Author: Madox

3D Printed Whistle – Thin & Flat (WTF)

I’m really pushing the limits of my backcronym ability 🙂  I present to you another WTF!  This time a whistle.

The design originally was intended as a pendant for my niece that’s customized with her name and printed using wax and cast into sterling silver… it was originally 3 tone too…

...and pink...

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Chumby + iPhone + Android + Mecanum Wheels

Couldn’t resist extending the software test on the mecanum wheel base…video comes later this time…

The ‘quick and nasty’ software files are still the same as in the previous post.  Pure software test only, couldn’t resist the temptation to try it via WiFi on a stock Chumby instead of USB tethering.  As such the hardware frame is a bit too flimsy and the batteries aren’t enough to power the Chumby without brown-out resets.  These will be improved upon soon 🙂

This demonstrates the ‘touch’ (initialize) and ‘swipe’ (move/offset) control on touch screens.  Will try the DeviceMotion Javascript API on iOS 4.2 devices (iPhone 4G/iPad) if I can get my hands on that filth… 😛

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Super Miniature 3D Printed Pump using Up! (PP3DP) Printer

Posted the original ‘Miniature’ 3D Printed Pump to Thingiverse because someone requested it, didn’t expect the huge number of comments and feedback on it.  I think a few Reprap/Makerbot users were jealous of the resolution of the Up! printer so I figured I’ll up the ante a little bit more…

I present… Super Miniature 3D Printed Pump!  [Micro is reserved for something more ridiculous…] :-

That is an Australian 50Cent Coin...

Read on for a few more photos for scale and the obligatory video demonstration/test …

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Miniature 3D Printed Pump using Up! (PP3DP) Printer

Weee, found that I had a crap load of spare motors hanging around from a mini motor shopping spree at Shenzhen in China last year so I thought I’ll give the Up! 3D Printer a workout printing mechanical bits.

So far most of the demonstration models on the internet of this wonderfully “affordable” commercial ready-to-print 3D printer has been of decorative pieces and figurines etc.  The usual impressive stuff to try out on a 3D printer (guilty of printing an Elvis head/bust as my first test pieces).

What about Engineering prototypes though?  Will the accuracy of the printer suffice?  Are there any tricks?  Short answer is, yes it will work but there are tricks you need to know to work around the quirks…

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My 5 cents worth… where 2 cents just isn’t enough

Though it was my first choice for this project, the Australian 2 cent coin has been withdrawn from circulation in 1992 and is rather difficult to get a hold of.  Next in line is the Australian 5 cent coin, which apparently at certain times the metal value exceeds the face value.  The important attribute for this project is the weight of the coin, the 5 cent coin is almost half as light as the 2 cent, 2.83g vs 5.18g respectively.  What kind of project is this where the weight of the coin is important?!?

Sometimes while trawling the  stupidities of some internet forums [or Youtube comments!!!], one is tempted to put their 2 cents worth into the discussion.  Though the temptation is strong, that usually means lowering yourself to posting in a stupid thread just to try in vain correct some idiots stupidity.  Thus the idea was born of giving someone your 2 cents [5 cents now due to aforementioned difficulties] worth in a different way…

The 2 cent/5 cent coin dispenser 🙂

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