Icing 3d Printer Project From Scratch: "icearator"

This was one of the hardest projects I have built. Through out the project I broke 2 arduinos 2 stepper motors and lost the plunger for the eyedropper so if you see something different it probably is different.

I know everyone is going to say that isn't a 3D printer it doesn't have a z axis! but there is enough space to build up something three quarters of an inch!

Step 1: Parts!

parts

arduino uno LINK
motor/stepper/servo shield LINK
two dvd readers
Electrical wire
Some type of sheet metal (I used aluminum)
icing
something to ice
superglue
eyedropper (the plastic kind)
pop rivets (or any other fastener)
plastic feet

tools

soldering iron
solder
wire Cutters
screwdriver
pop rivet gun ( if you chose to use pop rivets)
drill
drill bit (the size of your pop rivets or fastener)

Step 2: Take Apart the Dvd Reader

do this step twice

unscrew the screws in the four corners and push down on the black tab and pull off the top. there should be some more tabs on the front sides push those in and pull to get the front black piece off

Next, pull out all of the ribbon wires and take the circuit boards out (it doesn't matter if you break it you don't need it)

unscrew the screws on the back of the metal piece (see picture)

then lift up the metal piece in the middle (see picture)

the metal piece should lift right out

Step 3: Build the Frame

Bend a 4 (length) by 2 1/2 (width) piece of aluminum to a right angle and a piece 2 (length) by 4 1/2 (width) to a right angle.

get the top of the DVD reader (flat piece) and drill two (I added one later) holes on the very bottom half an inch up and around three quarters an inch apart then drill corresponding holes on the wide piece of aluminum and fasten it to the top of the dvd reader

then drill two holes on the top of the dvd reader (same side as the other) one 2 1/2 inches up and 4 inches and drill the other 3/2 inches up and 2 1/2 inches over (sorry no pictures of it being drilled) then drill corresponding holes on one side of the 4 by 2 1/2 piece of aluminum and put a fastener holding both of the pieces together

Step 4: Attach the Sledge Holder

I do not know what to call the thing that holds the sledge so I will call it the "sledge holder"

get one of the sledge holders then drill a few holes and fasten it to the bottom (make sure it is perpendicular to the top of the dvd reader)

get the other sledge holder and fasten it to the top (make sure it is parallel to the top of the dvd reader)

after doing this the top was too wobbly so I added a U shaped piece attaching the bottom to the top (you may not have to do that)

Step 5: Glue the Printing Plate On

get a 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 piece of aluminum and scrape one side of it with super abrasive sandpaper then use super glue to glue it onto the bottom printing sledge

Step 6: Glue the Nozzle/eyedropper On

there should be a half circle on the top sledge glue the eyedropper/nozzle to that with superglue about three quarters above the printing plate

Step 7: Solder Wires on and Attach the Wires to the Arduino

solder four pieces of wire onto the contacts on the stepper motor (sorry I didn't take any pictures) then to make sure the wires don't come off put some hot glue on it

then screw the wires on the the arduino shield

Step 8: Get Some Code

this was my first arduino project so I didn't code very much ( I just edited the speed of some example code)

I can't get the picture of the code because my computer died but the code was " mutiple steppers " from the adafruit example library

Step 9: Heat Up Your Icing and Print!

get about 5 tsp of icing (or however much your eyedropper holds) and put it on a microwaveable plate then microwave the icing for about 7 seconds ( 5 was to little and 10 was to much) put the icing in your eyedropper, push the eyedropper plunger down slowly and start the arduino!

I found that putting the microwaved icing in a plastic bag with a hole cut in the end and squirting it in to the eyedropper doesn't make a big mess!

happy printing!