Intro to Crafts

In addition to dumpster diving as a source of items to fill my apartment, I like to create knickknacks and furniture with my hands. Feel free to send an email with any cool ideas or to share any of your work!

Journey elsewhere?

Main Page and Computer Stuff
Crafts (Wood, 3D print, etc.) <— You are here
Actions: Exercise, Music, etc.

Wood

Violin

2 Violins - one from a cigar box and one from driftwood and scraps I enjoy woodworking, music, and scavenging - to combine these joys, I decided to recreate my Intro to Engineering project (Cigarbox violin with 3D printed parts) using:

random logs found on the beach (fingerboard, neck, body) - notice the gorgeous spalting caused by fungi
a branch I chainsawed off an eastern cedar tree (pegs, bridge, tailpiece) - sadly it remained extremely fragrant and a gorgeous purple color for only a month or so

`Data is the New Oil` Commemorative Sculpture

Oil pumpjack model on shelf To celebrate data being the new oil (and other buzz phrases at work), I decided to make a pumpjack which also serves as a fidget toy (rotates with finger motion). This lives on a shelf I made to hold knickknacks above my monitor at the office.

Some more pieces of wood will be found and put here

3D Printing (WIP)

I purchased a Ender 3 V2 quite recently and am impressed with the print quality. I got lucky with not having issues. My main workflow is:

Find/Design Models
Set the layer height
Use a small brim instead of the default skirt for small or complex pieces
Print!
Babysit the first layer
Every now and then glance over to ensure success.
Post processing using:
- box cutter
- dental probe/pick set
- mini diamond files
- large files
- metal rod

The Era of Test Prints (1, 2)

I printed the default dog (1) which came with the printer. The huge raft is a waste of plastic and print time. Afterwards I printed the standard benchy (2) which came out smooth and nice. Dog and benchy

Radial Engine (3)

I love model engines, and this air balloon motor has sparked a lot of joy. Some pieces snapped when putting together, and I tried to use rubber seals to prevent leaks, but I enjoyed this nonetheless. Unfortunately, I’ll need to tinker with this more before it can be balloon powered. I tried using balloons that were too tight which gave me a headache. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4197583 Engine pieces Todo: gif of rotation

Anemometer (4)

Part of weather station. Todo: Add picture

Wind Up Car (5)

Need to sand the gears better using smaller files and reassemble. Some pieces snapped during assembly, and needed to be “soldered”/”welded” using scrap plastic and a soldering iron. Runs but not as smoothly as I would like. Would have liked to not have printed the waste plastic, but there was no easy list of required parts. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3308710 Wind up car pieces Todo: gif of movement

Gimbal (6 x3)

Gifts for friends, and a fidget toy for myself. Needed some sanding but spins VERY smoothly. Not sure if it is this one or another one: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:802145

Tippee Top (7)

Gift for friend. Works pretty well if given enough flat space. Spins until it flips upside down. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3053074

Brio-compatible joint stress-relieving train tracks and Brio&lego-compatible train (8)

Gifts for girlfriend’s sisters.

Totoro model (9)

Gift for friend

Topographical map of Tucson (10)

Gift for relative, possibly got lost in the mail Tucson Topographic Map

Steam Engine Powered by Balloon (WIP 11)

Some pieces catch, but not fully assembled yet. Engine part of the steam train

Lego Compatible Era (12)

Using LDraw and converting to stl works sometimes, but other times the holes are filled in weird. Failed universal joint (62520c01): small base led to piece falling over. Various clutch pieces (look up all the gears, connectors, etc. part numbers) - dreamed of use in transmission, but lives inside of a lego orrery now (TODO writeup and link) Small turntable (Orrery) pieces of a turntable lego gears which accept driving ring

I then realized I could buy these pieces for pennies each…

Flying Turtle Automaton (13)

After ensuring printer is calibrated using fish, I printed out the body of the turtle, the gears, crank, rods, etc. In order attain success, hours of sanding joints had to be performed, and each individual component of the system had to be smooth and as frictionless as possible. Lubrication techniques should be investigated when the opportunity arises.

Modular Engine (14 WIP)

Pieces printed and assembly is on todo list.

Cranked Propeller Frog (15 WIP)

“It’s Wednesday, my dudes.” Gift for friend. Printed at 50% scale.

Taiwan Topographical Map (16)

Gift for friend. Todo: mail to friend; make topo map of D.C. and California.

Clock

Still in the search phase. I have a spreadsheet of candidates but might design my own variant of available pendulum clocks.

Pen and Painting-based Art

Several paintings will be here one day

Lego

Flight sim controller

MSFS2020 with keyboard is inferior to controller-based flying. TODO: add pictures, finish and polish Lego - Done. Electronics - Done. Code - To finalize. vJoy vs unoJoy design decisions.

AROCS Pneumatic Truck

Review to be done hopefully this weekend.

Paper/Cardboard

Submarine

Complete! TODO: add images At some point my classification scheme will get weirder yet (if I make a forts section, this will move there)

Cessna

WIP

Engines

WIP

Tesla

WIP

Model Railroad

One Day…

Thanks to github pages for hosting, and to the minimalist theme open source contributors!