PiPFS: Portable Pi Printer Console

WORK IN PROGRESS! Check back for updates! ✨

Connect to the Interplanetary File System (IPFS) and print documents on-the-go with this spaceworthy console! PiPFS will be at Monero/Blockchain Village, Defcon 2018 (and more?).

What is IPFS? It's a blockchain-based alternative internet, which shares files peer-to-peer, similar to a mesh network. You can get files from other people nearby, even when the actual Internet is down! Here's the official website. And here's an explainer video I did:

1. Set up IPFS on the Pi

Here's Claudio Bizzotto's tutorial for setting up an IPFS node on your Raspberry Pi!

2. Set up thermal printer

Here's my tutorial on setting up a Raspberry Pi to print files from the IPFS! (among other sources: text, images, etc.)

3. Design and print the custom LEGO bits

Before getting too deep into the software (which I can do from anyplace), I wanted to get the build solid. That meant printing some custom LEGO pieces: to hold the arcade buttons, the guitar strap (for portability), and the lasered acrylic front plate.

I used Tinkercad to update some standard LEGO brick models from Thingiverse, and printed them on our studio's LulzBot TAZ 6. I printed out the basic ones first, to make sure they fit well; my custom ones all worked on the first try! Practice makes magic!!

4. Build the enclosure

I had a blue 32x32 LEGO baseplate sitting around from a previous project, so I decided to use that as a base. (I'd been considering implanting everything into an official-looking briefcase, but my leather skills leave much to be desired...)

I called upon my childhood LEGO skills to build something that is robust, but can be dismantled easily for rework.