Old printer, new control board?

[adbryant]

I have an old 3D Systems Cube printer that has been gathering dust since I upgraded to a larger printer. It is still fully functional, but the software that came with it is proprietary, and you have to use their filament cartridges (unless you want to do some sleight-of-hand to use regular filament). I want to replace the existing control electronics with something new, so I can use a standard CAD program and slicer and maybe even have a wi-fi connection. Plus, it would be fun to tinker with.

Has anyone done something like this? Any suggestions for a basic (less expensive) control board? Ramps kits with an Arduino Mega are cheap online, but how difficult is it to get working? For a few more bucks, you can get a Makerbase Robin setup like this https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B093LG4NJL/ ... dp_it&th=1. Is it worth the extra cost? Any suggestions or opinions are appreciated!

What would you do with a spare 3D printer? CNC machine? Laser engraver? PCB router? Maybe I don't need another printer, but need a _____ (you fill in the blank) instead?