Uncategorized
CanDo @ VHS, July 2012
Andrew and two Robs have been improving the code and the instructions for the CanDo kits. Here we are at the Vancouver Hack Space testing it out. Go, little robot, go!
Uncategorized
Drawbot 3D printables now online
Motor mount bracket. Put some 30mm offsets into the motor, put the bobbin on the motor shaft, attach the mount to the offsets with some M3 nuts and then screw the mount to a board. The bobbins will just barely avoid the bracket and get the strings very close to the board.
Bobbins by Loial, one of the VHS members.
Pen holder. Crude. This is my current area of research.
If you have better models, comment below!
Uncategorized
TagBot is a Drawbot that uses spray paint
TagBot is a featured Thingiverse machine that you can download and laser cut. Nice work, John!
Miscellaneous
Hannah Miller has written a lovely article about my robots on the Vancouver Mini Maker Faire blog. You can read it here. Thanks, Hannah!
Vancouver Mini Maker Fair 2012 post mortem
Hannah Miller has written a lovely article about my robots on the Vancouver Mini Maker Faire blog. You can read it here. Thanks, Hannah!
The Faire was fantastic! I was really impressed by the creativity and the artistry on display. From sand sculpting and papercraft to steampunk yoyos and 3d printing, it was all there. I sold all but one EL wire kit and one Drawbot kit. I was even selling prints right off the floor, shoe prints and all.
I learned that having more than one kit on a table is confusing. Next year I might need to have two tables so that I can put one robot on each. I learned that people don’t watch where they walk. Next year I’m going to have to invest in a partition system so I can keep people from walking all over the art. I learned that you’ve got to have a demo model people can see and play with or the product won’t sell. Next year I’ll have a way to show off just how bright EL wire really is. I learned that the CanDo explanations are still too hard, and that Solarbotics’ idea of using oomlout printouts is the way to go. I learned that I should be selling prints through my Etsy store, so I will get on that ASAP.
Sunday morning I came in to find that my Drawbot had fallen over in the night when the easel collapsed. One of the bobbins broke, causing a near disaster. Fortunately Eugene in the 3D printer village was able to print me a pair of purple replacements in about 30 minutes. Thanks, Eugene! I’m going to store extras in my emergency kit from now on and get a better easel.
So what’s next? Order more EL and Drawbot parts, publish a Stewart Platform tutorial that people have been asking for, finish the Gimbal, simplify the CanDo lessons, and get Drawbot pen up/down working.
Oh, and if you’re reading this, would the girl who asked for a drawing of a logo from the Highlander TV series please email me? You left 5 minutes before it was finished. Come and get it!
