MachinePix Weekly

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MachinePix Weekly #33

www.machinepix.com

MachinePix Weekly #33

This week's most popular post was a very fast cable robot 🤖 Next week's interview: the founder of iFixit, Kyle Wiens, and his mission to open source everyone's hardware 🪛

MachinePix
Mar 2, 2021
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MachinePix Weekly #33

www.machinepix.com

If you’ve ever tried to repair a device you own by Googling around for manuals, chances are you’ve come across iFixit. For the past 18 years, iFixit has been publishing teardowns and repair guides, selling tools kits, and advocating for consumer right to repair.

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens joins me next week to talk about why repairing is critical to consumer rights, the environment, and civilization. Already curious? Head to Repair.org to get involved.

Amazon.com: iFixit

The most popular post this week was an impressive cable robot. Cable robots have made multiple previous appearances on @machinepix and are always fascinating to watch. They’re very fast, can be made very large, and have a pretty unique set of control dynamics.

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Segesta cable robot by the Department of Mechatronics at the University of Duisburg-Essen.
Image
6:03 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2021
4,544Likes1,390Retweets

I’m always looking for interesting people to interview, have anyone in mind?

—Kane


The Week in Review

I was delighted to find the House of Automata, a Scotland-based outfit that restores whimsical old mechanisms. Check them out! There is a wonderful history of singing bird boxes as well.

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Mechanical singing bird mechanism by Bontems, restored by The House of Automata.
Image
6:58 PM ∙ Feb 26, 2021
1,455Likes422Retweets

It’s hard to find information about this vessel because the Romanization of the name doesn’t seem universal. Searching the Russian name Иоганн Махмасталь seems to give more results.

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Bulk carrier Iogann Makhmasta in the ice of Yenisey Gulf.
Image
7:59 PM ∙ Feb 24, 2021
697Likes116Retweets

Handy and clever. They also make an interior radius version.

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Measuring an outside radius with an ORG 3600 radius gauge by Arc Master.
Image
12:40 AM ∙ Feb 24, 2021
1,258Likes178Retweets

The whole YouTube channel is fascinating, as is the history of manned ornithopter attempts.

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Serenity, a 20 kg remote controlled ornithopter by RC Ornithopter.
Image
7:29 PM ∙ Feb 22, 2021
775Likes162Retweets

Postscript

For my housemate’s birthday, we chartered a helicopter to observe the traffic jam at the Port of Oakland. Photo credit @kevinakwok

If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it to friends (and interesting enemies). I am always looking to connect with interesting people and learn about interesting machines—reach out.

—Kane

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MachinePix Weekly #33

www.machinepix.com
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