Back in Holland, after a kinda short but extremely nice trip to Montpellier in France, where my incredibly beautiful and sweet girlfriend lives and studies.
Today the HKU started again, and we where introduced to our final year of school. I will participate in a project concerning our (apparent) disability to communicate with each other in public spaces. Which I have to say is true, but if I have to be honest, I contribute to this myself as well. If you find me in public transport (IF you do you are one lucky son of a bitch) I will probably be crowned by a set of large headphones (Sennheiser). So speaking to me or being spoken to by me is pretty much out of the question.
But ok, I guess we don't have to talk to each other all the time, but there is a equal lack of reason to not speak at all. So the coming weeks we will research this fact, and hopefully prototype some 'solutions' to this 'problem'. I happen to like prototyping. I do.
Speaking of which: I have been thinking about doing workshops concerning molding and casting using CNC machines and 2 component rubber or waxes. If anyone is interested in that, please let me know.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
So how do fish stay upright?
Today a good friend of Haakon, our lab manager, came back from 3 weeks on an oil-rig. Sören (that's him) normally works off-shore for 2 weeks, and then stays on land for 4 weeks. That's the way these oil-people roll here in Norway.
To welcome him home, we had a very nice fish dinner consisting of the Red snapper that he brought along, potatoes and broccoli. They taught me how to eat the fish head (not the whole thing obviously, but the tasty parts). which turned out to be quite the snack. I was kind of surprised to find they don't eat the eyes of the fish, but the part around the eyes does get eaten. Interesting feature of the fish: the whole head is easy to disassemble, almost like it has been build with that purpose in mind. Maybe there is a creator after all, and he is smiling on us happy humans, for we have used his intelligent fish-design like he intended. In the most tasty part (according to my teachers), the brain, there are two very small and sharp bones on either side:
These bones (which apparently are sharp enough to cut glass) are used by the fish for balancing. Maybe when there is time, I should do a how-to-disassemble-a-fish-head tutorial. Although I don't know how many people will actually use that.
I'm also still working on a recurve-bow I want to make. I guess I'll make a tutorial for that once I'm finished, for it might turn out to be interesting to more people.
To welcome him home, we had a very nice fish dinner consisting of the Red snapper that he brought along, potatoes and broccoli. They taught me how to eat the fish head (not the whole thing obviously, but the tasty parts). which turned out to be quite the snack. I was kind of surprised to find they don't eat the eyes of the fish, but the part around the eyes does get eaten. Interesting feature of the fish: the whole head is easy to disassemble, almost like it has been build with that purpose in mind. Maybe there is a creator after all, and he is smiling on us happy humans, for we have used his intelligent fish-design like he intended. In the most tasty part (according to my teachers), the brain, there are two very small and sharp bones on either side:
These bones (which apparently are sharp enough to cut glass) are used by the fish for balancing. Maybe when there is time, I should do a how-to-disassemble-a-fish-head tutorial. Although I don't know how many people will actually use that.
I'm also still working on a recurve-bow I want to make. I guess I'll make a tutorial for that once I'm finished, for it might turn out to be interesting to more people.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Outdoors
Yesterday Alex (my colleague from the De Waag Society) arrived at the lab. Haakon promised me we would go to Tromsø (where the airport is) a bit earlier, so we can have a look at his motorbike. It appears he owns an old BMW R70 bike... This guy just keeps amazing me, but since it was sunday, everything was closed... so we just had a nice fish meal.
The day before, Haakon, Johan, Aslak and I went on a little trip to the most northern part of the peninsula we are on. Where the land meets the sea, a lot of boats crashed. When the tides change, millions of liters of water flow from or into the fjord thus creating massive currents. Walking along the shore we encountered lots of wreckage, and even found a whole ship (well, whole... check out the pictures).
We also stopped at a little lighthouse to have some tea and found a can of joika (traditional sami reindeer meat) we decided to eat. It was such a nice place that both Johan and I agreed that we would go back there to leave new food, so it was ok to eat some of the stuff there.
It was nice and cosy:
The day before, Haakon, Johan, Aslak and I went on a little trip to the most northern part of the peninsula we are on. Where the land meets the sea, a lot of boats crashed. When the tides change, millions of liters of water flow from or into the fjord thus creating massive currents. Walking along the shore we encountered lots of wreckage, and even found a whole ship (well, whole... check out the pictures).
We also stopped at a little lighthouse to have some tea and found a can of joika (traditional sami reindeer meat) we decided to eat. It was such a nice place that both Johan and I agreed that we would go back there to leave new food, so it was ok to eat some of the stuff there.
It was nice and cosy:
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Fresh food
Days sort of seem to flow into each other when the light never goes out. Yesterday evening we (Johan, Kenny, Luis and I) decided to go fishing on the fjord with a borrowed boat, but before we went we had to put out a starting fire at the Shopbot (the CNC machine). It seems the machine missed some steps while running through a program, got stuck and made the vacuum suck up a couple of embers... which consequently started to smolder inside the machine. Mats (one of Haakons son's) came in after dinner and told us there was smoke coming from the Shopbot house... I think we where just in time.
So when that was over we packed our stuff and headed out onto the fjord, with two fishing rods. At first we didn't catch anything, so when we landed ashore at around 3.30 in the morning we found some mussels and cooked those as a snack. Cooking them on some damp seaweed you put on a open fire works fine, and gives the mussels a nice smokey flavor.
We then took the boat further onto the fjord and by chance discovered a really beautiful spot to fish. Kenny was the first to catch a pollock and shortly after I caught one as well. I took one raw bite of the fish (first time I bite a fish that is still wriggling) and cooked the rest in some seawater. We had some cooking pots with us so steaming the fish was really easy.
When Johan caught a fish as well we walked around the shore a bit (very nice and peaceful around 9 in the morning) and then took the boat back to shore (with a nice detour of course).
Being up most of the day and fishing all night makes you kind of sleepy, so this we slept from about 12 this morning till around 6.30. I'm now working on some timelapse footage I took, and will probably spend some time working on my bow design (I'm making a bow).
And it will not get dark...
So when that was over we packed our stuff and headed out onto the fjord, with two fishing rods. At first we didn't catch anything, so when we landed ashore at around 3.30 in the morning we found some mussels and cooked those as a snack. Cooking them on some damp seaweed you put on a open fire works fine, and gives the mussels a nice smokey flavor.
We then took the boat further onto the fjord and by chance discovered a really beautiful spot to fish. Kenny was the first to catch a pollock and shortly after I caught one as well. I took one raw bite of the fish (first time I bite a fish that is still wriggling) and cooked the rest in some seawater. We had some cooking pots with us so steaming the fish was really easy.
When Johan caught a fish as well we walked around the shore a bit (very nice and peaceful around 9 in the morning) and then took the boat back to shore (with a nice detour of course).
Being up most of the day and fishing all night makes you kind of sleepy, so this we slept from about 12 this morning till around 6.30. I'm now working on some timelapse footage I took, and will probably spend some time working on my bow design (I'm making a bow).
And it will not get dark...
Friday, June 27, 2008
Nice and slowly
So the guys here are still working on building a modular house. They made one from cardboard that looks really well... so this evening Haakon and I drove to some wood shop 2 hours from the lab to get them 1400 kilos of plywood to make the real thing.
It was a very pleasant trip, although the weather wasn't too good; a lot of rain these last couple of days, but that doesn't really matter, since there is enough to do inside.
Haakon promised me later today the it will improve and we will get a lot of sunshine. So I will go into the mountains this weekend, probably taking Aslak (Aili's brother) with me and perhaps Johan. We'll catch fish in the mountain lake and roast it on an open fire on top of the mountain.
Everything here is moving forward fast, but nice and slowly. Aslak played a lot of Fable (cool game, check it out) on my computer today, so I read about Python and just relaxed. Kenny just made some nice bread, and the sun will not go down.
It was a very pleasant trip, although the weather wasn't too good; a lot of rain these last couple of days, but that doesn't really matter, since there is enough to do inside.
Haakon promised me later today the it will improve and we will get a lot of sunshine. So I will go into the mountains this weekend, probably taking Aslak (Aili's brother) with me and perhaps Johan. We'll catch fish in the mountain lake and roast it on an open fire on top of the mountain.
Everything here is moving forward fast, but nice and slowly. Aslak played a lot of Fable (cool game, check it out) on my computer today, so I read about Python and just relaxed. Kenny just made some nice bread, and the sun will not go down.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Working, but ahead of time...
So I arrived safely in the lab in Norway... Got there and immediately got pulled towards the fjord with the guys here who made their own boats.
Guess what: they did float. So my Norway trip started floating on a quiet lake, between the mountains at the middle of the night, in perfect daylight.
Johan (on of the guys here) came up with a way of screen printing using the laser cutter and some anti-static bags in which they normally ship electronics, so I decided to make my own t-shirt. It worked out pretty well I must say. Check out the pictures below.
Norway is such a beautiful country, it never stops to amaze me. The mountains, the fresh air, the light 24 hours a day... It's just great being back here :)
Lasering the screen (attached to a wooden frame (also made with the laser))
The result after laser cutting (for the front of the shirt)
Put it on a shirt, wipe paint on it...
And there you go!
Guess what: they did float. So my Norway trip started floating on a quiet lake, between the mountains at the middle of the night, in perfect daylight.
Johan (on of the guys here) came up with a way of screen printing using the laser cutter and some anti-static bags in which they normally ship electronics, so I decided to make my own t-shirt. It worked out pretty well I must say. Check out the pictures below.
Norway is such a beautiful country, it never stops to amaze me. The mountains, the fresh air, the light 24 hours a day... It's just great being back here :)
Lasering the screen (attached to a wooden frame (also made with the laser))
The result after laser cutting (for the front of the shirt)
Put it on a shirt, wipe paint on it...
And there you go!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Loose ends again
So I'll be leaving for the Fablab in Norway again this monday. Just one more night shift (after the one I'm in now) and the plane takes off.
In Norway I'll continue on building a multitouch table using the FTIR (Frustrated Total Internal Reflection) technique as described here, help as much as I can during the Kokompy camp that is currently being held (about adding functionality and usability to the cad.py program that Neal Gershenfield wrote to control all the machines in the labs from one interface) and I want to try to make a longbow like this one with the shopbot (for the handle) and some kind of lamination process for the limbs.
But today I also bought a new sleeping bag (which supposedly keeps me warm even at minus 20) and a new travel backpack to go on a long trip in the mountains. It's time for some reading about the
.
and some quiet and calm moments up in the mountains.
As Laozi said:
Gravity is the source of lightness,
calm the master of haste.
In Norway I'll continue on building a multitouch table using the FTIR (Frustrated Total Internal Reflection) technique as described here, help as much as I can during the Kokompy camp that is currently being held (about adding functionality and usability to the cad.py program that Neal Gershenfield wrote to control all the machines in the labs from one interface) and I want to try to make a longbow like this one with the shopbot (for the handle) and some kind of lamination process for the limbs.
But today I also bought a new sleeping bag (which supposedly keeps me warm even at minus 20) and a new travel backpack to go on a long trip in the mountains. It's time for some reading about the
.and some quiet and calm moments up in the mountains.
As Laozi said:
Gravity is the source of lightness,
calm the master of haste.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
New life and a new trip
Prototyping for an upcomming workshop in the fablab in Amsterdam, I made a small bristlebot... I nicked the idea from Matt Ratto from the Humlab (also their blog) for making small robots using unbalanced motors (vibration motors, like the ones used in vibrators and gamecontrollers), arduinos and toothbrushes. If you place the motors on the toothbrushes and let them vibrite, the robot sort of brushes over your table (surface needs to be flat though). It's really quite easy to make!
check out the video:
Cool eh?
Now the thing is to give it some sensors (i'm thinking just IR for distance, mounted on some servos) so it keeps from vibrating of the table.
not as far yet as these guys though:
And if you like that, don't forget to watch this:
Incredible machine is it not?
On a different note, today I booked a flight back (yes back) to the lab in Norway... Finally! I'll be leaving the 23th of june, and stay there till the 25th of august. After that it's back to school for one more year...
check out the video:
Cool eh?
Now the thing is to give it some sensors (i'm thinking just IR for distance, mounted on some servos) so it keeps from vibrating of the table.
not as far yet as these guys though:
And if you like that, don't forget to watch this:
Incredible machine is it not?
On a different note, today I booked a flight back (yes back) to the lab in Norway... Finally! I'll be leaving the 23th of june, and stay there till the 25th of august. After that it's back to school for one more year...
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sqweak!
My good friend Jarg bought a Casio digital horn today, for only 2.50 euro. In some secondhand shop he ran into the thing, and being a true music lover immediately recognized it's coolness...
the thing is not really esthetically pleasing, but casio, it's like the Who said: "You are forgiven"
The thing is way cool, cause it can output Midi. So you can hook a digital drum kit (or a eclectic collection of bird sounds) to the thing, and blow your very own drum kit from hell (or forest, for that matter).
Thing was, these casio horns apparently have a common sqweak problem... when some weird hardware problem occurs, the thing only wants to produce this high pitched irritating sound, trough which you are still able to discern some correct sounds, but makes you want to trow the thing out of the window sooner than later.
But a! aren't we living in the Fablab age? don't we fix thing's ourselves? Hell yeah!
A couple of days ago I tore apart an old Imac, an lo and behold, there was the 47 micro farad capacitor we needed to replace the weaker original component... so after only 3 minutes of soldering, we have an incredibly cool digital saxophone!
Moral of the story? Fix stuff yourself before consulting some 'specialist' who, in this case, charges 45 dollars for the fix. And you miss out on all the fun...
check out the ugly but way cool (working) gadget:
the thing is not really esthetically pleasing, but casio, it's like the Who said: "You are forgiven"
The thing is way cool, cause it can output Midi. So you can hook a digital drum kit (or a eclectic collection of bird sounds) to the thing, and blow your very own drum kit from hell (or forest, for that matter).
Thing was, these casio horns apparently have a common sqweak problem... when some weird hardware problem occurs, the thing only wants to produce this high pitched irritating sound, trough which you are still able to discern some correct sounds, but makes you want to trow the thing out of the window sooner than later.
But a! aren't we living in the Fablab age? don't we fix thing's ourselves? Hell yeah!
A couple of days ago I tore apart an old Imac, an lo and behold, there was the 47 micro farad capacitor we needed to replace the weaker original component... so after only 3 minutes of soldering, we have an incredibly cool digital saxophone!
Moral of the story? Fix stuff yourself before consulting some 'specialist' who, in this case, charges 45 dollars for the fix. And you miss out on all the fun...
check out the ugly but way cool (working) gadget:
Thursday, March 20, 2008
How would you like your egg? Scrambled, cooked, flying?
And yes, it is that time of the year again, time for the Fablab annual Easter egg competition!.
My colleague Ales Schaub is working hard to get his entry finished before the deadline tomorrow night at six. At that time we will all log on to the Polycom conference (the MIT lab is running a continuous online conference) for the judging. And I guess I will be one of the judges... Probably going to be a though job! I heard that they are working on a flying egg in Norway...
So make sure to check back in here for the entries and of course the winner, who will be awarded with a free trip to the Norwegian lab... How I miss that place...
My colleague Ales Schaub is working hard to get his entry finished before the deadline tomorrow night at six. At that time we will all log on to the Polycom conference (the MIT lab is running a continuous online conference) for the judging. And I guess I will be one of the judges... Probably going to be a though job! I heard that they are working on a flying egg in Norway...
So make sure to check back in here for the entries and of course the winner, who will be awarded with a free trip to the Norwegian lab... How I miss that place...
Monday, March 17, 2008
Mom, our display died. Again.
In Norway, I met a really nice guy working on an ambient light display, which consisted of little round transparent patches containing oil and water. If one applies a (probably quite high) voltage to the patches, the oil will move to the side, thus letting light shine trough. If you line up an array of these things, and apply a current to specific ones, it's possible to display information. Kind of like E-ink is supposed to work i guess, but surely way cooler... you can build it yourself.
Then, last wednesday, I met this guy at the lab at Pakhuis de Zwijger, who is also trying to build an display, only he is using bacteria! Apparently, if you lower (or raise, not sure which) the PH value of certain bacteria, you can get the suckers to glow. So using these fluorescent bacteria, one can in theory create a display... how cool is that? You will have actual dead pixels!
I don't think our houses will be equipped with this technique for some time, because the stuff dies rather quickly, and is not really easy to handle. Real cool project though.
Check out his site: biodisplay
Then, last wednesday, I met this guy at the lab at Pakhuis de Zwijger, who is also trying to build an display, only he is using bacteria! Apparently, if you lower (or raise, not sure which) the PH value of certain bacteria, you can get the suckers to glow. So using these fluorescent bacteria, one can in theory create a display... how cool is that? You will have actual dead pixels!
I don't think our houses will be equipped with this technique for some time, because the stuff dies rather quickly, and is not really easy to handle. Real cool project though.
Check out his site: biodisplay
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Keep yourself busy
E-mails tell us that by now most of the boot camp participants returned safely back home. And home is, among other things, where the work is. I started working on our project at the HKU, which deals with designing a 'concept room' for the dutch tax services. Nice challenge there, cause those guys really fucked up on software the last couple of years, and are now trying to make up for that, which asks for quite the attitude change on account of the workers.
I'm also starting conversations about fab related projects here in Holland, so more on that to come.
Still miss Norway though...
On a different note, anybody seen this weird article? I was thinking that this big earth changing event was going to happen around 2013 or so... when the last of the Mayan calendars ends. Could be those guys where not so precise in retrospect... just a couple of years of. In Norway iI was really enjoying the darkness (no, not the rock band), so could be the earth rotates in such a way that Holland will also have 2 hours of light a day... wouldn't that be marvelous?
speaking of Mayans, I've just seen the movie 'The Fountain' by Darren Aronofsky (director of 'Pi' and 'Requiem for a dream') and I must say, great movie. Perhaps not for those among us who don't like fairy tales or to much interwoven story lines (or indeed Mayans), but for them who like dreaming, love, life and death and the occasional meditative moment... do watch it.
I'm also starting conversations about fab related projects here in Holland, so more on that to come.
Still miss Norway though...
On a different note, anybody seen this weird article? I was thinking that this big earth changing event was going to happen around 2013 or so... when the last of the Mayan calendars ends. Could be those guys where not so precise in retrospect... just a couple of years of. In Norway iI was really enjoying the darkness (no, not the rock band), so could be the earth rotates in such a way that Holland will also have 2 hours of light a day... wouldn't that be marvelous?
speaking of Mayans, I've just seen the movie 'The Fountain' by Darren Aronofsky (director of 'Pi' and 'Requiem for a dream') and I must say, great movie. Perhaps not for those among us who don't like fairy tales or to much interwoven story lines (or indeed Mayans), but for them who like dreaming, love, life and death and the occasional meditative moment... do watch it.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Back home
So I'm back home... no more cold, no more snow.
But luckily there is enough to keep me occupied the coming weeks...
There are plans on continuing the multi-touch project (yes, STFF) in a slightly different form, I probably have a lot to do on the already running project at the HKU (school I'm attending), and I want to start doing a lot of stuff at the Fablab in Amsterdam, and maybe in Den Haag as well.
I hope to return to Norway soon though, because it's an incredible beautiful country, with really nice (and in some cases also beautiful) people.
If there are projects out there that can use the help of a fablab, or are just in general interesting... drop me a line and maybe I could help, or learn something. The lab in Den Haag is still looking for a lab manager, so if you have become interested in this fablab stuff on a deeper level, same thing: let me know, perhaps you can join the fun.
But luckily there is enough to keep me occupied the coming weeks...
There are plans on continuing the multi-touch project (yes, STFF) in a slightly different form, I probably have a lot to do on the already running project at the HKU (school I'm attending), and I want to start doing a lot of stuff at the Fablab in Amsterdam, and maybe in Den Haag as well.
I hope to return to Norway soon though, because it's an incredible beautiful country, with really nice (and in some cases also beautiful) people.
If there are projects out there that can use the help of a fablab, or are just in general interesting... drop me a line and maybe I could help, or learn something. The lab in Den Haag is still looking for a lab manager, so if you have become interested in this fablab stuff on a deeper level, same thing: let me know, perhaps you can join the fun.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
D/A conversion
Yesterday we started building the Fab@Home 3D printers...
With these printers, that you can build yourself, you can print 3D objects using material that hardens after being squished from a syringe... rubbers, clay but also icing for your cakes and desserts.
We worked in teams, about 5 per team at the beginning, slowly diminishing in numbers as we went along. some people (me) worked at the wiring, soldering, cutting wires and connecting stepper-motors to controller-boards. others began assembling the acrylic, while still others started on assembly of the mechanical parts (ball-bearings and the likes).
Today, at around 4, our first models where being printed. One of the teams made a square block with a hole, but I wanted something more difficult... so i found a model of the Penrose Triangle (see this site for the model) to print.
Since this model contains overhangs it was not possible to print (people who know about 3D printing or CNC machines will understand this problem). So I first tried to make a support structure in Blender, but since that would also contain overhangs or be incomplete, we decided to print into a layer of water, and see if the material would get enough support from that.
The model still has to harden, but it's looking good.
Click on one of the pictures for more.
With these printers, that you can build yourself, you can print 3D objects using material that hardens after being squished from a syringe... rubbers, clay but also icing for your cakes and desserts.
We worked in teams, about 5 per team at the beginning, slowly diminishing in numbers as we went along. some people (me) worked at the wiring, soldering, cutting wires and connecting stepper-motors to controller-boards. others began assembling the acrylic, while still others started on assembly of the mechanical parts (ball-bearings and the likes).
Today, at around 4, our first models where being printed. One of the teams made a square block with a hole, but I wanted something more difficult... so i found a model of the Penrose Triangle (see this site for the model) to print.
Since this model contains overhangs it was not possible to print (people who know about 3D printing or CNC machines will understand this problem). So I first tried to make a support structure in Blender, but since that would also contain overhangs or be incomplete, we decided to print into a layer of water, and see if the material would get enough support from that.
The model still has to harden, but it's looking good.
Click on one of the pictures for more.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Think Global, Act locally.
I just posted on Fablab.nl, in reply to some people who are thinking about starting projects concerning clean and free energy. I'm really happy people in our country are starting to use fablab's for these kinds of questions. We should work together on these issues and not try to re-invent the wheel separately. We will be having a discussion about how to get the different lab's to work together more closely, so questions and additions are more than welcome. Post them as a comment to this blog, or simply send me an e-mail. (also: skyping, calling, sending pigeons... it's al good.)
Hope to see more of these projects spring in our little country.
For now, set your screen to go to sleep after 2 minutes, computer after 15, and yourself after a good healthy day's work.
And since this is my personal blog, here's some personal stuff.
Since Bas an I cooked dinner one night, everybody's been helping out and yesterday Johan and I where up... The day before yesterday Hans Erik made a really marvelous meal and was also almost unbeatable in table setting.
So we decided to do something completely different. Around 5 i build four fires, one for cooking, one for looking at and roasting marshmallows, one in the sauna and one in the hot-tub.
We then roasted a real big piece of lamb and sausages, made a salad and had some excellent bean-balls made by Kamau (real nice guy from Kenia). After dinner was over we all jumped in the sauna, the snow and the hot-tub (in that exact sequence). Drinking beer and whisky in a hot sauna and trowing people in the snow... It's not like we are bored here.
The day before that we wanted to go ice climbing again, but it was a busy day, so we went out around 23:00... when we where half up the mountain, waist deep in snow and we still had not found any decent ice, we decided to give up and just enjoy the view. Climbing a mountain in the dark, with half a meter of snow is definitely something else.
Hope to see more of these projects spring in our little country.
For now, set your screen to go to sleep after 2 minutes, computer after 15, and yourself after a good healthy day's work.
And since this is my personal blog, here's some personal stuff.
Since Bas an I cooked dinner one night, everybody's been helping out and yesterday Johan and I where up... The day before yesterday Hans Erik made a really marvelous meal and was also almost unbeatable in table setting.
So we decided to do something completely different. Around 5 i build four fires, one for cooking, one for looking at and roasting marshmallows, one in the sauna and one in the hot-tub.
We then roasted a real big piece of lamb and sausages, made a salad and had some excellent bean-balls made by Kamau (real nice guy from Kenia). After dinner was over we all jumped in the sauna, the snow and the hot-tub (in that exact sequence). Drinking beer and whisky in a hot sauna and trowing people in the snow... It's not like we are bored here.
The day before that we wanted to go ice climbing again, but it was a busy day, so we went out around 23:00... when we where half up the mountain, waist deep in snow and we still had not found any decent ice, we decided to give up and just enjoy the view. Climbing a mountain in the dark, with half a meter of snow is definitely something else.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Cold
This morning, after a healty 4 hours of sleep, our new roommate woke me up by making tea... which was nice, cause she offered me some along with a nice conversation.
Then, after about 10 minutes of peace and quiet, Hans Erik (our other roommate) appeard to be still awake, cause when i heard some noise outside and opened the door, i was immediately hit by a snowball...
After that, a short but intense indoor snowfight commenced (tru whith Floortje, another roommate still) slept peacefully.
We then dicided to have a 'swim' in the snow, so after undressing we dove into a beautiful pile of snow (currently there's about 40 cm of the stuff).
(click the picture for more madness)
After that, Hans Erik then went to sleep, and I went to the lab to do some soldering of my IR-LED's for the multitouch board.
Later, when Johan woke up, we agreed on taking a 'swim' again, but this time in the fjord...
Watertemperature -- about 3/4 degrees.
Outdoor temperature -- close to zero.
Then, after about 10 minutes of peace and quiet, Hans Erik (our other roommate) appeard to be still awake, cause when i heard some noise outside and opened the door, i was immediately hit by a snowball...
After that, a short but intense indoor snowfight commenced (tru whith Floortje, another roommate still) slept peacefully.
We then dicided to have a 'swim' in the snow, so after undressing we dove into a beautiful pile of snow (currently there's about 40 cm of the stuff).
(click the picture for more madness)
After that, Hans Erik then went to sleep, and I went to the lab to do some soldering of my IR-LED's for the multitouch board.
Later, when Johan woke up, we agreed on taking a 'swim' again, but this time in the fjord...
Watertemperature -- about 3/4 degrees.
Outdoor temperature -- close to zero.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Ice climbing
Today was a day off, and Bas left early in the morning for a plane home, so now i am the only Dutch person here... But we also got up early and went ice climbing with a couple of people.
So we drove up to the small village that's near the lab, walked up the mountain a bit until we reached a frozen waterfall. We brought hooks, cables and clamp-on's (hooks you can strap to your shoes) and started climbing.
click one of the pictures for more...
Furthermore, Bas did a real good job setting up our website for the different projects. So i decided to keep this blog for writing more personal stuff (like i've been doing) and the site for technical issues.
Check it out: Stff
Neat, isn't it?
So we drove up to the small village that's near the lab, walked up the mountain a bit until we reached a frozen waterfall. We brought hooks, cables and clamp-on's (hooks you can strap to your shoes) and started climbing.
click one of the pictures for more...
Furthermore, Bas did a real good job setting up our website for the different projects. So i decided to keep this blog for writing more personal stuff (like i've been doing) and the site for technical issues.
Check it out: Stff
Neat, isn't it?
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Snap fit fish
Yesterday we had a real great fish dinner, for which Haakon drove 6 hours to get 'the best fish'. And that it was... i have never tasted fish livers and eggs that were so soft and tasteful. Alongside we had some vegetables, potatoes and some real nice pinot gris. The fishes had to be cleaned before dinner, and they (tried) to learn me how to do that...
Here's me standing in a huge pile of fish...
We always have dinner together here, assembled around the main table in the lab.
not always as luxurious as this, but always really good.
The guy at the end of the table (with the glass) is Haakon, our host, and one of the nicest persons I've ever met.
On a more serious note, today I constructed my first snap fit object. Bas and I wanted to make something (more on that later) move around, so i made this little system that can be attached to a (stepper)motor.
Here's a picture of the thing:
The iron pen in the middle will be attached to the motor, and the object we want to move back and forth will be attached to the piece of plexi that sticks out.
I will post the technique to do this later on, but rest assured, I didn't come up with this myself. Johan (Great guy) here is the uncrowned 'king of snap fit'
Here he is, with a scale model of a doghouse they will be building for a local sled dog breeding guy.
It's all snap fit.
Here's me standing in a huge pile of fish...
We always have dinner together here, assembled around the main table in the lab.
not always as luxurious as this, but always really good.
The guy at the end of the table (with the glass) is Haakon, our host, and one of the nicest persons I've ever met.
On a more serious note, today I constructed my first snap fit object. Bas and I wanted to make something (more on that later) move around, so i made this little system that can be attached to a (stepper)motor.
Here's a picture of the thing:
The iron pen in the middle will be attached to the motor, and the object we want to move back and forth will be attached to the piece of plexi that sticks out.
I will post the technique to do this later on, but rest assured, I didn't come up with this myself. Johan (Great guy) here is the uncrowned 'king of snap fit'
Here he is, with a scale model of a doghouse they will be building for a local sled dog breeding guy.
It's all snap fit.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
It is for sitting...
After 3 days of trying to make the beams for the house we are going to build, we got sort of fed up with it, and decided we were going to make a chair (for it was missing in the place were the shopbot is)...
So we found some wood, and started cutting:
Again, as always, we had a lot of trouble converting files and stuff... before we were able to get it into some kind of format the shopbot would eat.
We then set the jog speed (speed it uses to move without cutting) too high, so it skipped a couple of steps, and fucked up our pieces.
But, since we are persistent, we actually finished our first real chair.
So lo and behold!
After that we continued making some pcb's with the modela...
Interesting fact here: in Holland we have been using copper clad boards that are too hard for the mills... so it not only makes the mills blunt, it also cuts less good.
I'll shortly post more detailed info about what stuff to use.
I myself made a LCD controller board you can see here:
It can write 'hello' on a LCD screen.
Cool eh?
So we found some wood, and started cutting:
Again, as always, we had a lot of trouble converting files and stuff... before we were able to get it into some kind of format the shopbot would eat.
We then set the jog speed (speed it uses to move without cutting) too high, so it skipped a couple of steps, and fucked up our pieces.
But, since we are persistent, we actually finished our first real chair.
So lo and behold!
After that we continued making some pcb's with the modela...
Interesting fact here: in Holland we have been using copper clad boards that are too hard for the mills... so it not only makes the mills blunt, it also cuts less good.
I'll shortly post more detailed info about what stuff to use.
I myself made a LCD controller board you can see here:
It can write 'hello' on a LCD screen.
Cool eh?
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Shopbot
We have been using the shopbot to do some milling of the beams for a frame that Haakon (head of the house) wants to have inside of the lab...
We actually have used some stupid ways of milling, and after three days figured we could do the same in around 15 minutes as opposed to 3 hours... but that's why we are here of course...
On a different note, today was also for relaxing... so we slept till 3ish, had a slow start, and after dinner I sat in the sauna for about 40 minutes with Jasper, one of the Swedish guys who is planning to open a lab in
Malmo, Sweden.
He managed to convince me we should walk back trough the snow bare feet and with just a towel... stupid of me to agree really...
We actually have used some stupid ways of milling, and after three days figured we could do the same in around 15 minutes as opposed to 3 hours... but that's why we are here of course...
On a different note, today was also for relaxing... so we slept till 3ish, had a slow start, and after dinner I sat in the sauna for about 40 minutes with Jasper, one of the Swedish guys who is planning to open a lab in
Malmo, Sweden.
He managed to convince me we should walk back trough the snow bare feet and with just a towel... stupid of me to agree really...
Friday, January 18, 2008
And finally we did see it...
Yeah! after a full day of talking, walking around with material, trying different styles of construction (got a nice cardboard modular construction kit now) we went outside to get to the shopbot... and there it was...
Pictures are taken by hand (no tripod, i'll get one tomorrow) so not so sharp... but hey! It's real polar light!!
Pictures are taken by hand (no tripod, i'll get one tomorrow) so not so sharp... but hey! It's real polar light!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Stiff
This morning we started off at a convenient 9.30... because people just keep on working at the lab, they go to bed really late and naturally we have to start later. Just how i like it really...
After breakfast we set down at one of the big tables in the lab, and had an introduction by Haakon (head of fablab, farmer, construction- and electronics-specialist and just general real-nice-person) and after that Neal spoke some time about fablabs and what they are about. We then all did a proper introduction of ourselves and when the time for questions came, Bas (my colleague from the Waag) suddenly came up with this idea to make a sort of 'modular house' with integrated power supply and network. This was received with so much enthusiasm, that we are now part of the 'stiff' team... 'Space, the final frontier' (yeah i know...).
We are already designing the way it should look and work (working with wood here, we are not going to use any steel, no bolts or whatsoever) and have have just picked up some lexan (don't know if the spelling is right, it's a sort of layered thin plexi) to use for tests with some light.
Yesterday, before we went to bed, we had a talk with two of the guys already working here (and they showed us the shopbot, talk about your cool tool). They were really surprised on the issue we had with the laser cutter back in Holland. They completely agreed that brand of cutter is not an issue, and for the matter of software compatibility, they said 'making sure that it is compatible is part of the fablab!' and they sort of laughed about the whole thing...
So for now i'll continue on our design rules of the house we are going to build (of which i'll tell more later on).
By the way, we had a nice walk in the snow, but no polar light yet, for it's clouded...
After breakfast we set down at one of the big tables in the lab, and had an introduction by Haakon (head of fablab, farmer, construction- and electronics-specialist and just general real-nice-person) and after that Neal spoke some time about fablabs and what they are about. We then all did a proper introduction of ourselves and when the time for questions came, Bas (my colleague from the Waag) suddenly came up with this idea to make a sort of 'modular house' with integrated power supply and network. This was received with so much enthusiasm, that we are now part of the 'stiff' team... 'Space, the final frontier' (yeah i know...).
We are already designing the way it should look and work (working with wood here, we are not going to use any steel, no bolts or whatsoever) and have have just picked up some lexan (don't know if the spelling is right, it's a sort of layered thin plexi) to use for tests with some light.
Yesterday, before we went to bed, we had a talk with two of the guys already working here (and they showed us the shopbot, talk about your cool tool). They were really surprised on the issue we had with the laser cutter back in Holland. They completely agreed that brand of cutter is not an issue, and for the matter of software compatibility, they said 'making sure that it is compatible is part of the fablab!' and they sort of laughed about the whole thing...
So for now i'll continue on our design rules of the house we are going to build (of which i'll tell more later on).
By the way, we had a nice walk in the snow, but no polar light yet, for it's clouded...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Snow!
So we have arrived in the lab! And there is snow, polar light (i have been promised, haven't seen it yet) a lot of beautiful wooden lodges, in one of which we can get to sleep this night.
About that, when we landed in Tromso (good flight by the way, no delays) the cabin crew said; "Have a pleasant afternoon" after which we walked into complete darkness... There is light here (pay attention, light, no sun) between 9:30 and 14:00... between that... complete darkness.
So here at the lab there are a lot of people from all over the world, and we have just been talking to some guys from Norway, who are planning to start a couple of labs further down... fun thing is, when we arrived everybody came to us, to meet and greet (and ask where we are from) and then just went on with whatever they were doing... really used to visitors i guess. But it somehow makes you feel at home, like, nobody tells you what to do (we had to ask for a place to sleep) or where to get coffee (found that soon enough tough).
So great place, really nice people, beautiful scenery (mountains, fjords, little lights on the sides between the threes...)
But now i smell pizza, so more later on...
About that, when we landed in Tromso (good flight by the way, no delays) the cabin crew said; "Have a pleasant afternoon" after which we walked into complete darkness... There is light here (pay attention, light, no sun) between 9:30 and 14:00... between that... complete darkness.
So here at the lab there are a lot of people from all over the world, and we have just been talking to some guys from Norway, who are planning to start a couple of labs further down... fun thing is, when we arrived everybody came to us, to meet and greet (and ask where we are from) and then just went on with whatever they were doing... really used to visitors i guess. But it somehow makes you feel at home, like, nobody tells you what to do (we had to ask for a place to sleep) or where to get coffee (found that soon enough tough).
So great place, really nice people, beautiful scenery (mountains, fjords, little lights on the sides between the threes...)
But now i smell pizza, so more later on...
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
loose ends
So. from here on this blog will be in english, for tomorrow i will leave for Norway to stay at the Fablab there for four weeks... and since all communication there will be english (or, perhaps, norwegian)...
Why, then, am i going to Norway for a month? Well, the Waag Society is sending me there to follow a course about all fablab related. So we will be learning about the machines, the material, various ways of construction and realization and of course things like human resources and communication with local institutions (schools, SME, etc.) in relation to the Lab.
here i will post all my experiences, together with all the technical stuff they (Americans, norwegians and i believe, some people from Kenia) will teach us.
So not all will be nice bedtime reading that is to appear on this blog. I will try, though, to include some stuff about polar bears, glaciers and darkness (of which we will have a lot).
Commenting (specially to things technical) is not frowned upon. It's always good to be asked for explanations, for it helps to put the matter learned in the proper context.
For now, i'll continue wrapping up here at Pakhuis de Zwijger... and probably laser some acrylic this afternoon... you just can't get enough acrylic with cool designs...
Why, then, am i going to Norway for a month? Well, the Waag Society is sending me there to follow a course about all fablab related. So we will be learning about the machines, the material, various ways of construction and realization and of course things like human resources and communication with local institutions (schools, SME, etc.) in relation to the Lab.
here i will post all my experiences, together with all the technical stuff they (Americans, norwegians and i believe, some people from Kenia) will teach us.
So not all will be nice bedtime reading that is to appear on this blog. I will try, though, to include some stuff about polar bears, glaciers and darkness (of which we will have a lot).
Commenting (specially to things technical) is not frowned upon. It's always good to be asked for explanations, for it helps to put the matter learned in the proper context.
For now, i'll continue wrapping up here at Pakhuis de Zwijger... and probably laser some acrylic this afternoon... you just can't get enough acrylic with cool designs...
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