Category Archives: inkscape

Put that DLP Printer to Use Making PCBs

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Fernando Gomes

Now that these DLP printers are cheaper and more widely available, we’re starting to see hackers poking around the edge of the envelope to see what else the machines are capable of. [Electronoobs] recently got his hands on a couple of these printers, and thought he would do some experiments with using them for PCB production.

Rather than extruding molten plastic, these printers use light to cure resin layer-by-layer. In theory if the printer is good enough to cure the light-activated resin for a high resolution print, it should be able to do much the same thing with photosensitive PCBs. …read more

Continue reading →

Posted in 3d Printer hacks, blender, dlp, EasyADA, etch, hardware, inkscape, pcb, photoresist | Leave a comment

Knock Your 3D Printer Down To 2D

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Fernando Gomes

Hackers love 3D printers. In fact, they might love them a little too much. We hope know we aren’t be the only ones who couldn’t turn down a good deal on an overseas printer (or two). But when you’re not pumping out plastic boats and other PLA dust collectors, what are you supposed to do with them?

Well if you’re like [Uri Shaked] you could hand them a pen and tell them to get writing. The holidays are coming up quick, and somebody’s gotta sign all these cards. In his detailed write-up, he shows how he was able to add …read more

Continue reading →

Posted in CR-10, drawing bot, inkscape, pen, peripherals hacks, plotter, tool hacks | Leave a comment

Cheap Front Panels with Dibond Aluminium

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Fernando Gomes

The production capability available to the individual hacker today is really quite incredible. Even a low-end laser engraver can etch your PCBs, and it doesn’t take a top of the line 3D printer to knock out a nice looking enclosure. With the wide availability of these (relatively) cheap machines, the home builder can churn out a very impressive one-off device on a fairly meager budget. Even low volume production isn’t entirely out of the question. But there’s still one element to a professional looking device that remains frustratingly difficult: a good looking front panel.

Now if your laser is strong …read more

Continue reading →

Posted in inkscape, parts, printing, production hacks | Leave a comment

Review: LinkSprite Mini CNC

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Fernando Gomes

It’s a great time to be a hobbyist. No matter how you feel about the Arduino/Raspberry Pi effect, the influx of general enthusiasm and demand it has created translates to better availability of components, a broader community, and loads of freely available knowledge. When people have access to knowledge and ideas, great things can happen. Tools that were once restricted to industrial use become open source, and the price of entry-level versions goes into a nosedive.

As we’ve seen over the last several years, the price of cheap 3D printers keeps falling while the bar of quality keeps rising. It’s …read more

Continue reading →

Posted in hobby machine, inkscape, laser engraver, linksprite, PCB milling, reviews | Leave a comment

Drop-in Controller for eBay K40 Laser Engraver Gets Results

Posted on June 10, 2017 by Fernando Gomes

[Paul de Groot] wrote in to let us know about a drop-in controller replacement he designed for those economical K40 laser engravers that are everywhere on eBay. With the replacement controller, greatly improved engraving results are possible along with a simplified toolchain. Trade in the proprietary software and that clunky security dongle for Inkscape and a couple of plugins! [Paul] felt that the work he accomplished was too good to keep to himself, and is considering a small production run.

Laser engravers are in many ways not particularly complex devices; a motion controller moves the head in x and y, …read more

Continue reading →

Posted in inkscape, K40, laser controller, laser cutter, laser engraver, laser hacks, open source | Leave a comment