How the pantorouter works
Why Hacker News recommends it
Cited as a favorite example of clever mechanical design and as a reference for CNC joinery devices.
What it is
Matthias Wandel shows how his pantorouter, a template router machine, works. The flexible machine cuts joints such as mortise and tenon and dovetails, and plans are available.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2014 to 2020.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec the_cat_kittles · 2014-12 · on “Jenga Pistol”
mattias' approach has really influenced how i think about software engineering. not entirely surprising considering he is also a software engineer. i think his youtube channel is really worth checking out. he has even invented several new, amazing tools, like the "pantorouter" for cutting perfect mortise and tennons (among other things) with a router. [this video] the way he solves, and even identifies, the problems in the woodworking domain are, i think, very instructive for how to think about some aspects of software design.
Cites bachbach · 2018-08 · on “I’m a very slow thinker (2016)”
I've always worried that it's worse than that. Even if there's plenty of deep thinkers (which is what slow thinking is in my opinion) - there should always be some people with good fortune and circumstances to push at the peripheral. I honestly do not see that today in Silicon Valley - I see a lot of useless bullshit and superficial replacements, there's only a handful of people out there keeping it together. However... poverty of Time is not likely to be the main constraint unless you live in the Middle Ages. Many intellectuals have taken jobs which enable them to kill two birds, merely being physically active and forced to be active by a job that requires it is a genuine cognitive advantag
Cites theothermkn · 2018-09 · on “MatchSticks: Portable CNC System for Automating Wood-Working Joinery”
The whole project smells of YouTube woodworking culture. That's not a bad thing! It's just that the device itself reads like a CNC Pantorouter ( [this video] ). They show a table-top workbench. ( [LINK] ) And, the final example is of "Korean Joinery" ( [LINK] ). None of this is damning. It just gave me a heck of a sense of deja vu as I watched. I almost expected stop-motion clamps to squeak by, a la Frank Howarth!
Cites lqet · 2019-05 · on “Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements (1908)”
This is so cool! [LINK] [LINK] This is basically how the pantarouter by Matthias Wandel [0] works: [LINK] Or take a look at this weird engine: [LINK] I am a bit nostalgic/sad about the fact that many young people who would've wanted to learn this craft a century ago are today choosing software engineering. [0] [this video]
Cites jodrellblank · 2020-12 · on “Exotic Programming Ideas”
> " If it's not too much to ask, can you better explain me your reasons? Is $500 a large amount of money for your budget? " BitCoin has no associations in my mind except distasteful scams, hustle and the seedier side of life. The feeling is that you're trying to convince me to buy into Amway or an MLM scheme or a holiday time share. It wouldn't just be "wasting $500" it would be "being scammed". Wasting $500 would be mildly annoying, being scammed while watching it happen and thinking "this is a scam" and still going along with it would be infuriating . I could spare it. If I lost it, the loss would not inconvenience me. But you are acting as if BitCoin is doing something new here - I can al