Category Archives: Tinkering

Making a simple contact switch with a clothespin and wire

Posted on December 9, 2014 by robertwilkie

Nice simple idea for a switch, could make a good kill switch too with a piece of paper between the pins.  Pull the paper out and switch is on. http://www.instructables.com/id/simple-normally-closed-switch/

Posted in Cheap, sensors | Comments Off on Making a simple contact switch with a clothespin and wire

Google Cloud now allows you to handle credit cards

Posted on December 5, 2014 by robertwilkie

So you want to handle credit cards thru your web service, well apparently if you are using Google Cloud, they will do it for you.  I wonder if AWS will have something like this rolling out soon…. http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/02/developers-can-now-use-googles-cloud-platform-to-handle-credit-card-information/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29

Posted in Cloud | Comments Off on Google Cloud now allows you to handle credit cards

Backpack CNC for making your own Mark

Posted on December 5, 2014 by robertwilkie

  I got a kick out of this CNC, its a backpack where the author can take it along somewhere to stencil in something out in the world.  What ever happened to just using a knife or spraypaint to tag … Continue reading →

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Simple C program to make boxes for CNC

Posted on December 5, 2014 by robertwilkie

When I first saw this I was WTF, C… But I took a closer look and its pretty clever, looks like it can only be used with laser cutters for now, but maybe adaptable to drill based. http://hackaday.com/2014/12/04/generating-laser-cut-boxes-in-c/ http://hamsterworks.co.nz/mediawiki/index.php/Svg_box

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Cutting glass with a CNC

Posted on December 5, 2014 by robertwilkie

I never thought about using a CNC to cut glass.  Its a cool idea but I would have to include water in with my CNC to help cool and keep the particles down…Not so sure about how much of a … Continue reading →

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A Java Cheat Sheet

Posted on November 24, 2014 by robertwilkie

Nice cheat sheet for Java. http://introcs.cs.princeton.edu/java/11cheatsheet/

Posted in Software Development | Comments Off on A Java Cheat Sheet

The highest paying programming jobs

Posted on November 24, 2014 by robertwilkie

Interesting to see that C++ and C are still pretty high in the stack.  I was surpised by Ruby being the top spot. http://lifehacker.com/these-are-the-highest-paying-programming-skills-to-have-1661389920

Posted in Software Development | Comments Off on The highest paying programming jobs

Build your own Stepper Motor driver

Posted on November 24, 2014 by robertwilkie

Interesting build, If I total it all up…I could still by a driver cheaper  :).  But could be a good learning experience. http://www.instructables.com/id/CDDVD-Bipolar-Motor-Driver-Wo-Microcontroller/

Posted in Cheap, CNC/3D-printing, robots, Teaching and Learning | Comments Off on Build your own Stepper Motor driver

PoisonPi, another way to attack a network

Posted on November 21, 2014 by robertwilkie

Interesting project, basically the author build a Raspberry Pi and loaded a bunch of attack tools on it. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/03/mail_this_hacker_board_to_attack_wifi_networks_across_the_globe

Posted in Cheap, RaspberryPi, Security | Comments Off on PoisonPi, another way to attack a network

Add Airprint to your RPi Print Server

Posted on November 21, 2014 by robertwilkie

Nice write-up on adding airprint for Apple products to your printer with the Raspberry Pi being the print server.  This could be a good way to use the cheaper RPi too (since it would all be wireless). http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/add-airprint-support-raspberry-pi-print-server/

Posted in Cheap, Misc-Life, RaspberryPi | Comments Off on Add Airprint to your RPi Print Server