Vermont Rapid Prototyping

Providing rapid prototyping services to inventors and businesses.

DIY Heated Dual Towel Rack

DIY Heated Dual Towel Rack

My nearly-new house was mis-designed so that the master bathroom had no windows that would open.  In the summer, this makes it difficult for towels to dry, so I added a heated towel rack.  When my girlfriend moved in, and chose to use two towels at one time, I needed...
LED Lighting Projects

LED Lighting Projects

LED Lighting Projects I’ve been playing with LED lighting in the past six months, and finally bit the bullet, pulled the trigger, and purchased enough LEDs, micro-controllers, motor controllers, and power supplies to replace the under-cabinet lighting in my kitchen...
My Second Working Sterling Engine, A Gamma

My Second Working Sterling Engine, A Gamma

The Gamma configuration drives the displacer directly from a crank shaft.  Other than that, this engine is similar to the other two engines we’ve built (same basic structure, same displacer cylinder, same tower concepts, same fly wheels, same power pistons, same...
My First Working Sterling Engine, A Ringbom

My First Working Sterling Engine, A Ringbom

This is the first engine I build all my myself. It is based on the first engine we built, but with a new “tower” assembly. This tower is lighter, stronger, and serves as a kind of heat sink, to help cool the top of the engine. The fan blades are made out of “foam...
The pPod

The pPod

I’ve owned African Grey parrots for about 10 years. The first one I purchased as a chick, and I named her Karma. The second one I purchased as an adult, and he came with the slave name of Tiger Boy, or simply Tiger. Greys are intelligent and social animals, and they...
Magnetic Spin Toys

Magnetic Spin Toys

Magnetic Spin Toys I became interested in Magnetic Spin Toys after hearing Chris Danforth from the University of Vermont talk about chaotic systems.  His discussion and demonstration of the unpredictability of a double pendulum made me wonder what it would be like to...