MicroTrac Completed

MicroTrac is the craziest power tool that I’ve seen. A powered unicycle? Mobile replacement wheel for LifeTrac, the open source tractor? Universal power source? It’s perhaps best to call it a walk-behind tractor. See the development from the drawing board by Jeremy:

hoselengths

to reality:

Click to play

Its parts, including the Power Cube, are interchangeable with LifeTrac. We can take the wheel off MicroTrac and put it on LifeTrac. We can take off the wheel motor from MicroTrac, and use it to power shop tools. The even more crazy universal machining center is forthcoming. We’re thinking it may be called MegaRep – the Mega version (8×8 feet) of the cubic RepRap structure – now for handling heavy machining of all sorts.

How much did MicroTrac cost? With design-for-disassembly, modular construction – it’s hard to tell. The Power Cube, wheel, quick-attach motor and cylinder are totally interchangeable with other devices. Does that mean that MicroTrac cost about $125 for the virgin steel, shaft, bearings, and bolts – which went into its basic frame, up to the two quick attach plates. Such ecological economics break norms of standard cost accounting.

With the CEB 2 power source now done, we’re moving on to the soil and slurry preparation equipment, and finally CEB 2.

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