Dear Friends For anyone interested to try out 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC routing etc, I suggest you see if you have a FabLab anywhere near you. There are hundreds around the world and they are springing up all the time. FabLab is the brainchild of MIT
Fab Lab is the educational outreach component of MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA), an extension of its research into digital fabrication and computation. A Fab Lab is a technical prototyping platform for innovation and invention, providing stimulus for local entrepreneurship. A Fab Lab is also a platform for learning and innovation: a place to play, to create, to learn, to mentor, to invent. To be a Fab Lab means connecting to a global community of learners, educators, technologists, researchers, makers and innovators- -a knowledge sharing network that spans 30 countries and 24 time zones. Because all Fab Labs share common tools and processes, the program is building a global network, a distributed laboratory for research and invention. See http://www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/ <http://www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/> for the location of the labs. I have (for a modest fee) joined the FabLab in Cardiff - and am having LOTS OF FUN. The Lab is attached to the Art & Design department of the University (which gives access to lots of brainy switched-on youngsters AND I am once again a paid-up student - which brings all kinds of student discounts....). Any time I want, I can go there and use their software (they have everything - including Solidworks) - and, having designed what I want, their computers are connected to about 10 3-D printers, 2 Laser cutters a massive 2D CNC router. To use the equipment, you pay a small half-hourly charge. You can see my first gnomonic attempt at http://www.fablabcardiff.com/projects/capuchin-sundial/ <http://www.fablabcardiff.com/projects/capuchin-sundial/> I am now busy designing a 3D icosahedral dial - in miniature! It will be just some 12 cm high, The icosahedral shell and stand will be 3D printed using 20 micron fused filament Ultimaker. Each face of the icosahedron will have a 1 mm depression - into which the 20 triangular dial faces will be embedded. Each face will be laser etched/cut into 1mm thick wood. I have not worked out how to do the gnomons yet! I could do the whole thing on the 3D printer - but this way I can avoid the complexities of precise geometry 3D modelling of the dial faces - and replace it with the easy 2D design. The laser etching and cutting is lightening fast and cheap so I can afford to make plenty of mistakes along the way. John - if you are toying with buying a 3-D printer, have a look at http://printrbot.com/compare-printers/ <http://printrbot.com/compare-printers/> A student in Cardiff has built one of their $349 models and it looks really neat and it works a treat! Be aware that there is plenty of free 3D modelling software. (e.g. Blender, openScad, kokopelli) and their output matches all the industry standards. Have fun Kevin Best regards Kevin Karney Freedom Cottage, Llandogo, Monmouth NP25 4TP, Wales, UK 51° 44' N 2° 41' W Zone 0 + 44 1594 530 595 > On 5 Dec 2014, at 13:30, Tony Moss <tonylindi...@talktalk.net> wrote: > > Hi all, > I mentioned the possibility of making elaborate pierced gnomons > using 3D printing in a very recent article in BSS Bulletin but I never > expected the real possibility to be so near at hand. Using plastic printed > 'patterns' from which to cast e.g. bronze gnomons would probably result in a > non-rigid result as cast metal is usually quite soft. I wonder if we will > ever be able to print particulate metals in 3D which could then be > 'sintered'. This process is rather like baking a cake but using metal > ingredients to make rigid components. > > No doubt I will probably now find that facts have overtaken this thought > already. :-( > > Tony Moss > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Simon \[illustratingshadows via sundial <sundial@uni-koeln.de > <mailto:sundial@uni-koeln.de>> > To: John Pickard <john.pick...@bigpond.com > <mailto:john.pick...@bigpond.com>>; Sundial List <sundial@uni-koeln.de > <mailto:sundial@uni-koeln.de>> > Sent: Fri, 5 Dec 2014 1:54 > > Attached Message > From: Simon [illustratingshadows <illustratingshad...@yahoo.com > <mailto:illustratingshad...@yahoo.com>> > To: John Pickard <john.pick...@bigpond.com > <mailto:john.pick...@bigpond.com>>; Sundial List <sundial@uni-koeln.de > <mailto:sundial@uni-koeln.de>> > Subject: Re: 3D printers - PS an ooops > Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2014 01:53:26 +0000 (UTC) > ooops ~ the pictures I attached were for the dial without longitude > correction, sorry. Not relevant to the issue at hand, namely the key point > was the use of the .STL file type and suffix. US printer prices are similar > to those in Australia I think, I imagine other printer vendors may use a file > type other than .STL however their software should spell out what their > printer needs. > > Simon > > > > Simon Wheaton-Smith > www.illustratingshadows.com <http://www.illustratingshadows.com/> > Phoenix, Arizona, W112.1 N33.5 > > From: John Pickard <john.pick...@bigpond.com > <mailto:john.pick...@bigpond.com>> > To: Sundial List <sundial@uni-koeln.de <mailto:sundial@uni-koeln.de>> > Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2014 6:11 PM > Subject: 3D printers > > Good morning, > > There was some discussion on the list a few months ago about 3D printers. > > One of the leading electronics stores in Australia is now selling DIY kits > for a small 3D printer (Velleman K8200) for $AUD1300. It's a desk-top unit > that purely by chance I saw in operation at the local library a day or so > ago. > > http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=TL4020 > <http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=TL4020> > > More info on the kit: www.k8200.eu <http://www.k8200.eu/> > > The max dimensions of printed objects is 200 x 200 x 200 mm, which would be > too small for most outdoor dials, but could be ideal for prototyping > portable dials (e.g. armillary spheres, ring dials, etc.) The printed > resolution is: X and Y (wall thickness): 0.5 mm; Z: (layer thickness) 0.20 - > 0.25 mm. Still not comparable to engraving, but an obvious harbinger of > things to come. If we think about how digital cameras and smart phones now > have amazing resolution, then most likely the resolution of these 3D > printers will be much better in a couple of years. > > Software is Repetier: www.repetier.com <http://www.repetier.com/> > > I have no idea how you enter specifications for an object. I found no > mention of CAD in my quick reading of material on the Repetier, so I guess > that they have some other way of doing it. > > I have no doubt that similar printers are offered in most countries, and one > would be a Christmas present! > > > Cheers, John > > John Pickard > john.pick...@bigpond.com <mailto:john.pick...@bigpond.com> > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > <https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial> > > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > <https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial> > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > <https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial>
--------------------------------------------------- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
