MAKER MOVEMENT PROJECTS

MAKERSLIDE – CHANGING THE WAY MACHINES ARE BUILT

Written By: Bill Griggs - Jun• 02•11

I talked with Barton Dring owner of buildlog.com about a unique idea he had that should make it easier and cheaper for people to make their own machines. Barton is using a new funding method to get his product out – CROWDFUNDING.

Bill Griggs: Bart after you published free plans to build your own laser cutter, you came up with another project that you wanted to tackle: linear slides..  Tell me about your project on Kickstarter.  Crowdfunding is a new trend so tell me a little bit about it.

Barton Dring: I wanted to get this aluminum extrusion made. Just making the extrusion was going to be a big hit financially. I’m talking 3-4 thousand dollars, going el-cheapo on my own.  To get that done.  I just didn’t see the pay back in time to justify it. If I couldn’t get it paid off in a year, I could go out of business.  Seeing Kickstarter, I thought it was a viable way to go ( Click to hear more about crowd funding) . But I wanted to expand upon it. Seeing the frustrations that the builders have, maybe we could solve a bunch of things at the same time. How to connect the slides to the  (more…)

MAKE YOUR OWN LASER CUTTER

Written By: Bill Griggs - Jun• 01•11

  AN INTERVIEW WITH BARTON DRING

 

Buildlog.net Laser Version 2.x

DIY laser cutter from buildlog.net

MAKE YOUR OWN LASER CUTTER

A laser cutter is one of the ultimate geek toys of all times. It makes small scale prototyping and manufacturing possible. Store bought laser cutters cost roughly the same as a compact car. Barton Dring changed all that by telling folk how to Make your own laser cutter. Barton needed a place to post his DIY laser cutter project and so he started Buildlog.  Creating a build logs to share the step by step the details of how to make a project is one of my favorite uses of the internet.  Barton Dring also plans to change how other DIY machines are made by creating Makerslide. I caught up with Bart on his way home from work and talked to him about his projects.

MEET BARTON DRING

Bill Griggs: Tell me a little about what your website buildlog.net is all about?

Barton Dring: I’ve always been a fan of build logs. You see them all over the place like CNCZONE and just people’s webpages. I got into doing some Instructables articles and that kind of got me hooked on build logging. I entered a one of the contest [Instructables] had that gave away an Epilog laser cutter. I did pretty well and finished in the top ten. As the final round approached, I began getting excited about (more…)

Robots at the International Consumer Electronics Show

Written By: Bill Griggs - Jun• 01•11

Vstone Robovie R3

Vstone Robovie R3 assistive robot.

In January I attended the International Consumer Electronics Show (C.E.S.) in Las Vegas Nevada as a correspondent for Robot Magazine http://botmag.com. Robot Magazine is a print Magazine which is all about Robotics on all levels. Botmag, features everything from educational robots to full industrial robots and is a really fun magazine to write for. Robot Magazine is also branching out into putting web content out in addition to the printed version.

This months issue of Robot Magazine online has an article I submitted about my trip to the C.E.S. show and features nearly 50 photographs of new Robotic products introduced at C.E.S.. Please take a moment and check out the article at  http://botmag.com. Because this is some of the first web content produced using a new C.M.S. system, the article is split into a text portion and a photo gallery, So you may need to scroll down to see the pictures. Future article will be in a more conventional magazine format.

One of my favorite robots was the Robovie R3 from Vstone. Robovie R3 is an assistive robot designed to help the elderly get around and interact. Robovie will hold your hand and help you avoid objects thanks to it’s Laser Rangefinder.  R3 even has touch sensors in it’s shoulders which allow it to turn and face you when you tap it on the shoulder.

 

 

 

 

Hello World!

Written By: Bill Griggs - May• 28•11

Welcome to Makermasters.com blog. Makermasters is a blog that will introduce you to the fascinating people who are remaking the world one project at a time.  The makers and shakers are creating everything from DIY technology and electronics to life size rocket ships in their back yards.

I will give you a glimpse into the garages, workshops and sewing rooms all over the world where people are making unique and often one-of-a-kind items just for the simple pleasures of creation and sometimes, profit.

My name is Bill Griggs and I am regular contributor to several magazines and DIY websites. I am also a maker with diverse interests which includes model airplanes, robotics, CNC machines, laser cutting, woodworking, metalworking, drawing, business, web publishing, CAD, tinkering and playing jazz on my trumpet.

Tinkerer

Making a Z axis platform

 

SHOTGUN OR ARROW

 

I am constantly adding and deleting interests from my lists. I am a voracious reader and I spend too much time on the web searching for wonderful things to hold my interest. I remember a conversation I had with my father when I was a teenager about all the things I wanted to do and learn that year. I listed off about 10 activities that I definitely wanted to do and about ten more that I wanted to do if I had time. My father shook his head, smiled with indulgence and said, “Son, you are a shot gun. You hit a little bit of everything you aim at. If you ever become an arrow, you will be dangerous.”

My father’s subtle attempts to get me to focus may not have taken hold right away but the comment stuck with me and I remember it every time I take on a new project. While I am working on that project I try and focus all my energy to complete that project. Usually I have mixed success. I often get distracted by some new, shiny thing, but I still try to stay focused.

I spend the majority of my online time looking at Maker websites. I am fascinated by all the imaginative, creative projects popping up daily. Thankfully most makers are social so it is possible to talk to Makers from all around the world about their passion.  By talking to them about their projects I can live vicariously through them and still stay focused.

I am scouring the web to find interesting and revolutionary projects to talk about. If you know of a unique project please contact me at billgriggs@makermasters.com.

 

Adding more powere to my CNC Router

I want a Rack & Pinion router to go fast.