Lasercut RepRap Kit

October 19, 2008 by Eliot 19 Comments

The RepRap is a self-copying 3D printer. The project has published plans for creating a lasercut acrylic version of the device. They call it a RepStrap since once assembled it could produce printed plastic versions of the machine components, bootstrapping true RepRaps. The plans are available for Ponoko an on-demand product service, and it would cost ~$380 if you used their service. The plans are free, so you could get them manufactured by other means. [vik] is still putting together the assembly instructions. He hopes to have an all inclusive electronics kit at some point too. This is another great step towards putting desktop manufacturing within reach of everyone.

Maker Faire Austin 2008 In Pictures

October 19, 2008 by Eliot 5 Comments

Maker Faire Austin has come to a close, which means it’s the perfect time to start checking out photos from the event. Pictured above is SparkFun’s Picture Frame Tetris. You can see this and many other pictures on Flickr. Let us know what you thought of the event in the comments.

[photo: pt]

Arduino Duemilanove

October 19, 2008 by Eliot 7 Comments

The latest generation of Arduino hardware has been released. The Arduino Duemilanove (2009 in Italian) has the same form factor as previous generations. The specs are essentially identical to the Diecimila, but there have been a few changes to the hardware. The power source is no longer chosen using a jumper. A MOSFET and dual OPAMP have been added to the board to automatically selected between USB power and the external plug. Automatic hardware resets are optional now. Next to the USB port are two solder pads labeled RESET-EN. Cut the trace between them to kill the reset. If you ever want it back, just bridge the pads. The hardware was updated to correspond with the release of Arduino cofounder [Massimo Banzi]’s new book.