire, IF they want to.  But while the 1/2 x 3/4 x 1/16 used in the ICE enclosure is fairly industry standard, this is not the case with black.  So I will investigate this size in black to offer it as an option, but such may not be possible (w/o Rustoleum 🙂 )

 

Thanks for the feedback!  Very much appreciated.

Henry

Basicly a video of going from enclosure to no enclosusure back to emclosure to see how simple it is. As for the rails yes i just saw the other post about black rails so sorry for mentionimg it agaim bit blacl rails would look so much better.

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

>>If you can hold it to under $300, you should generate some sales.

The nearest competition is $300 ("$299), just for the acrylic and they are up front that you'll need to spend about 48 hrs of your own time consuming about 4 spools (> $100) to 'DIY' Print the needed pieces, bringing 'the least expensive option currently out there' to $400.  And that doesn't include any lighting.

The unfortunate truth is that to enclose something THIS BIG, is going to cost AT LEAST $400 - Minimum.

More, if you include your own time into the equation.

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

Here's a "quick and dirty" 1-handed video.

It's on the PrusaXLEnclosure.com web page, but here is the YouTube link: 

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

The unfortunate truth is that to enclose something THIS BIG, is going to cost AT LEAST $400 - Minimum.

 

I think one can be built for about $200 in materials. 

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

If you buy all the raw materials, stock, cut  your own plexiglas, you may be right.

But the needed dimension for the XL does not match 'stock' dimensions, and to get a clean, straight edge I needed to get a $250 table saw (the cheapest available), and do LOTS of cutting.  And to pay a service to do the cutting drives the raw material cost way up. 

I don't see a "Fair Market Price" ever being below $400 (all costs included) .  

And even the honest folks at Sumo are saying that it takes about 4 spools (> $100) just for the filament to build theirs.

It's just a big beast to enclose 🙁

RE: A new XL enclosure Idea: A lighted enclosure that 'disappears' when you don't need it, or when you need to get at the print volume..

If you buy all the raw materials, stock, cut  your own plexiglas, you may be right.

 

This is not my thread so I am not going to comment further. PM me if you want to discuss it.