Some goals of the Isaac-Mendel

The Isaac-Mendel is a derivative of the RepRap Mendel and can be classified as both a RepRap and a RepStrap. We tried to preserve as much of the Mendel's characteristics as possible:

• All of the machinable parts are printable. An Isaac-Mendel can print its own replacement parts. It can also produce a child Isaac-Mendel.
• It has roughly the same form factor. It uses the same lengths for stud-frame-side and stud-frame-end. Other stud lengths vary to match the new parts.
• It's belt-driven.
• It's GPL. Once we start selling kits we'll post the plans publicly, most likely on the RepRap wiki.

We have some additional goals to support its use as a RepStrap:

• All of the printable parts are machinable. A 2-1/2-D milling machine or a gantry router can cut out the parts. The only part with cross holes is the frame vertex; the cross holes are easy to drill using a jig.
• It includes an adapter plate to mount MakerBot's Plastruder MK4. This combination is optional; the Mendel extruder should also fit (untested).

The Isaac-Mendel is a work in progress, but it looks like we're nearing the home stretch. We hope to have it printing sometime this week or next and post videos.