The Shed

3D-printer grumble

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Cricket mix-up

Did your Clifford the Cricket in Issue No. 81 work OK? I did notice on the cover picture, the picture on page 3, and very clearly on the top-right-hand-corner picture on page 101 that the cathode and anode are the wrong way round on Diode 1. Just an observatio­n. Brad Wards

(New subscriber to The Shed) [via email]

Mark Beckett replies: You are correct, D1 is incorrectl­y mounted, and yes it does work, although the LEDs flickered even when the sound was off. I did my usual trick of bending the components and then stuffing them in, and followed the shape on the PCB. (https://girtby.net/archives/2009/01/11/ they-dont-call-it-hardware-for-nothing/.) So well spotted and thanks for pointing it out. I have been getting your wonderful magazine for a number of years. It is good that a publicatio­n brings together the skills and experience of sheddies.

However, I must point out to your readers if there is erroneous informatio­n. There is. I often look back to the April/ May (2018?) edition and the article about 3D printers. I must point out that 3D printers do not make your designs into the real (meaningful) thing (paragraph 19). And what is meant by the “digital world” (paragraph 20)? As far as I know, digital processes have been around for decades. And no, making games, recording music, robotics, and 3D printing (paragraph 20) are not really the same thing as making things in your shed.

So let’s get back to what sheddies need most in a library — newspapers, magazines, and books — not 3D printers. Sue Ember,

Denver, Colorado, US

[via email]

Thank you for your letter, Sue, and sorry to see you don’t share our admiration for 3D printers. I have to disagree with you, I am afraid, I believe these printers have helped sheddies a great deal since their arrival. To be able to create or replicate parts yourself is a great advantage. Some parts are just too expensive to purchase or no longer available and the 3D printer’s ability to solve those issues is a real bonus for sheddies everywhere.

So sorry, Sue, we will have to agree to disagree on this one — Editor

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