Hi gang! Lots going on; let’s see what I can remember.

–Ed set a record this past week with no less than four returning
customers so he’s been fairly distracted and the newsletter is short!

–Someone mentioned Delta machines last week and the comment was
made that what’s needed are lots of linear bearings to make things like
this. Coincidentally Ed found out that someone has succeeded in printing
one! Here’s a link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jcrocholl/
…and here’s a link to rail and many other useful widgets:
http://openbuildspartstore.com/v-slot/?sort=bestselling
…and there’s a video or two of the bearing details here:
http://deltabot.tumblr.com/

–Joe made good progress on what will become Riley’s variable
voltage power supply. Hole drilling and tapping is complete on the plate
that mounts the variac and transformer and most of the wiring is done on
the back side. With luck it will be finished this Thursday? Wayne was
talking of getting some transfers made to add labels to the front panel so
it’ll look right professional when done.

–Can’t remember much else; fill in the blanks gang!

–On Saturday Ed went down to the monthly meeting of Wine Country
Model Shipwrights where he showed off his progress on the model boat
project, including a sample of the controllable pitch prop housing that Mark J
drafted and had printed at Shapeways.

–Saturday afternoon we had a BBQ! It was the first one Ed’s done
this year and he hopes to do better in a month or so. On hand were both
Marks and some other folks including Steve Okay. Steve’s been busy
building a rolling robotic rambler for a contest or two. This one has
several sensors on board and can navigate a maze with obstacles on the
path. Steve’s last robotic venture was smaller and used an Apple ‘Airport’
shell as the container for the innards. This time around he got his hands on
a fairly large ‘Team Losi’ R/C car chassis equipped with independent
suspension and shocks. Many of the things he had to fabricate to
hold various bits in place were made of Shapelock: a plastic that can be
melted in boiling water, then kneaded into useful shapes before it cools
and solidifies. Ed’s got some somewhere; maybe we should find it and play!

–Well that’s all I remember; more of same tonight! Sooo have we
got a volunteer burrito getter?

“Steamboat Ed” Haas : Steel, Stainless, Titanium:
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : Guaranteed Uncertified Welding!
www.nmpproducts.com
—Decks a-wash in a sea of words—