MSRaynsford

I've just completed a project and I wrote the details up on Just Add Sharks. We replaced the brains on one of our Blacknose  laser cutters with an arduino to create a Etch a Sketch controlled Laser cutter. Time will tell how many fires we get during operation :) http://www.justaddsharks.co.uk/arduino-based-etch-a-sketch-laser-cutter/

In another piece for Eldritch , I have etched this detailing for the front of a shield they are making. Because it was a black and white image there are only 2 layers to this design and it feels a little bit like a giant foam stamp, but once it's painted and latexed I expect it will come up wonderfully again, just like the tsuba did. ( svg here )

The XY frame collided with the vent at the back of the blue laser cutter. The vent is possibly just a little bit high for it so I looked at how to bring it down again. You can tell that someone else had a similar idea because the metal frame at the back of the laser was bent, presumably by someone leaning on the vent internally. I gave it a bit of straighten and put 2 washers in between the vent and the back wall. This dropped the vent down by almost a centimetre and gives it a generous amount of clearance. I have also been informed by the previous owner that when the laser was first turned on the XY frame tried to zero itself but it couldn't, instead it scraped itself down the side wall of the laser leaving a mark there. They had to unscrew the entire frame and shift it right slightly to stop the frame colliding with the wall.

I've tweaked the useless machine design for the final time, it's undergone some rigorous testing by myself and now I'm running some local workshops to make sure the instructions are understood correctly. If you want to get your hands on one of these new machines then come along to a workshop and join in. I'm doing hackspace discounts of £15 a kit and I'll be on hand if the instructions leave you baffled. Nottingham Hackspace, Mon 31st March, 6.30 onwards  Leicester Hackspace, Sat 12th April, 10am or 2pm Cambridge Makespace, Sun 13th April, 1pm onwards