Busy day: I’ve airbrushed some 3D pieces a few days ago, but i need 50 or so more. Meanwhile is was reinstalling octoprint, and making a new version of my Bluetooth page flipper. (Android Music Sheet Pedal Thingy. Which i also didn’t post apparently) But the main project was this:
I was curious how fast the stepper motors are on my laser cutter. And for what can we utilize this!
So I took a Raspberry Zero and some rotary encoders, lets make an etch-a-sketch like thingy.
Some rotary encoder modules I had.
Next to do: 3D print a pen holder, and alter the code to enable the laser when moving!
CODE
Below code uses a simple rotary class, and generates control GCodes for the steppers/Sculpfun
import time
import serial
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
from encoder import Encoder
def valueChanged(value, direction):
print("* New value: {}, Direction: {}".format(value, direction))
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
e1 = Encoder(20, 21, valueChanged)
e2 = Encoder(16, 12, valueChanged)
x = 0
y = 0
arduino = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 115200, timeout=.1)
newx = 0
mystringx = ""
newy = 0
mystringy = ""
arduino.write(str.encode("G00 G17 G40 G21 G54\r\n"))
arduino.write(str.encode('G90\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('M4\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('M8\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('G0 X41.5Y36.05\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('M3\r\n'))
#arduino.write(str.encode('G91\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('G1 X2.5F6000S0\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('G1 X0\r\n'))
arduino.write(str.encode('G1 Y0\r\n'))
try:
while True:
data = arduino.readline()[:-2] #the last bit gets rid of the new-line chars
if data:
print (data)
arduino.write(str.encode("G1 F10000\r\n"))
newx=e1.getValue() *5 + 100
newy=e2.getValue() *5 + 100
mystringx=f"G1 X{newx}\r\n"
mystringy=f"G1 Y{newy}\r\n"
# print(mystringx)
arduino.write(str.encode(mystringx))
arduino.write(str.encode(mystringy))
except Exception:
pass
GPIO.cleanup()
But I really wanted a cutter, so there it is … the Sculptfun S9
First test. crafting paper. No burning and a really high resolution!
This laser module has a new optical design, so it can cut wood as thick as 10+ mm. It can engrave metal, cut non-transparant acrylic, leather and more.
Software:
I’m using Inkscape, with the lasercutter tool plugin from Jtech. https://jtechphotonics.com/
I’ve also tested with LaserGRBL, which can be run under linux using Wine.
I’m trail testing LightBurn. (Native Linux App)
I will post my findings and test on this post.
UPDATE: 20230221
A stone slate engraved
Speed
3000 mm/s
Laser Power
100%
Lines per mm
10
UPDATE: 20230306
Calibrate your machine! .. But NOT as found on YouTube using a 10x10mm or 1 inch by 1 inch. square. As big as you can. This is far more precise!
I like creating Art, painting, drawing, sculpting but also computer generated. Most of the things i create are for adults. So i can’t post my best work.
Below are some of the programs i’ve used, these are NOT the generic drawing programs like Gimp, Photoshop or alike. Ony programs that generate (photorealistic) graphics. I tried to start with the oldest ending with Blender. There is an overlap and sometimes i’m not sure when I used these programs.
BMRT
Blue Moon Rendering Tools, or BMRT, was one of the most famous RenderMan-compliant photorealistic rendering systems.
Could not find examples?
3DS4
3D Studio, not to be confused with the later “3d Studio Max” product, is a DOS-based tool from Autodesk for creating 3d models and animations.
Website for female student society Woodstock For our computer magazine (with Martin)Just a logoLogo for a work thingyAlso work relatedSome examples, i did some animations also
Vivid
This is the Vivid raytracer. It will only run in a dos environment. http://paulbourke.net/dataformats/vivid/
Povray
The Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer, most commonly acronymed as POV-Ray, is a cross-platform ray-tracing program that generates images from a text-based scene description.
Poser (Pro) is a 3D computer graphics program optimized for the 3D modeling of human figures.
MonsterOne cell of a comic i made using PoserTuyet Study
Blender
Blender is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software tool set used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D-printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications, virtual reality, and, formerly, video games. Blender’s features include 3D modelling, UV mapping, texturing, digital drawing, raster graphics editing, rigging and skinning, fluid and smoke simulation, particle simulation, soft body simulation, sculpting, animation, match moving, rendering, motion graphics, video editing, and compositing. (Dutch developers started it in 1994) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blender_(software)
DonutNeon effect testSee rest blog for more blender examples (VR/Tracking/Animated/Mqtt-control)
Below here not really for art but graphical generators .
Blind parents often think their children are blind due to genetics.
Miffy learns DNS (Domain Name resolving)
Biological fly fly swatter trap
Here comes the plane!! .. Fear for flying learned at a young age
More realistic spiderman
Beer label design Doc is the nickname/handle Hubert gave me. (Pipeband related)
Postman, please drop some catfood in the mailbox every day?
Stopcontact = powersocket, spijkers = nails, aquariumslang met water = hose with water, lampje = lamp and using a clothespin to turn light off or dimming it
If you know .. you know Waldorf and Statler (Vincent and me)
A friend and I having both backpains, mixing pills and alcohol will do the trick? Made a blender image to post in our Mattermost channel
These are my lists, but i’m open for discussions/questions Work in progress
Actors
Tom Hanks
John Lithgow
Dennis Lee Hopper
Jack Nicholson
Clint Eastwood
Dustin Hoffman
Rutger Hauer (RIP) .. see “De kijk van Koolhoven” why
Art
H.R. Giger
M.C. Escher
César Manrique
Comics ( Details from André Franquin, Dark Humor Koen Hottentot, Don Lawrence, Don Martin ) to name a few, they are spot on
One of my comic collections – Don Martin
Classical Music
Paganini
Ludovico Einaudi
Composers
Ennio Morricone
Hans Zimmer
John Williams ( with a remark ) Some of the Starwars Suite was taken from already existing music ( See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN3vl-JnUF8 ! ) Gustav Holst – The Planets Suite – Mars part for example
Folk/pipers (composers)
Gordon Duncan (RIP)
Fred Morrison
RS MacDonald
Paddy Keenan
A (bad) comic i drew about Gordon Duncan in 2012
Opera
Bands (non folk)
Rammstein – I know, seems like a obvious populair choice. But hear me out.
I like classical till metal. But it has to be musically interesting.
Most (non-german) people don’t listen to the lyrics, i did not either. I found the music okay. Then i started to listen to the lyrics.
The lyrics are surprisingly deep. Layers in the text, word jokes like: Du… (you) Du hast… (you have, but sounds like hasst .. You hate) Du hast mich… ( You have me, or sounds like you hate me) Du hast mich… Du hast mich gefragt… (You have asked me)
Although people think they are fascists or far-right. Coming from the punk scene, they are kind of the opposite.
Everything they do has a meaning, but sometimes you can “paste” different stories about the song.
Listen to Ohne Dich, and then see the Music Video.
Have a good listen to Germany, and Man gegen man. There are others better in explaining .. see:
And a AI generated Music Video .. perfectly matching the Lyrics
Bonus: Check out this YT channel, all kinds of musicians .. transcripted (is this a word?) by this dude.
The cyanotype (from Ancient Greek kuáneos, “dark blue” and túpos, “mark, impression, type”) is a slow-reacting, photographic printing technique. It produces a cyan-blue print used for art as monochrome imagery applicable on a range of supports, and for reprography in the form of blueprints. For any purpose, the process usually uses two chemicals: ferric ammonium citrate or ferric ammonium oxalate, and potassium ferricyanide, and only water to develop and fix. Announced in 1842, it is still in use.
This technique was also used as a method of copying drawings. For example buildings and schematics. While making copies of drawings with the exact dimensions of the original, making the result untemperable was another big plus. ( You could not move/redraw walls for example on the copy)
I’ve printed a photo on transparant sheets to experiment with. (Next time, i’ll take a larger size, and fix the contrast.
The most interesting ones i’ve made today:
Transparant sheetsDots are made by spraying alcoholDetail of picture left