Frank's Workshop http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/ Home projects that Frank's has worked on. en-us Mach PCB Drill http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/MachPCBDrill/MachPCBDrill.htm Posted my MachPCBDrill program, for aligning and drilling PCB boards. Roomba http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/RoombaMon/RoombaMon.aspx New project! I've got a Roomba. I want to monitor it, gather statistics, etc. Details here. New Years Resolution http://www.franksworkshop.com.au A bit late, but my New Years resolution is to finish all my incomplete projects before starting anything new.  On my todo list is...
  • PhotoPlotter
  • TreadMill
  • CNC Lathe Alignment
  • CNC Lathe 4th axis
  • CNC Router Chinese spindle
  • CNC Router ATC spindle
  • CNC Router 4th axis tailstock
  • CNC Router 4th axis tombstone
  • RT-Net interface for EMC2
  • Orbee MAX
  • Model Rail DCC Controller
and I'm sure there's more... Downtime http://www.franksworkshop.com.au 24 hours of downtime today because the power supply in the PC died. It was a Antec Phantom 500, 1 month outside of the 3 year warranty. I've replaced it with a Corsair HX750W, which comes with a 7 year warranty. generichid 1.2 http://generichid.sourceforge.net GenericHID 1.2 released.  This release adds support for teensy++ 2.0, upgrades USB library from MyUSB to latest LUFA version, removes broken PB4 Timer2 PWM, add option to specify the number of bits the counter of an encoder uses. hidcomp 1.4 http://hidcomp.sourceforge.net Hidcomp 1.4 released. This release fixes a bug with the "reverse axis" option not working.  This release is built against  EMC 2.3.4. CNC Lathe Pendant http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/LathePendant/LathePendant.htm Big update day.  I finally finished my  CNC Lathe Pendant.  It uses a custom  LCD Display, and is built with updated version of GenericHID  and hidcomp.  Hmmm. That didn't sound too big. GenericHID 1.0 / hidcomp 1.2 http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/GenericHID/index.htm Moved GenericHID and  hidcomp to  sourceforge.  My hosting options didn't give me enough space to host all packages. GenericHID 1.0 / hidcomp 1.2 http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/GenericHID/index.htm

GenericHID 1.0  released.  GenericHID is my DIY USB HID/Joystick/Game Device/Pendant.  The CNC pendant is why I built the project.  Using an inexpensive $30 board, buttons, potentiometers, encoders, LEDs, LCDs and more, can be connected to the device to make a USB input device.  This works with hidcomp  and  EMC.  I have an out of date Mach3 plugin that I may update, but I'm still waiting on a firmware update on my Smooth Stepper before doing more work in that space.

hicomp 1.2  released.  Update LCD handling to bring it in line with  GenericHID  release.  Add user characters.  Add MRU list.

hidcomp 1.1 http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/EMC/hidcomp/hidcomp.htm hicomp 1.1 released. This is a minor change so emc.nml doesn't need to be changed if the LCD features are not being used. hidcomp 1.0 http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/EMC/hidcomp/hidcomp.htm hicomp 1.0 released.  hidcomp is an EMC component to interface with USB HID devices. Orbee http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/Orbee/Orbee.htm Orbee lives. Bellows Update http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/Bellows/Bellows.htm#polypropyleneGrain An update on Bellows folding. Polypropylene has grain, so you need to be careful when you fold it. Rotary Table Controller http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/RotaryTable/RotaryTable.htm Added a write up of my Rotary Table Controller project. New Domain Name - www.franksworkshop.com.au http://www.franksworkshop.com.au My domain name is now www.franksworkshop.com.au. Email address have changed too. Lathe DRO and Speed Controller http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/LatheDro/lathedro.htm A quick write up of my lathe DRO and speed controller before I start pulling it apart to CNC it. 4th Axis Constuction http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/4thAxis/4thAxis.htm#construction I found some photos I took during the construction of the 4th Axis, so I expanded that section. Bellows http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/Bellows/Bellows.htm Added a write up of the bellows I built for my CNC mill. CNC Mill Update http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/GantryMill/Gantry.htm Here's my CNC Gantry Mill.  And the 4th Axis.  And dust extraction. Model Rail Updates http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/ModelRail/ModelRail.htm Train update.  I've added the DCC servo controller and my plan for a model railway. Robot Updates http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Robots/Robots.htm Robot update.  I've added the servo controller, and my plans for robot world domination. SerialMon http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/SerialMon/SerialMon.htm Another update. Here's my SerialMon project. It started off as a Serial communications spy project, but now it's an I2C interface with SPI to follow. RGB Module http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/RGB/RGB.htm I still have the flu, so no playing with dangerous machines. So here's another project update. The RGB matrix display. Even more web dramas http://www.franksworkshop.com.au Dang! What is it with IIS stuff. Unfortunately, Multisite didn't delivery. It crashes too much, and didn't work with virtual applications. So now I run my test web server inside a windows Virtual PC. More web dramas http://www.franksworkshop.com.au OK, I take that back, the bit about XP Pro IIS Admin allowing you to run more than one site. It creates mulitiple sites, but you still can only have one running at a time. Gee Microsoft sucks. Luckily, I found another tool. An ISAPI filter, Multisite that simulates multiple sites by redirecting pages based on the target hostname. Now I can debug. Fingers crossed. Limit Switch Upgrade http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/LimitSwitches/LimitSwitches2.htm I remade the CNC mill limit switches. A different connector, and more coloured LEDs. More web site updates http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Default.html The menus should now be debugged. I found a cool application, XP Pro IIS Admin which will create more than one web server on XP Professional. (Microsoft's IIS Admin tool limits you to 1). So now I can debug the web site before deploying it. (I now use server side includes to load the menu on each page). Web site updates http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Default.html Tidied up the website. Added menus. Used CSS to render the pages. Menus are still a bit buggy though - expect more down time as I debug them. Updated the Photoplotter page http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/Photoplotter/Photoplotter.htm Added the schematics and firmware. Box http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/Box/Box.htm I made a box Depth sensor fixed http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/Phase4/Phase4.htm#RejigSonar I found a solution to the tank depth sensor problem, by shouting down a tube The Armoured Tank http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/Phase4/Phase4.htm#Repairs Some tank patching and reinforcing Panic! http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/Phase4/Phase4.htm#DamBurst Run for the hills, the dam is about to burst Phase 4 begins http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/Phase4/Phase4.htm#ReplaceFilter The small filter on the tank inlet clogged up with leaves immediately, so I "Engineered" a new one. Phase 3 complete-ish http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/Phase3/Phase3.htm The garden is now up and running. I'll let it run a while before tweaking and upgrading the front garden electronics Garden Online http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/WebWater/Default.aspx Woo! Hoo! My garden is now online, ready to be shared with the world. That's just the first cut. I need to collect a bit more data before I decide what to do with it. Dancing Desktop http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Software/DancingDesktop/DancingDesktop.htm Here's another useless little application that makes your desktop icons whirl around. Windows demolition http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Software/Demolition/Demolition.htm This was meant to be a screensaver, but never quite got completed. Balloons! http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Software/balloons/balloonsMain.htm Balloons for everybody! Well, 5 of you. Large Lathe Steady http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/LargeSteady/LargeSteady.htm The large lathe steady rest has been added. Limit Switches http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/CNC/LimitSwitches/LimitSwitches.htm Added the limit switches used on my CNC Mill PCB Agitator http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/Agitator/Agitator.htm Added my PCB Agitator GWS Phase2 Complete http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/Phase2/Phase2.htm Phase 2 is complete. Time to get stuck into phase 3 GWS - Garden Watering System - Phase1 http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/GWS/GWS.htm My garden watering system. Photoplotter http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/Photoplotter/Photoplotter.htm An update on the photoplotter. Some progress. Lathe Bench http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/LatheBench/LatheBench.htm Completed. DoorbellExtender http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/DoorbellExtender/DoorbellExtender.htm In the US, you can buy the Extend-a-Chime. It only runs on 110v, so I'm going to make my own. Lathe Bench http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/LatheBench/LatheBench.htm The new lathe bench is well under way. While I wait for paint and glue to dry, here's an update. Thomas http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Electronics/Thomas/Thomas.htm 29 March 2007 - Bugger! Almost 2 years without an update. I'm so far behind. I've listed a bit about Thomas, but it lacks pictures. I'll update T2 soon which should have pictures and movies! Spindle Arbor http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/Workshop/SpindleArbor/SpindleArbor.htm 30 June 2005 - Two updates in 2 days. After a few mistakes, I final built the arbor. Leadscrew Handwheel http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/workshop/handwheel/handwheel.htm 28 June 2005 - I've done a few things since my last update, but I just haven't posted them. Here's my leadscrew handwheel that I've wanted to do for a while. Domain name and RSS feed http://www.franksworkshop.com.au/default.html I've finally got a domain name, www.franksworkshop.com.au and and RSS Feed. This is the first update.