Prusa Core One Build Update and Initial Thoughts
The Prusa Core One build has been going well! But, it has certainly taken me a while to get here. It always takes me longer to do builds when I am filming every step and recording content. I also am juggling my day job (which is in the office, 4 days a week) and getting ready to send my youngest off to college in the coming week. A lot to balance!
I thought I’d post some thoughts around the build so far. I plan to create a video to summarize my general thoughts of the build after I complete it, as I still have to build the Nextruder, and finish up adding the panels, final wiring, etc. I can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel on this build!
I have completed section 5 of the build at this point, and there are 8 total sections of building, with a 9th for calibration.
Pic of the latest status below. Scroll past the pic below for initial build thoughts.
I want to take some time to detail out some of my thoughts so far on this build, as I know folks may be considering getting one.
Initial Thoughts:
- Overall Value Proposition. The Prusa Core One is a high cost kit, and more so than off-the-shelf printers that you will find on Amazon.com. The cost is $949 for the kit + shipping, and is an enclosed Core XY printer with a single toolhead. If the price doesn’t make sense to you, you are not the right target audience for the machine, and that’s ok. When you buy a Prusa, you are buying more than a printer. You are supporting a company that is committed to 3d printing innovation and is rooted in RepRap. I am a fan of open source, continuous improvement, and innovation. Prusa is committed to all of these, and has figured out to continue innovating despite the relentless clones, copies, and other companies that are innovating in the low-cost consumer space. That’s all ok, and competition is healthy. I have met Joseph Prusa and many folks from his company several times at MRRF and other local events, and I like what they stand for.
- There are other reasons to get a Prusa, and I’ll probably talk about those at some point in future content. For now, I’ll stick with the objective of detailing out my thoughts on the build.
- Overall Build Quality / Components. This is seriously heavy machine. The box it came in seemed like it weighed more than it should’ve. The reason for this is the content of metal parts. There is A LOT of sheet metal. The bottom and top frame parts are very solid. There are a few minor disappointing choices on the machine, such as the thin PCB heated bed, the use of rods instead of linear rails on the Z, but so far, nothing that I think is a show stopper. All the electronics seem to be solid. The PSU is a Delta, which is a reputable brand. The only other complaint that I’ve had is the rubber feet. The adhesive is not good, and I had to use VHB tape to get them to stick.
- Build Manual. The build manual is amazing. I love that there are both pictures and detailed steps written out. I am more of a visual learner, so I often have to read and re-read each step. You can also view comments from other folks that give suggestions on how to simplify, or do things slightly different. For example, attaching the nut to the rear lead screw gave some helpful suggestions that made the build less frustrating.
- Reworking mistakes. I’ve made a few mistakes along the way, which stinks since I’m also recording a video, and have to mention my mistakes so I don’t confuse the viewers. With that in mind, the mistakes that I’ve made so far have been 5-10 minute detours at most. Here are the things that I’ve done wrong so far:
- Mixed up 2 of the bottom metal pieces of the base. I didn’t realize this until a bit later in the build, though still in the same section. The worst part about fixing it was having to remove the rubber feet, since I used VHB. I have left the feet off and plan on adding them at the end of the build, just in case.
- I managed to reverse the rod holders on the X/Y Gantry. It was super easy to fix.
- There is a grounding cable that I forgot to route through one of the grommets. This one so far has been the most frustrating to fix, because I had already zip tied it down. To fix, the grounding cable had to be completely removed (it has multiple connections) in order to route it through the proper grommet.
- Most and Least Favorite Parts of Build so far. I don’t really have a favorite part so far, as most of it seems to be a similar level of effort. If I had to choose, I’d probably pick the heated bed section since that one has gone the smoothest of any step so far. I am never a big fan of running belts, but the system that Prusa uses is pretty easy. Least favorite: trying to find all the parts. Even though the bags are labeled, there are some parts that were hidden in foam. I don’t recommend throwing away ANYTHING as you are building. And keep everything together in the original boxes, because the manual often refers to which box the item is in. I am also not a fan of the zip ties. There are a lot of steps where you have to insert zip ties and route wires. It is surprisingly difficult to tighten them down.
With that in mind, I am getting ready to take on the Nextruder. I think this may be one of the more interesting/fun sections of the build. I am also curious how it works and am looking forward to seeing it up close.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the content!
