Revolution - Bike Stamp

"Revolution" turns your bike wheel into a rolling stamp. The stamps are 3D printed letters to clip on your wheel with a cable tie. Push the inking roll against the wheel to ink the letters and leave your message on the pavement. You can easily customize and 3D print all the parts you need in the closest Fablab.

"Revolution" is part of streettoolbox.com, a collaborative platform for activists exploring new ways of public expression. You can find more information about the project on http://streettoolbox.wikia.com/wiki/Revolution

Step 1: What You Need

Pretty much everything you'll need will be 3D printed. The materials they usually use (PLA and ABS) are a bit too hard for the ink to really work for stamping. The good news is the guys from Fenner Drives have created a softer 3D printable material they call NinjaFlex. This PU-based material will transfer ink much better.

So you need:

- a 3D printer (I used an Atom)

- some NinjaFlex for the stamps (I bought it here)

- some regular ABS or PLA for the inking system (I bought it here)

- 2 long M5 bolts longer than 50mm and 2 nuts

- 1 regular inking pad (bought mine at Rymans)

- plenty of cable ties (bought at Maplin)

- a nice bike

- a good message

Of course you can have a look at the closest Fablab around you to order your prints from them. The stamps take minutes to print so it should be super cheap.

Step 2: Printing the Inking System

Go on Thingiverse on this page: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:367674

Download the 4 files and print them with PLA or ABS.

Then cut a 3mm wide strip on the ink pad and wedge it inside the roller.

You can then assemble the different parts together, and mount them on your bike using two cable ties.

Step 3: Print the Stamps

The link for the customizable stamps can be found here.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:356902

First you will need to register on Thingiverse.

Then click the "Open in Customizer" button at the right hand side.

Enter the letter, number or sign you want in the text box.

Click "Create Thing" button at the lower right corner. Click "Create Thing" button in the message box again.

Download the stl. file in "My Thing" of your Thingiverse account.

You can then print you stamps with the Ninjaflex material. I found that a max speed of 40mm/min was giving the best results with this material.

Now it's time to mount them on you wheel with some cable ties.

The current design works on disk brakes and fixed geared bikes. We're currently developing solutions for caliper braking. Or you know, don't use the back brake, only the front one...

Step 4: Put Your Message Everywhere

Now get on the street and ink that pavement with some good messages.

The black ink of the standard ink pad works like a charm on grey concrete sidewalks, but I'm sure you creative people will find mods to use plenty of colors, glow in the dark paints, glue, invisible inks and more.

Share what you've created on the streettoolbox platform, it's here for that, and have a look for the other public expression tools we have on stock.

"Empty walls, silenced people"

Comments

[MicioGatta]

Wonderful idea! It could be done with shoes in some way.

[O9Tacoma4x4]

Rig one of these up to a trailer hitch and guerilla market the highway. Use the tailgater windshield washer spray instructable then angle the nozzle toward the rubber roller with letters. This would be perfect for Citys with revenue enhancement devices such as camera vans catching speeders or red light cameras catching people trying to get to work on time. Print a message warnign of upcoming camera onto road, then enable it a couple hundred feet before said camera.

[LynxSys]

You might be able to use a very similar design on a bike with a rear caliper brake if you tied it on with something flatter and more compressible than cable ties (ribbon or flat shoelaces, perhaps) and tied it around the tire and the tube but not the rim. Of course, that would necessitate removing your tire from the rim in order to change your message.

An unrelated question: have you had any issues with excess ink being flung off of the tire or the roller? (Have you checked the back of your pants for a very permanent "skunk stripe" recently?)

[Tater Zoid]

What a great idea.

[dsloughter]

"Empty walls, silenced people?"

NO! "Empty walls? More likely a safe area to live!"

[Fishyfish123]

Cool! But wouldn't this be graffiti?

[chrwei]

if you use a water soluabl ink it wouldn't be any worse than sildewalk chalk.

[mmaatkamp]

'Use only the front brakes'?? That doesn't seem wise! Better invent a front-wheel based solution for the inking system!

[chrwei]

also imagine that with the stamp pads thumping with every revolution that you won't want to go very fast anyway.

[chrwei]

hard braking is almost entirely front brake anyway since with just the rear wheel makes for a lockup and long stopping distance.

[mjackson-1]

I see two options here:

1- disc brakes so you don't have to worry about it

2- mount the roller to your fork and make sure there's nothing it will hit since it will have to turn with the fork.

[gravityisweak]

To those people who are calling this graffiti, this ink is the same that they stamp on your hand to enter a museum or club. It comes off with spit and a quick rub. Nothing to be concerned about. That said, I think some UV ink and a secret scavenger hunt would be SWEET!

[MidnightMaker]

This is a clever idea but personally I don't want to see my sidewalks defaced. I'm sure there are people out there right now figuring out all manner of offensive things to "print" as well!

[Tainttap]

I say make all criminals use these during robberies. ?

[horwz]

süpermiş lan.

[Danger is my middle name]

This is so cool! I was watching the video and wondering how you put the ink on stamps and then I saw the roller! It's brilliant!