Run out of Shore 40. Need to order some more in and write up a proper supplies tally sheet so I don’t get caught short again in future. Only one current order should be affected.

I’m also down to the dregs of the water-clear resin. Will probably only restock on demand for the moment.

Also have created a page for the Bonsai Repstrap on the RepRapWiki; http://objects.reprap.org/wiki/Bonsai_Repstrap

Need to place orders for more shirts for Confuzzled in a months time. Hoping to have one of my own designs included in that order.

[20/06/2010: Amalgamating old posts from “Dreamwidth Creative Blog” into sci-fi-fox.com to re-purpose DW blog account.]

Some progress

I have not been coping well today.

Footpads haven’t bonded correctly. Gluing method hasn’t worked very well. I guess the rubber chemistry changes while setting. Unset won’t bond to set.
Going to have to try slashing the velcro to get rubber to bond into it better.

Still, one set come out acceptable.

More casting tomorrow. May catch up yet.

Also roughed out the folding mechanism for the Bonsai Repstrap..

A portable 3D printer is certainly feasible.

[20/06/2010: Amalgamating old posts from “Dreamwidth Creative Blog” into sci-fi-fox.com to re-purpose DW blog account.]

More macro shots

Another batch of pads is packed up and ready to go.

First took the opportunity to re-photograph them all in macro mode properly though. Here’s the winning shots so far, cropped and resized to 75%.

About to go upload them to my DA and FA accounts.

More will be cast tomorrow before I head out to Dorkbot London in the evening. Means next order will ship friday, most likely.
Will also be casting up 12 reprap-Mendel frame brackets for the Bonsai Repstrap prototype. And I’ll get photos of the new colour mix.

Still no word from resins supplier. Will be phoning them tomorrow to get this Shore-80 situation sorted out.

[20/06/2010: Amalgamating old posts from “Dreamwidth Creative Blog” into sci-fi-fox.com to re-purpose DW blog account.]

In business news

Emails have been sent, bus battery’s on charge, business site WordPress install backed up and updated.

Today I’m expecting to take receipt of the remaining UKFur “shop” stock, records and documents. I’ll need to restock on a few things, but it’s my first corporate takeover, so rather excited!

Tomorrow I should have a digital camera in the post to me. Only a Fuji FinePix S5600, but it’ll be sufficient for taking some very nice product shots and filming VGA videos. Hoping to get some more out of my youtube account with that. There’s been some interest in me doing videos from the workshop.

Tomorrow in the AM, I’ll also be heading out into Essex for a bit to collect 2000 NOS stepper motors. I’m hoping to produce a Bonsai Repstrap; a very basic low-power 3D printer for light-duty work or producing the printed parts for a full size RepRap.

Waiting to hear back from a business advisor. I need to make sure my disclaimers are legally in order for the webshop, and look into if there’s any grant or loan options I may still be eligible for. Things were very disorganised and hurried at first, so lots of things have gone on the credit cards. I’d like to clear them and have some working capital to fund these developments a little easier.

I also have a Little List of old jobs. These aren’t necessarily business-related, but they’re old matters that have been hanging over my head for too long. There’s only 5 on it now. It feels good to clear them out of the way.

[20/06/2010: Amalgamating old posts from “Dreamwidth Creative Blog” into sci-fi-fox.com to re-purpose DW blog account.]

Stock-take

Stock-taking of the new batch of motors.

Stock-taking is still only marginally more interesting when you’re counting stock you have your own money tied up in.

2053 stepper motors visually accounted for, sorted and boxes taped up.
Will shift them to the eaves tomorrow. 4 set aside for prototyping.
I’m the walking dead here.

1672 regular
381 with gear on shaft

Now I just have to find a motor of the same spec to work out what the replacement cost will be for my insurance.

[20/06/2010: Amalgamating old posts from “Dreamwidth Creative Blog” into sci-fi-fox.com to re-purpose DW blog account.]