There’s a really interesting article by David Kushner, in the latest IEEE journal, on the history of the Arduino, including the fact that it got it’s name from a little-known 11th century Italian king, Arduin. What’s the connection? Well, in the town where he ruled there’s a bar named after the king, and that’s where the devlopers of the Arduino hang out. It’s a moot point whether it’s named after the king or after the bar!
Two M8 studding connectors as lead nuts
I have been thinking of using M8 studding connectors rather than a single M8 nut on the z-axis lead screws of my 3D printer. My sense is that the x-axis motion would be more stable, and with two connectors, held together in the same plastic piece, it reduces backlash (but I don’t know how to measure that … it just feels like it; I can feel the backlash in a nut, but not in the pair of studding connectors).
Below is a screen capture of it in Google Sketchup. You can download the SKP file here.
The STL file is here. Basically the connector is just an M8 nut that’s 23.7mm thick.
M8 studding connector
Then you need to keep an eye on Raspberry Pi, due out in November.
… Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
Not printing yet ... but it's starting to look like a 3D Printer
I would be further on, but I discovered MUCH too late that a whole batch of the 624ZZ bearings were faulty. Had to disassemble the whole thing, check all the bearings, and replace the faulty ones. The centre race is a few thou too slim, so when you put a washer either side and tighten it up, it binds on the outer race and won’t go round.
Anyone want 60 bearings that won’t go round?
Will fire it up tomorrow, hopefully, if I can find my laptop and get it going.
Johan has brought out a new accessory for MakerBeam: the Eye Plate.
Now I’m trying to work out what I will use it for! I wonder if it would hold a pencil for my simple plotter.
MakerBeam Eye Plate
Footwear for MakerBeam by Pieter Bos
Well, here’s an interesting development: plastic ends and vertices for MakerBeam, presaging my own “No Nuts” ideas.
Well, I’m back in the UK after my totally mind-blowing trip to Eindhoven, and my head is totally spinning.
In front of me is my new copy of “The Power of Making“, the book that had a profound effect on me a couple of weeks ago, and I’m thinking, “so what do I want to make today?”
And Susan gives me the heads-up on the state of our finances (grim), so I guess the answer is, today I better make some money!
Better get writing, designing, manufacturing, and, most importantly, selling.
Today I’m looking at the potential of mini (and, maybe, not so mini) t-slot profiles in the education, prototyping and just general Making markets.
More later. In the meantime, if you don’t know about these things, check out:
My first attempt at doing something with MakerBeam, other than just bolting a few bits together:
[youtubeV youtubeurl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asl5LT2QF_U" width "350" height="300" show="yes"]
I just visited Utrecht Fab Lab, and met with Johan de Stigter, Jelle Boomstra, and Wouter Pijzel. Thanks for the friendly welcome, and the chat.
But mostly thanks to Johan for introducing me to (and supplying my first set of) Makerbeam. I already built my first Makerbeam “thing”.
[youtubeV youtubeurl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jcdTk3Gt0U" width "350" height="300" show="yes"]
It isn´t anything … just a load of Makerbeams bolted together. But it was fun. Later I´ll actually make something real.
I can´t wait to get back to the UK and start showing it around.
Makerbeam is VERY new. For a running log of new projects, keep checking Johan´s Makerbeam blog.