Tag: OtherLabs OtherCutter

OtherCutter Epilog

I published a long-dormant draft post about the OtherCutter very nearly a full decade after starting it.  At the same time I published it, I also filed a FOIA request for DARPA information related to this project – since it was literally a DARPA project.1 I knew it was a longshot, but the FOIA response came back saying they found no responsive records.  I provided copious evidence and links to DARPA’s own sites, so I have to imagine that I’m either never going to get a real response with the information I was interested in … or I’d have to file an appeal, roll up my sleeves, and really start digging for this information.

The amount of time and effort involved in fighting a bureaucracy would be considerable and it is not the sort of thing I would enjoy.  If I really wanted a cardboard CNC, I could probably build one and enjoy the experiment-build-fail cycle.

OtherLabs OtherCutter
  1. Where is the Othercutter? [Draft 06/08/2015]
  2. OtherCutter Epilog
  1. See voluminous links in prior post [↩]

Where is the Othercutter? [Draft 06/08/2015]

[This is a post I’ve revisited so often that I really have no idea when I began writing it – and couldn’t figure it out without digging deep into the WordPress database.  Suffice it to say, I’ve wanted a cardboard cutting CNC for a long time.  Originally a collaboration between DARPA and OtherLabs, most of the interesting parts of this project have been removed from Otherlabs’ website and many other resources the victim of linkrot.  As a project funded by a federal agency, there’s a slight possibility some semblance of documentation for this machine might still kinda exist somewhere accessible via FOIA requests…  The operation isn’t exactly arcane, a reciprocating blade, that can be rotated through 360 degrees, on a rail, and a bed that moves a sheet of cardboard back and forth – like a suped up craft cutter.]

I can’t help it – I love cardboard and I love CNC tools. 1  Cardboard is free or cheap, lightweight, strong, but can look unfinished and is very susceptible to moisture.  This makes it ideal for prototypes and temporary projects.  However, when a cardboard structure is covered, it can be incredibly strong and durable.

The promise of the Othercutter was a simple CNC machine kit using an off the shelf x-acto blade to cut cardboard or foamcore.  

The shortest possible version is that the Othercutter was the brainchild of Otherlabs (now Bantam Tools).  What started out as a project to cut cardboard morphed into the Othermill, a small capable desktop CNC mill initially released on Kickstarter.  I could never do justice to the Otherlabs and Bantam Tools story – it’s a wild ride and worth a read.

  • https://web.archive.org/web/20130209054433/http://blog.mentor.otherlab.com:80/
  • https://blog.bantamtools.com/loving-our-own-dog-food
  • https://otherlab.com/blog/post/the-othercutter-low-cost-cnc-machine
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20130122094442/http://blog.mentor.otherlab.com/the-othercutter-low-cost-cnc-machine/
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20130109063100/http://blog.mentor.otherlab.com:80/the-beginning-otherlab-and-the-mentor-project/
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20130131051839/http://blog.mentor.otherlab.com:80/architecture-and-the-othercutter/
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20130131175353/http://blog.mentor.otherlab.com:80/othercutter-update-speed-and-quality-control-testing/
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20130210080545/http://blog.mentor.otherlab.com:80/cardboard-in-the-wild-marty-morales
  • http://kimlyis.me/otherlab-otherfab/
  • https://sites.google.com/site/3dprinterlist/cnc-cutters/othercutter
  • https://ingriddragotta.com/Info
  • https://www.youtube.com/user/Otherlab/videos
  • https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/05/a-day-at-the-bay-area-maker-faire-the-greatest-show-and-tell-on-earth/
  • https://www.mssm.org/uploaded/STEM_Collaborative/2013_Educators’_Camp_Course_Selections_.pdf
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20101231104932/https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=0248c338123e8b6f51d4dcf743196464&tab=core&_cview=1

Drafts Zero - The Lost Blog Posts

  1. Misnamer [11/28/2010]
  2. The Lost Blog Posts
  3. Plastruder! [Draft 12/25/2009]
  4. UNTITLED [Draft 12/25/2009]
  5. Preparing to print [Draft 12/27/2009]
  6. More prints [Draft 01/04/2010]
  7. Prototype Pricing [Draft 01/19/2010]
  8. MakerBot tuning [Draft 01/20/2010]
  9. Plastic Screw Anchor [Draft 02/02/2010]
  10. Magic [Draft 02/03/2010]
  11. How are you printing with PLA? [Draft 02/16/2010]
  12. Rebuilding my extruder [Draft 02/16/2010]
  13. MY robot [Draft 02/18/2010]
  14. more things i learned [Draft 02/20/2010]
  15. First commissioned piece! [Draft 02/22/2010]
  16. MakerBot: Toy or Tool? [02/25/2010]
  17. Idea for Skeinforge settings… [Draft 03/27/2010]
  18. RepRap and MakerBot alternatives [Draft 04/05/2010]
  19. RepRap Parts for Sale [Draft 04/07/2010]
  20. Where is the Othercutter? [Draft 06/08/2015]
  21. Mendel Parts – Printed, Cast, CNC’d, Lasercut or Injection Molded? [Draft 04/12/2010]
  22. MakerBot Operator’s Manual [06/04/20210]
  23. MakerBot on CBS! [07/07/2010]
  24. New Print: Soft-Pawed Albino Stoat of South Wales Cookie Cutter [07/07/2010]
  25. House calls [07/11/2010]
  26. Digital assistant? [08/05/2010]
  27. MakerBot + Junk = Stuff! [08/06/2010]
  28. Design choices in RepRap, Goals of RepRap [08/14/2010]
  29. Upgrades and obsolescence [08/25/2010]
  30. Dear Anonymous [08/25/2010]
  31. The ultimate in customer service [08/26/2010]
  32. Open Source Makes You Smarter [08/27/2010]
  33. Getting my Plastruder MK5 running [09/06/2010]
  34. Weird new kind of spam [09/19/2010]
  35. An open letter to Ms. Word [10/18/2010]
  36. Printing with PLA again! [10/18/2010]
  37. Halloween costume too [10/27/2010]
  38. Dream jobs [10/29/2010]
  39. The nuances of time travel [10/31/2010]
  40. Printed Pink Panther Person [11/22/2010]
  41. Skein them all and let ‘Bot sort them all out [11/24/2010]
  42. The Patents for disc shooters [12/10/2010]
  43. Princess Bride with Lightsabers [12/13/2010]
  44. Dilbert comic [12/13/2010]
  45. Ultimachine PLA review [12/15/2010]
  46. Mendel to the power of 101 [12/21/2010]
  47. Potential improvements for Leonardo Voltron [12/27/20210]
  48. You can keep your filthy money [12/28/2010]
  49. I watched Primer the other night [12/30/2010]

OtherLabs OtherCutter
  1. Where is the Othercutter? [Draft 06/08/2015]
  2. OtherCutter Epilog
  1. Gotta collect them all. [↩]
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