Located in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania, the home of the largest natural gas field in the world, I’m an engineering educator with many years of experience in all sorts of gadgets and high tech stuff. I started taking things apart when I was two years old, and much to my parents’ dismay, only managed to figure out how to put them back together some years later.
But those early beginnings were just the start! My work has included designing everything from implantable cardiac pacemakers to radio automation equipment, and even solving specialized materials and mechanical design problems for the recreational spa industry. I’ve worked on nanotechnology projects, industrial robotics and embedded microprocesssors. When I get time I also work some of the amateur radio bands mostly in digital modes. Even though I’m retired as an Emeritus Associate Professor from college life, I continue to serve as a resource to business and industry. Engineering is fun!
Any reviews I post of machines or products are ones that I have purchased like anyone else could from the vendor. I receive no compensation from any manufacturer for a review unless otherwise stated.
Renaissance Engineer 
SY – I’ll be posting a complete review of the Solidoodle 2 in the next two weeks (waiting for its arrival in the next few days).
Hi Eric,
I’ve enjoyed reading your posts, as they have been both educational and entertaining. I have an order in for a Solidoodle 2 (Expert model, no expense spared here ;)), and am still trying to understand the part quality differences between these hobby printers and the difficulty in setting up & “printing” to them. I have a great deal of experience with commercial rapid prototyping machines, but none with these hobby printers. I anxiously await your thoughts, and please feel free to email me if you have comments more appropriately shared that way.
Thanks,
Rob
Rob: thanks — I received the Solidoodle V2 last week and so far have had some issues getting the thing to print. They just released a firmware update, and that might help. Part quality has many factors, among them stiffness of the frame, software settings, and even the particular ABS plastic being used. As I’m sure you’ve seen with commercial machines, the frames and hardware are rather robust, and hobby machines don’t match this level yet. The new V2 has a very nice steel frame, but I have a few concerns about how they chose to place endstops and some of the wiring. So far I’ve not had a successful print due to the part not sticking to the bed, and this is something I’m going to have to fix before doing a review. Overall I think the V2 is a good value but as an “early adopter” I think I have some bugs to work out at my end first. Sometime soon I’ll catch up with a full review and might also include the new Cube printer as one was shipped to me just this week. – Eric
Mike: OK, sure — I’ll sign up on the forum in a day or so (my work life is taking a lot of time for the moment). – Eric