What should I do with my legacy Mendel? (I have an iiTopie functioning now) It never was reliable and has z-wobble problems.
Donate to someone more unfortunate?
Donate to me please
Upgrade to an i2. Replace the triangles with lasercut mdf.
The mendel can be an excellent machine with a few changes. Changing the triangles for mdf was the best change I ever did. Aluminum would be even better.
Then change the x axis for something more robust, like from the mendel90.
Biggest reliability issue (for me) was usually the X axis setup and the belts on X/Y (stretch and bouncing). If someone decides to fix it, print off parts for one of the Prusa i2 X axis variants (inc the carriage w/linear bearings & also the Z ends), and go to GT2 belts for the X and Y. While you’re at it, you may as well replace the 4 bottom vertex corners with vertex corners that include adjustable feet. I did all that on my old Mendel and it worked well for many years.
I had a design for x-axis ends that were indestructible. Clamped down on the rods tight so no problem with the belts, and used gt2-3mm.
But the mendel90 ends can do just as good.
The y axis needed a better motor mount too.
take the component out and make better frame for it, upgrade some modern parts like hotend and stuff.
Rebuild it as an I3, I’m slowly doing that for my I2.
My original Mendel is at the local Makerspace for them to use
You can learn a lot from a spare machine.
You can try things with it that you wouldn’t risk you “good” machine with.
@Stephanie_A Is there any documentation for that? I have access to a router so I could allways make those myself!
I am thinking of trurning this into a laser with all new mechanics, but just having a test machine is nice! Thanks for all the votes!!
I would like to know what @Alex_Skoruppa or @raykholo would transform this into. Any suggestions are welcome!!
I like where Stephanie is going with this. @Thomas_Sanladerer did the series on a Prusa i3 mk2 clone, you could use the parts for that. As you said, you have a router.
Personally, I think it has collectible value and I’d keep it for 20 years 
This is it: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:92567
It was 2 pieces of lasercut 1/4in mdf glued together per side. Incredibly stable.
I don’t have it now because my control board on this caught on fire.
Give it to me
I have two scratch built printers that don’t hold a candle to my Prusa, quality-wise, I’m in the same boat.
@Mike_Miller Yes, This simply cant compete with the reliability or quality of my prusa.(It is also handbuilt though.) I feel bad taking apart as it took me a long time and was my first printer, but it would be great to use it for better things!
@raykholo I know, the collectable value is very high, but those parts… I could use those precision ground hardened steel rods(completly over the top I know) for something else, its just so tempting…
@Aaron_Spaulding one of my printers had a 12x12x14 envelope…I’m afraid the 1/4 mic6 bed would be too big to be practical in a Prusa/Mendel design