Hi everyone,
My name is Ali, and I am part of the Replicator Team at the University of Washington. We are currently working on replicating the Mothbox DIY open hardware project and documenting our experience so it can be useful for other builders. The Mothbox DIY build process is already documented clearly in the link below. My goal here is to review the documentation from a replicator’s perspective and identify any areas that could be clarified or improved.
Main Mothbox DIY build documentation:
https://digital-naturalism-laboratories.github.io/Mothbox/docs/building/mothbox_diy
Cut parts page:
https://digital-naturalism-laboratories.github.io/Mothbox/docs/building/mothbox_diy/cutparts/
While going through the build process, we noticed a few places where additional details could make the documentation easier to follow, especially for new replicators or people who may not be familiar with laser cutting, GitHub, or some of the materials used in the build.
General documentation clarity
On the cut parts page, it looks like one of the images is missing. Since this section is important for understanding the laser-cut components, restoring or replacing the image would make the instructions much easier to follow.
Another area that could use clarification is the mention of “felt.” A close-up image, along with a short explanation of its purpose and possible substitute materials, would be very helpful. There is currently a picture, but we were still unsure how the felt helps or how it should be installed.
Laser-cut parts and materials
The laser-cut parts were one of the more difficult parts of the build for us to interpret. A labeled photo showing all cut parts laid out together would make a big difference. It would be especially helpful if the photo included the name of each part, how many of each are needed, and which pieces should be cut from clear acrylic versus dark or opaque acrylic.
For example, we understood from the documentation that the legs need to be clear, but it was not immediately obvious which pieces were the legs. Having a labeled image would help future builders avoid confusion.
It would also be helpful to include dimensions for the different laser-cut parts. After cutting the legs, we were not sure whether the size was correct (see the picture below). Because no dimensions were listed, we had to spend extra time checking and guessing. Including basic dimensions would allow builders to confirm that the files were scaled correctly and that the cut parts came out accurately.
We also had some trouble with the acrylic sheet we used, which did not cut very well. More specific recommendations for acrylic type, thickness, and whether cast or extruded acrylic is preferred would help reduce failed cuts and wasted material.
GitHub files and laser cutter compatibility
When we clicked the GitHub link, we found the files for the parts that need to be laser cut, but there seemed to be two versions. It would be helpful to explain the difference between these versions and clarify which one should be used for a standard build, or whether either version is acceptable.
The available LightBurn file may work well for many laser cutters, but our lab uses a Trotec laser cutter with JobControl software. JobControl cannot directly open .lbrn2 files, which are native to LightBurn. For JobControl, the design would need to be exported from LightBurn as PDF, DXF, or SVG. Including these additional file formats in the documentation would make the project more accessible for people using different laser cutter software.
Also, for builders who are not familiar with GitHub, downloading the files may not be obvious. A short note explaining how to download the full repository as a ZIP file, or how to download the needed cut files, would be useful for beginners.
Ordering electronics
One additional note for future builders: we ordered the Raspberry Pi-related component about a month ago and still have not received it. Based on our experience, I recommend ordering the Raspberry Pi and related electronics as early as possible, since shipping or availability delays can slow down the build.
Overall, the Mothbox is a very interesting project, and we are excited to continue working on it. These suggestions are based on our replication experience so far, and I hope they help make the build process smoother and more accessible for future replicators. Stay tuned — more updates are coming as we continue the build.
