ZeGo Delta Robot - Un-boxing and Assembly

Finally received the ZeGo Delta Robot platform from this Indiegogo.com Campaign.

Extremely Low Cost 3D Printable 3D Printer / Plotter / CNC Machine

This last Christmas of 2014 I searched for many linear actuators on Amazon.com because I was given $70 worth of gift cards. To my surprise there are many nerd supplies on Amazon stores for the CNC hobbiest. One purchase I almost made was to buy 10 DVD drive linear actuators, just to have and play around with.  Here is one such listing of 5 micro stepper motors with mini screw rods.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RPXT36M/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Gnl1ub1AXDZF6

Well Wootin24, over on Instructables.com, created a mini XYZ axis CNC controlled machine using those DVD drive linear actuators. He claims this can be used for 3D printing, too. 

Check it out here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Extremely-Low-Cost-3D-Printable-3D-Printer-Plotter/?ALLSTEPS

 

DnD Map Plotter - Part 2 - Plotter Hardware

HARDWARE

Here is the first image I created. What else would I have drawn?

All the 3D objects can be found here:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:648119

Many thanks to the corexy.com website for the inspiration to design this plotter.

In the first image below, notice one of the string travels all the way through to the corner idler pulleys? Need to keep that in mind in my 3-D parts.

Image Credit: corexy.com

Notice the 45 degree offset of these two pulleys in the picture below... I will need to use the diameter of the idler pulleys as a parameter when spacing the two holes.  OH NO! will I actually have to multiply a parameter by the square root of 2!  Yay, I'm using one of the 3 things I remember from my college degree.

Image Credit: corexy.com

DnD Map Plotter - Part 1 - Introduction

After 3 years of playing Dungeons and Dragons, Savage Worlds, Star Wars, Traveler, Dungeon Crawl Classic, etc. it is time that I became the Game Master for the Dungeon and Dragons 5th Edition campaign, "Hoards of the Dragon Queen".

Becoming a Game Master is new to me so I am learning that I have to read, read, and then review what I read. After reading, next is getting the miniatures and drawing some maps! Well, I can't just draw maps with my fingers, can I?

Time to make a plotter to draw these maps for me. The approach will be to design a rigid plotter following the CoreXY design. The link shows a great write up but below is the primary mechanics behind the design.

My approach will be to use: 

• Ridged Aluminum and metal yard sticks for the basic structure.
• Many 3-D printed parts
• 2 stepper motors (these are very affordable 28BYJ-48 from Amazon)
• 1 Arduino
• 1 PC/ Laptop
• 1 Servo (to lift the pen) 

Here are some demonstrations of the CoreXY movements:

Go to Part 2 - Hardware