Constructed a 3D printer using components salvaged from an old Dell computer. The project involved disassembling optical drives to extract stepper motor gantries, repurposing a computer power supply, and building a custom frame from fiberboard. The final printer achieved print quality comparable to commercial 3D printers at a fraction of the cost, albeit restricted to a small print volume.
The build process required designing custom motor mounts, integrating an MKS control board with proper firmware configuration, installing an extruder, and implementing end-stop switches. While the physical construction took several months, the software configuration and calibration proved to be the most challenging aspect, requiring extensive troubleshooting to achieve reliable operation.