Category: Random Nonsense

Sometimes I just feel compelled to share nonsense, random thoughts, and sometimes just stuff I want to save

Note to self, too

The Mummy Box Set - and detail of box
1. The Mummy Box Set - and detail of box

One of my favorite movies is The Mummy, and the coolest prop in the movie is a hexagonal puzzle box. When I get a chance, I’d like to design this object too. Here are some photos and informative links I’ve found:

  1. The cover of the Mummy Box DVD Set.
  2. What appears to be a homebrew prop replica.
  3. What appears to be an actual movie prop.

Sure, it’s frivolous.  However, I like the design challenge inherent in replicating this prop, getting the pieces to fit, perhaps even getting it to spring/pop open.

Home brew prep replica
2. Home brew prep replica
Mummy Puzzle Box Stats
Measurement of height 6-7/18″
Measurement from front to back 3-3/4″
Measurement of width, all sides 2-3/4″
Measurement of width, corner to corner 2-3/4″
Measurement of height 1-1/2″
Measurement of width, from base 5″
Measurement of all links 1-1/4″
Color Antique Gold
Other design details Top shows Seti I’s Horus name (men-maat-re), flanked by Anubis on the left and a male figure on the right, separated by vertical lines. Sides are inscribed with haphazard hieroglyphs including “Son of Re” and “Amen-Re.”
Puzzle Box - full picture
3. Puzzle Box - full picture
Puzzle Box close up
3. Puzzle Box - close up
3. Puzzle Box - side view
3. Puzzle Box - side view

Fourth wall

Yesterday, just as an experiment, I tried to blog all of my the MakerBot related ideas and reactions.  Here’s the result:

  1. Thank you MakerBot!!! [144 words]
    1. Thanking MakerBot for sending fluorescent red ABS and a spare parts kit along with my birthday order.
  2. Anticipation [140 words]
    1. Likening waiting on my application for the MakerBot blogger position to waiting for my grad school entrance results.
  3. MakerBlock’s MakerBot setup [376 words]
    1. Description of how my MakerBot is situated on a repurposed library card catalog.
  4. Why I want to work for MakerBot? [57 words]
    1. A few words about why I want to work for MakerBot.  I’m kicking myself for not including this bit in my application.  :/  Argh!
  5. Poll results so far [54 words]
    1. Of the poll respondents so far, one person wants MakerBot to hire me so that I will stop blogging so much.
  6. Plastruder MK5 plans released! [529 words]
    1. Thoughts on the new Plastruder MK5 plans – this was posted after someone noticed the MK5’s appearance in the photostream and wiki instructions, but a few hours before it was on their official blog or in the store.  Thus, some thing wondered about may not be accurate.  Fair warning.  Oh, and I included a picture of a Cyberman because Cybermen are cool.
  7. Plastruder MK5, now with 85% less heartache! [276 words]
    1. Don’t get me wrong – I love my Batch 9 ‘Bot.  However, the Plastruder MK4 has been challenging on occasion.  This is basically a list, with Beak90’s help, of all the problems the revamped Plastruder designs should resolve.
  8. Why should you buy a MakerBot sooner, rather than later? [280 words]
    1. I can see not jumping into a first generation hybrid car, digital camera, or MP3 player.1  When a product comes with such a clear2 upgrade path, nothing you invest in will ever be truly obsolete.
  9. Why Tweet? [64 words]
    1. When their slogan has to do with following others and having people follow you, “Bleeter” just makes more sense.  This post was inspired by my thinking about recent Twitter activity.  And, the only reason for my Twitter account and the people that I follow is because of my interest in MakerBot.
  10. MakerBot Business Idea #5 [237]
    1. I’ll cut to the chase here: The idea is to start a small scale small replacement/repair business and advertise at your local hardware store
  11. What’s the minimum cost to upgrade to a MK5 Plastruder? [95 words]
    1. Sourcing a minimum number of parts from MakerBot for the new MK5 Plastruder.  (Spoiler:  It looks like $106 in new parts.)  Guys, any chance we can see a Plastruder MK4 to MK5 upgrade kit?  I wouldn’t mind a MK4 to MK5 upgrade that excluded prior upgrades like the MK5 gear and relay board kit to reduce duplication for early adopters.  :)

2252 words blogged in one day – NaNoWriMo, here I come!

  1. I had to own the Rio PMP300 when it first came out in 1998!  And yet, I still have never owned an iPod or iPhone.  Go fig. [↩]
  2. And nigh inevitable [↩]

Why tweet?

Seriously, why “Tweet”? 1

If I had never known about Twitter and were asked to start a company exactly like it, I would have called it “Bleeter” instead.  Anything you said in 140 characters would be a “Bleet.”  And, best of all, the phrase “Follow me” would just make SO much more sense when you’re talking about sheep.

  1. I’m pretty late to the whole “Twitter” phenom. [↩]

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.  :)

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. [↩]

Real life sonic screwdriver

This morning I received an e-mail from Bre out of the blue introducing me to Travis Goodspeed.  Apparently Travis has been working on building sonic screwdriver guts out of the GoodFET, a universal JTAG programmer, a “sonic screwdriver of hacking.”  Travis suggested a GoodFET could be programmed to act as a TV-B-Gone, light show, or any number of other things.  Given that his circuit board is about 3″ x 0.85″ x 0.2″1 , there shouldn’t be a problem finding space for it in the sonic screwdriver I’m in the middle of designing. 2

Freaking sweet.

So, here’s my real life sonic screwdriver wishlist:

  • Lights.  Red LED3 , white LED4 , green LED5 , and a UV LED6
  • An actual screwdriver bit or spot where you can attach a screwdriver bit.  It would just be cool to have a sonic screwdriver that could be used as a screwdriver.
  • A shakey Tic-Tac container style recharger.  Having a sonic screwdriver that doesn’t need batteries would be awesome.
  • A tiny speaker that played the sonic screwdriver sound.
  • A tiny magnet.  I remember watching Doctor Who back in the day, black and white old school episodes, where he used his sonic screwdriver to take screws out of things, bolts out of doors, etc in the worst stop motion animation the BBC could get away with.  Still, if this sonic screwdriver had a magnet, it could actually affect a physical change via magnetic force.
  • TV-B-Gone.  On the episode “Midnight” Doctor Who shuts off a bunch of TV’s using his sonic screwdriver.  This would be an INCREDIBLE feature!
  • Flash drive and/or mini-memory card reader.  Perhaps with the entire library from PortableApps.com installed.
  1. For those of you non-imperialists out there: 76.2mm x 21.59mm x 5.08mm [↩]
  2. TBuser, if you want to help, lemme know! [↩]
  3. For night vision.  Also, there are suggestions that a sonic screwdriver can have a “red setting.” [↩]
  4. As a flashlight. [↩]
  5. The 11th Doctor’s screwdriver has a green light. [↩]
  6. For making things fluoresce such as secret messages, blood stains, and monsters. [↩]
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