At 12:12 AM 8/28/98 +0100, Tony Duell wrote:
>Things like 'The boy mechanic'
One of my favorites from childhood, I only have the first two editions,
though. Like old computers, these tricks, techniques and interesting
experiments still work, but they're lost in the sands of time. Do you
have a URL for Camden? www.camden.co.uk is taken by a domain hoarder.
I don't think this is too far off-topic - methods for reconstruction
of old parts should be quite relevant.
Late last night while flipping through the channels, I happened on
a very cheesily produced infomercial about a product Alumaloy.
I found a web site at <
http://www.alumaloy.net/>. It's rods
of what looks like solder, except it melts with a propane torch
at 728 F, I think, and what caught my eye and made me watch was
the way it easily *wet* against aluminum without flux, spanned
gaps even across holes in thin metal, and apparently hardened
into machinable metal. Freaky. $45 a pound.
I've also day-dreamed about micro-machining. With the ultra-cheap
Roland CNC mills and 3D scanners, <
http://www.rolanddga.com/>
under Products / PC Toolbox, I've wondered if there aren't
even less expensive (but let's say, slower or less precise)
ways of prototyping or reproducing parts.
I have example pieces from the Z-Corp stereolithography machine,
<
http://www.zcorp.com/> which can turn 3D models into a starch-based
solid. Think of laying down thin layers of starch powder, wetted by
an ink jet head spraying water. The medium can be impregnated with wax
or resin, and it burns away for lost-wax casting.
- John
Received on Fri Aug 28 1998 - 09:47:51 BST