What are you guys doing?
John Smith
John Smith
Nothing has happened, unfortunately.
Few of us have the time to dedicate to it, and we haven't been able to
come up with a stable schedule for meetings.
We did meet a couple times at ReLectronics, but little came of it.
I'd love to get this off the ground, but I don't have the time (I'm
only free weekends), money, or the skills (I'm not a leader or good at
managing things) to take charge and get it going.
I have given some thought to talking to the people that run the
Technology Development Center[1], because it looks like the perfect
place to have a hackerspace, but I don't have a clue who to talk to or
what we'd need to do to make it happen.
[1]: http://www.portofbellingham.com/index.aspx?nid=163
On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 7:47 AM, John Smith <sol...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is this thing off the ground yet? Any meetings? What happened?
>
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Charles Banas
Few of us have the time to dedicate to it, and we haven't been able to
come up with a stable schedule for meetings.
We did meet a couple times at ReLectronics, but little came of it.
I'd love to get this off the ground, but I don't have the time (I'm
only free weekends), money, or the skills (I'm not a leader or good at
managing things) to take charge and get it going.
I have given some thought to talking to the people that run the
Technology Development Center[1], because it looks like the perfect
place to have a hackerspace, but I don't have a clue who to talk to or
what we'd need to do to make it happen.
[1]: http://www.portofbellingham.com/index.aspx?nid=163
On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 7:47 AM, John Smith <sol...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is this thing off the ground yet? Any meetings? What happened?
>
John Sechrest
Kurt Apple
rbisping
since the last meeting we had down there. The biggest issue with using
reelectronics is the hours they are open. I know I do most of my
hacking at real odd hours so only having access during their buisness
hours has been a issue for me. I realy would like to get regular
meetings started for this group but I have a odd work schedual and
very little free time when im not working. as to alcohol/not I dont
see that as a issue regardless of where we meet, and yes this is a
youth friendly concept though not specificaly targeting that age
group. If you are a maker then age has little to do with it.
Personaly Ive been working more on my 3d printing projects and my
current experiments are focusing on a uv curing vat grown printing
system. very similar to the junior veloso printer.
Paul de Armond
Hi guys:
Funny you should ask.
I'm behind on my undertaking to introduce Mark Kuo to you all:
marku...@msn.com
Mark showed up at the BLUG picnic a while back, and he and Anthony
Penzinski and I talked about hackerspaces. I was gone for a while, but
at the next .org meeting we decided to try to get something started.
Mark has a lab on Kellogg Road where his focus is technology and young
people. I then dragged Paul into it, and we've just begun meetings on
a weekend evening; the next one is this coming Saturday. We are
starting small, with a virtual whiteboard. Unfortunately last week the
IR-pen didn't perform as advertised....
Mark is not committed to running a full-on h-space, but he's hosted
our exploratory meetings so far and we now have a nucleus of people
who intend to do real if modest projects and see what we can grow from
there. The TDC is an exciting development (thanks Charles for the
link). We'd probably need some sort of track record as a group in
order to be taken seriously, but if we can demonstrate enough
consistency and collective accumulation of skill to win some allies
there, they could be a huge help.
Welcome John (Smith), and Kurt (we won't force beer on you). And John
(Sechrist)--thanks for your input, and for the good energy you brought
here.
martin
John Smith
Paul de Armond
Penzinski at Mark's workspace at 141 W Kellogg Rd to get to know each
other, fool around with Johnny Chung Lee's Wiiremote whiteboard and
compare thoughts on hackerspace. I had previously met face2face with
Martin who clued me into Mark. Since Mark and I were both at George
Dyson's talk http://boingboing.net/2005/10/28/george-dysons-google.html
at Bellingham Technical Alliance's fundraiser on the 15th, we first
met there.
Starting with the premise that doing small projects together was a
good way to get started, Mark proposed we try to set up a Wii remote
white board http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/
Due to a communications foul-up, we had everything we needed except an
IR pointer. We were able to install the software, get it working
through a video projector and use an IR remote to hit a couple of the
registration marks. Unfortunately, the pulse-coding of the IR remote
signal made the Wii remote think we were suffering from Parkinson's,
so it registered too many "hits" on the whiteboard to work reliably.
We had some kick-the-can-around discussion about hackerspace
organizing, not really arriving at any conclusions.
Then we kicked around the sort of build projects we might be
interested in as a group. 3-D LED cube displays were interesting.
Seeed studios has a nice kit for a 4x4x4 RGB cube as an arduino
shield. We settled on a Spoke POV as the next directio to go once we
got the whiteboard up and running.
We are next meeting at 141 W Kellogg Rd this Saturday 10/1/11 at
7pm. We'll be taking another run at the whiteboard.
-------------
So much for the report. Here's my thoughts in brief:
* This is going to happen in face to face meetings if it happens at
all. On-line is secondary to face-to-face. In fact, if on-line is a
substitute for face-to-face, on-line will delay and prevent
organizing.
* Physical space, formal organization, etc are less important at the
beginning than meetings so we get to know each other.
* Small build projects, show and tell, etc are a good basis for
initial meets. that's the sermon, but the important stuff happens
during coffee hour.
* Recruitment is a higher initial priority than resource
mobilization. Resource mobilization will happen once we have
sufficient numbers.
* Cross-linking with other organizations is a good way to connect with
numbers of people. Martin is working through the Linux users group.
I'm thinking of outreach to the bicycle community via Spoke POV.
* Our initial task is social, not institutional - people first then
resources and structure.
* I work Saturdays 10 - 4, so evening meetings are about the only time
you're going to see me other than Sunday
----------------
My current project is an apple grinder for making cider. I'm copying
with modifications an antique design that used geared cutters and
rollers to crush the apples. I'm doing the crushing between involute
gears laminated from plywood. I'm cutting the gears with a scroll saw
and then laminating them and finishing with two coats of epoxy.
A CNC router or waterjet would be better at cutting the gears. I may
later get a CNC router if I end up making several of these.
The apples first go into two rotating knives and are cut into chunks.
The chunks fall into the gears and crushed.
The drive is chain and sprocket to keep the gears in sync. It's
driven by a 1/2 HP motor scavenged from a washing machine.
I figure it will take a couple of builds to get all the details
right. The first build will have an adjustable gap between the
crushing gears to find the optimal spacing. I'd rather have a fixed
spacing, but I will need to experiment first to find how tight I can
get the gap without excessive binding of the gears.
I've previously built a plate press that uses an air-driven 8-ton
hydraulic cylinder. Our current grinder is too coarse and that limits
the yield of the press. We will typically do 15 or more gallons a
year. This year will probably be less because the trees aren't
bearing much.
Charles Banas
Actually, yeah. I've been working on a vacuum thermoforming table, but
I've had to put it on hold for a few reasons:
1. I don't have the electrical capacity in my apartment to run it - it
needs between 15A and 20A at the wall, and my plugs and breaker are
rated at 15A. I need a space to operate this in that can provide the
electricity.
2. I don't have any experience or knowledge in welding, so I need help
putting the steel frame together. I've already got all of the
cold-roll A15 steel I need, cut and shaped, ready to weld.
3. I don't have the room for it. My apartment is, sadly, too small to
operate a machine of this size, and between ventilation and its
dimensions, I need to move it elsewhere.
4. I can't find an appropriate vacuum tank. Part of the design calls
for a vacuum tank that can hold a deep vacuum. AirGas has some helpful
folks, but they didn't have any advice on what kind of tank could hold
a deep vacuum. I can skip this part, and just use a 12A vacuum
cleaner, but I wanted to use an automotive vacuum. :)
I've also got a partial plan worked out for a hands-on digital
electronics course, with the goal of guiding a group through the
design, construction, and programming of a from-scratch digital
computer. A friend of mine at HakDC has held a similar class where he
guides people through digital computation that has been very
successful, but I'd like to go farther with hands-on electronics work.
I'm curious how many people might be interested in that.
--
Charles Banas
Paul de Armond
14.7 psi backwards. So any sort of pressure tank will be adequate. I
remember a SciAm Amateur Scientist project for a hypersonic wind
tunnel that used water heater tanks for vacuum reservoirs. Water
heaters are pressure rated to about 150 psi, so they are going to be
more than adequate.
Charles Banas
my concern was that if I used an ordinary propane tank that was
designed to keep 30+psi *in*, that it might not be so great at keeping
15psi *out*. Different kinds of stress usually result in the failure
of different components. So I wanted something I could be confident
in. :P
Regardless, it's a moot point at the moment, as I simply don't have
the room to keep fiddling with it. I still need a welder's help! (And
someone with a roomy truck when I finally find a new place to put it.
:P)
John Smith
Kurt Apple
Charles Banas
It's basically a from-scratch project, but I wanted to start with a
proven design. :P
> Also, I don't know anything about> home wiring, but could you plug the machine into two different circuits that> go to different breakers?
I thought about it. But I was concerned about running long extension
cables between rooms, and I'd rather just set up a mini-breaker on the
table itself.
> Is the 15-20A a starting current or does it need> that continuously?
Four 48-ohm heating elements work out to 12-ohm in parallel, on 120V
lines works out to 10A constant current, but having some experience
with this kind of thing, I estimate peak to be around 15+A. Not to
mention the vacuum pump, which would pull 15+A by itself.
> Welding is really easy to pick up...the only thing> experience nets you is how to make it pretty.
I also don't have a place to do it or access to equipment or anyone to
help me get started. I'd rather have someone else do this. :)
> I'd be willing to help out> with any classes, but I doubt we would have much interest until the group> became established.That's what I would expect anyway, and thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it. :) But before doing such classes, I still need to work out my plan for the digital logic circuits I want to use, and where I want to go with it. It works out to about 13 three-hour weeks of "classes" to get from transistor to games, so I'm expecting to have some fun with it, and to spend a lot of money on it.
rbisping
new list of the things im working on.
still have my makerbot cupcake #109
still running my mendel reprap
now have a metal foundry with some casting supplies.
frostruder for my cupcake that im working on using metal clay for 3d
printing of metals.
purchased a (i beleive) full set of the gingerly home machining books.
havent started building any of them.
still in the development stage of the printable organic circuitry.
still in set up of the afm and dip pen lithography system.
still in set up of the home silicon manufacturing (ala jerri
ellesworth)
biggest issue i have is living on my boat i have limited room.
Note: I have a welder and also have access to comercial welding
equipment at work and can assist in your welding needs.
I personaly tend to have the equipment I need for my work, what I lack
is the conversation with others to bounce ideas off of and maintain
enthusiism.
On Sep 28, 1:45 pm, Charles Banas <greyf...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > @Charles- A vacuum former seems like a neat project, are you basing it off> of any plans or just going from scratch?
>
> I got the plans for the Proto-Form at:http://www.build-stuff.com/index.htm
>
> It's basically a from-scratch project, but I wanted to start with a
> proven design. :P
>
> > Also, I don't know anything about> home wiring, but could you plug the machine into two different circuits that> go to different breakers?
>
> I thought about it. But I was concerned about running long extension
> cables between rooms, and I'd rather just set up a mini-breaker on the
> table itself.
>
> > Is the 15-20A a starting current or does it need> that continuously?
>
> Four 48-ohm heating elements work out to 12-ohm in parallel, on 120V
> lines works out to 10A constant current, but having some experience
> with this kind of thing, I estimate peak to be around 15+A. Not to
> mention the vacuum pump, which would pull 15+A by itself.
>
> > Welding is really easy to pick up...the only thing> experience nets you is how to make it pretty.
>
> I also don't have a place to do it or access to equipment or anyone to
> help me get started. I'd rather have someone else do this. :)
>
>
>
>
>
> > I'd be willing to help out> with any classes, but I doubt we would have much interest until the group> became established.That's what I would expect anyway, and thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it. :) But before doing such classes, I still need to work out my plan for the digital logic circuits I want to use, and where I want to go with it. It works out to about 13 three-hour weeks of "classes" to get from transistor to games, so I'm expecting to have some fun with it, and to spend a lot of money on it.
> > @Paul- those all sound like fun projects. I've worked with the Wiimote
> > before when I had to get it to work with a netduino which uses C#. It was
> > my first time with anything .NET and it wasn't very pleasant. We were
> > building a tron disc for Microsoft and the Netduino guys so they could
> > showcase their stuff. LED cubes are a lot of fun...I've done quite a few
> > projects with LEDs, but I primarily use the Max7219 since one chip can light
> > 64 LEDs. I also started a project using RGB's and TLC5940 chips, but never
> > got finished. The Arduino is an excellent platform to simply build stuff,
> > but it isn't very good at helping you learn why things work...also, Arduinos
> > arent cheap whereas you can sample PICs and 7219s for free. :) Either way,
> > everyone loves blinky lights!
> > @Charles- A vacuum former seems like a neat project, are you basing it off
> > of any plans or just going from scratch? Also, I don't know anything about
> > home wiring, but could you plug the machine into two different circuits that
> > go to different breakers? Is the 15-20A a starting current or does it need
> > that continuously? Welding is really easy to pick up...the only thing
> > experience nets you is how to make it pretty. I'd be willing to help out
> > with any classes, but I doubt we would have much interest until the group
> > became established.
>
>
> >> Yeah, I remember that kind of stuff from Physics 101 in college, but
> >> my concern was that if I used an ordinary propane tank that was
> >> designed to keep 30+psi *in*, that it might not be so great at keeping
> >> 15psi *out*. Different kinds of stress usually result in the failure
> >> of different components. So I wanted something I could be confident
> >> in. :P
>
> >> Regardless, it's a moot point at the moment, as I simply don't have
> >> the room to keep fiddling with it. I still need a welder's help! (And
> >> someone with a roomy truck when I finally find a new place to put it.
> >> :P)
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Martin Passmore
well, i havent realy done a update on all of my projects so here is a
new list of the things im working on.
Charles Banas
On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 10:10 AM, Martin Passmore <dc24...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> -You definitely cannot safely create one 30 amp circuit from two 15 amp
> sources--there are two specific hazards involved, depending upon the actual
> origin of the feed to each of the two outlets. What you could do is to
> create two separate loads (the pump and the heater, say) and then make sure
> that their circuits are fed from different breakers. If they were not to be
> started at the same instant, that would also reduce the peak startup draw.
This I was already pretty sure of, and why I wasn't even going to
attempt the idea.
I redid the math, and the heaters would pull 10A@120V constant, and
the vacuum pump would pull between 10A and 15A. My original idea to
use it on a 15A socket was to make the two mutually exclusive - to
turn on the vacuum pump, the heaters must be off. That seemed the
safest and most reasonable. But, as I haven't yet gotten the frame
welded, I'm not going to worry about that just yet. :)
> -You are right that long extension cords are not a solution for large loads.
> People out in rural areas can run into this problem setting up waterpumps
> (voltage drop), and electric motors are stressed under load if voltage gets
> too low.
> The best source for the novice here is the little "Wiring Simplified"
> handbook which you can probably still find in Hardware Sales--and Angus and
> the others in the electrical aisle there are very knowledgeable, and also
> patient with customers who have a specific question.
Yes. Having some experience with electronics myself, and having had
some exposure to electrical wiring, I long ago decided it's probably a
Bad Idea to do this in my little apartment. I put the project on hold
months ago in the hopes of getting a space where I can do this both
safely and competently. :)
> I may be out of date on welding, but depending on (A) The degree of accuracy
> required in maintaining alignment, and (B) possible risks following a
> failure, I'd still like to emphasize the importance of practice. If you
> haven't actually seen the way a careless weld will permanently tweak a
> meticulously prepared fabrication, it might be worth remembering the novice
> carpenter's frustration over boring old squareness and leveling issues.
> Remember also that X-rays are routinely used where strength is critical,
> even when experts have done the work. And stuff often gets used for things
> the builder never intended (hacking!) and anything made of steel always
> LOOKS so strong....
Which is why I don't want to do it myself. I'm inexperienced, and
would rather an experienced welder did this for me. If I do learn how
to weld, this project would be the last thing I'd do.
I'm always thinking ahead, and want to make sure that when I do
something, I do it right.
The design I'm using has a valve system that "charges" a vacuum in a
tank before it's needed, and the vacuum tank is used to *assist* the
vacuum pump for a deep draw off the plastic. The deeper the vacuum I
can store, the deeper I can get the plastic, and the thicker the
plastic I can use. It would never store vacuum long-term, just
temporarily for immediate use.
That's why I have such a concern over failure of the tank. I know that
undue stress on metals can result in fatigue fractures, and even a
sturdy tank might fail after several uses, especially storing deep
vacuums in the neighborhood of 0.015 Torr (which the vacuum pump I was
looking at is supposedly capable of achieving) shortly before being
refilled to neutral pressure mere minutes later. I've seen the results
of airplane stress - I know it's the other way around (pressurized
cabin causes failure of the skin after several hundred flights above
30,000 feet), but my intuition tells me it's possible.
Anyway, thank you for the advice. I'll save this email for future
reference when I start up the project again.
> m
rbisping
suggested only having one of them running at a time, though you can
run your heaters off of one source and the pump off a second source
safely. another option though not realy great for non electricians
would be to power the heaters off 220v source i.e. your stove/dryer
plug. doubling the voltage halves the amp load and those circuits are
usualy 30A-50A. that is what I would do but i cant necessarily
recomend it to you.
On Sep 30, 10:33 am, Charles Banas <greyf...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Well now, this is a welcome email. See my responses below:
>
Paul de Armond
to drain an 200 gal oil tank with a plugged line. The line plugged
real hard, so the drum started developing a vacuum. After about an
hour and a half of pumping, there was a very loud noise and a 55
gallon drum crumpled like a beer can.
I think the notion of having an accumulator in a vacuum former is you
need a big volume of suck for a short time.
Back in the 60's when I occasionally worked on movie locations as a
gofer, there was never enough power when we were shooting. Studios,
like theaters, have huge amounts of power for lighting. Anywhere
else, not so much. The electrician's solution was to have an entire
breaker panel with outlets that could plug into a stove or dryer 220v
outlet. This would usually give two 30 to 50 amp 110V circuits.
If these weren't enough or the 220v outlets were in an awkward place
compared to where we were shooting, he removed the cover of the house
breaker panel, turned off the main disconnect and hooked up with hefty
crocodile clips to the buses (circumventing everything in the breaker
panel except the mains). That way you got as much power as the supply
and main breakers could handle.
So when I recently had my fuse panel relocated and replaced with
breakers, I had the electrician add an extra 30A 220V circuit with a
dryer outlet, just in case I needed a lot of power for some future
project.
Charles Banas
I live in a small apartment. It's out of the question.
That's why I said I was hopeful we could get a space, so I could set up there.
