I love this idea, and may I add, that just by enlarging it slightly and changing its aspect ratio, the “stress test /demo design” becomes a functional storage box — that could house 3D printed mini-container boxes. Also, it would be best served in such a way by having a functional lid, which was suggested elsewhere as a good thing to demo.
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I have extensive experience in the publishing industry, specifically getting things printed. “Print on Demand” services would be the way to go. Two files, a cover design, and a PDF of the contents, live on a server, likely Amazon’s KDP server, and the contents can be color or black and white, and the author can order copies at the “author discount” (wholesale price) regardless of whether ordering 1 or 10,000 or whatever. This is in my wheelhouse.
This link is to an actual assembly guide I wrote and illustrated, and sell dirt cheap for people wanting to build my remix of an IKEA Lack table based printer enclosure:
https://design8studio.com/2021/12/22/biqu-b1-diy-ikea-lack-enclosure-assembly-guide/
This was me too, exactly! I either had forgotten there was a videos section, or did not ever know about it, and when I saw the link and visited it, lo and behold, one of my videos was on there! So cool.
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You interested in a new project, want to PM me some rates?
“media” is probably not the menu name any suggestions on how to make that more noticeable? I can link it on the home page as well but I think the menu on every page is more noticeable. I think I am also going to expand teh footer to include most of the page links as well.
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Send you PM in a bit!
Random thought: be more opinionated in the design/assembly of the MPCNC. Take out some of the decision points for the end-user, or at least put a light coat of spackle over them. More than just “suggested” choices. Make the directions for a 2’x2’ MPCNC (or maybe 500mmx500mm). Period. Don’t take down the calculator, or discourage anyone who asks about different sizes, but remove some of the anxiety of making some of those choices.
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I will take a read through, or at least add it to the list that I am slowly slowly working on. I spend an hour in the morning, and at the end of each day I am spending an hour or so on this list. Kinda just doing what I am in the mood for, hoping to get more quality out of my time that way…my list is 4 pages long so far.
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Taking a quick look,
This page seems pretty clear and direct. MPCNC Primo Parts list - V1 Engineering Documentation
This page is intentionally highlighting all the options. Introduction to The MPCNC - V1 Engineering Documentation
Is the options page the one that is not sitting well with people? I can move it or call it something different, seems worth it to have around to kinda explain this is not a 22.125" CNC router that uses 1/8" endmills for wood only.
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Thanks for the full rebuttal to my earlier post.
After a re-read, many of my comments did come with a significant amount of ignorance and my tone sounded more like demands than things to consider which was my intent.
I love your designs and the community you have built and sincerely want you to be even more successful moving forward. I apologize that my feedback was so poorly worded.
Nonetheless, the last couple of posts, especially the one by K Cummins are extremely aligned with where I think you can capitalize on a slightly less hard core DIY population. Explicit directions for a “specific configuration” (much better term than the word “standard” that I used) and a kit that supports it. No decisions necessary, but lots that can be made for the adventurous.
Good luck
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For sure, thank you for clarifying. I didn’t write off your whole comment. I did take notes.
I am really hoping this ends up in a very overall nice change. I am putting in effort on all of these, a bit scattered but time is being spent for sure and I am excited about it.
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FWIW - On the basis that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, I’ve just spammed the 3D Printing Industry Awards with nominations for V1 Engineering (under “other”) in any category I thought vaguely relevant.
3DP startup… etc etc.
I doubt that even a co-ordinated effort from here would knock BambuLabs off their perch, but who knows, someone might notice! 
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Well thank you! I have not seen that before. So many companies on that list I need to look some of them up.
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I would adjust this very slightly to have the default size be a rectangle rather than a square. It gives you a bit more flexibility in fitting in workpieces, and you can easily differentiate the X side (e.g “the long one”) from the Y side (the “short one”).
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Okay, I am going over my notes. Can I get some more details on what you think needs to change on instructions.
I have
Not easy to follow. - I take that to mean I need to make the links at teh bottom of the pages more clear, or add a larger link section down there.
Make them printable - I just hit print page from my browser and it makes a pretty good looking PDF, What about that is not good?
Add a super basic overview - “New to CNC”
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Didn’t see any “getting started” sheets while unboxing my LR3 kit. Did you already consider including 1-2 pages in your kits/packages that :
- Welcomes Customers to the V1E tribe (especially if first time purchase).
- Provides broad guidance, wisdom, pep talk for success. Pointers to resources you think are important, like this forum, and the well hidden videos section.
- Lists (markets) various V1E Projects, products and services. e.g. links and QR Codes to things Customers don’t always realize exist.
Not expecting an included, or separately purchasable printed manual if the docs are expected to continuously change and improve. Maybe automate generating downloadable PDF from the markdown. Personally, I don’t want a PDF. Found instructions very readable on my phone/tablet/PC during the build.
Observing similar questions repeatedly coming up, and that’s just from the people that make the effort to ask. Trying something out that might help, will post details on the website topic…
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That could be neat. Maybe I can get that printed on the back of a sticker or something. That will add under a $1 per order.
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I have experience in design and layout from a previous life as a graphic designer. Many custom yearbooks, floorplans, flyers, etc under my belt. I’d be happy to work on a team to produce documentation, an assembly manual etc.
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I have been using Blurb.com as a publisher for years (tens of years perhaps). These are just examples of how an e-manual can be converted. Put your own profit margin on them.
I don’t think these “books” are discoverable by search and maybe the links will be invisible to others, but they are great examples of the cost of production. Both my camera and my wife’s sewing machine came with e-manuals. There are often situations where hard copies just work better, so I converted them to pdf, didn’t worry about getting the formats exactly right (because that would have meant a complete re-write) and used the closest standard book size to produce them.
If you set out with publication in mind - and control the printing yourself, you can price them as you wish, because the copyright is not mine I have no price mark-up on them and don’t sell them but you’ll get the idea.
Bernette Manual - 105 pages in full colour
Olympus Manual - 256 pages black and white published as a “trade book”.
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Obviously I haven’t started my build - and it will take a lot longer than the scope of your current review. I was going to start yet another very long thread, and will do so, but I’d like to make it useful going on - so will document with this in mind - it’s difficult to keep the thread “clean” though - perhaps another summary thread in parallel?
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This reminds me of those blog posts or the adafruit learn guides that are labeled “part one: electronics” and then say, “In part two, we will be writing the software” with a big arrow button. A brief outline might make sense.
The assembly instructions are very much in good order. I think the electronics and firmware parts are more of a collection of guides, and then stuff like estlcam basics and the learn section are more of a collection of references, or separate guides. I wonder if we need to do more to make the assembly separate (so it has its own TOC) and thicken the instructions on the electronics, so they end up with a similar set of parts. The tricky information is all there. But there is a lot of detail missing. If you want people to fold the cables up to shorten them, then that could be a step. I wonder if we can make one instruction set for rambo, and have it apply to both builds.
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I don’t think so. I suggest explicit instructions for the boards being sold in the V1 store. That is another chunk of the value of purchasing from V1 vs. DIY.
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