Electro-Robo-Compu Wood project?

[drybij]

Does anyone have suggestions for or experience with combining electronics projects with woodworking projects? I'm a woodworking newbie but would like to use the little bit of experience I have in electronics, computers, and robotics combined with shaping wood to make something interesting or useful.

My imagination needs to be stimulated because all I can picture right now is a box covered with LEDs.

Automatic cat feeder, waterer?
Rack-mount computer?
Maybe a better mouse trap?

[linear]

You don't give us much in your electronics resume. Generally wooden enclosures for projects are cool, but not for RF projects. I've never run into any projects that specifically exploit a feature of wood.

OTOH, when you're ready for the box-o-leds, I'm ready for you:
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

[ExYankee]

How about a really cheap CNC router Or…
a also cheap current sensor dust collector turner-on-er.
a "WTHDIPMTML" ("'where the heck did I put my tape measure'-locator".
a digital spousal tool purchase overload indicator.
Laser suspended particulate "it's too d*** dusty for you not to use your mask" alarm.
a stick on LED light source for routers/skill saws etc.
a Theremin inspired finger detector that uses the table saw blade as an antenna and will blast a rude noise if you get too close.

John

[scorrpio]

How about building a computer desk? (Literally).

Essentially, a desk that also serves as chassis for all the computer parts - no case anywhere, and monitor, speakers and keyboard/mousepad integrated into the structure.

For coolness factor, use servos to regulate monitot height/tilt.

How about a wooden armchair that works like a luxury car seat - adjustable recline, footrest etc at a touch of a button.

For coolness factor, make it a massage chair.

And the ultimate...
Imagine sitting at your computer desk, enjoying an armchair massage, playing some latest and greatest game. You say 'BEER' and the side table scoots over to the kitchen, flashing a word 'BEER' on a built-in screen. You wife, who is cooking in the kitchen, gets a cold one out of the fridge, and puts it on the table, which proceeds to scoot back to you.

For coolness factor, come up with a system to load the table from your beer stash without human intervention.

[sacherjj]

You could make a marble machine. This has been on my todo for a while. I am actually looking at making one with accurate lift motors to send one marble a second and then use physical dividers to convert it into time, for a working marble clock.

[cwsmith]

I know a local Ham Radio guy who is an avid Crystal Radio fan. He started making these to fit in old jewlery boxes that he would buy at garage sales. I've seen a few of these first hand and the refinishing is pretty nice.

I think these would be fairly popular and certainly a nice blending of electronics and woodworking. You can do a Google search for Crystal Radio or Regenerative Radio and see what may be out there.

CWS

[JR]

And the ultimate...
Imagine sitting at your computer desk, enjoying an armchair massage, playing some latest and greatest game. You say 'BEER' and the side table scoots over to the kitchen, flashing a word 'BEER' on a built-in screen. You wife, who is cooking in the kitchen, gets a cold one out of the fridge, and puts it on the table, which proceeds to scoot back to you.

For coolness factor, come up with a system to load the table from your beer stash without human intervention.

Better go with the "cool" version. I can gar-on-tee in the first scenario the wife-al unit woul personally deliver the beer upside my head!

JR

[gjat]

And the ultimate...
Imagine sitting at your computer desk, enjoying an armchair massage, playing some latest and greatest game. You say 'BEER' and the side table scoots over to the kitchen, flashing a word 'BEER' on a built-in screen. You wife, who is cooking in the kitchen, gets a cold one out of the fridge, and puts it on the table, which proceeds to scoot back to you.

scorrpio,
If any of us had a wife that would tolerate us sending a robot into the kitchen AND would get a cold one out of the fridge, we would already have gotten her to just get the beer for us when we snapped our fingers. If we had to send a robot in to get us a beer, the robot better be rated for rough-service and have a built-in spit detector before I drank a beer it managed to escape from the kitchen with.

[LCHIEN]

Seriously, I am ready for that inexpensive CNC router kit based around a PC...

Have it least do signs with optional scaling and better yet, engravings from Picture files.

[gabedad]

here you go:

http://www.suss.co.za/Portals/0/woodenpc.jpg

[gabedad]

more pic's but it's in russian

http://blogga.ru/2005/09/12/wooden_comp/

[sbs]

Did somebody say electro-robo-compu-wood project?



These guys are even more interdisciplinary than your usual wooden robot, as the wood was cut using a circuit board router.