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Floobydust — Open Source experimentation

Archive for February, 2010:


19 Feb

Training Wheels before I mess with the KILN


You see,   I have a SKUTT 8 kiln for working with PMC (precious metal clay).  It’s a nice kiln and all bit it doesn’t have what I would call good temperature control.  This got me thinking… rather than spend $300-$800 dollars for a professional kiln controller… I could use the Arduino to make my own.  Seems simple enough…  I thought.  Well, the KILN draws over 15 amps and after a little research,  I realized that there was this thing called Proportional-Integral-Derivative feedback control systems… and if I were smart… (I try)  that’s what I would be using to control temperature over and undershoot.  PMC clay is rather particular about temperatures… and quite expensive… so there is little room for mistakes.

So… initially I need  to build a similar controller for my Toner Transfer laminator as a dry run.    Lower temperatures and current… so I can test my theory on something that won’t burn down the house.

The first step in that process is to build a breakoutboard… since the MAX6674 is a small surface mount package.  Here is the result:

MAX6674


No Response Filed under: Electronic Projects
04 Feb

Arduino’s know how to multiply


So,  I just counted…   I now have 5 Arduino boards.    These little toys are just so useful.

By far the coolest add-on I picked up so far is the Arduino Ethernet shield.  This device is based on the Wiznet W5100 and it makes connecting to the wire a breeze with low Arduino overhead.  You see, I made the mistake of trying to use the ENC28J60 Ethernet chip.  A nice chip and Guido Socher did a great write up about it at TUX GRAPHICS… (http://tuxgraphics.org/electronics/200606/article06061.shtml)  but you need to create the TCP/IP stack in software… that’s surely flexible… but not a very nice way to leave you some ram in your Arduino for what you ant it to do.  I got frustrated with the ENC28J60 (I’d built a break out board)  and just ordered the ETHERNET shield from NKC electronics.  (Nice purchasing experience from NKC,  and a real fine supporter of the Arduino community by the way)

Wow.  This board is well made, well designed and simple to use.  This opens up all sorts of neat possibilities.  I just need to figure out which one gets priority.


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