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DrewNicholson · 07-13-2022, 06:36 PM

Aloha all,

I just happened on what might be an amazing amazon prime days lightning deal with a cricut machine package for way less than half price. The only reason I even knew what the thing was is that I believe I saw it referenced as the way to make new labels for a 34s. So I grabbed it assuming I could send it back if I have no use for it.

I expect it will be the old cricut maker since it comes in blue and apparently the new cricut maker 3 is one color only, and there are not many differences. After research, I see it's probably not a $300 discount since it's a discontinued product.

Anyway, if anyone has ideas for me to try this thing out in the 30 day return period, I'll be happy to figure it out. Please include a link to something that tells me what materials and resources I need to make whatever it is.

Labels for 34S
? I can't think of anything else offhand, but?

Mahalo

Steve Simpkin · 07-14-2022, 12:07 AM

Maybe also make keyboard labels to convert HP-12Cs to HP-15LEs?
https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-18491.html

mfleming · 07-14-2022, 11:14 AM

There are a number of crafting sites that have patterns for models you cut out and assemble. Quite an impressive variety including birds, planes, the Notre Dame cathedral, and iirc a three foot tall Saturn V. The fun of course is coloring all the pieces before assembly. Keeps little kids engrossed for hours.

DrewNicholson · 07-14-2022, 02:35 PM

(07-14-2022 12:07 AM)Steve Simpkin Wrote: Maybe also make keyboard labels to convert HP-12Cs to HP-15LEs?
https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-18491.html

That looks like fun! Is there a file with graphics for such labels somewhere that I missed?

Mahalo

Maximilian Hohmann · 07-14-2022, 05:10 PM

Hello!

(07-13-2022 06:36 PM)DrewNicholson Wrote: Anyway, if anyone has ideas for me to try this thing out in the 30 day return period, I'll be happy to figure it out. Please include a link to something that tells me what materials and resources I need to make whatever it is.

I take the liberty to hijack this thread because I recently won an eBay auction for a lasercutter/engraver (I paid much less than the worth of the parts, among them a Rasperry Pi, an Arduino, stepper motors, laser and laser goggles). it is more or less the same thing as this one with the difference that it uses a laser beam instead of a knife for cutting.

After some initial tests, all successful, I am now looking for calculator DIY and repair projects where I can employ this device. I already tried to label blank plastic keycaps which works nicely. As long as the keys are not dark colored. Cutting out keyboard overlays will probably work less well than with a knife cutter because the laser does not make perfectly clean cuts.

Regards
Max

DrewNicholson · 07-14-2022, 07:01 PM

(07-14-2022 05:10 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote: Hello!

I take the liberty to hijack this thread because I recently won an eBay auction for a lasercutter/engraver (I paid much less than the worth of the parts, among them a Rasperry Pi, an Arduino, stepper motors, laser and laser goggles). it is more or less the same thing as this one with the difference that it uses a laser beam instead of a knife for cutting.

After some initial tests, all successful, I am now looking for calculator DIY and repair projects where I can employ this device. I already tried to label blank plastic keycaps which works nicely. As long as the keys are not dark colored. Cutting out keyboard overlays will probably work less well than with a knife cutter because the laser does not make perfectly clean cuts.

Regards
Max

I think it would be awesome if we can all help each other out!

Another item I saw on amazon was a cnc router (basically a simple mill). As I get more kids and they get older, I fully intend to acquire toys like this for teaching them stuff. Admittedly, that's like 10 years away, and I love this as a way of doing community service projects for educational purposes!

Thanks for jumping in!

Mahalo

lmamakos · 07-21-2022, 04:24 AM

I've used a Cricut cutting machine for making keypad overlays for HP-39gs, HP-40gs and HP-50g calculators that have been reflashed with newRPL. It's most useful for the first two since the keyboard legends are quite different.

I have some blog posts at https://www.transsys.com/categories/newrpl/ and some posts elsewhere in this sub-forum on that effort. I found the Cricut machine fairly usable, though getting effective with the software tools to do a design was a bit of a learning experience.