This week on Maker Update, an LED filament clock, a pool noodle robot rover, a scream that screams back at you, a motorized Flippy crawler, 7 vintage toy robot designs you can 3D print, a project packaging generator, and a mini metal chop saw.

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Show Notes

Donald’s Let’s Robot (work in progress)
https://letsrobot.tv/robocaster/makerdonald/robot/67834441

Project of the Week

“Charlotte’s Web” Style LED Filament Clock by andypugh
https://www.instructables.com/id/Charlottes-Web-Style-LED-Filament-Clock/

Old Led Light Bulbs Give Up Filaments For Spider Web Clock
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/01/old-led-light-bulbs-give-up-filaments-for-spider-web-clock/

More Projects

Crickit Paddle Wheel Boat by Ruiz Bros.
https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-boat

The Scream: Interactive Screaming Painting by John Park
https://learn.adafruit.com/the-scream-munch-screaming-interactive-scream-painting

Flippy the “Robot” by make-a-roni
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2989080

Mr. Mech 3d printed robot. walking with moving arms and mouth. by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3018979

Type 1 walking Robot Man by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3025302

RoBox , 3d printed walking robot, moving Arms, Head and meter. by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3011304

Big Max 3d printed walking robot by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2999633

Rocking Body Walking Robot Drone #5 by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2936280

Mr. Servo remix by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1606484

Alpha-Rama biped robot by RobotHut
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1391972

Tools/Tips

Tiffany Tseng’s online box creator
https://box-maker.glitch.me/
https://twitter.com/scientiffic/status/1024676398861103104

Here’s another little SVG app for you: Box Creator lets you build little boxes for your models. Upload an STL, or manually enter dimensions, to generate a box template you can cut and fold. On @glitch: https://t.co/c4qdC096It pic.twitter.com/2mySoF1oSi

— Tiffany Tseng (@scientiffic) August 1, 2018

Silicone Mold Casting By Shawn Thorsson
https://makezine.com/2016/03/08/silicone-casting-molds/

Tips of the week by Gareth Branwyn
https://makezine.com/2018/08/03/tips-of-the-week-crayon-finishes-kitchen-hammers-bathing-your-boards-and-great-from-harbor-freight/

Klutch Angle Grinder Holder Review
https://kk.org/cooltools/klutch-angle-grinder-holder/

Maker Faires

August 17 + 18 + 19, 2018 Maker Faire Singapore
August 18 + 19, 2018 Seattle Mini Maker Faire
August 18 + 19, 2018 Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire
Sept 22 + 23, 2018 World Maker Faire New York

East Bay Maker Faire – Call for Makers is open
https://eastbay.makerfaire.com/callformakers/

Transcript

This week on Maker Update, an LED filament clock, a pool noodle robot rover, a scream that screams back at you, a motorized Flippy crawler, 7 vintage toy robot designs you can 3D print, a project packaging generator, and a mini metal chop saw.

Hey, I’m Donald Bell and welcome to another Maker Update. I hope everyone’s doing well. I spent the weekend working on my own Let’s Robot build, which has been a fun challenge and I’ll let you know when it’s all done. I have another jam-packed show for you, so let’s get started with the project of the week.

Check out this LED filament clock by Andy Pugh. Have you seen those LED versions of Edison light bulbs? Well this project collects 28 of those filament-looking LEDs and turns them into a clock display.

The numbers seem to magically float in the air, but each digit is actually connected with thin, web-like wire. An Arduino sits in the base, along with a custom circuit.

But as pretty as it is, there’s a risk of shock because the design needs 80 volts to drive those filaments and that electricity is wired right into the bare metal frame. There’s an isolating DC-to-DC converter and power supply in this design that should minimize the risk of shock, but still, attempt at your own risk.

For something safer and a little easier, the Ruiz brothers have this Crickit-controlled pool-bot.

The design uses 3D printed parts, two small DC motors, a Playground express and a Crickit breakout board. You can program routines using Microsoft’s MakeCode editor.

Two things I love about this design are the tripod mount they included for attaching an underwater camera, and the frame for the pool noodle sections.

Last week we took a look at Greg Zumwalt’s awesome 3D printed paddlebot, which required some adhesives to seal up. But integrating the pool noodles is another great approach, and even allows you to scale the design a little wider if you want.

Also on Adafruit, for something silly, check out John Park’s guide for making this interactive scream painting. The design mounts the screamer’s face on a servo arm. When you scream at the painting, it triggers a scream sound to play and wiggles the head back and forth.

Not only is this a fun project on its own, but I think you could easily apply it to a Halloween project and make some sound activated plastic rats or spiders.

Over on Thingiverse, Make-A-Roni posted this design of a Flippy the Robot. It’s a simple, single-motor toy design that just stomps around, but I love the minimalist look.

I also discovered a treasure trove of toy robot designs by RobotHut. In the show notes you’ll see 7 different motorized toy robot designs that are all nods to vintage sci-fi bots. I think it would be cool to build a few and maybe give them out as presents.

I have a few tips to share this week. Tiffany Tseng, who made the Stencilfy web app I showed off last week, is back with another free app that automatically generates boxes for your 3D printed things.

So if you did want to make a custom cardboard box for one of those toy robots, you just upload the STL file or plug in the dimensions manually, and you get a template for all the cut and fold lines to make your box.

Over on Makezine, pro maker Shawn Thorsson has a quick guide on making casting molds using silicone. Also, Gareth Branwyn’s Tips of the Week column takes a look at using crayons as part of a colorful wood finish.

And the Cool Tools blog has published my review of the Klutch Angle Grinder holder, which is an inexpensive jig that turns an angle grinder into a mini metal chop saw. I used it for building my latest Power Racing Series car this year, and it’s worth checking out, especially if you have a small workshop.

Maker Faires! Tragically, there are no Maker Faires happening this weekend that I’m aware of. But next week we have Singapore, Seattle WA and Grand Rapids Michigan.

Also, for those of you in the Bay Area, the call for makers is open for East Bay Mini Maker Faire happening on October 21st. And as always, you can visit makerfaire.com to find a Faire in your area.

And that does it for this week’s show. Be sure to subscribe, leave a thumbs up or leave a comment. I really appreciate everyone’s supportive feedback. You can also get on the Maker Update email list to have show notes sent out to you each week automatically. And if you really want to make my day, you can buy me a coffee using the link right down here. Alright? Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next week.