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+==================================
+ Building the MakerBot CupCake
+==================================
+:CreationDate: 2009-09-07 09:15:47
+:Id: HW/makerbot/cupcake-build
+:tags: - hardware
+       - 3dPrint
+
+
+Wednesday 2009-09-02 I started building the CupCake, together with a
+few friends.
+
+Actually, the package had arrived on 2009-08-20, but I've been away
+from home for about ten days, and I couldn't build it as soon as it
+arrived. I had photographed the package's contents, though:
+
+[% INCLUDE 'image.tt' pic='img_0888' alt="The package's contents" %]
+
+Having all the pieces, and the instructions, we start building.
+
+The ``USBtinyISP`` programmer
+=============================
+
+(`link to the instructions <http://www.ladyada.net/make/usbtinyisp/make.html>`_)
+
+It would not have been strictly necessary, since the batch #5 CupCakes
+come with pre-programmed microcontrollers, but it was in the package,
+and maybe one day I'll need it, so I built it.
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0948' alt='PCB, resistors, ICs,
+connectors…' %]
+The USBtinyISP kit.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0949' alt='Dakkar working the
+soldering iron'
+%]
+The soldering.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0951' alt='Soldering iron touching the PCB'
+%]
+Soldering detail: an IC's pins.
+[% END %]
+
+Motherboard and controllers
+===========================
+
+(`link to the instructions <http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-electronics-assembly>`_)
+
+Now we start building and testing the rest of the electronics. After
+having connected the motherboard to the steppers' and extruder's
+controllers, we turn it on: the technical name of this operation is
+"smoke test".
+
+[% INCLUDE 'image.tt' pic='img_0952' alt='Smoke test' %]
+
+Although I had read `the warning about the power supply
+<http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-dont-do-that#toc2>`_, I managed to
+blow up the nice power supply included in the kit. Luckily I have a
+few of my own!
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0953'
+   alt='Powre supply, motherboard, controllers' %]
+Electronics, plugged in and turned on.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0955'
+   alt='Motherboard with lights' %]
+Detail of the motherboard, you can see the green lights;
+in the background, the extruder controller, also turned on.
+[% END %]
+
+Assembling the body
+===================
+
+(`link to the instructions <http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-body-assembly>`_)
+
+Nothing hard: the assemblage with tabs and captive nuts is a stroke of genius.
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0956' alt="CupCake's body, with Z
+belt" %]
+The body, essentially completed, including the threaded rods for Z
+translation, and steppers for Z and X.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0957' alt='Z belt and pulleys' %]
+Detail of the top part of the body; note how the pulleys on the rods
+have been aligned by simply having them touch the bearing brackets.
+[% END %]
+
+(Yes, I've skipped a few steps, I haven't shot everything)
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0958' alt='Body, completed' %]
+X and Y stages built and installed, electronics installed, including
+the end-stops.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0959' alt="Electronics in its place" %]
+Electronics installed in place; cables for the end-stops and the
+extruder controller are still missing.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0960' alt='X and Y stages' %]
+X and Y stages built and installed; you can see the Y end-stops and
+the (paper) tabs to trigger them.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0961' alt='Y end-stop, glued' %]
+While I was tightening the bolts for this end-stop, the wood broke. I
+then fixed the end-stop with hot glue.
+[% END %]
+
+I stopped here for the first day, also because it was already dinner
+time. I started again the following morning.
+
+The extruder
+============
+
+(`link to the instructions <http://wiki.makerbot.com/plastruder-mk3>`_)
+
+It seems that for many people this part is the hardest, and the one
+giving the most problems: I did not have any particular difficulty.
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0965' alt='Extrusion head' %]
+The completed extrusion head; the red wire is connected to the
+nichrome resistor, the black wire to the thermistor.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0967' alt="Extrusion mechanic, completed" %]
+The mechanic part of the extruder, completed.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0968' alt="Pinch wheel and idler
+wheel" %]
+The idler wheel aligned perfectly on the first try.
+[% END %]
+
+A note on the alignment of the idler pulley: I followed exactly the
+`alignment instructions
+<http://wiki.makerbot.com/plastruder-mk3-assembly#toc16>`_, then I put
+the wheel inside the extruder body: on one side it was too near the
+motor, on the other it was precisely centered.
+
+.. note:: Double idler wheel
+
+   Someone built a `double-width idler wheel
+   <http://wiki.makerbot.com/when-things-go-wrong#toc14>`_, by gluing
+   together the two wheels included in the kit. In my case,
+   and `apparently also for someone else
+   <http://groups.google.com/group/makerbot/msg/05a43a719f7dcb0f>`_,
+   the resulting wheel is too thick to fit between the flanges of the
+   pinch wheel, so it's impossible to use.
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0970' alt="Extrusion canal" %]
+View along the extrusion canal; the hole at the end is the exit of the
+melted filament.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0971' alt='Extruder at work' %]
+Extrusion test: it works! Note that the short black ABS wire I used
+for the test has been extruded completely.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0972' alt='ABS filament' %]
+Results of the extrusion test: a black ABS filament, randomly curved.
+[% END %]
+
+First print
+===========
+
+Finally, I can print! The test object is a `clip-on Z end-stop trigger
+<http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:929>`_, since my kit's Z platform
+doesn't have the slots for the triggers.
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0973' alt='CupCake printing the first
+layer of the raft' %]
+First layer of the raft.
+
+This is actually the third try. The first try caused a head crash,
+resulting in a small hole in the print platform; the second try
+started too high, and the raft did not adhere to the platform.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0975' alt='CupCake finishing printing
+the clip' %]
+Final layers of the clip.
+[% END %]
+
+[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0978' alt='Finished clip' %]
+The finished clip: I must study SkeinForge's parameters before
+obtaining something actually usable.
+[% END %]
+
+Summary
+=======
+
+About 19 hours of work, very few problems, and a working printer:
+probably the best-spent two full days of work so far ``:)``
+
+.. _`CupCake`: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake
+.. _`l'avvertimento relativo all'alimentatore`: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-dont-do-that#toc2
+