Comments on: Dremelfuge: It works, and it’s Available http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85 Synthetic Biology, DIYbio, Creative Commons, Rapid Prototyping, and other Fun Stuff Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:52:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Benjamin http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85&cpage=1#comment-1063 Benjamin Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:53:07 +0000 http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85#comment-1063 That's just too cool. I believe that the maximum G ratings for eppendorf tubes depend on them being in a hole in the rotor that is the same shape as the tube. So can you make a rotor that conforms to a 1.5ml eppy? The G forces on the outside might be getting a bit much. Next idea: rather than a commercial dremel stand, you could perhaps design and make a holder yourself for a permanent centrifuge setup - put the dremel underneath with rotor above, drill a hole in the bottom of a big pot (pressure cooker?), put dremel shaft through hole and attach rotor, put lid on and you have a centrifuge that is probably safe. Add some sort of timer, off the shelf with 1 minute resolution or micocontroller based, that switches the power to the dremel. Actually a simple countdown timer could be used - attach the speaker wire to some sort of latching relay to switch it off when the time is up and it "beeps". You'd need to reset (turn on) the power after the timer is started since it'll beep on every keypress. Microwave oven timers apparently still work after being removed from the microwave - get one from a broken unit and it gives you a nice user interface with buttons etc. I can see applications of this idea for third world medical labs for spinning down blood and such things. You should take this idea further. Look at www.medicinemondiale.org - he makes and commercialises cheap medical equipment etc for the third world and might be interested in your idea or suggest someone who would be. Can you design a continous flow liquid rotor for spinning down large volumes of bacterial broths? What about one for 8-strips of PCR tubes? Benjamin That’s just too cool.
I believe that the maximum G ratings for eppendorf tubes depend on them being in a hole in the rotor that is the same shape as the tube. So can you make a rotor that conforms to a 1.5ml eppy? The G forces on the outside might be getting a bit much.
Next idea: rather than a commercial dremel stand, you could perhaps design and make a holder yourself for a permanent centrifuge setup – put the dremel underneath with rotor above, drill a hole in the bottom of a big pot (pressure cooker?), put dremel shaft through hole and attach rotor, put lid on and you have a centrifuge that is probably safe.
Add some sort of timer, off the shelf with 1 minute resolution or micocontroller based, that switches the power to the dremel. Actually a simple countdown timer could be used – attach the speaker wire to some sort of latching relay to switch it off when the time is up and it “beeps”. You’d need to reset (turn on) the power after the timer is started since it’ll beep on every keypress. Microwave oven timers apparently still work after being removed from the microwave – get one from a broken unit and it gives you a nice user interface with buttons etc.

I can see applications of this idea for third world medical labs for spinning down blood and such things. You should take this idea further. Look at http://www.medicinemondiale.org – he makes and commercialises cheap medical equipment etc for the third world and might be interested in your idea or suggest someone who would be.

Can you design a continous flow liquid rotor for spinning down large volumes of bacterial broths? What about one for 8-strips of PCR tubes?

Benjamin

]]> By: Cathal Garvey’s Microlathe - MakerBot Industries http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85&cpage=1#comment-686 Cathal Garvey’s Microlathe - MakerBot Industries Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:28:35 +0000 http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85#comment-686 [...] it and it’s his second brush with the power of high speed rotoational power tools after his Dremelfuge! I spent a day and a half designing the first draft of it in OpenSCAD, another evening printing the [...] [...] it and it’s his second brush with the power of high speed rotoational power tools after his Dremelfuge! I spent a day and a half designing the first draft of it in OpenSCAD, another evening printing the [...]

]]> By: Dremelfuge is a 3D printable centrifuge | Products & Tech News http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85&cpage=1#comment-642 Dremelfuge is a 3D printable centrifuge | Products & Tech News Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:20:48 +0000 http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85#comment-642 [...] Cork, Ireland, developed this 3D printable centrifuge attachment for a rotary tool, dubbing it the "Dremelfuge." What an awesome alternative to an expensive piece of lab equipment, congrats on paving the way [...] [...] Cork, Ireland, developed this 3D printable centrifuge attachment for a rotary tool, dubbing it the "Dremelfuge." What an awesome alternative to an expensive piece of lab equipment, congrats on paving the way [...]

]]> By: Brian http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85&cpage=1#comment-637 Brian Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:21:12 +0000 http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85#comment-637 Ok now I see it..... http://twitpic.com/vvmkv Ok now I see it….. http://twitpic.com/vvmkv

]]> By: Cathal http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85&cpage=1#comment-636 Cathal Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:47:41 +0000 http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85#comment-636 Well, there are vertical stands for Dremels that I'd consider an essential part of a real Dremelfuge setup. I don't have one yet, so I did my test spins holding it at first, then used a ridiculous setup involving masking tape and a cardboard box (safety??) to hold it for the rest of the ten-minute e.coli spin: http://twitpic.com/vvmkv I'll be getting/printing a Dremel stand ASAP for more stable continuous use. That, and a cheap metal cooking pot to spin it in. Well, there are vertical stands for Dremels that I’d consider an essential part of a real Dremelfuge setup. I don’t have one yet, so I did my test spins holding it at first, then used a ridiculous setup involving masking tape and a cardboard box (safety??) to hold it for the rest of the ten-minute e.coli spin: http://twitpic.com/vvmkv

I’ll be getting/printing a Dremel stand ASAP for more stable continuous use. That, and a cheap metal cooking pot to spin it in.

]]> By: Brian http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85&cpage=1#comment-635 Brian Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:40:33 +0000 http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=85#comment-635 Great work Cathal. It's just like getting a centrifuge for Christmas! Any further ideas on how to set it up for longer spins than a min? I assume you dont hold it all that time. Cheers Brian Great work Cathal.

It’s just like getting a centrifuge for Christmas!
Any further ideas on how to set it up for longer spins than a min? I assume you dont hold it all that time.

Cheers
Brian

]]>