Time to come clean

[zeeprogrammer]

I've barely made any contribution to this fair group for a while now. 
I miss it.
I miss you.
I got distracted.
I'm still distracted.
My apologies. 

There's been the 'usual' stuff...

1) Helping eldest daughter through a divorce and selling her house (which as it turns out I'm ending up buying only to rent it back to her)
2) Helping youngest daughter get to California, followed up by flying her cat out to her, followed up by now she wants to come home
3) Various small home disasters such as fridge leaking and ruining wood floor, clogged dishwasher, ya-de-ya-de-ya-da
4) And several other things that fall into the 'aw crap' folder
5) And once in a while time needed for 'other' interests  I mean interest. No 's' there. No ma'am.

And then there's the real time consumers...
 

In college I was interested in computer graphics and robotics. I went for robotics. But computer graphics was never far away. In fact, I later wrote and sold a program to teach robotics that included a wireframe robot and workcell. I've always played around with computer graphics.

Then several months ago I got interested in writing a game for Android. Computer graphics again!

Sigh.

This led to learning Java (I'm a C programmer).

This led to recently learning about Blender. A program to create 3D models for games. I've learned next to nothing so far.

All the while thinking about how I'm going to make this one itty-bitty part I need for my dynamo diorama.

Well that itty-bitty part is just a tad too itty-bitty for machining.

So I got to thinking about making it using a 3D printer.

Now I'm learning about 3D printing.

As it turns out, I can use Blender to make the model that will output a 3D printable file. Cool.
See how it all comes together?

But..that has led me back to thinking about drawing my own parts.

Which brings me back to Alibre. (Another huge learning investment.) But I had bought Alibre a few years ago (the $100 version) and it is no longer compatible with newer PCs.

So I was looking for alternatives.

Anyone know anything about 'DesignSparks Mechanical'?
It's apparently a free 'full-featured' CAD system.
I don't know yet what 'full-featured' means but it looks intriguing.
I hope to check it out this weekend.

Can you see the thread in all this?

So I'm busy learning, programming, and dealing with the 'aw crap' folder overflow.
That folder will never be empty but the overflow must be handled else I end up with an 'aw crap' life. 

A bit of a self-centered post I know. I just felt the need to explain myself and let you all know I'm still here and thinking about you all.
Most of you all. Some of you anyway. 

I hope this answers some of the questions I know some of you have had.

And now back to it 

[dsquire]

Zee

In other words, you are just like all most of the rest of us, still trying to figure out how to put 10 pounds of 541t in a 5 pound bucket. Hope it all works out for you soon.  

Cheers 

Don

[mklotz]

There's got to be a better way of propagating the species than having children.

Anyone who would want to return to Pennsylvania after spending time in California is certifiable.  Take it from someone who knows.

Nothing is "a tad too itty-bitty for machining".  "Itty-bitty"?  Where do you get this stuff?

Go to the shop.  Lock the door.  Make yourself a reassurance thing - some simple tool or objet d'art that can be completed in an evening to reassure you that there's still something in the world over which you have control.

We've missed you too.  At least I have.  Eric isn't nearly as good a straight man as you were. 

[b.lindsey]

Nice to hear from you Zee. Isn't it about time to retire to the sunny south Warm sandy beaches...cool mountains...slower pace of life...beats the heck out of "ah crap" folder overflow We can keep your mason jar filled as well !!

Bill

[90LX_Notch]

Nothing is "a tad too itty-bitty for machining".  "Itty-bitty"?  Where do you get this stuff?

I'll second that.  Zee you have the skills to machine something small.  Go for it.  It can't be that small.  Going small is all about the tooling and the work holding. 

-Bob

[stevehuckss396]

We can keep your mason jar filled as well !!

Just changed my retirement plans!!!

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Well that's a relief. I thought you were in a hoppie half way house or had moved to " the triangle" in California and become a grower. I'm with Marv, cut the crap about itty-bitty. It just takes total concetration Grasshopper. Now, if you are going to be designing games how about a model engine game. See how far you can get in the build before you stuff a part or crash a tool, get the idea. My main concern is just getting you active here again as Marv has become very temperamental and hard to work with. I think he's just missing you. Slow deep breaths, easy, we're here for you.

Whiskey

[sshire]

Zee
Life happens, but the brunch with the boys invite stands. Whenever you need a break. Pancakes, bacon 'n eggs and partially completed engines. Doesn't get any better for sanity.

[mklotz]

Nothing is "a tad too itty-bitty for machining".  "Itty-bitty"?  Where do you get this stuff?

 Going small is all about the tooling and the work holding. 

And remember to repeat the mantra to yourself as you work...

Never remove a part from its parent stock until absolutely necessary.

[Maryak]

Good to hear from you Zee,

Ignore the comments from the peanut gallery.

Marv has become very temperamental and hard to work with.
Whiskey

???.............He's always been like that, (well as long as I've had the pleasure of his company).

Best Regards
Bob

[zeeprogrammer]

"Itty-bitty"?  Where do you get this stuff?

Why from you all of course. I can learn. 

So maybe I need to explain the part. Picture a ladder. Maybe two inches long and a 1/4 inch (at most) wide. For realism (ha!) you can't use rungs. Must be flat steps. So for scale we're talking less than a 1/16" thick sides and steps. And I haven't even explained what the ladder leads to. (At this point a bit of my brain seems to agree with my wife --- 'idiot'). Shoot. If I'm thinking of fabricating a stupid ladder using a 3D printer...maybe I should just go find an HO scale one. Which makes me think I should agree with my brain. Ah rats.

Anyone who would want to return to Pennsylvania after spending time in California is certifiable.  Take it from someone who knows.

She likes California just fine. She just misses the family so much. It's always about the people.
So it really comes down to "I'm here" and "You're there". Seems her choice is pretty easy. 

It just takes total concetration Grasshopper.

Well that one brought back some good memories. When I met 'T' she used to refer to me as 'weedhopper'.
And just to be absolutely clear...'weed' as in garden weeds. It took me a while to realize that a weed is nothing more than any plant that doesn't belong amongst all the other plants. So a tomato plant in a corn field is a weed.

Now I'm beginning to wonder again why she always called me weedhopper. 

Isn't it lousy how some words can so drastically change meaning over the years?

And remember to repeat the mantra to yourself as you work...
Never remove a part from its parent stock until absolutely necessary.

I still have my 3x5 card taped above my lathe with your exact quote...in (as you specified) crayon.

Stan...I haven't forgotten. I do/will need my soul food of ham, hash browns, and scrambled eggs.

Thanks very much all. Much appreciated.


I raise my 'stinking hoppie' mason jar to you all.
It's empty right now but soon to be refilled.
And then I'll toast you all again.
And refill.
And toast.
And refill.
And...

I enjoy celebrating un-groundhog day. 

[Don1966]

Come on Carl shake it off buddy, your the man here and never forget that. As Dave would say sometimes life happens and gets in the way, but we overcome my friend. Yea! We miss you man with all you rambling and off thread post. Hell buddy it gets down right slow here you would thing no one was here. It's gets to quiet and we need you back man.
Were are pulling for you and I hope things get better for you soon buddy.

Don

[swilliams]

Just go with the flow Carl, you'll get there. Never know when the urge to get back into the shop may strike

Re CAD, have you checked out cubify that has taken the place of cheap Alibre? There's a free 14day trial available for it. If you give it a run let me know what you think. I don't have a windows computer but am thinking of getting one to do 3D CAD and maybe some other stuff. If you find a good product to use I'd be most interested to hear about it.

http://cubify.com/products/cubify_design/index.aspx


Take it easy
Steve

[Dave Otto]

Come on Zee we miss you; besides I will never be able to create the wonderfully worded posts that so many here in MEM are capable of you included.

And when all you guys get together well there is no telling what is going to happen!

Dave

[90LX_Notch]

So for scale we're talking less than a 1/16" thick sides and steps.

Can you do it with sheet metal?  Can you make a die set to punch out the steps?

We're all behind you and pulling for you.  Life just gets in the way sometimes.

-Bob

[tel]

Damn Carl - for a minute there I thought you were going to have a wash! No time for that - there's machining to be done!

[sshire]

I was looking at my "real" ladder. The steps are riveted. Sheet metal sides and steps with tiny rivets for yours. Copper wire should work as a small rivet.

[mklotz]

Thoughts on "itty-bitty" step ladders...

1/16 thick stock rails with partial angled rabbets made with a fine slitting saw. (Recall how the steps on old wooden step ladders were fitted into rabbets in the verticals.)  Step width pieces of brass (slitting saw thick) fitted into slots and soft-soldered using a resistance soldering scheme.  A wicking super-glue would probably work too but we're metal guys.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Zee, I'm leaning toward the sheetmetal crowd. 1/16" is .062 shim stock or about 16ga. sheetmetal. It can be "machined" with aviation snips and filed square or in almost in configuration sandwiched between two pieces of the brown stuff. A little bench vice and some square stock with a soft hammer makes an excellent "brake". If you used shim stock it's available in brass and this could bring in some real nice solder joints or be very easy to rivet as Stan suggests, with a little super glue help as Marv says. It's almost like forming jewelry. I've worked a bit of brass shim stock and was never as good as some I worked with, but I tried.

E

[Captain Jerry]

Zee

You can probably print one but then it winds up being made out of plastic, doesn't it?  Or maybe you are going to do a lost wax casting? That would be fun to see!

Jerry

[zeeprogrammer]

Damn Carl - for a minute there I thought you were going to have a wash! No time for that - there's machining to be done!

I have not compromised on my washing routine. My most important interest (read squeeze) would then lose interest in (what I hope is) 'her' most important interest.

Yes I have been thinking about sheet metal, brass strip, etc. and the fact that I'm thinking (gasp) plastic. Well gee. If I'm going to do plastic...I may as well get some styrene and glue it up. No I haven't given up on the idea of metal.

Say...we read a lot here about metal vs wood. What about plastic? I'd be interested in hearing Jo's views. 

Well it's Saturday night. Time for a bath and an evening with the missus.
I've met Eric and he knows the ritual. Then again, for all I know he's  an annual guy and I just caught him at a good time.

But I have running water.   

Marv...would 'teenie-weenie' have been a better descriptor?
That's one term I don't care for. Too many bad memories from back in my dating days.

Thanks all. I really appreciate the comments.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Nope, every Saturday afternoon, right after the shave and neck roaching. Go down to the barber shop and chew the fat, shave, and boot shine, come home to a  big soaking tub with some bubbly rose water and Lou scrubs my back. I dust down with some fine talcum and them flannel sheets feel woooooooonderful. Ah the good life

Whiskey

[tel]

Dang Whuskey - I'll bet you smell right purty sloppin' out the hawgs!

[cfellows]

Zee, to your original question, I've been fooling around with Design Spark and it is definitely worth investing some time in.  It's pretty similar to Alibre which I also have but also has some operation features kind of like Sketchup.  Also, it will output files in STL format, which is used for 3D printing, along with a number of other formats that are useful for exporting to CNC.

3DSystems, who bought out Alibre, also have a product called Cubify Inventor.  It is $49 a seat to buy and is also very similar to Alibre.  It's pretty much just for creating STL files and nothing else.  You can also download the full version and use it for 15 days for free.

Finally, Autodesk, has a free product called 123D Design.  It's also primarily for creating STL files for 3D printing.  I don't like it quite as much as I do Design Spark.

Chuck

[Dave Otto]

Nope, every Saturday afternoon, right after the shave and neck roaching. Go down to the barber shop and chew the fat, shave, and boot shine, come home to a  big soaking tub with some bubbly rose water and Lou scrubs my back. I dust down with some fine talcum and them flannel sheets feel woooooooonderful. Ah the good life

Whiskey

Wow and all I do is wait for the clock to strike 5:00 PM and pour a cold one or two or ??

Dave

[peatoluser]

Only just read this thread , but as regards the ladder, would a photo etched ladder as used by by plastic and card modelers be O.K?....and as for a 'aw crap' folder....mines more of a filing cabinet I dare not open

regards

peter

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Chuck. Very helpful. And good to see you. I probably missed a bunch but I know some folks were wondering about you.

Thanks Pete. I did wonder about photo etched but nah. Oh and at least you can lock a filing cabinet.

Eric...flannel sheets? Really? I'd pictured you in satin. 

[peatoluser]

Think I know what you mean Zee, far more satisfying solving these type of problems in the workshop rather than thru' mailorder. I just need somewhere to bury the filing cabinet now.

peter

[cfellows]

Thanks Chuck. Very helpful. And good to see you. I probably missed a bunch but I know some folks were wondering about you.

I got sidetracked for a month or more on 3D printing.  I picked up the remains of one on Craigslist and spent a considerable amount of time putting it back together and getting it running.  Fascinating stuff!

Chuck

[Jo]

Eric...flannel sheets? Really? I'd pictured you in satin. 

I would rather not do any sort of imagination like that it is too early in the day 

Jo