The BigBox Journey Blogpost

Discussion in 'BigBox General Chat' started by Clare - E3D, Feb 6, 2017.

  1. Clare - E3D

    Clare - E3D Administrator
    Staff Member

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    Thank you all for joining BigBox on its journey from conception to this point. Here's the full story of how we got here, and where 'here' is.

    http://e3d.online/BigBoxUpdate
     
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  2. mike01hu

    mike01hu Well-Known Member

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    Sad but understandable as there are so many other high quality machines in the market and the Chinese input to that market has undermined a profitable future. I am only too pleased to have a printer in the BigBox that fulfilled my needs and is readily expandable/upgradeable for the immediate future.

    Thank you everyone involved with BigBox for your efforts to meet your commitments and my needs. I look forward to more E3D innovations in the hotend, extruder and filament field.
     
  3. GrodanB

    GrodanB Well-Known Member

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    Yes, thanks so far. I assume that there is upgrades in the pipeline that we can keep the printer in the front...

    Then I'm not a ships rat jumping ship when migrating to Duet and Clever3D... Just one who try to keep the bigbox alive.
     
    #3 GrodanB, Feb 6, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2017
  4. Alex Stevenson

    Alex Stevenson Well-Known Member

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    I was a bit shocked to hear this at first - was hoping for details of an upgrade. However, the situation is understandable, and I love that there's a commitment to support existing BigBox owners. I haven't been active on the forums not because I've not been using my BB (quite the opposite), but because for some irking reason I keep failing to receive notifications of new / existing forum updates.

    Thanks for bringing BigBox in to the world, it's a fantastic printer, and I still love it as much as I did the day I opened the bigish box it was delivered in.

    Hopefully the community remain in high spirits and great things still may happen
     
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  5. Tom De Bie

    Tom De Bie Well-Known Member

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    Dear BigBox, E3D & Littlebox,

    I've been a 'fanboy' from early on. I was just 4 days to late to jump into the Kickstarter project, but followed the adventure ever since. I'm probably one of the last people who was lucky enough to buy a BB after I set out to source my very own BBXL because I wanted to support you guys in your endeavor
    Thanks for sharing the design with us and delivering what you set out to deliver. From what I've read in the blog it must have been quite a ride and believe me when I say that I completely understand why you guys had to stop with the project. When sleepless nights and stress creep in, it won't take long for a group of enthusiasts like yourselves to fall apart. Then it's better to call it quits.
    You've made a wonderful product at an unbelievable price and still remain true to the OpenSource cause. I take my hat (if I had one ;) ) off. Respect!

    I'm glad I'm part of a privileged group of BB owners now. It's like owning a limited edition of a great car. Something to show off :)

    RIP BigBox... Hail to OpenSource so we can still make one ourselves!
     
  6. Alex Stevenson

    Alex Stevenson Well-Known Member

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    Yes, what he said ^^^

    :)
     
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  7. eca

    eca Well-Known Member

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    So, does this mean you won't be making a laser engraver and CNC mill upgrade?
    In all seriousness, this has been an experience for me. Sometimes good and sometimes not, the not is mostly due to me being very new to 3d printing and not having the time I thought I would have to really get proficient with 3d printing like I wanted to.
    Well, that and me constantly upgrading my BB and getting to learn it all over again.
    Overall, you gave us a solid platform to to with as we pleased. I don't know of many people who will have a printer with this build volume doing dual extruders in IDEX (at least when I am done with it). This is the direction I was hoping this would go at one point and at least it has gotten that far. It was hard to keep up with the changes and I was waiting for the 2.0, but what I also love is that will be up to me now.
    I thank you all for the help along the way and I couldn't have asked for a nicer, more involved community to continue my adventure with.
     
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  8. Miasmictruth

    Miasmictruth Well-Known Member

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    I was thinking that instead of selling an entire printer, E3D might be able to make a profit selling a partial kit and let the user fill in all the fiddly bits.


    For example, you already have the laser cutters and sander so frames should be easy, you already carry Titans and V6 hotends and coming out with new beds, you have tooling for the plastic frame nuts already so making more I think should be easy (correct me if I am wrong). You have a print farm so the printed pieces could be supplied but I am sure there are people on the forums that would be willing to supply newbies with no printer access printed pieces.


    So basically, just pulling from your stock and using the tools you already have, you could give someone a big leg up on sourcing parts. Steppers, rods, cables, electronics, fixings, belts etc. can all be relatively easily purchased and fabricated on one’s own.


    If you wanted you could even supply rod kits which, which after that there is no reason someone couldn’t source the rest of the printer. It might be enough to keep the printer alive for new users as I think the frame will be the biggest barrier for most people.

    You might even be able to workout a deal with some suppliers at no cost I would think to you, by linking to them for various pieces and parts you will not be suppling.

    Just a thought take it or leave it :)
     
    #8 Miasmictruth, Feb 8, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2017
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  9. GrodanB

    GrodanB Well-Known Member

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    I think that the frame and general support is the main big box killer... The rest they already have... And probably will sell anyway in the future to anyone that needs it.

    This printers success seem to be it's biggest enemy...
     
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  10. EpicFail

    EpicFail Active Member

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    ... Well.

    Awsome.

    I hope the growth you had from all the sales helped you at least get in a better place to develop more technologies that can at least be ADDED to a bigbox...
     
  11. CHP

    CHP Active Member

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    Thanks to E3D for the BigBox.
    It is my first and only printer and I think it is a great one. Before having a 3D printer I didn't realize how important short print times will be to me. Doing small prints in 15 minutes and large ones maxing out the build volume in 2 hours makes rapid prototyping real fun.
     
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  12. Dr Jeep

    Dr Jeep Well-Known Member

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    Well no surprise here....sad but not shocked.
     

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