Wacom users’s guide

Here are my adventures in using my wacom.

Questions:

  1. The wacom eraser doesn’t work under gimp.

Answers

  1. It might be counter intuitive, but gimp actually knows which side of the pen you are using. So when you switch to the erase, select the eraser tool.  If you flip back to the pen side, it will draw, and next time it will know when you switch to the eraser to switch to the eraser.

Ubuntu 12.10 Build

Xrdp issues – first couldn’t get a desktop, then I couldn’t press ‘d’ while in xrdp

  1. apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager (fix found here)
  2. ccsm (no sudo)
  3. In the compiz config manager: General (left side) -> General Options (right side) -> Key bindings (tab) -> Show Desktop (with the keyboard icon) -> Click the “X” icon (on the far right) This sets the default of <Control><Primary><Super>d.
  4. Click on the key binding <Control><Primary><Super>d.
  5. Click “Grab key combination”
  6. Press ALT+D (or whatever other key combo you want to bind to the “show desktop” option).
  7. Do the same for the Maximize and Minimize window as they are linked to the super key as well.
  8. Click OK, Back, Close
  9. Restart your xrdp session
  10. Prerequisite packages:
  11. Setup perl:
    1. locale-gen en_US en_US.UTF-8 hu_HU hu_HU.UTF-8
    2. dpkg-reconfigure locales
  12. apt-get install php5 php5-mysql php5-sqlite php5-recode php5-snmp php5-cgi  php5-cli php5-curl php5-dbg php5-dev
  13. Setup Apache
    • a2ensite default-ssl
    • a2enmod ssl
    • a2enmod rewrite
  14. Setup Mysql
    • CREATE USER ‘USERNAME’@’*’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘PASSWORD-HERE’;
    • GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO ‘USERNAME’@’10.10.1.0/255.255.255.0’ WITH GRANT OPTION
  15. Install Cakephp: http://nerdviral.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/install-the-latest-cakephp-on-ubuntu-server-12-04-lts/
  16. postfix using maildir:  postconf -e “home_mailbox= Maildir/” ; service postfix restart
  17. Sync with dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/install?os=lnx

EtherTen – freetronics

I have been trying to see how I could improve my home’s energy efficiency as of late.  My only problem is, I hear people talking about do this and that, but how do you actually prove that it does what it says it will do.  A friend of mine bought some thermal foil for the attic of his house.  It looks interesting, but without proof of what it does, how can you really know?  To this end I an EtherTen today.  I’m going to be placing my drivers and files here for future reference, but my goal is to put sensors in my attic to measure the temperatures through the summer and log to a server.  I’m guessing it won’t be perfect, but its a great learning process and should yield real world proof of what does and does not work.

Software:

CNC Router : How to make one with DMS help

Information given to me by Jason B at the DMS on how to make a CNC Router.

 

A link to the main Shapoko site: http://www.shapeoko.com/

Where I got the kit: https://www.inventables.com/technologies/desktop-cnc-mill-kits-shapeoko

Controller I’m using: http://www.panucatt.com/product_p/mcnc-3az-328p.htm

General Idea for the spindle(motor drive) that I’m using: http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/diy-project-building/3793-diy-brushless-spindle.html and http://garageshopconfessions.com/?page_id=69

Where I have been getting my bits: http://stores.ebay.com/carbideplus

Software to stream Gcode to the Arduino: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Grbl_Controller

I researched CNC routers for a good month or so before deciding on the Shapeoko. It’s the cheapest and most upgradable one you can find due to the Makerslide.

I got this board but I burned out a driver on another project and since it was to tall to fit in my enclosure I just said fuck it. I’ll make you a deal on it. hehehe.

Other than a few small differences they work very similar to a 3D printer just running on an arduino Uno or similar with GRBL as opposed to Marlin/Mega. The arduino is rather taxed just running as it does so a computer of some sort has to stream the Gcode. Many people have tried to port the code to the Arduino Mega but it fails miserably.

I did find this site a few days ago that has ported GRBL to anything that runs the ARM M3. Looks interesting but I know nothing about it.

You can also go with Mach3 or EMC2 but then you need a PC with a parallel port and have to have a break out card that costs more than my whole controller.

Ramps and CNC

  1. RAMPS settings for CNC
  2. Hacking your cnc toolchain
  3. PyCAM discussion
  4. Reprap GCode