Posts by Lester Haines

RockBlock's in reserve for the emergency cut-down, so it didn't fly this time.

Re: Re: Reprogramming

Unless I'm mistaken, he's also the guy who dissed our PARIS paper plane. Now, apparently, we've gone a bunch of hapless amateurs to threatening western democracy. Quite a result.

Re: Re: Reprogramming

It is not stand-off missile, because a) it lacks the onboard electronics to fire its own motor and b) it doesn't have a warhead.

It's actually a rocket-powered glider which happens to launch at altitude, rather than from the ground.

What have the MoD got to do with it?

Re: Re: Product Placement

We're working on something else for the Vulture 2. Watch this space...

Well, we can pack 'em in foam anyway - it's porous enough to allow the camera to "breathe".

Re: Batteries

Yes, we've heard various reports of battery issues. Probably the cold in our case, though.

Re: I wonder

By our reckoning, 11 - plus your good self, of course. Good luck.

Re: According to my records...

That's absolutely uncanny. You appear to have laid your hands on our Friday Bootnotes list for the next four weeks.

Re: Re: I dun geddit

You can't have a sealed cell - there must be an aperture to the outside in any void. The parts are cleaned off with a high-pressure mix of the nylon powder and air. Then you just have to hoover the last bits of nylon powder out, rub down with a cloth and you're good to go.

Re: Re: I dun geddit

It's additive. The machine deposits a thin layer of powder. A laser passes over and burns solid the required surface, creating successive thin slices of the part, one on top of the other. After each burn, another thin layer of raw powder is deposited and the laser passes again. That process repeats hundreds and hundreds of times, to create the part. The unburned powder is what's left around the part at the end. The advantage of the unused powder is that it supports the part during printing.

It'd certainly give Scarface something to get his nose round for a couple of days.

Re: I dun geddit

It's the latter. The process is shown in the video.

Re: Ons small problem.

Yes, just ons more epic fail from El Reg.

Re: magnetically drawn to trees

An interesting concept. Do you have a material in mind for this lodestick?

Re: Knowing what was inside the bear . . .

Very good. Dave?

Re: Re: Does it only have rudders?

Blimey - what a fantastic idea. We'll look into it immediately before we build the full-fat titanium version. While we're at it, we're going to print up a prototype commentard-slapping device, codename MODERATRIX. Backronym suggestions welcome.

Re: Re: Does it only have rudders?

Wait and see ;-)

Re: Re: Yes, but

It is a shame our man doesn't have a window, but we'd rather he didn't lose his canopy and his head in short order. Trompe-l'œil? Hmmm...

Re: Yes, but

The playmonaut will have to sit inside. In the time scale available, we couldn't resolve the issue of a cockpit canopy which wouldn't get ripped right off at launch. We do have possibility of resolving this issue with a redesigned nose upper section.

Re: Amazing!

Yes, I remember your input. It's been a long, strange journey indeed.

Re: A trans-national process, that's how the pros do it.....

In fact, that's exactly what's happening. The plane will be transported by air to Spain in bits, and there are components winging their way from the US to our shed, where our team of experts has the kettle in anticipation...

Re: Here's one we printed earlier...

Not very aerodynamic, to be sure, but it's a lovely colour.

Don't you worry, there's plenty of sheddery on this project.

Re: Length of the rod/tube

Fair comment, but another concern is that the Vulture 2 might hit the balloon. We're mulling the total length of the launch rod and will certainly do a balance test to see what's what.

Re: Just out of interest

Yes, we do have insurance - it's obligatory.

Re: like it

We have a rack of cameras available for LOHAN, so yes, multiple angles ahoy.

Re: How about...

We're working on it. Watch this space...

Re: Hard water!

Do us a favour then - stick 200 litres in the post.

Re: No point in starting this yet

Surely the ultimate dunking biscuit test should be done once we've established exactly what's the ultimate cuppa to dunk it in?