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What products do you want to see in the store?

2013-05-10 Dan

I’ve been looking for a part that will improve some of my kits for more than a year now. Some samples are finally in the mail and while I wait I’m going slightly crazy. It makes me wonder how many of you might be in the same boat. Heck, it’s not even a boat. It’s a piece of driftwood and on the side it says “if only i had this one thing I could move forward on this project”. I hear that line a lot and it makes so sad. To me nothing sucks more than having to wait for someone else. That’s why I do everything I can to ship kits as fast as possible and with zero mistakes.

But back to my point! So far I’ve only been stocking parts that are (or have been) used in my robots. I think it would be cool to add that conductive paint I’ve been reading about, or shapelock, or sugru… but I don’t want to invest good money if nobody’s interested. So, please, share with me: What parts, materials, or tools are you looking for? I’d be happy to make a bulk purchase to make it less expensive for everyone. Help me help you and we both win.

In the same way, what kind of robot would you like to see? Lawn mowing robots? Chore doing robots? Machine that throws balls for your dog? You tell me.

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Makelangelo Day, May 6 2013

2013-05-06 Dan

Today is a Makelangelo day. I’m working on patching bugs reported by users, updating the wiki, and prettying up the photos on the website. Got anything to contribute? Let me know!

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Moving VHS 3.0 to 270 East 1st

2013-05-05 Dan
In this scene our heros are building a staircase to lower the 400kg laser to the pavement. In the distance the regular delivery has to back his truck out of the alley.
In this scene our heros are building a staircase to lower the 400kg laser to the pavement. In the distance the regular delivery has to back his truck out of the alley.

Together we moved the laser cutter, the gumball machine, the fume hood, the MAME arcade machine, the fridges, and a CNC machine from storage and brought them all to the new space in a 24′ Budget truck. Ever used a dolly, a lift gate, or a pallet jack? You would have today! Ever sawed, nailed, hammered, measured, or drawn a plan? That would have been today, too. Oh, and the snacks. I think I ate about 6 doughnuts and I burned all those calories before lunch climbing stairs, dismantling the wall around the laser, lifting a fridge down the stairs… and I wasn’t the hardest worker. Matthew, Kevin, SDY, Mike, Inez, and Richard were there all morning making it happen and being really supportive of everyone there. Ken showed up having just heard of the hackspace and spent the afternoon with us putting the exterior door back on and helping unload at the new space.

Richard is wearing safety gloves. Weeks after it has last been fired and it is still hot from residual laser radiation.
Richard is wearing safety gloves. Weeks after it has last been fired and it is still hot from residual laser radiation. Richard is a wild man.
Laser tube, detail.
hand blown? That’s some real talent. Don’t get fingerprints on it or you’ll etch the glass.

Oh man, I should have taken a picture. The space is SO BIG. There’s a huge overhang at the entrance for parking your bike out of the weather and then a roller door big enough for a troll and a short hall that opens onto a cavernous space. Ballroom dancing easy in here. In one corner there’s the top half of a concrete staircase. I could totally picture Smeagol up there, rubbing his One Ring.

Inside the brain of a Redsail Laser Cutter. How many parts can you identify?
Inside the brain of a Redsail Laser Cutter. How many parts can you identify?

Tomorrow if the good lord’s a willin’ and the crick don’t rise we’re going to use what’s left of the truck rental to pick up the benches we got from Nokia and start putting them together at the VHS. That way we’ll be able to start bringing in stuff as soon as Luke finishes the section of wall they’re building. That’s going to take place during the week and on the weekend of the 11th and the 18th we’re going to bring over everything else, biggest things first. Everything from here on out can fit into a van or truck so we should have any big surprises.

Stay tuned for more later!

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Vancouver Hack Space is Moving

2013-05-02 Dan

Vancouver Hack Space is moving from 45 West Hastings to 270 East 1st Ave. This will mean ground floor, wheelchair friendly access and 2000sqft of extra space to work in. I’m coordinating the load-out from the old space which means a lot of my Marginally Clever work is going to suffer over the next month. Also, the girlfriend will be sad because I’ll be busy every weekend hauling boxes.

More importantly to you, dear reader, is that the laser cutter I use to make parts will be out of commission. So I’m looking to Sell my CNC machine and get a laser cutter instead.

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New Camera Bought with Bitcoins

2013-04-29 Dan

I finally have my new Canon Rebel T3 that I bought with Bitcoins. I’m going to use for new product photography. I’m just waiting for the batteries to charge now. So excited!