Author: Maker Block

MakerBlock’s MakerBot setup

I’ve posted about other people’s MakerBot work space set ups,1 but not much about my own yet.

Right now there’s a bunch of junk2 in the way so no pictures of the setup for now.  My MakerBot – “Bender,” a laptop3 , and a large long cardboard box with a wooden dowel running the length with badly cut cardboard spools holding what was once a 5 pound coil of black ABS4 , a very nearly 5 pound coil of clear PLA5 , and a full pound of white ABS I’ve never used. 678

All of this resides in our living room on an enormous former-library card catalog.  For those of you youngsters out there, a library card catalog is the kind of thing you see in the background scenes of Warehouse 13.  Imagine a huge chest about four feet tall that has lots of small, deep, drawers.  It is what libraries used to use to store information about their collections – an analog database.  Frankly, I didn’t realize the one I bought was quite so large. 9  It’s literally big enough for about six identical MakerBot/laptop/plastic coil setups to the one I have. 10  The drawers beneath the area where my Makerbot resides are devoted to tools and spare parts.  Right now the surface is covered in a number of unfinished projects and some totally finished projects.

Library card catalogs are super handy and useful ways to incorporate storage and a raised level surface for working.  The only problem is that these things are absolutely enormous and way way heavier than they look.

  1. Mattpr’s MakerBot cart , Tony Buser’s “Tea” #481 [↩]
  2. FYI, junk = stuff waiting to be made into other, more useful or more amusing stuff. [↩]
  3. Named Bleys, if you must know. [↩]
  4. I would guess I’ve used about a pound over the last 8 months.  5 pounds is a LOT of plastic.  Dear faithful ABS, oh how I love thee… [↩]
  5. Polly!!!!!!!!! [↩]
  6. Though, I have very specific and immediate plans for it. [↩]
  7. More on this later if you remind me.  I have a tendency to get lost in nested footnotes and parenthetical references. [↩]
  8. Seriously, just imagine what my PHP code looks like.  Yikes! [↩]
  9. Or far away.  Or would become so expensive.  That’s a story unto itself. [↩]
  10. I best get printing more MakerBots, no?  Hmm…  I might have to print more laptops too… [↩]

Anticipation

I remember waiting for the letter which would tell me whether I got into grad school.  Once you send off your application, it’s out of your hands and just need to be patient.  I was waiting to find out if I would get the small envelope1 or the large envelope.2

I hadn’t thought about the small/large envelope anticipation for a while now.  I was only really reminded when I recently applied for a job.  I saw the posting about 8pm or so and stayed up way later than I’d like to admit writing up my application.

Of course, I had to follow up my application with a post about dinosaurs and lasers…  Both of which I happen to just have lying around here at MakerBlock headquarters. 3

Will I get the small or large envelope???

  1. Boo!!! [↩]
  2. Yay!!! [↩]
  3. aka my living room [↩]

Thank you MakerBot!!!

Fluorescent red ABS and spare parts kit!
Fluorescent red ABS and spare parts kit!

Thanks to the generosity of my family I placed an order for a bunch of the MakerBot1 parts for which I’ve been pining away.  Ordered on August 10th, the box arrived on August 16th.  One of the things ordered was the MegaRainbow ABS plastic pack.

However, the box contained something else – fluorescent red ABS and a spare parts kit!

Thank you MakerBot Industries!!!  I have, indeed, had a happy birthday.  :) 2 I promise to only use these parts for good. 34

  1. And MakerGear! [↩]
  2. I would have posted this a lot sooner, but it’s been a crazy busy week. [↩]
  3. As for the black ABS that came with my Deluxe Kit I’m sorry to say that I cannot make similar promises…  that stuff just has a life of it’s own. [↩]
  4. Is it an EVIL Rubik’s cube? [↩]

Sometimes a good deal isn’t

$3 utility knife and $1 utility knife
$3 utility knife and $1 utility knife

Several months ago I made an impulse buy at the local hardware store.  I picked up a utility knife that came with 6 blades for $1.  It was a good deal, if even for just the razors, and I couldn’t find my usual $3 knife.

Here they are, side by side.  My trusty Stanley utility knife on top.  This knife has a good heft, stores a few extra blades in its handle, and is slightly wider, making for a more comfortable grip.  The two sides also interlock as well as screw into one another.  Clicking the blade out another notch requires a small amount of force – just enough so you’ll never do it by accident – and so that it will stay in each notch as long as you don’t intentionally depress the button.

On the bottom is my no-name brand knife.  It’s lighter, slightly thinner, rattles with the extra blades inside, and the button to extend/retract the blade has a little bit of wobble and play to it.  Also, there’s no interlocking between the two halves.

What an extra $2 buys you
What an extra $2 buys you

I discovered that the seams between the two halves of the cheapie utility knife left a lot to be desired.  While using the knife I felt a sharp poke in my palm.  Turns out that some of the spare razor blades were poking through the incomplete seam.

So, if you’re headed to the hardware store, invest the extra $2 in the better knife.  :)

MakerBot LCD screens

Perusing Capolight’s recent post about his LCD screen made me pine for an LCD display/simple SD print selection for my MakerBot.  I think Zaggo was working on something similar a while back.  Of course, there’s the RapMan with an integrated OLED screen.

I’m guessing I’m not the only one who would be interested in such an add-on for my MakerBot.  It’s not a terrible burden to have a computer constantly connected, but it would be nice to have the MakerBot slightly more independent of a computer.  Just bring plenty of plastic, electricity, and an SD card with your favorite things.

Lazzersaurus Rex, I choose you!

Tony Buser, my origami laser dinosaurs accept your challenge.

SyFy Movie: MakerBlock origami laser dinosaurs Vs Buser's Laser Dinsosaur
SyFy Movie: MakerBlock origami laser dinosaurs Vs Buser's Laser Dinsosaur

Oh.  Dang.  That did not appear to go well for Team Buser. 1  You probably didn’t realize the scale of those origami dinosaurs before issuing your challenge.  See, that’s a laser canon, not a laser pointer.

Also, sorry about your robot dinosaur.  I’ll print you a new one.  :) 2

  1. You see, I use EVIL origami paper. [↩]
  2. Friends again? [↩]

Unrealistic expectations

The guys at MakerBot just posted a job opening for a MakerBot blogger.  As if their list of qualifications wasn’t daunting enough, the tweet that follows…  Well, I’ll just let it speak for itself.

MakerBot Blogger Wanted: http://bit.ly/dur4vK (also: dinosaurs with lasers wanted)

You want a robot obsessed dinosaur with lasers? 1  What kind of a job posting is that?

  1. I don’t recall that as an option on career day. [↩]

I’m sorry you had to find out like this

Dear lovely wife,

I never meant for this to happen.  It just sort of happened.  It all started so innocently – reading about the RepRap project, going to the MakerFaire, buying a MakerBot, starting this blog, extra plastic here and there…  and then MakerBot advertised for a blogger.

Tell the kids I love them, don’t forget to feed the dog, and there’s a post-it on the dresser for my boss.1

If you need to reach me, I’ll be camped out 87 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217 until they let me in and hire me.

Love,

MakerBlock

  1. See?  I can be succinct. [↩]