Open for business again! Huzzah!
Polargraph Shop
Discounted pre-orders for a Polargraph SD kit because they won’t be ready for a couple of months, and orders-in-a-two-to-four-weeks for the regular polargraph machines again. I’m going to be pragmatic about using pre-made assemblies where possible (cables etc) this time, so I won’t be constantly be in tears with sore fingers..
What you need:
Read the wiki: http://code.google.com/p/polargraph/wiki/Introduction
Look at the illustrated setup guide: Simple Setup Guide.
And maybe the new Instructable about it!
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It would have been very helpful to have seen some examples of the output…
Oh yes, um, I kind of forgot about that didn’t I, well there’s some on my flickr account!
Hi ! I’m really interested on your drawing machine! just a question: is there a maximum paper size to make a draw whith this basic Polargraph machine ?
I’m interested to buy one “complet kit” but i m living in france > How many time do you think it’s necessary to get one ?
thx you
Hi Julien, thanks for your message – There is no theoretical maximum size, it just depends on how much string you have. I supply two lengths of 2 metre long beaded cord in the kit, not a problem to add a little more (just let me know). This will be enough for a machine that can cover A1 sized paper. There is a practical limitation though, in that the controller software is a bit simple and it is fixed to display millimetres as pixels, so a machine that is 1800mm across will be 1800 pixels across too – doesn’t really fit on a screen. I am working on a solution to this, but it’s not ready yet.
I am hoping to deliver the next complete kit orders by the end of this month (November), hopefully earlier.
Thanks!
hi , first really nice machine , i was looking for something like this for a while,
man , i generated some pattern with processing , and i would like to buy one of ur machine and try it out with these pattern, i wanted to send u some pic to tell me if its possible to it with ur machine , but i guess i cant attach photo here ,, this is the like to the image , http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/252/unled2mf.jpg/ take a look , and tell me what do u think ?(how accurate,in terms of lines) if its possible then on more thing , when do u think i will get assembled one if i order just now
Hallo, thanks! It’s certainly an image that could be drawn with the machine, but probably not in the way you want. The machine draws bitmaps rather than line art, so the thin lines in your piece wouldn’t end up as pen lines, and they might well get missed entirely. I can try it on my machine here if you would like a sample?
I’ve clarified the paragraph in the article above about how long it’ll take – I’m expecting full kits to be rolling by the end of the month (November 2011). Parts-only kits will hopefully be a bit sooner.
Also, it would be useful if you have questions like this to ask them on the forum – that way we can have a better conversation than here.
Cheers!
thanks for reply , would be nice to try it , if sample works well , i certainly need one
please let me know if its possible
cheers
Mrtz: http://www.polargraph.co.uk/2011/11/test-textures/
Hi,
I want draw a big picture about 2m X 3m with your machine.
can it doing? if only need a langer beaded cord ?
thx
More or less, that’s all you need yes. Long cords. The line characteristics change a bit when the cords are so long – there’s a bit more shake and bounce in the movement, and the pressure on the pen is a bit less consistant, but that’s all part of the fun of it.
This version I’m using uses counterweights on the other ends of the cords, so there needs to be enough space below the motors for them to hang. I did a big massive polargraph machine that was 6m wide, and that used thread instead of beaded cord and just reeled it in onto a bobbin – so no counterweight. I have a counterweight on smaller ones because the gondola is so heavy – the motors aren’t powerful enough to lift it reliably on their own.
I would buy this kit, you send it to Brazil? which the value? and the images have some program that comes with the kit?
Sorry, I’ve just run out of parts – no more assembled kits!
Hi Sandy,
I love your pics and machine. Can you tell me (and the others) when you will have more complete kits available?
I live in Edinburgh, so I was hoping that you may have some bits I could pick up!
Thanks in Advance.
Adrian.
Hi Adrian, the short answer is: “don’t know”. The long answer is: I’m looking for a bit of space where I can work, and until that appears, kits will only ever be put together on an adhoc basis (no room to make batches). The longer bit it that I’m working with a couple of other folks to come up with a custom polarbot board that will be able to do the neat things in one board that you currently need an arduino mega + a handful of other pieces to do. That said, there’s a good chance I’ll be making up some prototypes since I have a stack of cheap mega’s burning a hole in my pocket, as it were. If you (or anyone) is keen, I can make up a kit using the parts I have, and actually, I have almost all the parts I need right now, but it won’t be that cheap. Drop me an email if you’re interested – very happy to discuss it.
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for the reply.
I’d like to discuss making a kit and find out the cost.
Drop me a note to my email address and I’ll give you my mobile number so we could discuss it or we can just do it over email.
Thoughts and comments welcome.
Take care,
Adrian.