To be honest, a 3D printer doesn't really offer anything to me, it's way too expensive and it would take a degree in electronics for me to even understand to complexities of building such a machine, so, I have devised a plan for those who love your show but who just aren't technological savvy enough to make one of their own, like me. With every release of your episodes (and past one's) I shall make a simpler version:
Ben Heck Show - HTMI this, Arduino that
DannyS: This is how you do it with a toothbrush and duct tape
I'm not here to leach off Ben's fame here, it's just some of his designs are really difficult to do even if you have the tools, no offence Ben but you have it easy. You have a great big workshop with laser cutters, CMC machines and 3D printers, the best I've got is a couple of screwdrivers, a hammer, a saw and a cheap workbench i got at B&Q. Now that I've explained what I'm doing and why, lets get on with a 3D printer for the cheap and easy...
3D Printers aren't really that hard electrically. They have a controller board, a power supply, some steppers, a hot end, all off the shelf items. To me they are more mechanically complex, especially if you are not doing a kit build.
As for making episodes using everymans' tools? That's a great idea. I think the point of Ben's show is more to show off cool builds, not necessarily a how to. Saying he has it easy though is not really correct, just because he has the tools, he still has to know how to use them, how to mechanically design the systems, electrical, software. It allows him to do it in less time and cleaner but doesn't neccessarily make it easier. You still have to understand how things work to a great degree, still draw up plans, measure twice cut once etc.
3D Printers aren't really that hard electrically. They have a controller board, a power supply, some steppers, a hot end, all off the shelf items. To me they are more mechanically complex, especially if you are not doing a kit build.
As for making episodes using everymans' tools? That's a great idea. I think the point of Ben's show is more to show off cool builds, not necessarily a how to. Saying he has it easy though is not really correct, just because he has the tools, he still has to know how to use them, how to mechanically design the systems, electrical, software. It allows him to do it in less time and cleaner but doesn't neccessarily make it easier. You still have to understand how things work to a great degree, still draw up plans, measure twice cut once etc.
