Should I make a Makelangelo 6?

Due to circumstances beyond my control Makelangelo 5 parts will soon no longer be available to me. I’m debating if I should invest in a Makelangelo 6 design or not. What are your thoughts?

The RUMBA control board used for many years is no longer available from any of my suppliers. I have found a few on Aliexpress at a grossly inflated price. Since they’re no longer reliable I’ve found a possible replacement, the SKR MINI E3. For the same price as the old RUMBA I can get a full color TFT screen, better drivers, and use less parts in the final design.

This is a great opportunity to update the pen holder. Imagine removing the hobby servo and using the same stepper motor as the top corners. Reducing my unique part count is a Good Thing. The added weight of the motor means I may be able to remove the two M16 bolts, further lowering my total part count. Fine grain control of the pen lifting speed would make for better line endings, less bouncing off the wall, and shorter drawing time overall.

But what about this economy? Is it even worth doing in a new Great Depression? It’s fun to make the robot as a hobby but also distracting enough that I can’t really start on anything new. There’s only so much time in every day. I would love to give the whole business to one of my nephews but I don’t trust that they care enough to do it right.