Category Archives: Mechanics
Some 3D printed projects in resin
As you already may know, I got a second resin 3D printer, an Anycubic Mono X. (as a second birthday present from Christel) Because this machines prints more then 5 times faster, and also has a bigger “printing plate”, I … Continue reading
Digitally controlled pantographs
Since a short time, I do own a Märklin e-locomotive with digitally controlled pantographs.Because I do own quiet some e-locomotives, I wanted to be able to control the pantographs of all these locomotives. This weekend I created a prototype of … Continue reading
3D-printed DDA40X locomotive (Scale 1:32) for the garden railroad *UPDATED, December 29th – 2016*
While I’m still waiting for some paint and motors to arrive from China, to finish the EMD SW1500, I already started drawing / partitioning / slicing / printing a new one 🙂 This time it’s also an American diesel locomotive, … Continue reading
Modifying the Velleman K8200 3D printer
My first 3D printer was a Velleman K8200 (DIY kit). I already have this 3D printer for 2 year now, and in the beginning, I was not happy with the results. One of the first things I did, was improving … Continue reading
H0 modelroad-related 3D printed parts
We are currently preparing to work on our long H0 module again. This module is 4m70 long an part of the bigger H0 layout. Because we want to be able to run trams and cars along this module, we are … Continue reading
Our 3th 3D printer – a Prusa i3 DIY kit
Until recently, we already owned 2 3D printers (a Velleman K8200 and an Ecksbot) A friend of mine from the 3rail forum (Hi John !), was looking to buy a 3D printer recently. I did a search on Ebay for … Continue reading
3D-printed EMD SW1500 locomotive (Scale 1:32) for the garden railroad
Christel like American locomotives, and as you know, she also owns a garden railway. Because I’m still recovering and nog beeing able to spend a lot of time on the mill & lathe, I decided to print some material for … Continue reading
Selfmade mini (PCB) CNC milling machine *UPDATED, April 28th – 2016*
I already own a Colinbus Profiler portal CNC machine and converted a large/heavy HBM BF-25 to CNC, but al this is a bit “overkill” and/or consumes a lot of time to setup, to only create a printed circuit board. So, … Continue reading
Holidays 2015 – part 2: Technik museum Speyer (Germany)
The second planned stop during our holidays, was in Speyer. We visited the Technik museum … (Furthermore, we also visited to old city of Speyer and did some shopping)
A new toy: Playstation 4 (+3D printed holder/charger for controllers)
Friday-night, we bought a Playstation 4 ! After owning a Gameboy, a Playstation 1, a Sega Dreamcast, an Xbox, an Xbox360, a WII and a Playstation 3, it was time for a “nextgen” console 🙂 When I got back from … Continue reading
RGB LED matrixes ! FUN – FUN – FUN *UPDATED, March 15th – 2015*
I’m still very ill for the moment, but besides working half-time, and spending most of the rest of my time sleeping, I still try to learn some new things 🙂 I got a few RGB LED matrixes for Valentines’ day … Continue reading
Holidays 2014 – part 7: Bergbau museum Bochum (Germany)
Today we visited the Bergbau museum in Bochum – Germany. The past years, we visited several mines, but this mining museum is a bit more recent. (The mine was still in use till january 2000 !) As a result, the … Continue reading
Some 3D printing projects *UPDATED, August 17th – 2014*
As a Solidworks-addict, in combination with my 3D printing addiction, I have *lots and lots* of ideas, so after beeing ill for to long, I started working out some of these projects. 1. Hexapod So, Andy, my hexapod, is finally … Continue reading
Some 3D printed things … *UPDATED, May 7th – 2014*
First of all, I have been ill for a very long period, so excuse me for not updating our website frequent enough. First 3D printed pieces – A wobbler engine (air powered) In the meanwhile, I started using the K8200 … Continue reading
Very early birthday present ! *UPDATED, February 17th – 2014*
Christel already ordered my present for my birthday (april 3th) … Because this year, I get something that comes in “kit”-form, and that I need to built together myself, she decided to already order “it” ! Because the building and … Continue reading
2 motorized ball machines !
Since I was a little kid, I made some ball machines with my Lego Technic (and mindstorms) sets … Recently, a dream came true 🙂 My first laser-cut motorized ball machines ! Painted and mounted, up and running ! Click … Continue reading
Watt’s steam engine *sneak peak*
I found some good information about the Boulton & Watt’s 10hp steam engine. I was so intrigued by this beautiful machine, that I decided to build a scale replica 🙂 Check out this wiki page for more info about the … Continue reading
7 stirling engines and 1 mendocino motor ! *UPDATED, December 27th – 2013*
My first stirling engine is a fact 🙂 A stirling motor, is a motor that runs on hot air. (no water or steam needed). Just by heating the glass capsule by a flame, the motor is able to run. I … Continue reading
To weld or not to weld, that’s the question !
Because I’m doing some metal-working now (for the 3 1/2″ and 5″ locomotives), I decided it’s time to learn how to weld … I bought a semi-automatic welding machine and an automatic welding shield … Now, I still need to … Continue reading
Another handy tool for the HBM-BF25 CNC
The homing-switches, emergency button and 4th axis are also done ! I will try to make a video of the machine in action, when milling some parts. But CNC milling and filming is not a good idea for the moment, … Continue reading
HBM-BF25 conversion finished – some extras
The conversion of the HBM BF-25 to CNC is finished ! I added home/limiting switches to all three axes. (X/Y/Z) Due to how Mach3 works, I’m able to control these 3 switches, by one I/O port on the breakout board. … Continue reading
A new milling machine and a major upgrade of the “machinery-room” …
I already got a lathe for Christmas 2012 (somewhere in Oktober !) But, just before Christmas, Christel gave me “permission” to order the BF-25 mill :-)(I should have gotten this machine for my Birthday, in april 2013) On Christmas-day 2012 … Continue reading
X-/Y- and Z-axis calibration done on HBM-BF25 CNC
I finally managed to finish the CNC conversion of the HBM BF-25 machine ! (Ooh well, still some homing-switches and emergency-buttons to wire, and my 4th axis, but everything comes along fine now) After some calculations about motor steps per … Continue reading
To much medication leads to (funny/useless) experiments !
It’s almost a month ago, since the last website update, this is mainly because of illness. At the end of my illness period, I was highly on medication, which leaded me into some “past-midnight” experiments. *What if I could control … Continue reading
HBM BF-25 milling machine – X- and Y-axis operational
The X- and Y-axis are both operational. I did some tests, and used the mill as a very expensive “spiral drawer” 🙂 I did put a drawing marker in the mill-attachement, and loaded a spiral example into Mach3. The chirping … Continue reading
HBM BF-25 milling machine – CNC conversion
I’m currently in the process of converting the BF-25 milling machine, tot CNC. I already milled,turned,drilled all the parts for the Y-axis conversion. I also installed all needed electronics, and wired everything together, So I can control the X-axis and … Continue reading
Brutus – live steam G-scale – on the lathe
Dirk (Ardjoena) showed us his ‘Brutus’ on the KMYCA days in september. Once this was a club-project in the KMYCA club, where Dirk introduced it. This looks like an ideal (yet simple) loco to start with as a beginner … … Continue reading
Early Christmas present ! (Lathe + extras)
This year was the ‘big’ year for a brand new lathe and mill/drill machine. Christel decided to order this for my Christmas, including lots and lots of extra’s. With a long delivery period in mind, She started ordering somewhere at … Continue reading
Early Birthday present (CO2 50W laser CNC)
Last thursday I had my last treatment for my HHC. I had to undergo 3 extra treatments 🙁 I’m still not fully recovered (will take some more weeks), but this did not prevent me from “playing with my new toy”. … Continue reading
Our (current) robotics collection
One of my other passions, is robotics. Since I have the necessary “machinery” to build things, I don’t have so much urge to buy robotic kits anymore. (I create my own things now => Check out the topic about Andy … Continue reading
Andy hexapod – CNC’ed
Since I have a CnC machine, and I needed some practice with servo’s for my home automation projects, I decided it was time for a little “fun” project. Inspired by some forum-threads at www.trossenrobotics.com, I made a hexapod, completely from … Continue reading
Cube@Home – LED cube 8x8x8
I have seen lots of LED cubes on different blogging sites in the past. Actually, I saw so many of them, that I decided to create my own. The result is a LED-cube with 8x8x8 LEDs (8 LEDs in every … Continue reading
Eifel Tower – CNC’ed
In preparation of our visit to Paris in november 2008 (For Christels’ birthday), I looked at the Eifel-Tower website. I found a DXF (3D) file of the Eifeltower 🙂 “Mangling” it trough AutoCad and Rams3D Gold, I finally got some … Continue reading
Electronic “analog” clock
Not really “fully analog”, but getting close to it … With analog I actually mean a clock with a number-plate and hours/minutes arrows … This is also one of those “could I do it ?”-projects. I wanted to see if … Continue reading
A bit of history …
As long as I can remember, I had a great interest in electronics and mechanics. When I was a young kid, I did take everything apart, to see how things work ! Hey, I’m from 1974, we didn’t have discovery-channel … Continue reading
Lego Mindstorms enhanced CD wall
This is one of those exception postings (there are three of them) Because the old website where this belongs, does no longer exists, I decided to add these to our blog, dated before the start of digitalplayground.be in 2008 … … Continue reading