After half a year of happily turning out parts, we started having problems with our Makerbot a few weeks ago. Parts were refusing to stick ...| drewsrobots.blogspot.com
Hardware upgrade: After wiring the 8-pin CPU power connector to go to the relay board and connecting my Cupcake's new PSU, the machine no longer skips steps in the Z-axis nor in the extruder and the heated build platform and extruder nozzle heat up in a more timely manner. My reasoning for wiring an 8-pin CPU power connector to the relay board was to ensure that the heater elements would have enough power and not take it from the steppers. I'm pretty sure this works because the CPU power is o...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
After 3 years of faithfully supplying power to my MakerBot Cupcake, the power supply has finally died. Every time I switched it on, it would turn right off. That's not bad for 3 years of use, especially considering that I probably started using too much power when I switched to a stepper extruder with power resistor heating with the MK6 upgrade. I've already found an amazing new power supply for it, but it has an air intake on one of its larger sides, so I'll have to cut a hole (or drill a bu...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Disclaimer: This is just, like, my opinion, man. Also, I won't be discussing whether MakerBot has done anything illegal or not; I'll only be explaining what I think is going on at the company. --- Introduction: Recently, the MakerBot Replicator 2 was announced as a closed-source device. This didn't really surprise me. In fact, I'm more surprised they didn't do this with the original Replicator. Yes, they're a company we've all come to know and love, but I've felt that for a while now that the...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Recently, I have been trying to get rid of my MacBook Pro so I will be able to upgrade my iPhone in the Fall when the new one is supposed to come out. Up until now, my MacBook had been my MakerBot-controlling machine. Now that I have a nice, speedy Linux laptop with an average of 7 hours of battery life and become more proficient with Linux, I've been using the MacBook less and less. Today, I decided I was going to print more parts from the Mendel-Inspired Lowrider. To do this, I needed to in...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Ok, I've built this thing TWICE on two different boards now and I still haven't managed to get it to work with the programmer! AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHDSASDGFKLHASKJGHKLJAGLK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you want to help me, see the post I made on the MakerBot Google Group.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I haven't added any good pictures or videos of my work area in a while so, a few days ago, I decided to take some with my Nikon D5100. I also took an HD video.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
The parts for the Unicorn circuit board arrived! The circuit boards themselves sill aren't here, of course (cheap shipping from China is cheap and slow). Anyway, I went through the parts I received and, lo and behold, I got one wrong. Thankfully, it was only the switch—I had ordered a surface-mount version instead of a through-hole version. The good news is I can still use the switch. I have corrected the part number and price in the part list spreadsheet. On a slightly related subject, I f...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Ok, so I'm a few days late with ordering the parts. No big deal, right? Anyway, I got them ordered today and it ended up costing around $16 (including shipping, from Digi-key). That parts cost reflects a full set of RoHS-compliant and lead-free parts, so it is possible to get the parts cheaper. Tentative BOM after the break. I say that this BOM is "tentative" because I may have ordered some wrong parts.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I just ordered 10 of the Minimalist Unicorn Controller Boards that I designed. Total cost was around $34 from SeeedStudio, so that's about $3.40 per board. If you want, I can send you one for the cost of the board + shipping. I really only want one for my Unicorn (still haven't used it) so I kinda want to offset that cost a bit. I'll be ordering the components tomorrow so I'll let you know what the electronic bits cost then. Sorry about this post's grammar—it's late but I really wanted to g...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Well, it was! I met some really cool people this year and it's always great to put faces to names. I was amazed by Andrew Diehl's "Fablicator" and the double-tall Ultimaker—these things are game changers. I can see the Fablicator directly competing with 3D System's lowest-cost pre-assembled printers and MakerBot's pre-assembled Thing-O-Matic, and it's really an amazing deal considering the Fablicator is made out of aluminum and it includes a computer with all the software pre-installed. A l...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I made an app that can hackishly control a MakerBot! Code is here. Clone via Git, open and compile with XCode 4. I say "hackishly" because it only works on the X-axis right now and it only supports absolute coordinates. Eventually, I want this to become a full ReplicatorG implementation so you won't need a computer to control a MakerBot. You need a Redpark serial cable and EITHER a provisioned iOS device and developer program membership OR a jailbroken iOS device and modified XCode. I have t...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I've decided to print as many parts as I can to make a Prusa Mendel. Hopefully I can make enough parts so I can just ask some people to make the parts my CupCake can't make. Currently, every object I make has too much perimeter material—parts designed to interlock don't fit. I've tried to fix this in Skeinforge, but right now I'm adjusting my belt tension to see if that helps. My CupCake fails on large prints, so I'll need help on those. The goal of getting my MakerBot was to get it to make...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Apparently, I won a Unicorn. The pen plotter, that is. Of course, I couldn't stop thinking of... THIS. In other news, I received my Crosshair II Formula motherboard today (I RMA'd my M2N32-SLI Deluxe at the beginning of November, right before its 3 year warranty ran out; of course, they weren't able to repair it nor were they able to replace it, so they gave me a slightly better model). If you want to know why the Crosshair II Formula is so nice, Google it. I really like that I'm able to over...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
My dad got me a MK5 kit for Christmas after my MK4 broke for the 3rd time in a few months (PTFE insulators are annoying—I think my thermistor table was wrong). I have since put it together and am currently printing out the Holiday Prusa Mendel on Thingiverse with it. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving! :) However, there were some problems I noticed: - Thermistor read wrong temps—ABS now likes to melt at 200C - Solder joints on power resistors melt partially when running at 200C - Th...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I recently received a copy of Alibre Design Expert 2011 (it's an early Christmas gift from my mom). It's the Educational version, so instead of $1400 it was $200. That's not bad for a CAD package with a license I can use on 3 PCs without needing it to renew it every few years. So, trying to find a use for this, I decided to make an iPhone/iPod/iPad stand using the sheet metal designing tool (only available in the Expert version, I think). Since I haven't found a way to export my design as a D...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Well, if you haven't already noticed, Hack a Day just started its classified ads service over at classifieds.hackaday.com. Essentially, it's Craigslist, but for the hackers, modders, and makers of things. I, understanding the full magnitude of the number of daily visitors to Hack a Day, seized the opportunity to advertise my DIY-intosh (my ebay auction recently ended). Why? It needs to be sold and ebay isn't working. I don't want tech support calls from the people I'm selling it to. People li...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
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Well, I got a new workbench. Now that my thermal barrier has arrived, I can get to work repairing my extruder—at my new workbench! Then I can start printing cool stuff again!| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
My new thermal barrier will arrive tomorrow. Then, I'll be able to start experimenting with support structures. Yay!| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
World Maker Faire NYC was awesome! I took a ton of video, but I still need to edit out all the boring stuff. I've also now listed my refurbished & unlocked Blackberry on ebay ($150 + shipping), though the ebay fees are really high, so I'd prefer it if you'd buy it on SellSimply. In fact, I've dropped the price on the SellSimply one to $130 with Free USPS Priority Mail Flat-rate shipping (I only ship free to the US, though). I'll be selling some CRT monitors soon (one of them is a 21" one with...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Yes, I'm going, but I won't be presenting. I'll probably be hanging out around the MakerBot/3D-Printer Village areas.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Two weeks ago, on Wednesday, there was the "Future of MakerBot" meeting. It was fun, I got to meet some other operators, and we all got to provide our input into the future of the MakerBot. Essentially, we toured around MBI, went through some introductions, and talked about what we wanted and didn't want in the future for MakerBots. To all those that were there, I'm sorry I talked so much! I can go on and on about things sometimes... Here are some pictures:| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Well, I kinda want to buy a more portable Mac (an older 17" MacBook Pro), so I'm going to be selling this for $400. Why $400? Well, I actually built it for just over $300 and similar Macs are over that price. It's really great at running a MakerBot, and it's good for iPhone development, too. Specs: 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo Processor 2 GB of DDR2 667 MHz RAM Bluetooth Wireless N networking 100 GB 7200 RPM SATA HDD 2 USB ports 1 Firewire 400 port 1 Mini-DVI port Mic In and Audio Out ports 10/100 ...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I just saw this and I'm really jealous. I wish I worked for MakerBot so I could be "posterized" by Bre! I'm no artist and I really need a good logo (the current one is just "meh"). At least I live a 5 minute walk and a train ride away from Brooklyn (as opposed to living in California)! This reminds me that I should visit the BotCave some time. Eventually. If Bre says it's ok.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
I just thought of an amazing alternative to the RepRap motherboard that doesn't need a computer to drive it: the BeagleBoard! This way, you could have it interpret the G-code directly and quickly (as opposed to MakerBot's way of doing that work on the computer and then sending different, simpler commands over the serial lines, keeping the heavy-lifting off of the µController). In my hypothetical setup, the stepper drivers would be run directly from the computer, like how most CNC machines ar...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Here they are: Also, to all those curious, I will be at Maker Faire NYC, but I will not be exhibiting there. There is a chance that I'll bring my MakerBot, but it's slim.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Just so you know, I'll be exhibiting at Maker Faire RI in Providence on Saturday, so if you're in the area, I'll be at the tabe with the DIY-intosh, the Eee PC 1000HE, and the MakerBot. Why am I bringing my DIY-intosh? Well, because it's just so much more impressive in person. That and the fact that its 2GHz Core Duo leaves my netbook's 1.66GHz Atom in the dust when it comes to Skeinforging something.| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
As you may or may not know, my birthday was on the 16th (I feel like everyone is blogging about their August birthdays and what they got now—MakerBlock, Spacexula). Because few in my family actually understand what I do, they all just give me money. So, with those birthday funds, I bought myself a Sapphire 100282-TXSR, a Vapor-X ATI Radeon HD 5850 Toxic Edition graphics card that performs as good as, if not better than, an HD 5870. This is the first $340 step I've taken in my $1200 quest to...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects
Well, I just bought some new parts for my Makerbot. First, because my build platform broke, I bought the MakerBot Heated Build Platform Kit. I decided that, since I was switching back to ABS, I should be using a heated platform. I also didn't want to pay for a normal build platform now and pay for a heated build platform later when I'll really want it. Second, I bought the Magnetic Rotary Encoder PCB. I got 3 samples of the chip a while ago, so I just bought this because it may come in handy ...| Cyrozap's Tech Projects