the shadow knows…maybe.
So I’m flattered, apparently I write stuff worth reading. I’ll have to do a bit of reading to get the main thread of the blog going again, and get my printer going. For the organizing tangent, I’m not sure where to go next. I’m planning to ask for volunteers to help take over on some of these, but
Once you decide to get some organized fabrication going, you more or less have five areas to cover, and should have experts in charge. Old retired guys work well for this, lots of experience, and lots of time. Others can be useful, but when you have to juggle school and/or a day job…anyway:
- making in plastic, 3D printing, vacuforming, etc.
- machining in metal.
- Sheet and structural metal, bending and such and welding.
- Electronics.
- “civil engineering,” making buildings and such.
The goal is survival—ensure your area is provided with basics, food, water, shelter, technology. A patriot hackerspace should be able to make sure that the local community has access to everything from baby rattles to the internet. Some of that is simple, other parts are harder. The family that’s homeless because the Op blew up the house next to them? Who builds them their newer, better house? Because of whom are they living comfortably, and have food and the means to make it? How are their kids learning to read?
I think I have someone to help with electronics, I can get a bit of machining and 3D printing, and even some welding, but a better welding person would be nice, someone to write a bit on building is needed, and a few to round out the rest of machining and printing and that stuff would be nice.
Next article I think will start machining. I can do a bit on machine selection, get some comments. I need to fix my printer so I can get some more time in on that before posting about that, want to get it running with PVA and nylon first. There are also some new printers on the market that I need to look over.
fabbersmith 
Sure you do. You have vision and a dream. What’s not to like!?
You might find useful info in this. Good stuff. “Tubalcain”
http://www.neme-s.org/Tubalcain/machine_shop_tips.htm
I have the original first issue Metals Handbook. It is the classified version published for war production at the advent of WWII. It is wondefully written by MIT professors of the time to bring every metals technology known up to that time in one reference. The idea was to standardize all the practical manufacturing and fabrication techniques in use and known into one source and which could be applied to war production. It is nothing like the published volumes today.
There is info and data in it which doesn’t exist today except via tribal knowledge and tradition.
There simply is no source I have read today which holds such a treasure trove of metal working.
There was nothing like it before either.
So much is associated with old world and pre electronic age. It is the kind of source perfect to a small industrial Renaissance.
Now would be a good time to find a way to get it printed and available to others.
I’ve treasured and referenced it for 30 plus years. It is wonderfully written in the most practical terms for people who are not engineers but masters and journeymen in their respective trades. It is perfect for guys like us.
Would you be willing to share?? I ask because these days the distribution method is the Internet. Scan it in, get a couple of buds to proof read the result, then upload it to something like LuLu for printed distribution.
Just an idea.
Plenty of how-tos out there, this is partly to get people to understand the possibilities and get to work on ensuring they have access to machinery and knowledge. As I get my stuff and start making more stuff, I will post on that, but it won’t really be part of this series.
1.making in plastic, 3D printing, vacuforming, etc.
2. machining in metal.
3. Sheet and structural metal, bending and such and welding.
4.Electronics.
5. “civil engineering,” making buildings and such.
Excellent. It is incredibly important to be able to fabricate “things”.
FreeFor will need replacement parts for vital equipment and will need engineers to develop new “tools” in the struggle for Liberty.
We must also not forget that other “things” may need to be broken. The saying “men makey, men breaky” comes to mind. Are there any engineers out there who like the breaky side of this skill-set?
Feel free to post on WRSA anytime.
They say civil engineers make targets, mechanical engineers make weapons. Breaking things is kind of fun, plenty of people can do it. It’s making the method, and making your own stuff harder to break that provides the challenge.
Don’t forget, we also support the common people, and that means being able to provide alternatives. When things break down, you need to be able to provide more than just the sports section of walmart.
This fellow posts some nifty DIY projects and tech info
http://gunlab.net/
This used to be Lindsey’s Publications.
Mostly old timey books, still excellent info.
I have a large collection back when Lindsey owned it.
https://www.youroldtimebookstore.com/
Seen them, have the Gingery books. Have to do a resource post this weekend. List books and stuff.
I would include in your list of skills, metal casting. Many a machined part started as a casting. Fact with 3D PVA printing and proper shrinkage rules one can deliver a near finished part with very little machine time.
Would you care to write up a post on that, with a link to the articles on the PVA casting techniques?
I build 3D printers for a living. I can help u get it going http://www.autox3d.com
Just use the contact form and address it to B.
Since you can’t have a way to contact u thru here.
Looks like you’re doing some of what I was planning to eventually do, if no one got to it first. FDM technology is pretty much comoditized now, there’s little reason for spending umpteen dollars on a printer, but none of the small guys wants to raise the price the bit needed, and spend the extra engineering on reliability and usability. You should be able to get a “plug and play” printer for under 5 grand now, it looks like that’s pretty much what you’re going for.