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Did a quick search for open source machine templates, was not disappointed: https://www.opensourceecology.org/gvcs/gvcs-machine-index/ https://www.opensourceeco

Did a quick search for open source machine templates, was not disappointed: https://www.opensourceecology.org/gvcs/gvcs-machine-index/ https://www.opensourceecology.org/gvcs/gvcs-machine-index/ Even though many of these are marked as "in planning," my aspiration to have a farm now includes building it with open source machines.

NortySpock 6y ago
Yeah, OpenSourceEcology has been around a while, but it's really just a handful of devices that are fully built and in use: the "power cube engine", "tractor" (really a skid-steer loader) and the compressed earth brick-maker are complete and have working prototypes. https://www.opensourceecology.org/portfolio/tractor/ https://www.opensourceecology.org/portfolio/tractor/ Hopefully they get some more funding or someone else takes up the torch. Even then, these are generalist machines; I don't know how far they scale up.
- hobofan 6y ago
  Didn't they have quite some funding for at least some time? As you said, they've been around for a long time (almost 20 years now) and for that their output isn't really that great. I'm not sure about the exact reason, but I've always had the feeling that the people working on the projects had little prior engineering experience and were progressing via slow trial and error. I'm wondering if possibly a Youtube channel with an experienced engineer in charge and Patreon support wouldn't be a better backdrop for such a project. Something like Kliemannsland (German Youtube channel that runs their own compound) meets Stuff Made Here.
imtringued 6y ago
Open Source Induction Furnace, Press forge, Bioplastic extruder? Really? These are extremely specific machines. A lot of them in the $100k range. Nobody is going to make an opensource design for them. My biggest disappointment though is that their 3D printer isn't complete yet even though that's low hanging fruit. Simply modifying an existing design would have satisfied me but nope. They don't even have a 3D printer design.

NortySpock 6y ago

Yeah, OpenSourceEcology has been around a while, but it's really just a handful of devices that are fully built and in use: the "power cube engine", "tractor" (really a skid-steer loader) and the compressed earth brick-maker are complete and have working prototypes. https://www.opensourceecology.org/portfolio/tractor/ https://www.opensourceecology.org/portfolio/tractor/ Hopefully they get some more funding or someone else takes up the torch. Even then, these are generalist machines; I don't know how far they scale up.

hobofan 6y ago
Didn't they have quite some funding for at least some time? As you said, they've been around for a long time (almost 20 years now) and for that their output isn't really that great. I'm not sure about the exact reason, but I've always had the feeling that the people working on the projects had little prior engineering experience and were progressing via slow trial and error. I'm wondering if possibly a Youtube channel with an experienced engineer in charge and Patreon support wouldn't be a better backdrop for such a project. Something like Kliemannsland (German Youtube channel that runs their own compound) meets Stuff Made Here.

imtringued 6y ago

Open Source Induction Furnace, Press forge, Bioplastic extruder? Really? These are extremely specific machines. A lot of them in the $100k range. Nobody is going to make an opensource design for them. My biggest disappointment though is that their 3D printer isn't complete yet even though that's low hanging fruit. Simply modifying an existing design would have satisfied me but nope. They don't even have a 3D printer design.