Found something really cool that will make constructing stuff much easier.

[galannthegreat]

I was checking Solarbotics' site recently and I happened upon this: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/701662757/makerbeam-an-open-source-building-kit. It is an open source construction system that can be adapted to almost anything you can imagine.

From my understanding they will be releasing it soon, but if you pledge them a bit (8 dollars or more) they will send you a production run (alpha model).

Looks really cool, and hopefully it will be availiable for purchase through Solarbotics because I am really looking forward to this.

[SmAsH]

Thought i would post this:

Pledge $1 or more
Exclusive early-download access to the Mini-T standard in progress, sneak peaks behind the scenes, and more!

Pledge $8 or more
Your own 10 cm piece of the original MakerBeam production run!

Pledge $32 or more
Gold-tone anodized 10 cm piece of MakerBeam, laser etched with serial number! PLUS: Signed certificate of authenticity, framed in MakerBeam! Thanked as "Contributor" in standard.

Pledge $128 or more
All $32 perks plus a Beta kit of 50 beams of varying lengths and Beta connector kit! (est. delivery date: February 2010). Thanked as "Beta Tester" in open standard credits.

Pledge $256 or more
Receive special Alpha kit by Christmas! 50 lengths of MakerBeam, Alpha prototype connector kit, PLUS special 3-d printed prototype of our plastic connectors! Thanked as "Alpha Tester" in open standard credits.

Pledge $1,024 or more
Institutional Level: receive at LEAST 50 meters of MakerBeam, plus connectors, during beta release, AND Alpha kit in December. Why not have your spring semester 2010 class join us in beta testing? Thanked as "Institutional Sponsor" in open standard credits. Bigger pledges get you more beam and connectors, and more. Contact us!

So, you don't really get much for a few bucks... Any idea how much the finished project will cost?

[galannthegreat]

Well hopefully not too much, because it doesn't look to hard to make (it is open source).

[MangoBot]

seems like it will be expensive and could be replaced with something cheaper like k'nex, legos, or erector sets.

[galannthegreat]

I found some interesting info about it.

Q and A with the creators of the MakerBeam:
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/makerbeam

What it is:
http://www.8020.net/T-Slot-2.asp

So, it's open to not just buying their product, but by using T-slots is an excellent way to build so really cool stuff!

Many distributors sell them, but you do pay for what you get (it isn't too expensive).

I just posted this to show people something that I found really cool and hope to implement the use of myself.

[ArcMan]

Maybe I'm just nay-saying here, but I think plastic beams are a poor choice when you can use aluminum beams.  Stronger and lighter.
Plastic has it's place, but not as a structural member.

[Ro-Bot-X]

ER1 kit has those T slot aluminum beams (not the scaled down ones). The beams are of course strong and not too heavy, but the plastic connectors are crap. Over the years I had to assemble/disassemble the kit several times and every time I have to reinforce it somehow because the plastic connectors don't hold anymore. I hope this company will come up with a better plastic connectors, otherwise it's worthless.

[galannthegreat]

I called up a local distributor of the 80/20 stuff I asked about that, they said they have the plastic ones but also get requests for metal ones because of the use within the industry, so hopefully they will have some sort of metal connectors available.