A few cosmetic details to work out yet… but I’m almost ready to launch the second version of my ProfileMaker. I released the first version late last night.
I’d like to think that I’ve increased the number of options while still keeping a slim and intuitive user interface. I would really appreciate any comments, criticisms, or questions you may have.
Looking at Dave’s Profileinator seems really well suited to a stepper extruder. However, he also suggests adding a “Flow Fudge Factor.” I just use this set to 1.0, so I’m not sure if I’m using it correctly.
Flow Fudge Factor: I have to enter 1.0 into the flow rate to get 2.0 RPMs on the extruder.. I got tired of doing this math so I added flow fudge factor and set it to 0.5. This doesn’t change the volume calculations – it just modifies the flow rate on the table. If you have a MK4/MK5 extruder with a DC motor, start this at 127.5 to get the PWM value to use
In any case, it looks like by multiplying it by 127.5 you can get the required flowrate for a DC motor. In printing with a DC motor, I never wanted to drop the speed below 255, because the DC motor had such a small range of speeds. I could print between about 230 – 255. Given this, I can understand why so many others, probably using a DC motor, would rather pick their flowrate as 255 and then determine the proper feedrates.
I’m curious.
I figure a typical Nerf dart shooter works as so:
I think this is doable with 3D printed parts and a rubber band.
My wife started a blog about knitting. :)
If you showed up for Botacon, you actually got to see some of our work during my presentation. She’s designed some napkin holders and knited bangles. 1
Woot! My post over at MakerBot entitled “Clockwork Variations” was picked up by both Make: Online and BoingBoing!
This little project has been a ton of fun and I’m really glad others seem to enjoy it as well.
Just because I didn’t label the Clockwork Spider on Thingiverse as a “work in progress,” don’t think I’ve given up on it. It exists now as an actual physically printed object and I’m very happy about that. However, the legs are just a stand-in1 for nice spidery looking legs I’ve already designed. There’s no point in printing the real legs up until I’ve gotten a mechanism that will make them work.
I’m so freaking happy with the design, print, and assembly.
You can assemble the entire thing by hand in just a minute or two with no tools or hardware. Turn the center wheel to make it walk. Right now the gears are a little rough – but I have an idea on how to fix that in the next revision. But, if the gears turned even slightly better, I think this design is almost ready for the big time.
I cannot wait to have a printed wind up rubber band powered clockwork spider skittering across my desk at work.
*skritch* *skritch* *skritch* “Oh, don’t mind leggy. She can smell fear.”
So, I’m about to begin a completely new design on my little spider bot using what I’ve learned from the last try.
Failure is fun!
I just uploaded my latest designs to Thingiverse. I’m working on a RoboSpider using a set of gears run in an elliptical cycle. I’ve been through a few revisions already and just came up with a new idea on how to design it with a thinner profile and hopefully work more reliably.
Unfortunately, the snap-together system I had designed just wasn’t working very well. Also, my very VERY DIY gears are a poor substitute for using a legit gear script. They don’t mesh that well and it shows. I think I’ll give Cbiffle’s spur gear script filter for Greg Frost’s gear script a shot.
In the meantime, is anyone interested in designing a little rubber band powered motor to drive this thing?
Let’s see if I can upload a new thing to Thingiverse for each day in February. This post will be my updated list of Things as I upload them.