MakerBot | MakerBlock

3x2x1 totally printable puzzle cube proof of concept success!

I’ve printed up pieces uploaded this morning to Thingiverse, tried them together, broke two pieces, modified them, printed, and fit some together. I’ve just modified the STL for what I hope is the last time. However, I have the barbell fit snugly into the center cube. It rotates relatively freely and does not want to pop out. (Of course, I’m sure it could/would if I applied enough force). This leaves the outside cubes. I modified the semicircular tabs a little and will reprint them later.

The only problem is that it takes about 40 minutes for my machine to print up two cube parts and a barbell, since they’re so solid.

The important thing is that I’ve just been able to print up and assemble the crucial mechanisms for this puzzle. I think the next iteration may be what I needed.

MakerBlock Repurpose Design Contest #1!

I really like the Pilot G-2 gel pens. They’re basically all I use at work. Although we buy refills, I still end up with a surplus of the pens.1 The pens, although technically disposable, use a small metal spring as part of the mechanism. While swapping in a refill the other day, I thought it was such a shame that this little spring is destined for a landfill. 2

Thus, I propose a contest! I think of this as a repurposing and/or recycling contest. What’s the most awesome MakerBot printable thing you can design that re-uses any of the parts from this pen? 3 4

How to enter?

To enter upload your designs as an STL and the original design files to Thingiverse
Then leave a comment on this post with a link to your design!

What are the rules?

The design must incorporate one or more parts of the Pilot G-2 gel pen.
Must be MakerBot printable. So, keep in mind size, time, overhang, and resolution requirements.
It’s under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license.

What are the prizes?

The prize will be a print of your choice of either anything I’ve designed and posted to Thingiverse (except the Unblended Mendel – I didn’t really design that) or your winning design!

What it really boils down to is that I’m a pen thief. I walk into a room, pick up a pen, start writing something, put it into my pocket without thinking about it, and then walk away. LRR. [↩]
Of course, there are also other little bits that could theoretically be useful. [↩]
Awesome as judged by me, obv. [↩]
FYI, I’ve already thought of the topic for my next Repurpose contest… [↩]

Working with MakerBot

MakerBot is looking for a web code warrior.

This is one of those things where I can think of a thousand reasons to NOT do something and only one reason to do it. In the “NOT” column would be the long commute (CA to NY), I’m not a professional programmer1 , and the job requirements are a little beyond my abilities.

That said, the reason in favor is… it would be awesome.

However, I do have some mean WordPress plugin chops [↩]

Improving on the 3x2x1 Rubik’s Cube

I’ve been fiddling with the designs for the 3x2x1 Rubik’s Cube incorporating some of the changes I had considered:

I’ve widened the holes for the nut and bolt.
I’ve made all of the cubes solid. I think it will just work better with solid parts. I had left the four end cubes mostly hollow to:
- Improve printing time
- Use less plastic
- Possibly make an interesting hiding place for something very small
I’ve shortened the “stem” that connects the semi-circular tab to the end cube to allow for a more snug fit.
I’ve made the semi-circular groove in the center cubes narrower, to allow for a more snug fit.
Make these cubes solid so that they slide against each other easier.
I’ve noticed that the nut and bolt I installed into either side of the center cubes were pushed sufficiently well inside that they don’t want to come out or rotate. This is a very good thing for this design! It turns out that if you rotate it too much in one direction, you can just rotate it back a few times and it will be tightened back up! It also makes for easy disassembly/reassembly – just rotate the puzzle until it comes apart and rotate it back together to reassemble.

Thingiverse based business?

I just had an idea for a mini-business!

I think there are enough interesting things on Thingiverse that a MakerBot/RepRap operator could make a little bit of money printing some Thingiverse models for a fee.

Yes, I will fix your computer

I have a rule for all of my friends. I will fix their computers for free, twice. :)

It’s a good rule and it has helped my friends and myself on many an occasion. Contrary to the impressions of those unfamiliar with the inner workings of their own computers, diagnosing and fixing a computer problem is not a matter of innate knowledge. It’s basically 50% making common sense interpretations of errors and common sense changes to settings and 50% Googling for the answer.

Given fixing computers can be tremendously time consuming, WHY would I spend my free time fixing them for free? Simple. My rule is, I’ll fix your computer twice. First time, you give me your broke down computer and I get the OS working, repair whatever it is, and give it back to you good as new(ish) and if there’s a problem with it again, you give it to me to fix again. Second time, you give me your broke down computer and I get the OS working, repair whatever it is, and I keep it.

Oh, and if you want to know why you should never help someone with their computer problems unless it is really dire, check out this Dilbert comic.

Do you want one of these?

This 3x2x1 Rubik's Cube could be yours!!!

I’ve printed up this 3x2x1 Rubik’s puzzle cube, but I’m looking to improve it. The colored sides consist of little bits of nearly-square paper I colored with crayons and glued onto the cube surfaces. If you wanted to improve it you could just peel them off, sand them down a little, and apply better looking stickers. It’s not without it’s flaws, but it is functional. 1

I’d like to try a little experiment and see if anyone wants to buy this prototype off me. I don’t want to spend the time to set up an Etsy account, eBay auction, or any other of the variants out there. So, is anyone interested in buying this first draft?

If you’re interested, please leave a “bid” in the comments. I’ll ship anywhere in the U.S. for $2.00. Highest bidder at the end of seven days from now will be the proud owner of this one-of-a-kind item.

Edit: Payment via PayPal, please!

Update: 8/4/2010 a top bid of $10!

It is a first draft/prototype after all. [↩]

Revising the 3x2x1 Rubik’s “Cube”

I finally found the time to print a copy of my 3x2x1 Rubik’s Cube. Having printed it, I’d make a number of improvements in the next design iteration. I would:

Make the circular slots in the center cubes smaller or the circular tabs in the four outside cubes larger.
Enlargen the holes for the nut and bolt.
Make these cubes solid so that they slide against each other easier.1
Consider replacing the entire nut/bolt requirement with a connection similar to the becco block connectors. This would make for a totally printable solution.
Print the cubes two at a time to minimize warping without a heated build platform.

It slides reasonably well and is certainly functional. However, after several center cube rotations I will tighten the center bolt.2

The four cube sections at the extremities are hollow. [↩]
The hole for the nut is tight enough that it doesn’t rotate as I turn the bolt. [↩]

MakerBot Toy Repair

Magnetic Sketcher

I had previously fixed a toy fire truck by modeling a broken swivel and printing a new one.

Today I discovered a handle had broken off a magnetic drawing toy. The yellow handle is hollow and separate from the red plastic body. It is held in place by plastic tabs that slot into body and protrude into the handle. The plastic tabs that held the handle in place were themselves hollow – and cracked right where the handle met the body.

I measured the broken part, modeled it in Sketchup, duplicated it, exported to an STL, put through the brand new RepG, printed, opened the toy, inserted the printed parts, put it back together, and DONE. Since the printed tabs are on the inside, it is functionally perfect and cosmetically indistinguishable with an off-the-shelf model.

Without a MakerBot, it would have been either cosmetically unsightly or prohibitively expensive to repair. Win.

Category: MakerBot