Dylanz Net » Tools http://dylanz.net/wp Wherever you go....there you are... Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:17:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Open Source Manufacturing?! http://dylanz.net/wp/2009/07/open-source-manufacturing/ http://dylanz.net/wp/2009/07/open-source-manufacturing/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:11:34 +0000 dylan http://dylanz.net/wp/?p=206
A circuit board for the masses: the Arduino microcontroller. Photo: James Day

A circuit board for the masses: the Arduino microcontroller. Photo: James Day

Imagine a world where ideas reign supreme and profits come as an after thought. That is the world that Linux’s founder, Linus Torvalds dreamed up when he launched Linux in 1991.  Well now, many years later, it seems that manufacturing is about to take a turn in this direction.  Arduino is an Italian firm that makes a little microprocessor.  Normal companies jealously guard the engineering secrets that make their box work.  Arduino gives away the plans and hopes you will make many copies and even improve the device. 

For anyone who as ever been out looking for a little microprocessor to help you do something better, this is a heavenly gift.  You can modify these plans at low cost to engineer your new device.  And lots of folks already have!  Without licensing fees! 

Arduino gadgets: WineM coaster; Snail Light Seeker; interactive embroidery with conductive threads; and Botanicalls, which tells you when your plants need water.

Arduino gadgets: WineM coaster; Snail Light Seeker; interactive embroidery with conductive threads; and Botanicalls, which tells you when your plants need water.

Can this be the wave of the future?  I certainly appreciate a product that is patented and rigorously tested.  I doubt I’d be interested in an open source automobile, but for some things, open source is really going to catch on.  All of my websites are run on open source software  (WordPress) programmed in open source languages (php).  I would love to have inexpensive devices tell me when my kids have left the lights on in their room and turn it off for them.  How about a wireless device that makes sure your plants always have the right amout of moisture?  Automatic curtain closers?  I could go on.  Clearly,  there is room to grow in this market and it may just be the home tinkerer who comes up with the next great device that changes our lives…via open source. 

Read more at Wired

]]> http://dylanz.net/wp/2009/07/open-source-manufacturing/feed/ 0 Building Stuff http://dylanz.net/wp/2008/09/building-stuff/ http://dylanz.net/wp/2008/09/building-stuff/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:56:56 +0000 dylan http://dylanz.net/wp/?p=174 Great websites for finding materials: (knowing where to shop is half the battle…)

http://www.smallparts.com/

http://www.onlinemetals.com/

http://homebuiltstabilizers.com/

http://www1.mscdirect.com/

]]> http://dylanz.net/wp/2008/09/building-stuff/feed/ 0 FESTOOL Vacuum http://dylanz.net/wp/2008/01/festool-vacuum/ http://dylanz.net/wp/2008/01/festool-vacuum/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:14:49 +0000 dylan http://dylanz.net/wp/?p=8 So I’m trying to find a part for my FESTOOL Vacuum that the movers forgot to send…and I find Stu in Tokyo who has a dungeon wood-working shop…I know cause I found his blog.  I found his blog because he had a link on Family Woodworking. That link came up because it had FESTOOL Vacuum in the title…But still no part…So I gave up on Google and typed festoolusa.com into my browser…figured out that I have a “dust extractor” and not just any old vacuum…Anyway…finally found the page I was looking for so this saga comes to an end.

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