Rep Rap Status and This Weeks Plans

[jjrosent]

Some good progress this week. As always follow the wiki for updates
at
http://heatsynclabs.org/wiki/Phoenix_RepRap#Status

We've taken a look at the last meetings work and were very happy. One
trace on a board was destroyed and we'll have to simply drop a wire on
the board to replace that. Other than that we accidentally soldered
on the old style RJ45 connectors for a few boards and have started,
and will need to finish, desoldering those

I etched some stencils so we could attempt reflow soldering at this
weeks meeting. I tested the process on one of the extruder boards
with pretty good results. The only issue was the microcontroller IC
didn't settle properly and will need to be reflowed. (anyone have a
reflow station?) Finally these have some DIP components that will
need to be soldered in place.

Jeremy, Karl and Rene have been able to start printing parts for us so
we've got plastic! As a result we should have most everything we need
to start mechanical construction of our extruder at the very least.

Lastly, I'd like to begin making cables this week.

All in all we are on track to finish certainly by the end of February,
if not much sooner.

Finally I wanted to mention that the team has been meeting
sporadically throughout the week to work on the rep rap and our other
projects. Follow our twitter feeds (@heatsynclabs which also lists
the board members personal feeds) to see if we're headed over to
gangplank. Bring your projects or stop by and help out with the rep
rap!

See you all on Thursday for toaster oven reflow soldering!

[jjrosent]

Sorry we didn't get an update out after the meeting last week. Our
communications guy died and came back with new teeth and a new haircut
(Manchurian Candidate?)

60%+ plastic(and metal!) printed--Thanks going out to Rene - Karl -
Jeremy (UAT's printer)
nearly all circuits boards finished
-dip soldering (and desoldering) - Shannon - Austin - Nate - Skylar
-reflow soldering -Nate - Austin - Skylar - Paul - Karl - Matthew
half our cables started - Zach and The Dude

This week We need to finish up a very few things on the boards and e
test and program them.

Hopefully we'll be able to finish some more wiring.

And if we're lucky and have the appropriate parts, well be able to
start with some mechanical construction.

Anyone have nichrome wire.. or broken toaster for tonight? We need
~6ohms of heating element to create our extruder and a toaster just
might do the trick.
We also need large lengths of at least 8amp wire (2 color if possible)
Finally we need 10 conductor and 6 conductor ribbon cable in large
lengths--we may be able to do something with large pc ata ribbons, but
they're probably too short.

See you all there!

On Jan 27, 1:23 am, jjrosent <jakerosent...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Some good progress this week.  As always follow the wiki for updates

> athttp://heatsynclabs.org/wiki/Phoenix_RepRap#Status

[Bobby Metz]

If you can't get the ribbon length you need, you might consider re-purposing
those old-style RJ45 connectors you just de-soldered to create some
ribbon-to-RJ45 converter boards. Then just crimp cables to length using any
Ethernet, phone or other flat cabling you have lying around. This would
work really well if the 10 and 6 conductor ribbon has the same start and end
points.

B

[Will Bradley]

Possibly but RJ45 is 8-connector max. Maybe try Computer Cable Specialists, CSC, or another industrial supplier? (I swear I've seen ribbons and ribbon tools at Fry's)

On Feb 5, 2010 9:04 AM, "Bobby Metz" <bwm...@gmail.com> wrote:

If you can't get the ribbon length you need, you might consider re-purposing those old-style RJ45 connectors you just de-soldered to create some ribbon-to-RJ45 converter boards.  Then just crimp cables to length using any Ethernet, phone or other flat cabling you have lying around.  This would work really well if the 10 and 6 conductor ribbon has the same start and end points.

B

----- Original Message ----- From: "jjrosent" <jakero...@gmail.com>
To: "HeatSync Labs" <heatsy...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 12:53 PM
Subject: [HSL] Re: Rep Rap Status and This Weeks Plans

Sorry we didn't get an update out after the meeting last week.  Our

communications guy died and c...

[Bobby Metz]

That's why you'd use two ports on each end.  So if your 10 & 6 wire ribbon have the same destination, you're set, since two ports give you 16.  If they don't go to the same destination, no worries, you'll just have 6 unused wires on the 2nd RJ45 to equal 10.  You could even substistute a phone jack if you're short of RJ45s.  Heck, for that matter, just use stripped down phone cable and solder to the adapter directly at each end.  Or do the same with the Ethernet cabling.  If you wanted exact conductor count, just strip down some Ethernet to get the extra pair...the small reinforcement cord in most cables is strong enough to split the sheathing (good for jumper wires in a pinch).

 

But I agree with you, use ribbon if you can get it...it'll look better; no adapters to make; finer pitch, etc. and most importantly less work, right?  The RJ45 and ideas above are just alternatives for the budget constrained.

 

Bobby

[jjrosent]

All good hacks. We found some ribbon. I had some lying around. Ill
post a new status before too long yet.

On Feb 5, 9:29 pm, "Bobby Metz" <bwm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> That's why you'd use two ports on each end.  So if your 10 & 6 wire ribbon have the same destination, you're set, since two ports give you 16.  If they don't go to the same destination, no worries, you'll just have 6 unused wires on the 2nd RJ45 to equal 10.  You could even substistute a phone jack if you're short of RJ45s.  Heck, for that matter, just use stripped down phone cable and solder to the adapter directly at each end.  Or do the same with the Ethernet cabling.  If you wanted exact conductor count, just strip down some Ethernet to get the extra pair...the small reinforcement cord in most cables is strong enough to split the sheathing (good for jumper wires in a pinch).
>
> But I agree with you, use ribbon if you can get it...it'll look better; no adapters to make; finer pitch, etc. and most importantly less work, right?  The RJ45 and ideas above are just alternatives for the budget constrained.
>
> Bobby
>
>
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Will Bradley
>   To: heatsy...@googlegroups.com
>   Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 2:27 PM
>   Subject: Re: [HSL] Re: Rep Rap Status and This Weeks Plans
>
>   Possibly but RJ45 is 8-connector max. Maybe try Computer Cable Specialists, CSC, or another industrial supplier? (I swear I've seen ribbons and ribbon tools at Fry's)
>
>     On Feb 5, 2010 9:04 AM, "Bobby Metz" <bwm...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>     If you can't get the ribbon length you need, you might consider re-purposing those old-style RJ45 connectors you just de-soldered to create some ribbon-to-RJ45 converter boards.  Then just crimp cables to length using any Ethernet, phone or other flat cabling you have lying around.  This would work really well if the 10 and 6 conductor ribbon has the same start and end points.
>
>     B
>

>     ----- Original Message ----- From: "jjrosent" <jakerosent...@gmail.com>