Back at it.

I haven't written here for a while and figured I would put a few words down.

I am going to be back in Africa in less than a week and this trip has been the most difficult to prepare for.  Challenges.  

I spoke with Johnny for 10 precious minutes at DEFCON and we discussed what we would be doing this year.  I think he's at the point where he believes me when I say I will help.

We decided that an XCarve could be a good thing to have and we on the spot named a few projects for it.  The Inventables X-Carve is a "pro-sumer" grade CNC that is available as a kit.  I ordered it.

(Here is the machine built out)

Once the kit arrived I had to assemble it.  Luckily I have a place called the Columbus Idea Foundry I can use and have rented a space there for this.  This means I have to truck everything I need to make it work.  It also means that I understand what I will need in Uganda when I get there.  After assembly in the standard fashion I had to think about shipping/Uganda.

(It didn't take long to assemble, to de-Uganda took a bit of time.)

(At one point I dropped a split washer on the floor and sent out a BOLO for it.  I found it the next day.)

(Carriage getting closer.)

(Spoil board installed, this is the biggest challenge as it will be hard to check in luggage.)

So I started crimping terminals so I could unhook and reassemble and so maintenance later wouldn't be difficult.  

I had to start considering use and ways to make the machine as useful as possible.  I decided Mortise and Tenon furniture fabrication might be good.  So I cut a tenon hole for the spoil board.  I also decided that the base under the machine would need strengthened.

After like 4 orders for stuff from Inventables (Terrific customer service, great people) I think that I have the machine together.

Recently Johnny asked if I would mule another item.  A 3D printer.  This, added with the items for the keep and to get folks going with projects means I have crazy amounts of luggage.  Well the good news is there are 3 of us going.  My wife Becky and my friend from High School John will be there too.

This trip is going to be bigger, going to be better, going to be amazing.