From rrittich at mail.ucf.edu Wed May 3 21:29:19 2006 From: rrittich at mail.ucf.edu (Robert Rittich) Date: Wed May 3 21:29:46 2006 Subject: [dorkbotphiladelphia-blabber] Breaking the silence Message-ID: Hello fellow Dorkbots! It's been a couple of weeks since I read a story on CNN about dorkbot and its intriguing proposition. Right then, I decided I wanted to be a part of this and joined this mailing list. Since then I have not seen a single post and am beginning to wonder if I may have not been added to the list properly. Separately, I wanted to find out what is going on in the Phila dorkbot community. I am currently too busy to work on any of my own projects (which will hopefully change soon), but I think I can contribute to others in quite a unique way: for those looking for parts, I may have an answer how to get them through me for free. I work at a copier repair shop and we are constantly throwing out big copiers with literally thousands of good working parts in them. Every once in a while, I pry off, disassemble or otherwise remove a magnetic clutch, a DC motor, a switch, a string of cables, the list goes on... We just trashed a 600 pound color copier with all sorts of neat, usable parts. It broke my heart watching it go, but then there is only so much 'trash' my wife lets me bring home! So here it is, a post to get things started. My name is Robert, I live in Montgomery County. Who else is out there? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://music.columbia.edu/pipermail/dorkbotphiladelphia-blabber/attachments/20060503/878e7aa3/attachment.html From cvecchio at spectrasonics.com Fri May 5 00:14:49 2006 From: cvecchio at spectrasonics.com (=?iso-8859-1?Q?cvecchio?=) Date: Fri May 5 00:15:16 2006 Subject: [dorkbotphiladelphia-blabber] Breaking the silence Message-ID: <20060505041449.21376.qmail@hoster911.com> Hi, I spoke with Dorkbot Headquarters a while back and set up this list because I thought the area could use a chapter. A number of people have expressed interest but so far no one has had the time or initiative to set up anything formal. I hope the list will at least continue to exist and grow as an online resource for people interested in electronics and the arts. To date over 50 people have subscribed so I'm convinced that there's a lot of untapped potential in and around Philadelphia. A group of people have set up a Make (magazine) chapter in Philadelphia and have started holding meetings. I recommend also subscribing to their list: http://makephilly.com/ Also, there's a lot of stuff happening up in NY (the original Dorkbot location). Although their last meeting of the season (until September) was held last night. In the mean time I encourage people to use this list to Announce your shows or projects! Ask for help or feedback! Set up informal gatherings to discuss interesting electrical stuff! If you need a location, let me know. I'm on the board of directors at the Nexus gallery and we'd love to help Dorkbot Philadelphia happen. - Chris www.noisemantra.com > -------Original Message------- > From: Robert Rittich > Subject: [dorkbotphiladelphia-blabber] Breaking the silence > Sent: 04 May '06 01:29 > > Hello fellow Dorkbots! > > It's been a couple of weeks since I read a story on CNN about dorkbot and > its intriguing proposition. Right then, I decided I wanted to be a part of > this and joined this mailing list. Since then I have not seen a single post > and am beginning to wonder if I may have not been added to the list > properly. > > > Separately, I wanted to find out what is going on in the Phila dorkbot > community. I am currently too busy to work on any of my own projects > (which will hopefully change soon), but I think I can contribute to others > in quite a unique way: for those looking for parts, I may have an answer > how to get them through me for free. I work at a copier repair shop and we > are constantly throwing out big copiers with literally thousands of good > working parts in them. Every once in a while, I pry off, disassemble or > otherwise remove a magnetic clutch, a DC motor, a switch, a string of > cables, the list goes on... > > > We just trashed a 600 pound color copier with all sorts of neat, usable > parts. It broke my heart watching it go, but then there is only so much > 'trash' my wife lets me bring home! > > > So here it is, a post to get things started. My name is Robert, I live in > Montgomery County. > > > Who else is out there? > -------------------- > ........................................................................ > .........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity.......... > ......................... [LINK: http://dorkbot.org] http://dorkbot.org > ........................... > ........................................................................ From rrittich at mail.ucf.edu Tue May 16 08:49:22 2006 From: rrittich at mail.ucf.edu (Robert Rittich) Date: Tue May 16 08:54:41 2006 Subject: [dorkbotphiladelphia-blabber] Breaking the silence Message-ID: Hello Jimmy, I looked at your "robotic gaits", they are pretty neat. I figured I might as well post this conversation to the list, not that there is so much else going on anyways... The motors inside those copiers are mostly DC motors, usually 24V, of varying RPMs. Copiers are built fairly modular (like your robots, and I think like just about anything else in the world), in that the motors are usually mounted on a standard type controller board. Now I don't understand electronics as much as I like to, but I know that the boards control the motors timing, something very important in a copier. I am not sure if I can add attachments to posts to the list, so instead I uploaded a picture to this link (http://132.170.240.30/~rrittich/motor.jpg). Is this anything you can use? -Robert P.S.: Good to see some activity on the list... >>> "Jimmy Sastra" 05/15/06 6:08 PM >>> Hi Robert, I'd love to take some of those motors off your hand. Are these DC motors? I've been too busy preparing for my Qualifying Exam to do any projects on the side, but I should have more time starting late June. Jimmy PS: n case you're interested my focus is on modular robotics: http://www.grasp.upenn.edu/superbot/projects/superbot/ On 5/3/06, Robert Rittich wrote: > > Hello fellow Dorkbots! > > It's been a couple of weeks since I read a story on CNN about dorkbot and > its intriguing proposition. Right then, I decided I wanted to be a part of > this and joined this mailing list. Since then I have not seen a single post > and am beginning to wonder if I may have not been added to the list > properly. > > > > Separately, I wanted to find out what is going on in the Phila dorkbot > community. I am currently too busy to work on any of my own projects (which > will hopefully change soon), but I think I can contribute to others in quite > a unique way: for those looking for parts, I may have an answer how to get > them through me for free. I work at a copier repair shop and we are > constantly throwing out big copiers with literally thousands of good working > parts in them. Every once in a while, I pry off, disassemble or otherwise > remove a magnetic clutch, a DC motor, a switch, a string of cables, the list > goes on... > > > > We just trashed a 600 pound color copier with all sorts of neat, usable > parts. It broke my heart watching it go, but then there is only so much > 'trash' my wife lets me bring home! > > > > So here it is, a post to get things started. My name is Robert, I live in > Montgomery County. > > > > Who else is out there? > > ........................................................................ > .........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity.......... > ......................... http://dorkbot.org ........................... > ........................................................................ > > > From rrittich at mail.ucf.edu Wed May 17 22:35:35 2006 From: rrittich at mail.ucf.edu (Robert Rittich) Date: Wed May 17 22:35:54 2006 Subject: [dorkbotphiladelphia-blabber] Still talking free parts... Message-ID: I live in Montco, but actually work in Bucks County, Doylestown to be exact. From Rittenhouse Sq, on a good day, that is about a one hour drive up Broad Street/Route 611. There are plenty of old copiers here with magnetic clutches and those motors. The only catch is, and I thought I mentioned it, you will have to dissassemble it yourself and take what you need. For my own collection, I sometimes take a screwdriver to the machines and grab what I need, but I don't have a stack of parts already sitting here ready for taking. Now you seem a nice enough fellow to where I could pull a couple of parts for you if you specify what you need (no guarantees that I can actually find them of course). I didn't know you lived so far away. There is a place that is actually closer to you that is much larger than where I work and that has hundreds of copiers being trashed. It's called ... well I can't remember the name right now, but we buy used machines there sometimes. I will post the name tomorrow. At any rate, given the distance, the gist here is that you can get parts for free probably at most any copier repair place (just lurk around the dumpsters...). If you want parts from me, we just have to solve the logistics somehow. Let me know... -Robert >>> "Jimmy Sastra" 05/16/06 4:38 PM >>> Hi Robert. Thanks for the picture and posting our conversation to the listserv. That motor looks awesome. You mentioned something about magnetic clutches. I'd like to take a look at those as well. I'm not familiar with Montgomery County. Is it far outside the city? I live near Rittenhouse Sq. Jimmy On 5/16/06, Robert Rittich wrote: > > Hello Jimmy, > > I looked at your "robotic gaits", they are pretty neat. I figured I > might as well post this conversation to the list, not that there is so > much else going on anyways... > > The motors inside those copiers are mostly DC motors, usually 24V, of > varying RPMs. Copiers are built fairly modular (like your robots, and I > think like just about anything else in the world), in that the motors > are usually mounted on a standard type controller board. Now I don't > understand electronics as much as I like to, but I know that the boards > control the motors timing, something very important in a copier. > > I am not sure if I can add attachments to posts to the list, so instead > I uploaded a picture to this link > (http://132.170.240.30/~rrittich/motor.jpg). > > Is this anything you can use? > > -Robert > > P.S.: Good to see some activity on the list... > > > >>> "Jimmy Sastra" 05/15/06 6:08 PM >>> > Hi Robert, > > I'd love to take some of those motors off your hand. Are these DC > motors? > > I've been too busy preparing for my Qualifying Exam to do any projects > on > the side, but I should have more time starting late June. > > Jimmy > > PS: n case you're interested my focus is on modular robotics: > http://www.grasp.upenn.edu/superbot/projects/superbot/ > > > On 5/3/06, Robert Rittich wrote: > > > > Hello fellow Dorkbots! > > > > It's been a couple of weeks since I read a story on CNN about dorkbot > and > > its intriguing proposition. Right then, I decided I wanted to be a > part of > > this and joined this mailing list. Since then I have not seen a single > post > > and am beginning to wonder if I may have not been added to the list > > properly. > > > > > > > > Separately, I wanted to find out what is going on in the Phila dorkbot > > community. I am currently too busy to work on any of my own projects > (which > > will hopefully change soon), but I think I can contribute to others in > quite > > a unique way: for those looking for parts, I may have an answer how to > get > > them through me for free. I work at a copier repair shop and we are > > constantly throwing out big copiers with literally thousands of good > working > > parts in them. Every once in a while, I pry off, disassemble or > otherwise > > remove a magnetic clutch, a DC motor, a switch, a string of cables, > the list > > goes on... > > > > > > > > We just trashed a 600 pound color copier with all sorts of neat, > usable > > parts. It broke my heart watching it go, but then there is only so > much > > 'trash' my wife lets me bring home! > > > > > > > > So here it is, a post to get things started. My name is Robert, I live > in > > Montgomery County. > > > > > > > > Who else is out there? > > > > > ........................................................................ > > .........dorkbot: people doing strange things with > electricity.......... > > ......................... http://dorkbot.org > ........................... > > > ........................................................................ > > > > > > > > ........................................................................ > .........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity.......... > ......................... http://dorkbot.org ........................... > ........................................................................ >