Makers are increasingly building their own rapid prototyping tools. Unfortunately, the time investment and barriers to entry can be daunting. This exhibit demonstrates methods to ease development, using four working machines as examples: a desktop PCB miller, a plaster xyz cell, a foam-core 3D printer, and a parametrically designed xy stage. 1) A sub-$200 PCB milling machine is the test-bed for using internet protocol as a medium for distributed machine control. 2) Another machine is parametrically designed from engineering formulas and uses a spreadsheet to automatically generate a customized McMaster-Carr order. 3) A third machine is cast out of plaster using laser-cut molds. This has the potential to expand on the parametric design principles and uses an earth-friendly structure. 4) Finally, I've made a 3D printer for less than $100 which can be made at home in around 12 hours. This machine explores the lower boundary conditions of functionality.

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Ilan Moyer

I've been making this ever since being handed a battery, lightbulb, and tin-foil by my parents when I was 4. I graduated from MIT's Mechanical Engineering program in 2008, and am now building personal fabricators. I'm passionate about creating tools which enable individuals to satiate their inner creative pangs.

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