DIY Projects

What to do when Node-Red Flows dissapear

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I wanted to install a SSD on the Windows 10 desktop that my Node-Red ran on and ended up reinstalling windows. I had exported my flows and re imported them, all good. Later on I spent a few hours adding more good stuff. Everything was fine until a few days later when after a reboot, all my flows were gone!

Talk about a mix of anger, panic, and regret. Why didn’t I back up my work!?

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DIY Kossel XL RepRap 3D Printer Build

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Kossel XL 2020 RepRap

I used my first RepRap Mendel Prusa 2 to print my Kossel Mini. The Kossel Mini has been a wonderful printer but I wanted something a tad bigger so I embarked on a journey to build a big Kossel RepRap 3D printer. As of writing this post there is a significant lack of affordable kits for large Kossel printers out there so I found some inspiration online and started building my own Kossel XL 3D printer. I am very proud of the results, its gorgeous and prints great!

If you don’t know already, RepRap printers are open source, no one owns them, you do! The community has a lot of information on building your own self replicating 3D printer, http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap

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Intel Arduino 101 BLE Blynk Tank

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Intel Arduino 101 based tank with BLE and Blynk!

This project uses the Intel Arduino 101 board that has a built in IMU and (BLE) Blue Tooth Low Energy. For the remote control I used the free Blynk app which is is available for Android and iPhone, it allows you to rapidly drag and drop some buttons to create a user interface. The Chassis is a Dagu DG012 from Sparkfun.

I tried to power the whole rig from the 5 AA battery pack that came with the chassis but the Arduino kept resetting on low voltage. Ideally I would use a nice LiPo battery pack but I think it’s reaching to expect a beginner to learn about the care and feeding of LiPos and purchase a charger so I chose to power the motors separately from the Arduino using a USB Battery pack. Be sure to remove the optional battery jumper on the Adafruit motor shield or you can fry some things, the power sources need to be separate.

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Custom Cortana MQTT Commands

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image Cortana can easily be extended to aid you with your DIY home automaton projects. In this example Cortana sends MQTT commands to open and close a garage door as well as ring the doorbell with custom jingles. By the way, you don’t have to use MQTT, you can also do a whole lot of other things as well from opening a file, opening a program, or launching your favorite websites.

As of the writing of this entry I am frantically trying to finish documenting the MQTT Doorbell and Garage Door Opener devices in separate posts. Hopefully I can get those whipped out in a few days.

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Kossel Mini 3D Printer Vertical Movement Tutorial

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Vertical Rail Options

kossel movementThere are several options available for the vertical movement carriage of the Kossel Mini.  The thing is some options cost a LOT more money. I will show some options along with prices as of 1/1/2014.

 

 

$(KGrHqMOKooFIM4k2M6PBSJpoi,Gwg~~60_31. Use MR12 MGN12C HIWIN rail and truck currently about $140.00 after shipping…

 

 

 

 

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2. Use an additional printed carriage with Dual 623 V rollers currently around $80.00 after shipping…

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Kossel Mini Tutorial, Push Rods, Effector, Auto Level Probe and Hot End

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In this video I assemble the push rods, effector, and auto level probe.

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Push rods: They should be around 180MM and MUST be exactly the same length. If they are all a little bigger or smaller you can adjust in the software. Cut the head off of 12 M4X20 screws and screw the ball joint ends on to the rods, be careful not to split the rods so a tap may be needed.

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How to Build a Kossel Mini Tutorial, Frame

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Why I am building a Kossel Mini

My first 3D printer was a Prusa Mendel V2 Reprap, after seeing the speed and precision of my bosse’s Rostock Max and drooling over his Kossel mini I decided it was time to make another printer. (You can find my Prusa Mendel V2 Reprap post here) I have found that half the fun of 3D printing is building the machine… especially if you are the type that enjoys tinkering and fiddling with gadgets. I have also found that 3D printing is absolutely a hobby, though, I am to cheap to try some of the more out of the box printers that are developing nowadays. I am not sure if the urge to build things or my cut-rate pocket-book drive my DIY printing hobby more…

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RepRap Prusa Mendel V2 Complete Build

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Introductionimage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building my very first 3D printer was quite traumatic and time consuming but also fun and rewarding! I don’t suggest building your own unless you have a love for tinkering, and making. There are some other qualities that will come in handy such as tendency’s for hacking, electronics, and computers. As this is a computer controlled machine complete with a microcontroller you MUST know how to turn a computer on. Be aware that building your own RepRap is more like getting a hobby than getting a project.

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