… it’s one step closer to being a new product! Can you guess what it is?
Author: Mark’s Bench
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It’s Not Just A Rat’s Nest…
An electronics breadboard with a Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) microcontroller board at top left and a bunch of red LEDs paired with resistors. The wiring is multicoloured and very messy. -
More Prototyping Today!
Working on some new stuff with a couple of quick rough prints to get the size and feel right. I’m pretty happy with it now, expect a new product soon!
Two black printed disks (one laying on top of the other) and a smaller black stud, laying on a woodgrain surface. The disk on top has a hole in the middle, a slot in the shape of an arc above it, and an angled cutout at the top. -
Don’t Forget To Test First!
Had a discussion with a friend the other day about 3D printing and how persnickety that different colours of the same brand of filament or even different batches of the same filament can be. Just tossing a new roll into the printer and hitting go can be expensive if you’re not careful, and it can be just a matter of a few degrees or 1-2% difference in the extrusion multiplier.
Here’s a good example of the difference that five degrees can make. A bit too hot and the filament runs out the nozzle too quickly and oozes out horizontally, leading to blobbing on the outside edge in places.
Two grey rectangular 3D prints standing edgewise on a black surface. The print on the left has a band of uneven, blobby, pockmarked outer wall, while the one on the right is much smoother. -
Printer Shenanigans
Minor catastrophe yesterday with two printers suddenly deciding to act up. A bit of TLC (and some sweat) and things are back in action.
Got an application submitted for another market, fingers crossed because it’s supposed to be a big, fun one.
I am very excited for June 7th!!!
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Lots Going On
I’ve been really busy the past few days but I had some time to work some kinks out of a few prototypes and am now making a bunch of them. You know – for real! Here’s one I’m already using in the basement workshop (which is far too messy to show here so I took a photo with a little rig upstairs). If you’ve got tool batteries that are taking up bench space, you can securely mount them on the wall or under a shelf/bench/etc!
A single DeWalt 20V 10AH Li-ion battery, securely hanging from a rectangular blue mounting bracket that’s attached to the underside of a small frame made out of 2×2 lumber. The whole arrangement sits on top of a woodgrain shelf with a stone wall in the background. -
Updated Event Schedule!
Updated event list: Fort Richmond Collegiate Safe Grad Market – June 7th @ 10-3, Robert A. Steen CC Outdoor Night Market – August 6th @ 3:30-8:30, Institut collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate Ho Ho Ho Holiday Craft Sale – November 30th @ 10-3. Stop by and say hello! -
Great News, folks!
I just got some good news – I will be at the Ho Ho Ho Holiday Craft Sale at Institut collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate on November 30th!
I hope to see you there!
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Neat Colours
Every once in a while a colour will catch my eye and I’ll lose a bunch of time staring at it. In this case it’s this translucent yellow filament – it really jumps out at me! Is it radioactive? Is it fluorescent? Is it some kind of exotic cheese?
I don’t know but I really like it!
Two bright yellow Flexi Rex prints facing each other, standing on a woodgrain shelf in front of a stone wall. The colour is particularly vibrant and the hexagonal infill is slightly visible through the skin of the prints. -
Some Vehicular Surgery
So I spent yesterday doing some surgery on my little truck. Didn’t realize how rusted on some of those parts are, whew…
A black Ford Ranger up on jacks and stands with the front wheel off and tools, a mat, and a book scattered between the truck and camera. There is a little pile of rust flakes below the truck and a very rusty old hub laying on the ground. -
Upcoming Events!
I’m so happy to announce that I’ll be at these upcoming events!
Saturday, June 7th, from 10AM-3PM – The Fort Richmond Collegiate Safe Grad Craft Market
Wednesday August 6th, from 3:30PM-8:30PM – the Robert A. Steen Community Centre Outdoor Night Market!
If you’re there, stop by and say hello – I’d love to get the chance to meet you!😁
