When simple solutions elude you... keep thinking simple till they don't

I've got a winch. Winches are great. They already take AC, they run in forward and reverse (it's probably just AC rectified into a DC motor), and they're even geared down.


But they only have a cable, so I assumed I'd have to build a good-and-complex threaded rod system because the cable would be either in the center and in the way or I'd have to split it with a complex pulley system to get it to pull on both sides of the table.








I failed to realize till this weekend that really it's acceptable to mount the cable in the front, as long as it doesn't block this specific shelf. It can block all the other shelves it wants, just not this one. And each shelf will probably only be 12" or so tall. So all I really need is some posts.

Given this simplification. I think I'm ready to buy steel for the final table. I'll also need to start thinking about the electronics. Or rather I should have already been thinking about the electronics and now I'm going to get around to that.

Lasers: Trying to be more intelligent about it

People like the laser. It looks flashy, it's very easy to use, and I might even be willing to bring it to a combat situation. So how can I make it even more kick-ass? How can I set myself up for making even bigger and badder lasers? I'll have to do this one right, no more trial and error.




I'm going to buy lenses, not just salvage them. ThorLabs seems to have a good selection and they even have special coatings for the different frequencies of light you're using (~430nm in my case).

Of course, real nice laser lenses are expensive. I don't want to buy a $3k kit of all the possible lenses and then play more trial and error. For now, let's focus on getting the right lenses, we'll deal with getting them in the perfect position later.

A normal convex lens can take an expanding beam of light and columnate it. However, with the dimensions of beam that I'm dealing with I can't find a single lens that has a focal point closer than it's diameter, which is what I need if the beam is coming out of a 1" lens and hitting a point 1" away. The best I've got there is a 12mm focal length with a 9mm diameter lens.

Instead, I'll use a concave lens to make the angle of beam more acute. It should then expand out after the focal point more slowly such that I can then use a lens to columnate it.

We'll find out.

ME: The shelf V1 is done.

Remember all those 3D pics of how the shelf will work? Well I've actually built it. I've got about 1mm tolerances on everything. Special shout out to my L-shaped ruler for helping me get all the angles straight. I'll also say the hardest part of any of this is getting things in just the right position before you weld them. Will have to get a bunch of additional clamps when the house is done.

Now I better go double check all the dimensions and record them so I don't forget. :)

I got a box!

You can't call it a gun till you have a pelican case for it.

Laser gun by Fail Train Industrial Division

Photon Blaster I by Fail Train Industrial Division

I've decided to rename it. It's now the Photon Blaster Version 1. Produced by the same people that brought you water cannons and the MA-10; Fail Train Industrial Division. Also, there are new pics of it courtesy of LYTFYRE

Fully functioning laser pistol

24W of blue laser ass kicking. I've never run down the battery but it should run for a full 20 minutes on a battery charge. If you want one, I'll make you one for $2k.

Pistol grip for a laser

The laser is almost done. Like everything I build, it'll be a half-functioning shadow of what I imagined. But it is bright as fuck; you can feel the heat on the palm of your hand a meter away. I got the final focusing from a lens taken out of an old rifle scope.

The final step is putting a grip on it. Once again, I just have to say how much I love 3D printers. You dream that shit up and you can print it...



triggerX = 25;

triggerZ = 21;

triggerRad = 18/2;

module grip()

{

difference()

{

union()

{

rotate([0,10,0])

cylinder(h=115, r1=17, r2=26, center=true);

translate([triggerX,0,triggerZ])

{

translate([0,0,triggerRad+3])

rotate([0,90+15,0])

{

cube([(triggerRad+3)*2, (triggerRad+3)*2,26],center=true);

}

rotate([0,90+15,0])

{

cylinder(h=20,r=triggerRad+3,center=true);

}

}

}

union()

{

translate([0,50+17,0])

cube([100,100,200],center=true);

translate([0,-50-17,0])

cube([100,100,200],center=true);

translate([triggerX,0,triggerZ])

rotate([0,90+15,0])

union()

{

cylinder(h=22,r=triggerRad,center=true);

cylinder(h=100,r=4,center=true);

}

}

}

translate([6,0,-55])

sphere(r=10);

translate([12,0,-35])

sphere(r=10);

translate([18,0,-15])

sphere(r=10);

}

//grip();

module printableGrip()

{

union()

{

translate([5,0,2.5])

{

difference()

{

cube([70,65,5], center=true);

union()

{

translate([25,55/2,0])

cylinder(h=100,r=2.6,center=true);

translate([0,55/2,0])

cylinder(h=100,r=2.6,center=true);

translate([-25,55/2,0])

cylinder(h=100,r=2.6,center=true);

translate([25,-55/2,0])

cylinder(h=100,r=2.6,center=true);

translate([0,-55/2,0])

cylinder(h=100,r=2.6,center=true);

translate([-25,-55/2,0])

cylinder(h=100,r=2.6,center=true);

}

}

}

difference()

{

translate([0,0,39])

rotate([180,0,0])

grip();

translate([0,0,-50])

cube([100,100,100], center=true);

}

}

}

translate([-5,0,0])

printableGrip();

Welding 101: I have no idea what I'm doing

What the fuck is this thing

The Millermatic 211 is a MIG welder. You press the trigger on the gun and it simultaneously feeds wire, vents inert gas, and creates an arc that generates so much heat it melts up to 1/2" thick steel.

The device is actually pretty straightforward to setup: Plug it in. Take the electrical clamp and attach it to whatever you're welding. Put on a helmet and gloves. Turn on the gas. Turn the machine on. Get in position. Press the trigger and try not to be startled.

The wire is fed from a couple pound spool that you put in the side of the machine. It's got a bunch of equipment to auto-feed that spool. Even auto-feeding the first time up into the gun was easy.

The helmet is fairly advanced. It automatically darkens when it detects UV light. Both the sensitivity of the darkening and the opaqueness can be adjusted. It need batteries. One interesting note: Looking at the sun is also enough to set it off. I still get a bit of a sun-spot on my eyes if I stare at the sun through it.

The gas can is 75% argon and 25% CO2. I have no idea why this mixture. The main goal is getting something inert. Why not all CO2? Why not all argon? I forget how much the tank holds but I do know that when I first slapped the regulator on it the dial registered 2200 PSI. Every square inch of the inside of that tank is holding back 1 ton of pressure. It's probably pretty thick. Still, don't drop it. Since the gas and wire didn't come with the welder I picked it up at a local welding supply shop. I get the impression this is mostly what they ever sell. The other gear was notably over-priced.

The welder itself only has two dials. It has some sort of auto-feeding circuit that means you shouldn't even have to touch one of them. That would be the feed-rate. The other dial is the thickness of the material you're welding. I can only crank it up to 3/16" before I'm supposed to be using a 220 outlet.

How hard can it be...

Fumbling my way through it

Step 1: Don't forget the gas. For the first weld, the one that looks cratered, I forgot to turn on the gas. Aside from looking like shit it is actually weaker. I was able to pull the weld apart. The two below it that are smooth and shiny are actually correctly done. I think in both instances here I've got the power turned down too low, however.

I'd previously cut holes in the angle steel and proceeded to weld the bearings into place by putting a piece of angle steel and doing my best to keep them in place. The originally cut holes, however were not perfect fits, nor were the measurements. Combine that with my inability to place the bearings and I got a final product that essentially didn't work.

So I opted to use the power of the milling machine. I made a set of holders out of wood. Milling wood is both simple and fast. This will allow me to hold all the parts exactly in place while I make the welds. Once I've got spot welds on everything I can go back through and re-weld the hell out of all of it.

In the end I worry I didn't give enough tolerance. I noticed after I'd done all that welding that one of the holders was off a bit. I'll have to wait to get more skate bearings to find out.

I've also considered just replacing this whole ridiculous setup with actual manufactured bearings but that immediately jumps the cost up to about $300 for a set (at least when I order from the generally over-priced McMasterCarr). I'd like to see if I can do this for more like $40. I'm willing to take another shot or two at it even after this.