Customized laser 3D printed coasters are a thing now. Design your own with The Coaster Toasty to liven up your parties at home.
So New Year’s is coming up – who wants to serve drinks on normal, boring coasters?
For those DIY types that prefer something a bit more interesting, Bart Dring, designer of the 3D printed customized drinks coaster maker Coasty, has just updated his latest design.
Coasty version 1.2 is a small custom-made laser cutter you can use to impress your guests. In just a few seconds, you can print your own design onto your 3D printed coasters.
So, you’re probably wondering, why the update?
“I was not happy with the coaster homing switch used on the first version. While it never failed, it did not appear to be very robust and it caused some drag on the coaster. I changed to a IR LED and photodiode. When the light from the LED hits the photodiode, it conducts to the +5V. When the coaster blocks the light, it is pulled down to ground,” Dring explains.
OK, so maybe that sounds like something you personally wouldn’t need around the home. But you can still appreciate the tremendous detail that has gone into Coasty.
The hardware of the machine is largely 3D printed, apart from the motor, rod, and mechanical components. This lends it a more professional look, which would be difficult to achieve otherwise.
Coasty resembles a commercial product and uses a pulpboard coaster to cut the designs. Without opening up the machine, you can simply feed a coaster into the slot and the laser cuts your requested design.
Check out the video below to see a demo.
What are the new features of the new Coasty 1.2 version?
The Coasty Toaster is small and portable with a convenient new transparent window. Plus, you get some additional hardware features such as stepper drivers, a Bluetooth radio as well as laser power supply make for an even neater design.
Now, with the latest update, it includes a smaller traction roller, which moves the beam closer to the rubber contact points. This offers a range of advantages including enhanced resolution and torque.
Additionally, Dring has minimized the size of the chassis by 16mm and added a fan cover to the back of the design. So, this also enables you to add carbon filter cloth to the back to get rid of the odor originating from the printing process.
So if you’re a DIY enthusiast who wants to create unique coasters for serving your guests, Coasty could help you get ready for your New Year’s party in style.
Read more about the original model here.
Source: Buildlog.net and Hackaday
Website: LINK
