Category Archives: Tinkering

Make an LED light clock

Posted on June 3, 2014 by robertwilkie

This more caught my eye as a good arduino project.  The author made a clock that shows time based on lighting LED’s, the pic is not a good example, but the video on the site is. http://www.instructables.com/id/Charliexplexed-LED-Clock-Arduino/

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CPU Cooler hack

Posted on June 3, 2014 by robertwilkie

OK why am I posting this?  Well it caught my eye since the author is having the fans blow out the sides instead of blowing out the top.  Well one fan blows in and the other out.  Anyways it gave … Continue reading →

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Simple $3 Laser tripwire

Posted on June 3, 2014 by robertwilkie

OK maybe $4.  The author shows how to use a dollar store laser and a photo resistor and some resistors/caps with a speaker to make an alarm that goes off when the laser is interrupted.  Cool idea and easy to … Continue reading →

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Build a plotter from printer/scanner parts

Posted on June 3, 2014 by robertwilkie

Seen this a few times in the past, but not this clean looking.  The author basically used CNC to make a plotter.  I like the use of the pencil for drawing.  This would be a good kid project. http://www.instructables.com/id/cheap-nice-and-weird-A4-graph-plotter-25-some-scra/

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Bike Portable Speaker

Posted on June 3, 2014 by robertwilkie

Nice idea, basically putting a speaker on a PVC pipe that can fit on a bike waterbottle holder.  Lots of room in it for batteries and bluetooth module. http://www.instructables.com/id/Bike-Bluetooth-Speaker/

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My CNC rebuild, Part 4

Posted on June 3, 2014 by robertwilkie

Learned another important lesson.  Always make a copy of the documentation of your motor controller (noted below).  Apparently in my move some of the jumpers for micro-stepping must have fallen out.  So what I thought I was using wasn’t right. … Continue reading →

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Rebuilding my CNC, part 3

Posted on June 2, 2014 by robertwilkie

I always liked the old Machine Shop equipment that had metal plates that spelled out the motor type, threads per inch, etc etc. Now I know why.  I lost my paperwork on my motors and thread count (home depot cheap … Continue reading →

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Convert old chargers into USB ones

Posted on May 29, 2014 by robertwilkie

Nice write-up on how to take some old cell chargers (assuming they are 5volt and over .5A) and convert them to USB based ones.  If you have a bunch of old USB cables and chargers, this is a worth while … Continue reading →

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Cool water wheel to get garbage out of water

Posted on May 29, 2014 by robertwilkie

Nice project, basically the wheel turns a bit belt that pulls the garbage that is herded towards the belt.  That is then deposited into a dumpster.  Nice idea that is self sufficient. http://gizmodo.com/baltimores-solar-wheel-pulls-in-25-tons-of-harbor-garba-1578474782

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A concrete printer!

Posted on May 29, 2014 by robertwilkie

This is cool looking, a giant 3D printer that uses concrete.  Looks like the original author plans to sell the device in a few months.  I understand all the basics of the machine but…how to get the concrete to hold … Continue reading →

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