Kits

Building The MakerGear Mosaic 3D Printer Part VII: The Electronics

Building The MakerGear Mosaic 3D Printer Part VII: The Electronics

This is the seventh and final installment of my ongoing series on building the MakerGear Mosaic 3D printer. This part covers installation and wiring of the electronics that control the printer. First, the Arduino and attached RAMP shield are mounted on the printer frame. Second, connections from the build platform wiring harness, the extruder wiring harness, and other components are clipped to the PCB. Finally, the power supplies are connected, and formal assembly of the printer is complete.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan2
Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Santa Claus Machines

Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Santa Claus Machines

If you’re planning on getting a 3D printer for yourself, the decisions about what to buy, and who to buy it from, can be daunting. If you’re trying to buy a gift for a 3D printing enthusiast, and don’t necessarily share his or her passion for the subject, they can be downright overwhelming, not to mention expensive. Fortunately, there are quality gift options short of buying a whole printer, and we’ve listed some great ones, below, from lowest to highest price. On the other hand, if you’re ready to take the plunge and buy a whole printer, our preferred makes and models are listed at the end of the guide, again in order of increasing price.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan6
In the Maker Shed: LED Menorahs

In the Maker Shed: LED Menorahs

I’m not Jewish but if I were I would definitely have one of these LED Menorahs, available in the Maker Shed, on my desk. The Hanukkah Electronica(above) is an elegant, pre-assembled LED Menorah for celebrating the festival of lights. The Deluxe LED Menorah kit is an updated take on the traditional hanukkiyah, the nine-armed Hanukkah candelabrum. When you turn it on, it displays the correct configuration of LED “candles” for a given night of Hanukkah. The LEDs are lit up in the traditional sequence, with a gentle fade.

Continue Reading Michael Castor4