I want to build a 3D printer using old printer and scanner parts for cheap. Is it possible to use something like an Arduino Uno, and the original motors and encoder systems from the printers to build the axes of motion on a 3d printer? I heard the TeaCup firmware has support for encoder based motor control, but I wasn't sure if this is super unstable. Can anyone shed some light on this? If I can manage this, I can build a 3D printer and only have to buy 2 more motors, which would be amazing.
If you have another two printers to take apart it might be possible. Though how effective it would be I'm not too sure. A printer's slides and motors only work on one axis, and you need three, three sets of slides, motors and encoders. Along with an indexing system with other sensors to know where to zero the encoders.
It's possible, no doubt about it.
I have an old scanner that I was going to use, which actually has a stepper motor. I was going to use the scanner as the Y axis, the printer carriage with the DC motor as the X axis, and probably something involving threaded rods for the Z axis, though I'm not sure how I want to do that as far as motor types and such yet. I mostly want to see what my options are at this point.