MSRaynsford

So I'm always making something it just isn't always laserable. I present to you my 2012 pumpkin, based on Venom from Spiderman fame.

I guess now that I'm not posting 1 item a day I'm going to have to show my workings instead otherwise it's going to be awfully quiet around here. This is a simple strandbeest walker test section. There may eventually be 6 legs to each section and 2 sections but I'll see how it all looks and goes together beyond this stage.

It's been a long time coming but we're finally going on Holiday for the week. Time off to plan new items for the blog but no laser to cut them :). Expect to see a small flurry of activity when I get back though and not least because I have a few deadlines to hit in November. Back in 5 :)

Mark this date in the calender as I start Project 52, 13th October. Item #1 is a simple pantograph design. It allows the drawing to be scaled or shrunk x2, x3, x4 or x5. A pen can be placed at any of the three points or they can be used to trace an item. The design was then replicated 80 times to make kits for an open day at Derby Silk Mill. ( svg here ) 1/1 Moving the nuts and bolts around between the holes creates different scale factors. Each hole is marked with the corresponding scale so put the bolts through all the x4 holes and that's what you'll get. The verticals are pushed into place with snap type joints . The frame has been etched with the Derby Museums logo as well as a little MSRaynsford logo on one of the underside pieces. I still need to bag up all the verticals, nuts, bolts and rubber bands but I'm waiting bags and nuts and bolts to arrive but that stuffs not even laser cut so it counts to post it now :)

Even though I'm due to sell Donkey Kong at the end of the month it's been going through a few upgrades. Partly to make it more user friendly and partly to make it more portable. I'm taking it to the Game City festival in Nottingham before it goes and I'll be there on both Saturdays if you'd like to come and see me (DK will be there all week). So the legs are gone, it is no longer free standing but it is a much better height for resting on a table. The shelf that held the NES is gone, the pan and jump servo arrangement is now mounted directly to the board. The biggest change is round the back though, the catchment area has been replaced with a detachable hopper, so all the balls can be lifted back up to the top in one go.

So previously I had 2 long benches with the laser cutter sat on top of it them, since the new laser cutter is free standing I had to remove half a bench. While I was reconstructing the benches I took the opportunity to replace the Ply surface with an MDF one, it's smoother and more solid (18mm) and cheaper (if you start with MDF). Anyway, I then used it to make arcs all evening so I'm very happy with it.

I went to pick up my new laser cutter. The old one is now safely on it's way to Leeds Hackspace making room for this one. It has a 300 x 600 cutting area. The whole machine looks significantly sturdier than the 3020 and comes with different control software. It's all set up and ready to go, but I decided to leave it for tonight. I have a few minor things to do soon though with deadlines rapidly approaching so I won't be able to let it stand for too long.