Newbie where to start self source / kit or somewhere in between?

[RoyDuggan]

Based in the UK and planning a Voron 2.4r2 350 Build I downloaded the BOM and sourcing guide and made a start sourcing individual parts - I'm not fundamentally adverse to a kit and haven't hit the various buy buttons on a number of websites so might change my mind and take the easier option of just going for a kit.... looking for guidance if anyone can suggest.

Do people share there BOM listings with supplier details? happy to put a link up to my spreadsheet which is a WIP just wondering If I am re-inventing the wheel to some extent and if someone would give it the once over. I am a about 1/3 into putting weblinks to all the parts only had to go to 3 sources so far (TC fixings for A2 grade Stainless , Amazon for the rest and rails from fermio labs takes me down to about line 44 of the 120 line on the BOM .....

 

[steve/]

Based in the UK and planning a Voron 2.4r2 350 Build I downloaded the BOM and sourcing guide and made a start sourcing individual parts - I'm not fundamentally adverse to a kit and haven't hit the various buy buttons on a number of websites so might change my mind and take the easier option of just going for a kit.... looking for guidance if anyone can suggest.

Do people share there BOM listings with supplier details? happy to put a link up to my spreadsheet which is a WIP just wondering If I am re-inventing the wheel to some extent and if someone would give it the once over. I am a about 1/3 into putting weblinks to all the parts only had to go to 3 sources so far (TC fixings for A2 grade Stainless , Amazon for the rest and rails from fermio labs takes me down to about line 44 of the 120 line on the BOM .....

I think it is different for each person. I wanted to build something and had the tools to cut rails, bed plate, drill and tap, and so on. Also I never spend more then 100US per order so did not know how much I was spending. Some stuff I order was taking too long to get so I would place another order some place else to get it sooner but at more cost. I think I have half of another 2.2 in parts. There are a lot of trade off. When I was building mine there were no kits.

 

[120decibell]

Have you checked the published sourcing guide?

 

[LoadMaster7]

Roy, the best place to start is HERE. I started down the road of self sourcing. I managed to put together about 75% of the needed parts for a 350 x 350 build. I ended up not getting everything, but wanted to have a printer up and running by the end of 2022. To do this, I ended up purchasing a Formbot kit. I am happy I did. I found it a good kit with excellent components. If you would like, please take a look at my Build Log, HERE . It took me about 8 days part time to build and have it printing. I'm still tweaking it, but it is an amazing machine.

 

[RoyDuggan]

Have you checked the published sourcing guide?

Thanks for the quick reply - Yes I have been using the sourcing guide as a reference and although I never checked the shipping prices to the UK I had assumed it would not make sense of using US suppliers like Bolt Depot for low cost fixings. I have been looking at the Specs from the US suppliers and trying to find UK suppliers where I can. Even if i do get a kit I think I will at least complete a BOM understand the make up of the parts from a quality and price perspective..

 

[RoyDuggan]

Roy, the best place to start is HERE. I started down the road of self sourcing. I managed to put together about 75% of the needed parts for a 350 x 350 build. I ended up not getting everything, but wanted to have a printer up and running by the end of 2022. To do this, I ended up purchasing a Formbot kit. I am happy I did. I found it a good kit with excellent components. If you would like, please take a look at my Build Log, HERE . It took me about 8 days part time to build and have it printing. I'm still tweaking it, but it is an amazing machine.

Checked out your build diary and sourcing info - really useful thanks, I think I will complete the BOM even if I do select a kit will then give me a comparison.... Thanks for your help. I too have been eyeing up a Voron build for the past year or so, not really in a rush but now I have started, I can feel momentum building now i have made a start....

 

[LoadMaster7]

Roy, glad to hear you are on the path. You are going about it much the same as I did. I thought I wasn't in a rush. My procrastination spanned two printer revisions, LOL. Hence, the reason for jumping on purchasing a kit. Another incentive for me, near Christmas, there was pricing advantages that sealed the deal to purchase a kit.

Enjoy the venture. I sure did!