Dune Weaver: open-source kinetic sand table
A steel ball pulled by two steppers draws patterns in sand, controlled by a DLC32 board running FluidNC, with a touch-friendly web app.
Photos
Photos: tuanchris
Key Facts
- Controller: MKS DLC32 (ESP32) running FluidNC
- Motion: 2 x NEMA 17, polar (theta/rho) patterns
- Software: PWA web app, playlists, WLED sync, MQTT
- Builds: free printable OG/Mini, or IKEA-based Pro models
About This Project
Dune Weaver is an open-source kinetic sand art table: a magnet under the sand drags a ball around in polar coordinates to draw patterns. The mechanics use two NEMA 17 steppers and a DLC32 controller running FluidNC, and the premium builds are sized around IKEA furniture (a VITTSJÖ table, BLANDA bowl or TORSJÖ side table). The software brings a responsive web app that installs as a PWA, a library of hundreds of patterns with previews and live progress, playlists with automatic clearing, quiet-hours scheduling, multi-table control, and LED sync through its own LEDs or WLED. Home Assistant connects over MQTT. Current tables run the whole thing on the DLC32's own firmware over Wi-Fi; the free 3D-printable OG and Mini builds on MakerWorld still use a Raspberry Pi backend that drives the DLC32 over USB.
Source & Attribution
Bill of Materials
Parts list
4 parts · 3 linked
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1× Table or bowl (IKEA-based models) or printed frame
Not included: 3D-printed case, wire, solder, USB cable
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