Since I haven’t written anything for quite a while, here’s a short look back at what I’ve been up to in the first half of 2014.
In November last year I started a somewhat more elaborate project, but unfortunately there hasn’t been time to report on it yet. It’s a 3D printer that works on the stereolithography principle. Much like the Laser Exposer project from Das Labor in Bochum, I’m using a polygon mirror from an old laser printer and a UV laser to cure the resin.
Unlike the Laser Exposer project in Bochum, my hardware is based on an Arduino. A matching Arduino shield is already in development. The aim is not just to be able to use the exposure unit for a 3D printer, though, but rather to create a universal tool for exposure purposes. The idea is to design the hardware so that it works with as many polygon mirror units from old printers as possible. More information on that will follow in a separate article. The project is of course open hardware, and the project page will be announced soon as well. If you’d like a little foretaste and a few interim results already, have a look around my Twitter timeline.
Since November I’ve been working on the project non-stop in every spare minute. Here’s a photo of a first exposure test with the resin. So the principle already works.
Many of you will surely remember a project from last year: the Smart Coaster, which I built for the Make Light contest. Thanks to the help of many readers and Facebook friends I took 1st place in this contest. Once again, a big thank you to everyone who voted for me.
After that I got to travel to the Photonics Congress in Berlin to accept the prize there and to present the Smart Coaster as well as the 3D printer.
I also used the trip to Berlin to have a quick look around Fablab Berlin.
Then things carried straight on in March with a visit to Watterott for Arduino Day 2014. I exhibited some of my projects there, including the new 3D printer prototype. I also met some very interesting people. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures. But I’m sure there are a few pictures on Watterott’s pages.
I’ve used the rest of the time until May to keep working on the 3D printer. The project is supposed to be finished in time for the Maker Faire in Hannover .
On May 14 I’ll then redeem my prize, and it’s on to the Bay Area Maker Faire in San Francisco. I’ll be reporting from there again, too. Here’s a quick overview of dates where you’re likely to run into me. So if you’d like to see the new device live, come along to one of them…
- Maker Faire Hannover July 5 – 6, 2014
- Mini Maker Faire Kerkrade October 20 – 21, 2014
- Bay Area Maker Faire San Francisco May 17 – 18, 2014
- Dorkbot Aachen (see the website for dates)
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