Hardware and Tools - Printing in Plastic: Build Your Own 3D Printer - page 8

The Power Tools
We're going to list the tools you need for this project, but keep in mind that when it comes to tools, there
seems to always be something better in someone else's garage. If you've got a handsaw, your best friend
probably has a circular saw. And his neighbor probably has table saw. The grass is always greener, right?
As you review the list of tools, keep in mind the following things:
• It's often not wise to purchase a tool for just one project. Purchase a tool if you
believe it will benefit you with the 3D Printer project plus future projects down the
road. (That said, your authors tend to follow the motto of You can never have too
many tools .)
• Consider tool rental . Given that a good table saw can run $300 to $2000, depending
on features and name brand, you may want to consider one of the many tool
rental companies. For instance, you can rent a table saw for $50 to $75 per day (or
less). The only caveat is you'll need to go pick it up and bring it back, so bring a
buddy as they tend to be heavy. (And don't forget to ask for the operations
manual. If they don't provide one, find another rental company.)
• There's nothing wrong with asking to borrow a tool. We all have friends who have a
nice assortment of power and hand tools in their workshop or garage. Invite the
tool owner over and show them what you're building; you may find they'd like to
build one, too, so your tools borrowing is no longer an issue!
• But don't be offended if the answer is no . One of the authors (JFK) is very resistant
to loaning out his tools after a bad experience a few years back when a semi-
expensive hand sander was dropped by a borrower. Many tool owners are just as
protective of their investments.
• Always clean a borrowed tool before returning it. It's just good manners.
So, with all that said, here are the tools that will be beneficial to your project. Some are absolutely
required, others are recommended, and others are not necessary except for possibly adding some
finesse or flair to the final look of your 3D Printer (also referred to as 3DP).
Table Saw
Can you cut out the 3D Printer parts from plywood with a handsaw? Sure you can. But the real question
is should you use a handsaw? Probably not. The 3DP has some wood parts that require some fairly
accurate cuts in order for parts to either match up or mate properly with other parts.
Using a handsaw inevitably leaves an uneven cut line. You could use something like a belt sander to
smooth down the cut line, but you also risk taking away too much of the wood and reducing a
measurement (such as a width or length).
We recommend using a table saw, as seen in Figure 2-1. Table saws come in a variety of designs
with names like Contractor Saw, Benchtop, Cabinet, and Hybrid. (If you want to learn more, visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_saw for a breakdown of features as well as pros and cons.)