My reprap begins!

Hello all reprapers!

My name is Robert and I am a hopeful reprap hacker. I thought I would post a thread in this here fancy forum to indicate the start of my project. Just today I received a stack of static shielding zip-lock bags filled with parts for my reprap: the whole electronics kit in one tiny express mailer.

I'll be keeping my updates mainly on website: [www.robertcarpenter.net]

I checked out your site and I have to ask - what's up with the EV conversion? All I could find was an entry about how you were going to start, and then nothing more. I assume it didn't work out? Or did I miss a link to click on?

I'm interested in EVs, but the last time I checked out converting, it costs a lot more than it would ever save me

Good luck with your reprap!

Kitep-

My EV conversion project is on hold: I'm saving money, doing research, and building tools (hence reprap...).

The idea of converting a car to be electric is not (primarily) a method of saving money...its an act of establishing independence.

Thanks for reading!
[robertcarpenter.net]

robacarp Wrote:
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>
> The idea of converting a car to be electric is not
> (primarily) a method of saving money...its an act
> of establishing independence.
>
ROTFLMAO! Yup, declare independence from the oil companies and then let the electrical utility people get their hands on your pocketbook.

> let the electrical utility people get their hands on your pocketbook

True...but they have smaller hands, and, if need be, I can easier generate (eg. solar, wind, water) my own electricity than my own gas.

Robert
[www.robertcarpenter.net]

I've looked at all sorts of conversions. I'm thinking that for people that live in coal country, small-scale coal liquification to make kerosene (parrafin) for a diesel engine may just be the way to go. The setup would cost, but it'd be MUCH cheaper than an equivelent-wattage solar or wind electric setup. And if push comes to shove, diesel is a trade good as well.

Problem with electric is that while, yes, generating your own electricity is easy to do, making ENOUGH electricity is quite difficult even for household use. Running a car off it too would magnify the problem quite a bit. So maybe you'd get something that would allow you to drive the car a total of 100 miles per month. That's not enough for practical use, and so I've given up that idea until bussard's IEC fusion gets into production.

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I'm building it with Baling Wire

jgilmore Wrote:
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> I've given up
> that idea until bussard's IEC fusion gets into
> production.

Heard anything new on that, recently?

Not really. The project is being funded by the US Navy again, so it's under a bit of a publishing ban. Last I'd heard they'd confirmed Bussard's results, and where planning on building a larger (still scaled down and still pulse operated) model to confirm more of the math.

But IIRC, that was news back in March or April.

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I'm building it with Baling Wire