Things are slow. Here’s the update though. I move to the new apartment in about 3 weeks. I can’t wait to set up my little shop.
Rockets are coming super-slow because me and Tim are terrible slackers. We got snowed out this weekend, or we were going to really try for our Level 2 certifications. Maybe next month. How many times am I gonna say that?
My class, CIM-101 Intro to Manufacturing, is really cool. Still no hands-on, but it’s really interesting stuff. So much to learn. There are so many amazing tools and ways to use them. The idea that you can measure something down to 1/10,000 of an inch with a hand tool is completely insane to me.
Gunther is VERY slowly coming along, but it’s coming. I picked up a really cheap 2D CAD program, QCAD. I had been doing a lot just using Cinema 4D, which is really cool for the money… but even 3D artists’ tools are really lacking for engineering purposes, it makes all the difference in the world. Anyway, I’ve been using QCAD to design the pulley and idler shaft supports for Gunther. Really great tool. They’re all laid out, I just need to get Chris to let me use his mill!! (Chris, are you listening?!) Picture: template for the steel motor retainer ring I CADed up for Tim’s rocket. 
As though I needed another project idea, here are some of the new ones in the queue:
- a reloadable 29mm rocket motor casing that takes TWO commercial propellant reloads (shouldn’t have any trouble hitting Mach, I wouldn’t imagine — an I impulse on 29mm? interesting, however it ends!)
- sorbitol/KNO3 propellant (I have 4 pounds of sorbitol on the way!)
- custom water rocket launching system
- custom coaxial piston valve, used in a handheld pneumatic gun (do I need a reason?)
And the mother of all current crazy project ideas:
- the automated sliding-tile dinner table. Basically the table is divided up into 12″x12″ tiles, with at least one tile missing… and it’s motorized and computer-controlled so the table can pass you the mashed potatoes by shuffling the tiles around. Me and Heeten are still looking into how to do it inexpensively. We actually have some decent ideas.
