Ideas, news & tutorials for makers and hackers – Arduino/Raspberry Pi, 3D printing, robotics, laser cutting, and more
Here we show off all the things we have made and you might like to make too, or things we have found that we want to make next. It might be a file from Thingiverse that you might want to 3d print, a nifty laser cut design, or a cool cosplay prop paint job.
AMOS BASIC is designed first and foremost for game programming, so it was one of the first truly “multimedia” programming environments.
The first thing I always want to do on a computer in any language, right after “Hello World”, is to display my own images (even if that “image” is made up of the computer character set).
That is where we will start with this AMOS BASIC programming tutorial series.
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Previously I mentioned my Chinese K40 40w laser and how I was planning some upgrades. This is the first follow up – this weekend I fitted a couple of them and did some test cuts!
Can the upgraded machine achieve USA Brand-Name laser quality, at 1/10 the price? Let’s see …
I bought my controller and software license from Cohesion3D.
This board is a 1:1 replacement for the existing electronics, but offers much better performance. While the original board “works”, using my upgrade I have more control, using PWM to fire the laser, giving the opportunity for greyscale rather than simply power the laser on/off.
Technology-wise you can see a visible improvement, due to the higher performance processor and more advanced firmware (lots of math that I don’t understand!).
It took me minutes to swap out the boards without checking instructions. Unfortunately, I did have to swap one stepper around due to the controls driving the laser head in the wrong direction 😉
This upgrade alone has seen a huge increase in capability and performance. Highly recommended!
This was a bit more of a let-down. Not because of the principal, or even necessarily the product, but my experience with my filter specifically was sub-par.
When I opened the box it was full of carbon, the packet had burst, plus the filter itself appears used. I will contact Amazon.
If I don’t manage to get a replacement or instructions to put it right, I may just go with a longer hose. I’m not keen on the idea of making a whole in my garage wall right now.
I’m a big fan of Open Source, but there are times when free software just doesn’t … um … cut it 😉
LightBurn will appear familiar to people who are accustomed to the software that often comes with laser cutters, but this software is in English and actually works.
So, while it operates in a familiar way, it produces better results.
Previously, I had been using InkScape and a plugin, then a GRBL sender. I will probably continue to create my vectors in InkScape, but this software handles SVG files well, and allows you to finely control speeds and power.
Definitely check this software out.
Next time I will work on the lenses, mirrors, air assist, and try and resolve the lack of Z axis/focus …
My 2012 iMac has started its journey to Silicon Heaven, and pretty soon it will be no more. I found a lot to like with this machine, but I have been growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of user-serviceability.
Can I replace it with a DIY PC that is at least as powerful? Can I do it for less than a new iMac would cost me?
That’s what I plan to find out, and I will document my progress 🙂 [Read more…]
Recently I have come around to really enjoy the Grove sensors and displays from Seeed. They are so convenient! [Read more…]
Halloween is an awesome time for makers. Each year I like to beat my previous year’s builds.
For Halloween 2017 I thought I would do something a bit special and create two projects. This is the first, an Arduino-powered skull! [Read more…]
ABS gets a rough rap in the 3d printing community, so I wanted to give a small defence of ABS filament for your 3d printer consideration …
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Nylon 3d printing filament is not at all popular with regular 3d printers, and for good reason, but after giving it some serious use recently I wanted to implore you to at least try it.
Why? Let’s take a look … [Read more…]
With most people who own 3d printers, at some point you are going to get asked to print something. Fortunately I know more interesting people than those who want spinners making (before anyone asks, no, I will not). My friend Ted is a teacher and he tends to come up with interesting and nerdy-fun requests, and this one was no exception – a scale model of the solar system!
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Doctor Who’s Tardis is iconic. I love the various 3d prints I have made of it over the years, I have a couple of smaller Arduino versions of the Tardis that light up and make sounds right here, but this one has to be my favourite Tardis, and 3d print for that matter (so far!).
When I shared to the 3d printing groups, so many people wanted to make one, I thought I would put together a quick guide 🙂
Check out how quick and easy it is to make your own, and please do share your creations with me! Let’s take a look now …. [Read more…]
The ESP32 is the newest* super powered IoT/Arduino board you are going to want in your arsenal.
I have long been a fan of the ESP8266, especially the cheap Chinese NodeMCU boards, so when I saw the faster, more capable ESP32 had Arduino compatibility, I had to give it a try! [Read more…]
