Happy Sunday to you all! It is a relatively cooler weekend here than it has been--only getting into the mid 80s. Mary and I had been considering trying to get to the State Fair today, but our to-do lists piled up, and I wasn't sure how far I could get on my foot anyway. We've been wanting to go because of this being the centennial of the PPIE, but also due to the fact that neither of us has ever been to the Fair. We may try again later--it is running through the 26th. We may instead try to take-in a movie tonight. Maybe something Jurassic, or Inside/Outside...or maybe something shaky like Andreas.

The foot is doing a bit better this week. The allopurinol the clinic doctor prescribed seems to be helping, and my brain seems to have adapted to it a bit so that I don't feel so loopy after taking it. I still need to hook up with a doctor so that I can get a blood test done. Still working under the assumption that I have high uric acid levels, and making the adjustments to my diet. I've gotten to the point where I can get my sandal back on, and one of these days I may get really brave and attempt a shoe. But at least walking is easier now, and I haven't had to use the cane for several days.

Big week coming up spacewise--the New Horizons probe is due to go whizzing by Pluto on Tuesday. Look for pictures to show up in the days to follow. Signals take over four and a half hours to get to Earth, and the transmission rates are very slow, due to the distance and subsequent weakness of the signal, so it is going to be an agonizing wait. However, there have already been some amazing images coming from that neck of the solar system. There are some very unique and puzzling surface markings on Pluto!

On Friday I finally got the 3D printer packed up and shipped back to XYZprinting. Repackaging that beast was an all-day affair. I am so glad I took a lot of pictures of it as I was unpacking it--I would have never figured out how to get it back together. I wanted to make sure it gets back to them none the worse for wear.
And yes, I have been having printer withdrawals. I keep thinking of things I want to print, and I can't do it. So now comes the process of looking at what is out there and making a purchase. I am mostly convinced that I want to do a kit, and to look for a system that is very open and hackable. Unfortunately, though I had a lot of fun with the XYZprinters, their product line is pretty proprietary. (Meaning, it is a closed box, and is not friendly to modifications after purchase.) I want a printer that I can modify and swap out various components on. My dream goal is to do what I saw a few folks doing at the last Maker-Faire, and that was to create a machine that would allow you to swap out the printer head and put different attachments on. You would use the same motor/frame assembly that moves the print platform through XYZ space, but instead of a plastic printing extruder head, you could substitute a router and have it carve wood under computer control. Or perhaps a laser engraver, or a foam cutter, or woodburner--the possibilities are endless!

And now that the printer is gone, I can focus on the goals of getting the vapor chamber operational, completing my painting platform, and start getting the replication process ironed-out for bobbleheads and figurines. I know it has been a long road, but the wheels are still turning!

Speaking of which, I've got my new fan rig in clamps out there, and I need to get some more work in on it before the temperatures in the garage get too toasty. So until next time, have a great week!