First CNC step success!

Well got my stepper motors running!  Had to get it working on an old laptop, since the driver board need a parrallel port, yup remember those?  But it works, running Kcam, here is a video:

On to the next step!

Minduino update!

I had a batch of board that were mediocre quality and only got half of them to work, so I placed another other with a different PCB manufacture, and ordered a bunch since it’s cheaper.

So the new ones will be white with black solder mask, this makes them easy to read and just look cooler!  Also I updated the mask a bit, adding RX and TX labels and also a dot next to each digital input that are PWM capable.  Here are some pics and they will be going up on ebay as I make them.

Again these are hand soldered, cleaned and tested by me so if a resistor isn’t in perfect alignment, it’s OK, there all tested anyhow, also that means without a doubt that when I put them in the box to ship, they are working!  I load up my version of the blink program which blinks the pin 13 LED but it oscillates faster and slower over time, so when you get it and plug it in that’s what it should do right off the bat!

Here are some pics, and this unit used in the pics is now on ebay at: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280456920665

Just search for minduino to find them also!

Starting on a new project…

Well I’m starting a new project.  I’ve been tired of having to always order prototype PCBs just to wait and find some simple mistake and just wait again, plus it’s not cheap.  So I’ve started gathering parts for a mini CNC router.  I know, sounds had and expensive, but I don’t think it’s going to be to bad, more about just taking my time.  Parts are pretty cheap, I was going to build my own 3-axis stepper controller, but there are too many cheap ones on ebay to even bother so I just picked one up for 50bux.  I also got some stepper motors for another 30.  Really that’s all the expensive parts.

It’ll be more time designing and building the structure then anything else, since it has to be made under pretty decent tolerances, so I’ll make a trip to a local surplus science and electronics store, and of course to the hardware store and see what I come up with.  I’ll post more when I get parts and what not.

DSO Nano, awesome pocket oscilloscope!

Picked up a DSO Nano from seeedstudio.com, what an awesome little device, it’s an open source pocket oscilloscope about the size of a iPod (actually it’s thinner then a standard iPod)  It’s a great tool, especial for those that want to learn about an oscilloscope but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars.  The only complaint I have is the probes are pretty cheap, but they sell upgraded versions so I would recommend them.

Here is a pic:

This along with something like the Leatherman E4 Squirt could be the ultimate pocket hacker tool kit!!

The Nano is really cool too because it has a SD card port so you can store your results and view them on a computer, it has a USB rechargeable battery too so no need for batteries or even a special charger.  With this and the squirt you can rule the world and hack electronic equipment like no tomorrow!

Minduino is for sale.

Ok I’m selling them on ebay, I have one up there right now, just search for minduino.

I’m having to order more boards, as I got a bad batch, ended up assembling 6 of them and only 3 worked (completely) so I placed an order for new boards (They will be white with black silkscreen) from a new vendor, so there will be a bit of a lull till I get the new boards.

Remember these are hand made, so if a resistor the size of a grain of rice is off by a couple degrees (I try to make them straight), it just adds to the character of a hand made device.  Like I mentioned I test these also to make sure all the I/O is working, the Serial port, LEDs, everything.

Here is an image for better size comparison, it’s small, and the parts are even smaller!

Just download the Arduino Development Environment from arduino.cc and get to work!