Collaborate, Build, Learn

Beginners Welding - a guide

Learning to Weld

I have been self teaching myself welding for a year or so. I picked up the cheapest entry level MIG (Clarke Pro 90 MIG Welder) off ebay and just went at it. Some other kind folks at Hackspace (Steve and Neil) showed me some arc (MMA = manual metal arc) and gave me some time on a proper MIG setup which made be realise how "Pro" has no place in the name of my Clarke Pro 90. So when another member (Barny) posted a Beginners and Improvers Welding course at Easton college I thought it would be a good idea to get some proper training and fun too. So this is what we learnt. Barny

What is ...

Posted on May 06, 2016

Digital Sundial

How would you make a sundial that displays the time with digits? No power required and is even adjustable for British summer time.
Posted in Projects on Feb 12, 2016

3D-Printed Prosthetic hand

3D-Printed Prosthetic hand

The Raptor hand is a design of prosthetic hand that can be printed on consumer grade 3d printers like the Ultimaker 2. Anyone can get the files from Thingiverse and make one. We didand were amazed by the reactions from kids and parents

The designer Jacky Wan explains the hand project to Norm from tested. Also shows a new design that has a cooler steampunk feel as well as some cool modifications like 3d printed temsioners that replace those pesky screws.

This is the difference a hand can make to a child

Posted in 3d printing on Feb 12, 2016

TextStar Serial LCD Display

TextStar is a small LCD (liquid crystal display) that is easily controlled using basic serial command from and Arduino or similar. Great for debugging and has a some nice bar graph features built in. Not very cheap tho.
Posted in Product review on Jan 18, 2016

Shapeoko CNC router update #5

Configuring GRBL
Posted in Projects on Jan 02, 2016

Shapeoko CNC router update #4

End stops, calibration cut and a new box for the control board
Posted in Projects on Nov 18, 2015

Shapeoko CNC router update #3

Confusing, frustration and then success.
Posted in Projects on Nov 12, 2015

Shapeoko CNC router update #2

We continue the project to refine the Shapeoko by replacing the RAMPS shield with a CNC shield.
Posted in Projects on Oct 21, 2015

Shapeoko CNC router update #1

The Shapeoko uses a RAMPS shield which is intended to run the RepRap 3D printers. A cheap CNC shield is now available which is more suitable.
Posted in Projects on Oct 14, 2015

Art Hackathon

Fifty artists-hackers and hacker-artists get together over a weekend in a big space to create an art exhibit from scratch and demonstrate the expressive potential of new technology and the power of radical collaboration in art.
Posted in Events on May 03, 2015