New Post-Modern Garage/Workshop

[mr. h]

Re: Jerry Cans

I also received my Jerry Cans last week. I was really tired of the plastic junk gas cans they sell nowadays. These are extremely well made, have great seals, and come with a fantastic metal pour spout:

Where did you get those Jerry Cans.

 

[works4me]

I purchased the Jerry Cans on-line here:

http://www.jerrycan.com/

They're fantastic so far.

 

[works4me]

Quick peek at my next project. I'll bet you'll never guess what it is:

I'm going to start prototyping the mechanism by 3D printing the parts and testing the fit. Then I'll worry about how to CNC machine everything.

Guesses are welcome!

 

[aggierailroad]

A UFO?!

I'll reserve the rest of my guesses for later..

 

[KerryH]

Those look like stepper motors, but beyond that I have no idea!

 

[LCG]

That looks like the concept of an omnidirectional spider robot using a 6-legged delta design

 

[works4me]

That looks like the concept of an omnidirectional spider robot using a 6-legged delta design

Yeah. Good guess.

6 motors drive 18 shafts via belts, which in turn connect to 6 delta legs providing equal torque in all directions (unlike classic spider robot designs). My prototype will be about 1'x2' and use Nema 17 motors, but I want to make the final metal version big enough to carry a person.

 

[LCG]

Yeah. Good guess.

6 motors drive 18 shafts via belts, which in turn connect to 6 delta legs providing equal torque in all directions (unlike classic spider robot designs). My prototype will be about 1'x2' and use Nema 17 motors, but I want to make the final metal version big enough to carry a person.

I read blogs you know?

 

[works4me]

I read blogs you know?

I didn't want to give away your secret

 

[works4me]

FYI I've posted a longer description of the robot on my blog:

http://www.northstworks.com/blog/2014/6/7/omnidirectional-walking-robot

It's another good example of how 3D printers are a great design testing tool.

 

[Hdtheater]

I was convinced your drawing was a prototype worm drive underground boring machine!

 

[works4me]

I'm playing with generating a simulation from the Solidworks model of my robot.

All of the links and pulleys are connected such that I can "control" the legs via the motors just like the real thing. I created this video to visualize the motion:

Once in a while technology can actually be helpful!

It just points out (once again) how important software is nowadays to the engineering process.

I'm also using this as an exercise into how to develop techniques for "noobies" to use CNC tools to fabricate parts with a minimum of difficulty/failures. The idea is to apply these processes to use in Makerspaces.

 

[Hdtheater]

I bought my CNC when I was building my R2-D2. I demo it out for the schools robotics club and help them learn CAM processes as opposed to doing with hand tools. Nothing wrong with band tools, but as you pointed out most issues are worked out in software before anything physical is ever made. I think it's important for kids to be exposed as soon as possible.

 

[works4me]

Small engineering task

Ok quick engineering question:

How do you move a 150lb stag horn fern that is basically spherical with leaves growing in all directions without hurting it?

Some ideas I came up with:

1. Use a huge crane and hang it from above.
2. Use half a dozen strong guys holding it (carefully).
3. Build a really clever saddle for your engine hoist and support it from underneath.

I don't have a big enough crane for #1. And a half a dozen guys don't hang around my house all day (that's actually how we actually got it there to begin with). So I opted for option #3. I cut & welded some angle iron together to fit snugly over the end of the hoist. Worked perfectly:

 

[pickles]

Any updates. This garage is too great to forget

 

[gibbeth]

There must be an update on this by now, was following with great interest!

 

[THR1LL3R]

Awesome! where was that garage door bought at?

 

[works4me]

Sorry for not responding/updating. I was hoping to do an update once I finished the shelving units I'm welding together, but I've been distracted by my 3D printer project. I'll try to post an update on that soon.

I thought you(all) might find this CNC project interesting/useful, so here's a brief recap. The printer is designed around large CNC milled plates assembled in a core structure for maximum rigidity:

I first had to figure out how to CNC machine such large (2'x2' plates). My mill can't handle objects that size by itself. So I decided to purchase a Tosa Tool fixture plate for it to expand the work envelope:

That has worked out great! I added alignment holes to each plate so that I could precisely pin it to the table. I put them in a square so that I could move and rotate the plate to reach all of the areas of the plate. And then I also purchased a right angle head adapter to mill the end-holes in the plates.

It's definitely been a learning experience! And I have a *lot* more to do. But it's starting to look like a real 3D printer:

You can see the whole build sequence here:

http://www.northstworks.com/blog/2015/1/2/3d-printer-fabrication-1
http://www.northstworks.com/blog/2015/2/6/3d-printer-project-fabrication-2
http://www.northstworks.com/blog/2015/2/17/3d-printer-project-fabrication-3
http://www.northstworks.com/blog/2015/2/22/3d-printer-project-fabrication-4

 

[works4me]

Awesome! where was that garage door bought at?

Sorry I didn't respond to this. It is a roll up semi-commercial door. I don't remember the brand name, but it is similar to the Ideal Garage Doors.

 

[LCG]

I'm glad you are still alive!

I'm about to click for a batch run of the 3dplatform but the only thing that holds me back is the Y axis.

- You are part of the "owners club", do you know someone that uses it with foam?
- And also, it does 3d work right? I have seen the soap mold video but I just want to be SURE SURE.

Thanks!

 

[works4me]

I'm glad you are still alive!

I'm about to click for a batch run of the 3dplatform but the only thing that holds me back is the Y axis.

- You are part of the "owners club", do you know someone that uses it with foam?
- And also, it does 3d work right? I have seen the soap mold video but I just want to be SURE SURE.

Thanks!

I assume you talking about the Grunblau table? Yes, I'm pretty sure there are people using it with foam as well as metal and just about everything else. I'm currently the only one using for plasma cutting though . There's a Google groups for them that Brian can get you into if you're interested.

I'm not sure what the soap mold video is???

For 3D printing it works, but it's not optimal. Brian has a 3D printhead design that's OK. I started working on adapting it for that but stopped when I started on my own ground-up 3D printer design.

 

[LCG]

This video:

I just mailed him to check shipping to MX.

I need to prototype in wood and foam before sending to a machining center and spend big bucks on material and labor rates! hahaha

It would be killer to have a 3dprinter on that size... Imagine some proper intake manifolds... no heatsoak, strong, ridiculously shaped runners.. jesus..

 

[THR1LL3R]

Thanks for the reply!

 

[works4me]

I *finally* finished fabricating my metal bookshelves. It turned out well:

Regardless, this definitely fits under the category of an ill-conceived and ill-executed project. Numerous things went wrong along the way. And I kept realizing issues too late. Switching to the mesh tops was a really bad idea and caused several problems. Moreover I had devised a way to bolt the shelf to the bars below, but that required drilling a large hole in the top to clear the bolt head. I didn't have a drill big enough so I ordered one. That arrived today. Unfortunately somehow the drill I ordered was not the correct one and I could not get it to drill through the bars no matter how hard I tried. So in a fit of frustration I pulled out the angle grinder and plasma cutter and blasted a hole in it:

Yes, it worked. But definitely not one of my better ideas.

Even brilliant people have bad days...and so do I!

 

[LCG]

If you don't tell, no one will notice. knowing the way it is, and living with it, is a whole different story

I'm on the May batch of the platform

 

[works4me]

Quick side-project: I CNC plasma cut a Dinosaur as a wedding gift yesterday using my Grunblau table. It was a good excuse to finish fiddling with the torch height control system and to further test out my new electronics packaging and the water table. The process went well:

The result turned out well:

I made a video showing the plasma cutting and TIG welding the parts together:

 

[sakurama]

Damn, is that beyond cool.

Gregor

 

[ODIS]

Damn, is that beyond cool.

Gregor

AMEN! WAY BEYOND COOL!

Beautiful work!

 

[Lu-Max]

works4me Damn! Now I'm going to have to get a Grunblau! ;-)

 

[works4me]

I spent the holiday weekend working on a couple more projects with my plasma table. I made a pendant for my wife using the "Chaos" symbol:

And then I made another Dinosaur sculpture for myself:

I really like the raw metal look in general, but it will rust quickly. I'm thinking about coatings I could apply to protect it that still look "raw". The problem is that I really can't coat it until after I weld it together, but at that point it's hard to completely cover it unless I dip it in something.

Any ideas/suggestions are welcomed.

 

[motofool33]

I spent the holiday weekend working on a couple more projects with my plasma table. I made a pendant for my wife using the "Chaos" symbol:

And then I made another Dinosaur sculpture for myself:

I really like the raw metal look in general, but it will rust quickly. I'm thinking about coatings I could apply to protect it that still look "raw". The problem is that I really can't coat it until after I weld it together, but at that point it's hard to completely cover it unless I dip it in something.

Any ideas/suggestions are welcomed.

to continue the raw look on 2 stroke pipes we use WD40,

clear coat would be another option

 

[LCG]

See if you can get a bit of NA SUL BSN. Its an industrial rust inhibitor. You can spray it and it will last forever

 

[Modern Jess]

I must have missed this update when it happened. Damn, that is really cool!

 

[Lu-Max]

I really, really want one of those DIY plasma CNC tables........

works4me, not including the plasma cutter itself (I already have a nice one), how much do you have into the table and all the related hardware (and software) combined if I might ask?

 

[works4me]

Thanks for the suggestions on coatings! I'll try them out.

 

[imtyrrell]

hi, i am also looking into using the grunblau platform cnc as a plasma cnc table and understand you are the guy to talk to, i was wondering if you could describe any alterations to the original electrics package you have made, ie have you used the 48V 12.5A Switching Power Supply, nema 24 stepper motors, and the gecko G540 driver or a different set up. Can you switch the plasma torch via relays off outputs on the g540?

thanks Ian

 

[dhubbard422]

Your sculptures are very, very nice. Damn, this forum is good at making me want more tools...

 

[works4me]

hi, i am also looking into using the grunblau platform cnc as a plasma cnc table and understand you are the guy to talk to, i was wondering if you could describe any alterations to the original electrics package you have made, ie have you used the 48V 12.5A Switching Power Supply, nema 24 stepper motors, and the gecko G540 driver or a different set up. Can you switch the plasma torch via relays off outputs on the g540?

thanks Ian

I'm currently using the standard setup for the X/Y/Z motion and I have a CandCNC torch height control electronics. One person with The Grunblau+plasma has the full CandCNC upgraded motor package and controller. I haven't found the need to do that yet. It might be helpful if you want to cut *really* thin metal (e.g. 26 gauge).

I would also recommend looking into the Ethernet Smoothstepper system to control it rather than connecting to the parallel port. I have one on another machine and I really like it.

 

[works4me]

FYI the torch height control system interfaces to the plasma cutter to turn it on & off and control the torch settings.

 

[Knyte Tyne]

Any updates?- Great thread... would love to see how things have progressed in the years since your last post.