Instead of being limited to only creating images on paper pulled through a sheet feeder, plotters can work on much larger canvases. And instead of costing thousands of dollars, the tiny Piccolo CNC-Bot can be yours for just $US70.
There is a considerable amount of assembly required to turn the included laser cut plastic pieces and electronics into a functioning, computer-controlled plotter. But it’s far less work than if you were to try and build one from scratch.
Because it’s made from flexible plastic instead of steel, it doesn’t appear to have the most steady drawing hand. And if you were hoping to sketch out something larger than a business card you’ll either need to keep repositioning the Piccolo, or just buy a whole bunch and have them toiling away at the same time.
How you actually get your hands on one is a bit of a mystery given the Piccolo’s website is a little lacking in details at the moment, but when you do you’ll be able to hack it do whatever you want since it’s powered by an Arduino and was created with that whole open source ethos in mind. [Piccolo via Make]