The Next Logical Step
Sometimes things just work out in life. I love designing airplanes inside Sketchup and in CAD in general. I never much cared for cutting out the parts in the foam before the build however. I thought it would be really neat to have a foam printer of sorts for this exact reason.
Strangely and completely coincidentally the Phlatboyz released their MKI Phaltprinter. The overall low cost and diy nature of the machine really drew me in. Amazingly Mark Creweru of Phlatboyz.com designed and developed a CNC machine from parts mostly bought at your local home improvement store. Even better yet, this platform runs solely on the free software that Google has released.
So let me recap, for well under 1K (USD) you can get a DIY CNC Machine that will run on free CAD software.
If that wasn't good enough, Mark has the foresight to see the real power behind open source software development.
This means, in addition you are not locked into propriety fixed software upgrades and you will get free online technical support on a continuously developing project.
With that information alone, it makes me smile widely and think that we live in a truely amazing age.
But there is always a catch right? Well I am here to tell you I am nearly the king of skeptics. All too often I'm burned on would be expensive products. Amazing computer laptops that die before they are obsolete, the latest and greatest expensive Windows software, an expensive SANYO brand projector that the company wont honor the warranty service on... the list goes on and on. Then of course there is the customer service side of doing business. Too many times folks these days take the money and run.
The Phlatprinter runs well enough, but by the DIY nature it is not bug free. However, it does have one truly important concept going for it. The designer is an honest to God, true, red blooded, business man of the United States of America. Mark is very fair and really believes in the concept that the customer is always right. He is what larger faltering companies ought to base their business model on. Backing Mark up is his supportive loving wife Trish who knows just as much as the original designer knows about the product they sell. In the age of the customer typically getting the shaft as just another straw in a big box market group, dealing with Mark and Trish is honestly a breath of fresh air. Where warranties on complex electronics have failed in the past, a design that allows me to improve and continue to develop as I see fit is the ultimate solution to a satisfied customer. (AND A LONG LASTING PRODUCT!)
Fairly, the skeptic may read this and think, "Wow, what a snow job!"
But I'm telling you right now, I wouldn't write this about less then honest people that were a hassle to deal with and I get no 'cut' for doing so.
Mark and Trish have gone above and beyond any expectation a skeptic, such as myself, might otherwise have.
And the hits just keep coming.
The Phlatboyz have now released their MKII Phlatprinter, an improved design over the original concept that includes a larger cutting area and much faster cutting speeds on all three axis. All the while the MKI is still being supported and the kit has been upgraded where found economical and practical to do so. As of the time of this writing the MKI kit is for sale for $468 (+Shipping, +Electronics) and the MKII is $899 (+Shipping, +Electronics). The entire system for cutting foam continues to improve each day and as a result everyone benefits.
That may sound like a lot of money, as it sure did to me at first. But as always there are things to consider.
If you want into CNC mainly to cut foam, price other machines! (GASP!)
Consider the value of home grown RC and foam crafts! (I can only compare the value of the planes I have made with Phlatprinter to what are elsewhere available.)
Consider the possibility of kitting aircraft and other crafts.
I believe my machine has more then paid for itself (if only to be measured in entertainment value alone).