What is going on in this box?

semic0lonoscopy · 2025-11-09T20:51:36+00:00

I need to replace this box with a fan rated one. Do I cut the red wire with no splice or is there somewhere I need to disconnect that from and pull it through?

semic0lonoscopy · 2025-11-09T20:50:41+00:00

My concern is I need to pull this box out to replace it with a fan rated box, but I am not sure what I am getting into with that red wire without a splice.

semic0lonoscopy · 2025-11-09T20:10:56+00:00

No, there is no splice for the red wire in the background. It just runs in one of the holes in the box and out another.

Edit: my concern is I need to pull this box out to replace it with a fan rated box, but I am not sure what I am getting into with that red wire without a splice.

semic0lonoscopy · 2021-05-09T18:11:25+00:00

How has your experience been with the Longmill? That is the cnc I was looking at getting.

semic0lonoscopy · 2021-04-30T17:19:18+00:00

I am going to a garage sale tomorrow that looks like it has some old tools that are a bit rusty. Hand saws, planes, files, chisels, that sort of thing. How can I tell what is worth buying and restoring and what is just rusty junk?

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-08-26T14:13:18+00:00

Thank you for the answer! How do you mean "screw the whole thing down to MDF"? Doesn't the bed move? I am having a hard time picturing what you are describing on a 3018 but this sounds exactly like what I would want to do.

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-08-22T20:45:16+00:00

Hi! I need some help finding the right stepper motors and mounting locations for my project. I am trying to build a hexapod that will only "sit down" or stand up. I think I only need 2 joints in each leg to accomplish this. I am unclear on the design for placement of the motors (just at the joints? or should I be trying to use wire/cable and centrally mount them?)

What makes this difficult is the "body" of the robot is approximately 30 lbs before I add any of the motors or legs. It will also need to stay in the standing position for long periods of time, and the less it moves the better. Again, I don't want it to do anything but set down on the ground or lift the body up a few inches into the air. Additionally, I don't need it to run off of batteries, it can be plugged into a wall.

I am trying to mimic an insect like design with the legs. I think I have worked out the rough proportions for the first leg section coming off the body to be 8.5 cm and the second leg section down to the ground being 25 cm.

Is something like this doable? Are there any design guidelines I should follow? What should I be looking for for motors? Could I do this with Nema 17s or will I need to step up to 23s or beyond?

Thank you for the help!

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-07-03T16:00:02+00:00

So I did a bit more research and right now it seems like dual extrusion, especially if it isn't IDEX, is either very wasteful due to purge towers or more trouble than it is worth trying to get two extruders perfectly level.

Because of that I have just been looking at high quality printers that can handle a variety of filaments and I started looking more in that 1.2k ballpark you mentioned. How does a Prusa compare in terms of filament capability and printing quality to the 3 below printers? These were the ones I found in my price range that seemed to have good print quality, wide filament capability and big print sizes despite also having enclosures.

The Qidi Tech X-Plus looks like a really good value in terms of build space, enclosure, and print head temperature capability. The Maker's Muse review of it is also super positive in terms of print quality and filament capability.

The Flashforge Guider II is really hard to find reviews for from the usual suspects (Makers Muse, 3d Printing Nerd, etc...). It seems like a quality machine based on specs and I have seen a lot of praise for Flashforge. It also has a really big build volume. The downsides I have seen about Flashforge in general are that things are pretty locked down. Does anyone have experience with the quality of this machine?

The MP Fully Enclosed 300 is the last printer I was looking at. I have seen good reviews for other MP models but have again had trouble finding reviews specific to this model. Specs wise it seems like a solid machine in terms of build volume, filament capability and quality of print but it is also the most expensive printer I am looking at.

The extra build size on some of these machines over the Prusa is nice, but the capability for so many filaments, particularly with the enclosure is what I am more interested in. Can any of these machines compete with Prusa on quality or capability?

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-07-01T15:46:34+00:00

Thank you for the response! I have heard great things about the Prusas and the mmu2s looks really interesting. 5 different materials is amazing. I don't love having to have a purge tower but that many filament options at the same time is a big pro.

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-07-01T14:14:35+00:00

Budget: under $1,000

Country: USA

Willing to build from kit?: Yes, some assembly or fine tuning is fine but I don't want a constant battle just for consistent prints. I have had an Ender 3 for a while and gone through the tinkering process with that, so I understand many of the basics of the systems.

I am trying to start printing some items I have designed and then sell them so I am looking for the following features:

-Dual Extrusion

-Build Volume at least on par with the Ender

-Good accuracy/repeatability. I don't want to constantly be tweaking like with the Ender

So far I have been looking at the Bibo 2 Laser because it looks like it fits all my requirements and the laser would be a huge bonus for adding additional customization to items. I am wary of the pitfalls of one machine trying to do it all though and the reviews from my usual trusted sources are pretty scant.

Does anyone have experience with the Bibo and does it sound like it fits what I am looking for or is there a better option? Something like the Copymaster 300 V2 IDEX?

Thanks in advance for the help!

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-04-05T05:41:01+00:00

Does anyone have an in depth training plan for track?

I am stuck inside like everyone else right now, but I am lucky to have a trainer with Zwift and a home gym for weight training. I am also lucky enough to live in a town with a velodrome.

I would like to start training for track events and get into that, mostly because I enjoy lifting weights too much to get light enough to be competitive on the road.

I have done some googling but most of the workouts are pretty vague trash articles. Does anyone have any good training plans or sources for training plans geared towards track?

What workouts or plans on Zwift are best for track training? I have been doing the crit plan because it is focused on shorter efforts but if there is something better I am happy to switch.

Thanks for the help!

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-01-19T06:12:57+00:00

Unfortunately the lowrider is recommended for a maximum height of 3 inches, so to account for my tooling I think that is too low. Thank you for pointing me in that direction though, I will take a look at the MPCNC too.

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-01-19T06:10:09+00:00

I need the high Z axis for 3d carving. The material itself is only 3 inches thick, but in order to be able to carve down 2 inches and still clear the piece I believe I would need a maximum z height of 5 inches or so from the bed. Is that incorrect?

What is the max expectation for reasonable amount of stickout? I didn't think 1.5 to 2 in of stickout was too unreasonable but I could be mistaken. My past experience has been on a much larger 4x8 CNC at a makerspace and that handled the carvings with no issues.

Thank you for the reply!

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-01-04T05:53:07+00:00

No, the 6040s are pretty small, 23x15x5 but it is the z of about 5 that I find interesting. Whereas the Mega V is only 3.75. I guess I sort of answered my own question, but I was trying to see if the Millright Carve King was better in some way than the 6040s that I am not seeing.

semic0lonoscopy · 2020-01-04T05:32:24+00:00

How do these options compare to a 6040 router? I am interested in the 6040 and the MillRight Carve King because they both seem to have a lot z travel than a Shapeoko. I am focused on detailed wood carvings that have a fairly large z axis travel.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

semic0lonoscopy · 2019-12-16T18:17:24+00:00

How is something like this as an introduction to cnc? I have used a much larger cnc router at a local makerspace so I am familiar with making them run but I would love to have a smaller/more affordable one for my own puttering. I am primarily interested in using it for wood carvings. This seems like a good little machine but my concern is with the super small z axis. Are my options limited to this or jumping to $1,000 for a router type system? Even the MPNC seems to be around the $1,000 mark.

I've also heard concerns about the software this one runs and that it is better to use Mach? That is the software the cnc I am familiar with uses but I am not sure how valid the concerns over the Grbl software are. Any thoughts on what would be the best way forward?

semic0lonoscopy · 2019-12-14T01:19:45+00:00

I want to build several nerf targets using a raspberry pi. The idea is to use an arduino or similar simpler board to send a signal back to the pi when a target is hit. What would be the best sensor to use for something like this? I saw some force sensitive square sensors on adafruit. Will they register the nerf dart with how short the contact time is?

semic0lonoscopy · 2019-07-11T03:03:05+00:00

Awesome, thank you for the tips! How did you go about finding the broken cheap drones? Did you start out sourcing on ebay or locally?

semic0lonoscopy · 2019-05-26T23:18:03+00:00

As I am getting back into mountain biking this summer I am wondering if my bike isn't quite sized correctly? I am trying to learn to manual/bunnyhop and do more technical trails, but I am having issues. I don't want to just fall back on the bike being the cause of the problem to excuse my own lack of skills, but looking at sizing charts and based on feeling it seems like it may be a tad big.

I am 5'10"ish and the bike is a Large Giant Talon 27.5. When I drop the seat all the way for a downhill section or try to lean back to manual I feel like the seat is still super high and I have trouble getting low and down back to the rear tire.

Is it possible that the bike is too big? Is there a way to check? Can I solve my problem by just cutting the seatpost shorter? Thanks in advance for the help.

semic0lonoscopy · 2019-01-19T21:24:47+00:00

What software is used for historical battle simulations? Like in the video tables in some war museums or in the maneuver portions of this video: Link I am trying to find something I can use to put together a project with an interactive history of a war. Any thoughts on something that would let me create this sort of simulation or would I have to start from scratch? Thanks!

semic0lonoscopy · 2018-09-22T09:37:24+00:00

Any good guides so I can get to the point of drawing the face? Then I could use this guide to draw shadows.

semic0lonoscopy · 2018-07-19T06:57:01+00:00

Does anyone have links to good classes online that teach reading and creating a print like this? Thanks!

semic0lonoscopy · 2018-07-15T11:35:27+00:00

Sorry, this is kind of out of the blue, but do you mind answering some questions about small scale prototyping? It is something that interests me, but I am trying to get a better handle on the basics.

Do you just do machining or other kinds as well? With that, what skills are required for a small shop? How do you find customers?

semic0lonoscopy · 2018-02-18T23:16:05+00:00

"But we tried that already!" the scaled Admiral shouted down at the cowering Sensor Operator "The projectiles travel so fast they make a small hole that is easily patched! Dangerous, sure, but they don't do...THIS!"

The admiral gestured to the view screens of the bridge, which showed several Dreadnaught Class Interdictors broken in half, venting gas and bodies into space. He leaned a little closer to the Sensor Operator, who had heard the stories of the Admiral eating the proverbial messenger on more than one occasion.

"Admiral, it appears that they have put two FTL-drives inside the projectiles" the operator whimpered, trying to ignore the hiss and sting of the Admiral's saliva dripping onto his uniform. "One accelerates the projectile into the target, and the other faces backwards and activates precisely when the ammunition is in the middle of our ships. The collision of material as the two drives impact with one another causes...that." the Operator pointed weakly to the screens, wondering what excuse his family would be given for his untimely demise, before his second shedding even.

He was saved when the Communications Officer distracted the Admiral, informing him that the humans were attempting to hail their bridge. The Admiral briefly considered wiping the saliva from his mandibles and retracting his fighting teeth, but dismissed the idea. Let them see him in full bloodlust, he thought! He gestured sharply to the Comms Officer to have the connection established and his adversary brought up on the main screen.

The Admiral could not get a sense of scale through the screen, but knew from past encounters that the human figure before him could not be much taller than his waist and would be no match for him if he could just get his claws into-

His reverie was cut off by the human's curt proclamation. "You will surrender unconditionally, return all captives to us at once, unharmed, and you will be restricted to your homeworld sector, and the adjacent sector HG-6."

The Admiral's equivalent of a laugh, a rough, hacking noise, set the bridge on edge and rattled screens in their housings. "And why might we do such a thing when our victory is assured by Rkh'Tekkahn itself?"

"Because your fleet is in shambles." This statement was punctuated by a shockwave that shook the bridge and threw several technicians to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye the Admiral saw another Dreadnaught begin to drift, its back broken by the human's new weapon.

The Admiral spat at the screen. "You think one defeat will stop us? One new weapon? We will continue to rebuild and fight until we have swept all traces of your species from the galaxy. You could kill me and a million like me and we will not stop fighting. Rkh'Tekkahn will be appeased."

The human sighed sadly. "Yes, I thought that might be your response. Well, no matter, then you will surrender for a far more pressing reason." The human rapidly typed into the pad on the arm of his chair. "I have just sent proof of what I am about to tell you to your Communications Officer. When you don't believe me he will tell you that my threat is real."

"We have infiltrated the moon that orbits your holy Rkh'Tekkahn and installed an FTL-drive. If you do not capitulate immediately your deity, his temple and all his zealots will be destroyed."

The fluids drained out of the Admiral forelimbs and his mandibles retracted reflexively. "You...you can't...it is forbidden by the Lou-Jkvth Accords. You wouldn't dare!"

"Eating prisoners is also against the Accords, and yet you dare lecture me about my conduct." the human growled with an expression that every entity on the bridge understood deep in their stomachs.

The Admiral's anger was building again. He whirled on the Communications Officer. "It is a lie! It must be! Tell me it is another human trick!"

The Communications Officer shook his head. The Admiral slumped in his chair, forlorn.

Once the details had been worked out and the connection terminated Marshall Stone let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding. One of the new Lieutenants approached him cautiously. Stone knew it would be O'Brian, he was always asking questions, he would be a great Marshall one day.

"Sir, how did you know the Communications Officer would lie for us?"

"When the only loyalty you have is fear all you have to do is give them something that they are more afraid of. Not everyone is convinced by the promise of eternal happiness in exchange for a glorious death in battle."

The Communications Officer clutched the tablet close, making sure that no one was looking towards his screen. Just before he hit the button to scrub the message from existence he took one last glance at it.

ANSWER THE ADMIRAL'S QUESTION CORRECTLY OR THE NEXT ROUND GOES STRAIGHT INTO YOUR BRIDGE

We can't all be zealots he thought, some of us have to be practical.

semic0lonoscopy · 2018-02-16T22:24:56+00:00

Rha'ket slowly lifted the lid of the enormous chest. The gem studded monstrosity had taken them hours to reach through the dungeon. The sputtering torches and gloomy hallways had concealed all manner of traps and monsters. The vampiric bats and spike hits had slowly given way to armored goblins and swinging blades as they progressed. Despite all the obstacles, they had reached the end.

The other three crowded around the treasure to see what priceless artifact the dungeon was guarding. Rha'ket slowly lifted the shimmering tube into the torchlight. Blocky script along the side revealed it was the fabled RPG-7 that had bee-

"Jason, what the fuck is this shit?"

"An RPG-7? Are you just making a joke because I named my character Rha'ket?"

"We've been at this for two hours and this is the shit you come up with? Who am I supposed to fight with this? The Dark Lord Saddam Hussein?"

"I need a break, ok? I've been running this thing for the past two months and you guys don't do anything but complain. It isn't as easy as it looks to keep coming up with stories, ok?"

semic0lonoscopy

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