Earlier today I posted a new blog article about releasing experimental designs. These are designs that I’ve done outside of the standard/official/released shapeoko.
I think it’s important to release these designs, and the knowledge gained from doing them, in order to keep the project moving forward, and ultimately reach our goal of creating the simplest, lowest cost, most capable desktop CNC machine in the history of the universe.
If you have any suggestions that would make this project more open an accessible, chime in here. I’m open to suggestions!
I’d just like to say that I really appreciate this openness. It brings some security to the reasoning behind the current design, and the wonder of why it wasn’t designed some other way. It also shows really how much time/effort you have and continue to put into this project.
Thanks again!
I started crafting a blog post a few nights ago about how so many open hardware projects are really not that open. I was struggling to find basic schematics for “open hardware” electronics and was really frustrated.
Before posting, I thought maybe I should do a little self reflection. After all, there’s nothing worse than being the dumb guy throwing stones in a glass house
What I eventually decided on was just being 100% open about the entire project. I think there is a lot of value in the “non-sexy” stuff that I’ve learned running a (fairly) successful OH project for the last few years, and I want to start sharing that.
To get off the starting block, I’m posting all of the experimental builds. Once those are up and available, I’d like to start posting more frequently about running the project and talking about the decision making process as things are happening. I’m hoping that by sharing that information, others can run their projects more successfully by learning about the failures and successes of mine.
That’s awesome Edward,
While we do all our development in the open (google code and github) I think we could do a better job of letting people know where to find it.
Let me know if you have suggestions about how we (Wyolum) can do a better job.
This is great, I like your idea with the code name FF (Formed Frame). As you mention if the v-wheels are closer to the frame there is less of a change for them to bend outwards (at least this is what happen with mine). I was tightening the screws very hard trying to increase stiffness, this ended up compressing the aluminum spacers making things worse. Also notice that even in the concentric nut there was some outward angular displacement.
I was thinking how to get the makerslide closer to the plate just as the other plates. and figure I can sandwich two plates and have the z-axis nut in between them, This way the back plate will have its v-wheels as always riding on the gantry, nut in the middle, Z-axis v-wheels on front plate no spacer and concentric nuts in between the plates as oppose to out side. The nuts seems to be 13mm thick and I happen to have HDPE that is 13mm thick
I will make the mods and share results… this ways people who have the current machine can still take the advantage of this improvement with out major modifications…
