"Hacking" and "Modding"

[magicniner]

Is the term Engineering avoided because it's not involved, not known or not understood?
And no, I don't like illuminated fans, transparent side panels or furry dice!
;-)

- Nick

[JAZZCNC]

Is the term Engineering avoided because it's not involved, not known or not understood?
And no, I don't like illuminated fans, transparent side panels or furry dice!
;-)

- Nick

Not sure the point of this post.! Maybe your on the wrong forum.? . . . This is a forum for CNC and term engineered or engineering is used in just about every build and aspect of the build.

Give us a clue to what your on about.:topsy_turvy:

[magicniner]

Seeing this post -

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/milling-machine-builds-conversions/4566-interesting-mill-design-hackaday.html#post55711

I investigated and discovered that Hackaday is a site which promotes "Hacking" for some it's synonymous with "Engineering" - including CNC as in this case.
Perhaps we're all Hackers?

[magicniner]

Or not ;-)

[Ger21]

My vote is that while some of these "hackers" or "makers" are very good engineers, a lot of them are "hackers".

My favorite quote about these people:

The Maker Movement - Re-inventing the wheel - the hard way.

[Robin Hewitt]

I hacked and modded a CAMM-3 mill. It was quite beautiful but IMHO let down by it's crappy motor, crappy collets and crappy firmware.
-br
I changed all 3 and I would call the new firmware a hack and the new parts a mod :whistle:
-br
Then I added flood coolant which I would call bling :hysterical:

[EddyCurrent]

And I thought it was Dave that got magicniner going with this thread :whistle:

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/new-member-introductions/7226-yorkshire-based-modding-hacking-noob-says-hello.html#post55575

[JAZZCNC]

My favorite quote about these people:

The Maker Movement - Re-inventing the wheel - the hard way.

Life's too short to go around in circles re-inventing or Re-making anything, I prefer to do it right first time or not to bother.

[Sven]

Life's too short to go around in circles re-inventing or Re-making anything, I prefer to do it right first time or not to bother.

For that to work you have to know what "right" is.
If you are doing something new there is a lot of stuff going on where "right" is still to be determined.

I do a lot of development on manufacturing equipment that works on a smaller scale than the machines you can buy.
Sure, I can buy a lot of the parts off the shelf somewhere but that costs money and even worse, time.

That is why I hack towards a working system as quickly as I can with usually parts from just the workshop or local diy store.
All too often I found that doing it right the first time meant that I had to do it again anyway, because the underlying assumption did not work.

For me, hacking my way to a working result and then doing it again to improve what does not work is always quicker than doing everything right the first time....

[magicniner]

Engineers use an old technique often referred to as "Design Development".
Hacking sounds like blindly making your way in a jungle with a machete because your sat nav is broken and can no longer tell you the way, in this metaphor engineering is being properly equipped in the first place, climbing a hill and planning a route with a map & compass ;-)

- Nick

[EddyCurrent]

I agree with what magicniner just said, but I can also see why Sven said what he said. :topsy_turvy:

The method I use is to give it a good thinking about to identify the hardest part of the project, do a few experiments with bits I have laying about, R&D some ideas to find the best way forward, then engineer it properly to the best of budget and ability. By sorting the hardest part out first, I know for sure the rest will be possible.

[Sven]

I think hacking in this context is best explained as "Getting to your goal as quickly as possible, using what ever is readily available."

It is possibly meant as lifehacking, but then with tools:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_hacking

[JAZZCNC]

For that to work you have to know what "right" is.
If you are doing something new there is a lot of stuff going on where "right" is still to be determined.

I do a lot of development on manufacturing equipment that works on a smaller scale than the machines you can buy.
Sure, I can buy a lot of the parts off the shelf somewhere but that costs money and even worse, time.

That is why I hack towards a working system as quickly as I can with usually parts from just the workshop or local diy store.
All too often I found that doing it right the first time meant that I had to do it again anyway, because the underlying assumption did not work.

For me, hacking my way to a working result and then doing it again to improve what does not work is always quicker than doing everything right the first time....

Finding the "Right way" isn't difficult it just takes a little research. Unfortunately it seems in this fast moving world patience isn't a virtue many have and everything is wanted NOW.! . . . That includes Knowledge and thats where it goes Tits up.!

Hack is the Same as Bodge in my world!! . . . Bodge = Do it again.!!
Hack is something I do to Limp my car home when it's trying to die.!!
Hack is pointless when doing it right means only 5% extra effort.!!

[Lee Roberts]

Hack to me is, taking a bunch of "stuff" and hacking it to work with, along side and each other when neither where originally designed to do so, engineering or reverse engineering I believe it's called.

0nce the engineering is done, you then design the bespoke parts and ultimately the new final product.

But hey!, what do I know!, I build cnc machines out of wood! [emoji8]

.Me

[Clive S]

But hey!, what do I know!, I build cnc machines out of wood! http://s3.amazonaws.com/tapatalk-emoji/emoji8.png So you have built more than one out of wood :rolleyes: :friendly_wink: ..Clive

[Lee Roberts]

Two, that's "2" a week for the last 10 (ten) thousand (1000) years.

So yes just a few :) lol xx

.Me