The maintainers of the contraptor project have done some pretty neat demonstrations with an Arduino. I was particularly impressed with this X-Y plotter/drilling assembly: http://www.contraptor.org/fast-drilling-contraption
right now, making an x-y plotter tends to be an exercise in reinventing the wheel.
this is so utterly cool, it made my day...i love to see open source hardware projects! if makerbeam is successful as well it could really make OSH robotics come alive.
Thanks for the comments. You should be glad to know that on my flickr page I am in fact using one of your open source hardware projects with my contraptor stuff :) The motor shield. Check it..
I am one of the creators of Contraptor.org - Just do what my partner and I have been doing for the last 2 years. Just build it yourself :) The pay for contraptor path is for people who.
A. Do not have access to drill / drill press hack saw / cutt off saw.
B. Do not want to mess with it.
C. Do not have the time to do it.
With prices the way they are now we are breaking even. (If that) It costs money to fab stuff apparently :) Anyhow, thanks for the kind words.