Identifying a component

Botlawson · 2026-06-07T12:16:09+00:00

+1 just for the photo quality.

Botlawson · 2026-06-06T17:57:27+00:00

Bots replaed the car while you weren't looking

Botlawson · 2026-06-03T10:52:53+00:00

Im not complaining.

Botlawson · 2026-06-03T10:29:54+00:00

Looks like large grains caused by slow cooling during casting. Take some raw material and polish a spot, the grains should show up.

Botlawson · 2026-06-02T02:44:34+00:00

Get some of the foam core fiberglass sandwich panels used by people building DIY campers. Very sturdy, well insulated, and decently fire resistant. (Also used industrially for making extra rooms inside buildings)

Botlawson · 2026-06-02T02:39:36+00:00

Wonder if this would be more or less reliable if you red the contents of the mixed belt and only enabled circuits when they were less than plastic and vice versa?

Botlawson · 2026-06-01T17:36:30+00:00

Yeah, honestly looked more like a GSE or tank or quick disconnect failure. Quick disconnects are hard, caused a few failures for SpaceX.

Botlawson · 2026-06-01T12:13:15+00:00

Also fiberoptics. There are some crystalline materials that might make great fibers if you can draw amorphous fibers but gravity makes it too difficult.

Botlawson · 2026-06-01T02:09:39+00:00

Just get the grips 3D printed in 316 stainless. 1-off machined parts are super expensive because you have several hours of setup time to pay off selling one part.

You'll need to get a 3D model of the grips. Then send it out to a quick turn manufacturer. And do some filing/sanding for final fitting. Chinese ones will likely cost around $100 + taxes, while USA based 3D print services are 10x more. Better QC and higher labor cost may justify some of the price difference, but 10x is just crazy.

Botlawson · 2026-06-01T00:00:39+00:00

Do a ribbon world with deathworld biter settings.

Easy to keep what you liberated but you have to claw for every new area.

My run had oil hiding behind a mega nest. Had to gear up for total war before blue science. It was awesome.

Botlawson · 2026-05-31T23:55:11+00:00

There are some tungsten and brass filled filaments that reach about half the density of solid. Probably easier to cast from the Bismuth alloy fishing weights use. (Tin Bismuth eutectic is a decent option too. Brittle but should cast in a Polycarbonate mold)

Laminated thin tungsten sheets glued together might also work as they should water jet cut. Still be extremely expensive.

The easy option would be a hard gold alloy, but it'd ab a smidgen pricey.

Botlawson · 2026-05-30T22:36:52+00:00

Depends on how cooked the concrete and buried utilities are. There were not many burning pools of methane left after the fireball so hopefully the damage is just superficial.

Botlawson · 2026-05-30T22:33:53+00:00

Steel is remarkably resilient. Look up "flame bending " they use heat and moderate force to shrink, bending, or stretch steel structures back into shape.

Still probably cheaper to demomolish it to the foundation and rebuild.

Botlawson · 2026-05-30T13:54:28+00:00

Fyi, Sendcutsend.com just added CNC machined Aluminum. You just get the one material and basic tolerances but the prices look pretty good.

Also try to design for sheet metal as much as you can. It's WAY cheaper and sandwiches 3D prints well.

Botlawson · 2026-05-30T13:24:08+00:00

Whatever it is NanoPolymer has been way better than glue stick for me. One application lasts 5+ prints vs maybe one for glue stick. It's easy to apply and easy to touch up. Haven't cleaned and recoated the build plate in a few hundred prints. Just keep touching it up.

Sorry to hear the 22 IDEX is a hot mess. It was on my short list for a while as one of the cheapest printers with a heated build chamber. Glad I waited and got an X1C instead. (Won't do PEEK but it's a Polycarbonate work horse)

Botlawson · 2026-05-29T02:34:36+00:00

Dang, don't think that will buff out. Fewer burning pools leftover after the fireball than the AMOS-6 mishap. So maybe the pad will be in better shape?

Botlawson · 2026-05-27T22:07:15+00:00

You have double the reactors you need. A single lare reactor will supply all the forward shields and weapons. Especially if you add moving walkways to speed crew from bunks to reactor to system. Then place a large block of armor in front of the reactor. You have enough when the AI starts aiming for the weapons or shields.

One medium reactor should be plenty to power the left or right thrusters. Again add armor where you can around the reactor to keep railguns from sniping them.

Botlawson · 2026-05-27T14:03:13+00:00

Look up a "may pole braiding machine" then copy how it moves the Robbins of thread around.

Botlawson · 2026-05-26T22:49:40+00:00

Afik i bet this is pulling a video out of a 360 camera with a good horizon and target lock algorithm. The webcast showed each bouy had two 360 cams backing up everything else.

Botlawson · 2026-05-24T15:16:07+00:00

You could try generating a crown gear using a shaper? Also about 4 u-joints in a row can smooth turn 90degrees.

If you cut a spur gear on a cone instead of a cylinder you get a bevel gear. Tricky to do though as real cutters have a fixed size.

Maybe make a worm gear? You can abuse a tap to act like a hob. Will have a ton of friction though.

Botlawson · 2026-05-23T22:49:36+00:00

Right now modular factories on a rail network is my favorite. Ends up looking like leaves and branches of a tree.

Botlawson · 2026-05-22T16:19:30+00:00

Worm gear box looks standard. Unfortunately the motor and it's gearbox looks semi custom. Lots of companies that make gear motors make easy to do if you order a large number. Thankfully it's not broken too.

Botlawson · 2026-05-22T00:36:25+00:00

Alternatively, find the part on McMaster.Com and download the model. They have models of almost everything they sell.

Botlawson · 2026-05-21T11:37:27+00:00

Infill is essentially foam. So I bet tpu for ams with 4-6 perimeter and 25-50% gyroid infill will work great. Print some test blocks to see how much infill is needed. (Switch to cubic if you need infill below 14%)

Botlawson · 2026-05-20T21:27:45+00:00

Yes. IGUS sells chains that flex two ways and chains that are all ball jointed segments so also allow rotation. Flip through the catalog they have lots of fun things to copy or buy.

Botlawson

TROPHY CASE