Today at MakerCon, Inventables’ Zach Kaplan announced that Easel, his company’s web-based CNC software, is moving out of beta testing and into full release for all users, for free.
Launched to a very limited number of users at SXSW in March, Easel works with Inventables’ Shapeoko CNC machine, allowing for fast design in a variety of materials and one-button simplicity. The company has slowly added additional testers while making sure that the software continued to perform safely and securely.
They’ve also been adding new functionalities, including an “open-in-Easel” button on the Inventables project pages, and a mirroring capability for creating inverse designs. Kaplan describes some of these latest features added to Easel, and shows off their latest rubber stamp project capability.
In the age of smart phones and cameras, we are all guilty of the occasional “selfie”. But what if you could use your selfie in a CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machine to make that photo into a portrait of yourself — out of your own blood. That’s what artist Ted Lawson did.
The CNC machine was originally programmed to paint with a self-filling brush and ink device, but Lawson hacked it to hook up to his arm and use his own blood while it paints. It was not an easy process. It took several hours and used quite a bit of blood. He had to eat fruit juice and eat biscuits in order to keep hydrated, and so that he didn’t pass out. And he spent a lot of time making adjustments like creating a vacuum to keep the paper from curling up as the blood saturated the paper, and using tweezers to manually adjust the brush as it painted. But he also allowed errors and glitches to be part of the drawing because he felt the random events made a deeper connection between the code used by the computer and the machine and the much more organic code that is present in blood and DNA and everything else. The project, aptly titled Drawing Blood, is part of a series of CNC based artworks called The Map Is Not The Territory that explores the way we perceive reality by abstracting or mapping it, and the role that technology plays in the process. You can check out more about the design process here.
The cost to import and ship CNC routers to other countries can be very expensive. Jeferson Simões is trying to lower those costs for the people of Brazil. Using a Kickstarter-like site called Catarse, Jeferson has set out to raise funding to build two models of CNC routers; Protoptimus P1 and P2. The site is in Portuguese, use Google to translate.
Jeferson Simões and Protoptimus
As it’s very expensive to import CNC machines into Brazil, Protoptimus’ mission is to make CNC machines available to the Brazilian people at a cost that is comparable to machines available in other countries. Unfortunately for all you CNC lovers out there, the current Catarse campaign only allows Brazilian backers.
Both Protoptimus P1 and P2 feature the same rigid chassis and a work area of 360x360x100mm (14.2×14.2×3.9in). An Arduino Duo and CNC shield combination handle the motion control using GRBL. The major differences between the machines are the included spindle, X/Y resolution, and the size of XYZ stepper motors.
Here’s some photos of the prototyping in progress:
The P1 is primarily aimed at hobbyists. As such, the P1 spindle is a smaller 130w Dremel. The P2’s stronger X/Y motors combined with a 500w spindle allow it to make most cuts in about half the time compared to the P1. The P1 leadscrews, on both the X and Y axis, have slightly different pitch which results in a lower X/Y resolution (.007 difference).
Protoptimus P2 CNC Router
Both machines will allow the user to cut through light metals without too much trouble. If you plan to do lots of metal work, I’d personally opt for the P2 with the more powerful spindle. The Dremel on the P1 should have no issue cutting through softer materials like as wood, plastic and foam quickly.
Protoptimus P2 CNC cutting metal
Jeferson originally created this machine to make positives for vacuum formed candy molds for his mother.
My mother and my aunt make sweets for parties and weddings, and their customers were asking for personalized chocolates. For this, they needed a way to create a custom template in chocolate form, for use in the manufacture of a forminha, which would then be used to shape the chocolate itself.
The project looks promising and Jeferson’s campaign still has a few days left to hit the target funding amount. Hopefully he will be successful in making this exciting tool available to the people of Brazil!
A year ago, ShopBot introduced a Handibot, a portable CNC tool. They also adopted an open philosophy that invited users to help push the new tool in new directions.
This year, the ShopBot team brought the Handibot to MakerCon with two new accessories: a rotary tool and a five-access tool. Both tools push the CNC machine towards 3D — giving users an alternative to 3D printing.
Ted Hall, the founder of Shopbot Tools, Inc., stopped by Make:’s press room to tell us about the new capabilities.
The Handibot, from ShopBot Tools, Inc.
You can find out more about the expanded Handibot at Handibot.com.
A prototype of Printrbot’s new CNC machine. The final model will be constructed of folded and machined metal. (Photo: Dave Hays)
Printrbot Founder and CEO Brook Drumm was on hand at MakerCon today to reveal a beta of the upcoming Printrbot CNC router. While it’s targeted as a tool for beginner CNC’ers, the machine is quite capable for maker-pros alike. It can cut wood, plastic, and aluminum at “respectable speeds,” according to Brook.
“We’re making a tool that I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Brook. He also emphasized that ease-of-use and low-cost are high priorities for the product.
Inside the machine, a wi-fi enabled Raspberry Pi runs the web-based control software so that you can connect to it wirelessly, giving new meaning to the term “wireless router.” A TinyG motor control board communicates to the NEMA 23 stepper motors which move the Makita router across the bed. While there’s no word on pricing, it’s expected to be available in the fall. Check out our interview and demo with Brook below:
Last week’s CNC Week contest attracted a plethora of chip-producing projects. Our panel of judges was impressed by the range and quality of the submissions and while there were many exceptional entries, one unique project caught our attention: Bart Dring‘s Delta CNC Router with 4th Axis.
The winner – Bart Dring’s Delta CNC Router with 4th Axis.
Here’s how Bart describes the project:
This started as a delta bot style milling machine. A 4th rotary axis was added later. The challenge was getting all to run with standard 3D printer hardware. The extruder controls were hacked to be the rotary axis control. See his blog post for a complete description.
Ready to defeat the Cartesian agenda? Here’s what our judges had to say about this project:
Bart Dring’s “creativity with constraints” approach to his delta router project (using non-captive stepper motors and stock RepRap firmware) resulted in many interesting creative workarounds; including hacking the Mach3 wrapped rotary post processor so he could use Vectric V Carve‘s wrapped rotary feature – all for a hello world project that he could show off at ORD Camp 2014.
It’s no surprise that Bart used MakerSlide for his design, after all, he invented the open source linear motion system, which was successfully Kickstarted in June of 2011. I found his use of modified Repetier firmware tweaked to convert millimeters (used as the feed unit by extruders) to degrees on an Azteeg X3 to be a unique and innovative approach.
–Anna Kaziunas France, MAKE digital fabrication editor
Bart on what inspired him to create the Delta Router:
The ORD contraptions I make, have one primary function; to spark conversation. This means they have to be interesting, a little whimsical and a little cool looking… Practicality and suitability are way down the list, so go ahead and snark away. If you do, you are missing the point.
In other words, sweet project Bart! Viva la Delta! The $200 voucher to the Maker Shed is yours and we look forward to getting your delta router project up on our site.
What do you think, makers? Have you built a CNC machine using creative constraints to challenge yourself? Post your ideas in the comments below.
Like 3D printers, CNC mills have migrated to the desktop. A handful of the little guys have sprung up, making routing more accessible for schools and home use. They may not be seeing the explosion in popularity of their additive brethren, but the landscape is vibrant and the tools are continually improving. Here are five of the most popular, with details on how they have updated their hardware, software, business plans, or personnel.
MTM SnapThe MTM Snap — so named because it’s part of the Machines that Make project and it snaps together — hasn’t changed much lately, but it’s important as the progenitor of Other Lab’s Othermill. Originally a project out of MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, MTM Snap’s designer, Jonathan Ward, went to Otherlab to help found its hardware division, Other Machine Co.
Othermill
Backers of Other Machine Co.‘s Kickstarter, which cruised past its goal last year, have begun receiving their Othermills. Meanwhile, its creators have introduced tutorials for milling printed circuit boards, and launched computer-aided manufacturing software called Otherplan to use design files to directly control the mill.
PocketNC
PocketNC introduced its 5-axis desktop mill just last September at World Maker Faire, and prospective buyers are still awaiting a Kickstarter for the P5, but a lucky few are beta testing the device.
Mebotics Microfactory
Mebiotics is showing new signs of life after its Microfactory 3D printer/CNC mill combo failed to reach its Kickstarter goal. The startup has been accepted into — and begun — Betaspring’s 13-week accelerator program.
Camille (left) and Genevieve (right) Beatty with their CNC mill.
My daughters and I use our CNC mill to make custom aluminum parts for our robots on beatty-robotics.com. We didn’t know much about machining when we first started, so it took us a while to figure out exactly what accessories we needed. We now use these on nearly every job we run.
Have you created an exceptional CNC machining project? Share it with MAKE and you could win $200 at the Maker Shed!
In makerspaces, schools and home workshops everywhere, CNC routers and mills are becoming cheaper and more accessible than ever before and personal fabrication is at an all time high. From CNC routed furniture to milled circuit boards to engraved artwork; globally shared files are now being fabricated locally.
As we kick off a week of CNC routing and milling projects, tutorials, and videos today, we’re launching a contest for the best reader-submitted CNC routing or milling project.
Submissions are due by 11:59 PST on Monday March 24th, 2014. Winners will be announced on Friday, March 28th, 2014.
HERE’S WHAT THE WINNER GETS:A $200 coupon/voucher to spend at the Maker Shed and coverage of his or her project on makezine.com.
“The best project”, will be the most well documented, creative and original replicable project with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. The winner, to be picked by a panel of MAKE editors, will have his or her project featured on makezine.com and will receive a $200 voucher from the Maker Shed. Let the sawdust and aluminum fly!
What if you could design and print your own Oreo cream filling, with a selection of possible flavors? At SXSW, people can do just that at Oreo’s Trending Vending machines.
Users pick a trending topic on Twitter and get a cream-filled cookie inspired by that topic. The entire process happens right before their eyes as a turret of flavored fillings pumps cream onto the cookie, which is held by an inverted delta robot. And what’s cooler than a machine that creates custom Oreo cookies on-demand? Seeing how it all works inside.
Check out the video above to get a tour of the many different technologies come together to create this unconventional vending machine.
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The cost to import and ship CNC routers to other countries can be very expensive. Jeferson Simões is trying to lower those costs for the people of Brazil. Using a Kickstarter-like site called Catarse, Jeferson has set out to 
There’s a new Shapeoko in town. The 
Have you created an exceptional CNC machining project? Share it with MAKE and you could win $200 at the Maker Shed!
In makerspaces, schools and home workshops everywhere, CNC routers and mills are becoming cheaper and more accessible than ever before and personal fabrication is at an all time high. From CNC routed furniture to milled circuit boards to engraved artwork; globally shared files are now being fabricated locally.
A $200 coupon/voucher to spend at the 
