Author: darcy

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Make a Sign

Here’s another challenge for people to have some fun with! To make a sign to post at our meetups so others can find us easily.

Rules: None

What can you win? A super cool remote control cockroach like the one Lakota has. 🙂

How to win: We keep track of questions and mentions any of the signs at the meetup. The one with the most wins.

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Blink CNC

Blink CNC is a group CNC build within the hack613 community!

The fist challenge is to build a drawing machine based on this electrical kit.

Two of these steppers with controllers ($3.88 CAD)
One of these servos ($1.83 CAD)
An Uno ($7.64 CAD)
A power supply ($4.31 CAD)

That comes out to $17.66. None of this links or prices are well researched, your mileage may vary. Many people will have an Uno and a power supply so for them this is a $5 project.

A drawing robot was chosen because it gets rid of the spindle. Also the servo can simplify the Z axis.


Future Options to be Considered

2) 2 AxisTwo of these steppers or these cheaper steppers. This motor shield. One of the above servos.The above Uno. Some kinds power supply.
3) 3 AxisThree of these steppers. One of these grbl boards. Three of these stepper drivers. Some kinda power supply.
4) 3 axis nema 17 kit: Parallel port based kit.Desktop computer with mach3Spindle kit.
5) Baby CNC 3018 kit.
6) base level cnc 3040 various machines
7) Base level cnc machine 6040 machinevarious machines

Why is it called BlinkCNC?

Way back a few years ago for a short time our group was called Blink. The idea was that when newcomers came the objective was to get them to be able to run the Arduino Blink program. Sort of an initiation and also a way of welcoming new people to the group.

That was pretty successful.

Our group has made many leaps and bounds since then and now we’ve got a group build of an experimental CNC machine! Newcomers can now get a CNC machine at low cost.