Quote
majic79
If you're not that interested in etching/milling a board, perhaps someone else can do it, then you just have the job of populating it.
Elsewise, buy a board from Traumflug and then source the parts, or get a sanguinololu kit, and solder it all together.
CAD design to create .stl model, then Slice (Slic3r/Skeinforge) to generate G-Code followed by the CAM software (pronteface) that delivers GCode to the firmware (Marlin/Teacup/Sprinter etc)
If you want to do the software side more than the hardware, get a kit and an Arduino, use the Arduino to learn how to move steppers and do interesting stuff with that, then you'll be comfortable flashing your own firmware to the Gen7/Derived board you've soldered together
majic79, your response is very helpful. I understand the software "flow" better now and got a feeling for what I would like to do.
I am definitely not that interested in etching boards and will rather learn that later if I feel I want to get more into it. But I want to understand the electronics as well as getting involved in software. Maybe that is talking on a bit too much at the start, so I'll focus a bit more on the software side since I've got more skill in that area. So, here is my progression plan as you suggested I draw up:
1) Get my hands onto the very basic hardware I need to start playing with stepper motors - preferable a "kit" or something similar where I do not much more than soldering it together. I also don't want to spend hours online looking for parts so I am willing to pay a bit more to get a kit that includes all the part. At the same time, I would like to understand what I'm doing and not just follow instructions blindly so that I can improve my understanding of electronics. I guess that can be solved by just reading while building.
2) Play around a bit with software to get the steppers moving, including doing a bit of my own programming. This part sounds the most exciting!
3) Get a feeling for what hardware/software options I prefer and expand on that
4) Understand & get the rest of "non-core" software/hardware like end stops and CAD software
5) Start understanding the mechanics of a RepRap, most likely a Prusa i3 as recommended
6) Build my first RepRap
7) Rinse & Repeat :)
So for (1), what is the very basic electronics I need? It seems if I get the Sanguinololu or possibly Gen7 (which includes Stepper Drivers), and a number of Stepper motors I'm set. Or do I still need a programmer as mentioned by one of the other responses?
For (2), does that mean getting into writing my own basic firmware?
Apologies if my questions are basic and repetitive - I'm struggling to get my head around all the jargon, but I think I'm slowly getting there.
Thanks to all for helping.