^what are you making?

12/12/2017 8:58:51 AM

Basically a toy for my kids.

I made a railroad signal light as part of a Halloween costume. I wanted to make it blink correctly. So, I got a relay and NE555 breakout and got that all working but I was unhappy with any of the lights I could find. Just about everything wants to run on 12 volts and I'm trying to run things off 5 volts. Since it's so dirt cheap, I designed an array of 14 10mm LEDs that fits on a 2 inch circle in KiCad and I'm having 10 of the boards made. 13 bucks shipped. Amazing. I'm going to spend more than that on LEDs and resistors.

12/12/2017 1:55:17 PM

very cool

working on a cart for my mig welder: https://photos.app.goo.gl/d4ATaNh5TXtCSneg1

[Edited on December 12, 2017 at 7:14 PM. Reason : adsf]

12/12/2017 7:12:42 PM

12/13/2017 12:11:21 PM

Didn't have grass in the back yard at the new house yet so my dad and I decided to go ahead and install drainage for the gutters on the back and the HVAC drips. We also buried a water line and electrical for future use.












[Edited on December 21, 2017 at 3:18 PM. Reason : size]

12/21/2017 3:16:26 PM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HvWn4sKUAJG3QdyB3
https://photos.app.goo.gl/oXjHJzoxd50UqOcK2

made a drawer for the welder cart

[Edited on December 21, 2017 at 7:26 PM. Reason : gonna add an aluminum treadplate drawer front and some cord hangers]

12/21/2017 7:25:12 PM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MPGFFpjkEP1DEzfC3

ready for paint

12/22/2017 6:40:11 PM

PCBs came!

1/10/2018 7:08:22 PM

i'mma park my set of mitutoyo mics in my next project picture

looks cool. show us the stoplight.

1/10/2018 8:22:18 PM

I'm now trying to work out how to get everything wired and mounted so it's not a fucking rats nest.

I've got power coming from USB. I've got a NE555 square wave breakout board. I've got a relay board. I need to work in a boost converter because I need a tad more than 5 volts to get the relay to cycle properly. The temptation to just hot glue the whole mess together is high.

Anyone have any advice or see good examples on how to neatly marry a bunch of breakout boards into a cohesive package?

1/11/2018 5:30:16 PM

Bobby Light turned my grandaddy's/daddy's hammer handle into two ink pens. going to give one to my sister. he did an awesome job.

1/13/2018 9:00:26 PM

Beautiful!

1/15/2018 7:53:04 PM

NeuseRvrRat I've been mentally designing some type of grate/press for the tupperware container I use to sous vide, something that will clamp to the side of the container and have a grate that can be raised and lowered that is the size of the container to a)keep things that might have some air left in them submerged, and b) serve as a drying rack/drip rack that can sit over the water and let bags air dry with the water dripping back into the container. The only problem is I can't weld and wood won't work for this. Would you have any interest in being commissioned to build something like that for me?

[Edited on January 15, 2018 at 10:09 PM. Reason : Or anybody else that can fabricate. Would need to be stainless I'm assuming]

1/15/2018 10:08:23 PM

I could give it a shot. Need a drawing or something.

Aluminum may also be an option.

1/16/2018 7:02:35 AM

Let me see what I can come up with on paper.

1/16/2018 8:08:58 AM

^x11

good job with the drainage! I did a similar project 2 years ago and couldn't be happier with the results!

1/20/2018 11:16:59 PM

1/21/2018 2:00:04 PM

is that the sound it makes on its own or did you add a speaker? seemed pretty loud for just turning LEDs on and off.

[Edited on January 21, 2018 at 3:43 PM. Reason : very cool. looks like the boy likes it.]

1/21/2018 3:43:24 PM

I used a relay specifically to get the tick tock sound. I told my boys that any bell sounds were up to them.

1/22/2018 12:54:23 PM

Nice touch

1/22/2018 1:20:29 PM

I need a new electronics project. I was thinking of making a programmable voltage reference. However, other than the things I'd learn making it and maybe use as a multimeter testing tool, the utility is limited.

Anyone have any inspiration for a useful/interesting electronics project... preferably something a n00b could do?

I suppose I could start building some weather observing instruments. Building a radiosonde would be cool but RF stuff is black magic.

1/22/2018 5:03:33 PM

Heatermeter if you're into grilling/smoking

1/22/2018 6:10:33 PM

Tempting. I was thinking of building a reflow oven which is more or less the same project. At the same time, PID temperature modules are super cheap.

1/23/2018 6:21:49 PM

I think I'm going to open up a wall going to the kitchen. Hopefully it's relatively painless...

1/24/2018 3:50:01 PM

I decided to build a free standing shelf for a nook in my garage. I'll post a picture when I'm done. But I took a fucking chunk out of my thumb with a rasp.

6/11/2018 1:34:46 PM

I added some overhead storage racks in my garage. Holy shit, the Franklin M90 is a fantastic stud finder!

1/24/2019 1:34:21 AM

I have a stud finder like that. I really like it.

1/24/2019 4:27:04 PM

I took my old lunchbox cooler: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UwyVZaPobunskWQ98

and cut it up: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jyRL7C1TiJiM62QS7

and combined it with some scraps and odds and ends to make this stem/feed bag: https://photos.app.goo.gl/T4rQJqZd5MWwWzgK7

for my bike: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qFnjLyauvE8LQFnk9

7/19/2019 2:33:13 PM

11/8/2019 6:19:47 PM

nice knobs bro.

11/11/2019 6:51:22 AM

^^that's a workhorse of a washing machine. had one for a long time.

11/11/2019 11:50:39 AM

It is indeed. The transmission on the associated washer finally died earlier this year.

11/12/2019 11:29:31 PM

Anyone make anything cool in their bunkers?

3/25/2020 11:03:05 AM

We moved back in February and I am completely re-doing the wiring in the detached garage at the new place. It's a 24'x30' and only had 2 outlets. Why folks build workshop and then cheap out on the wiring is beyond me, but anyway.

Old feed was a 60 amp from the main panel under the meter base to a subpanel in the shop. They only pulled 3 conductors and it was in steel conduit only about 4" deep. It was safe enough, but definitely not to code. I ripped all that out and dug a 24" trench. Mounted a new panel in the shop. Waiting on my service entrance cable arrive now. New feed will be 2-2-2-4 aluminum direct burial cable. The shop will have two 50A 220V circuits each with two range plugs for welding machines, air compressor, and future options. I'm going to put in a pile of outlets on two 20A ckts and all new LED lights.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oQfJsEsW5HhSzr4Q9

4/11/2020 5:23:28 PM

got to thinking about the feeder some more and decided that since the run is so short and it would only take another $20 in conduit, i would skip the direct burial, bury PVC all the way, and pull 3 separate wires and a ground. makes sense in case something ever goes wrong with the feed and i think direct burial is always good to avoid when possible. ended up ordering 1 AWG aluminum and 6 AWG solid bare copper and it only cost a little more than the URD quadriplex i was gonna use, which technically isn't supposed to enter a structure anyway, even though this only enters the shop about 4" to the subpanel, which is on an exterior wall. the stuff i'm using now is triple-listed as USE-2/RHH/RHW-2, which is good to go into the structure.

4/15/2020 6:33:18 AM

Got the wire pulled to the subpanel, the lights hung and wired with 3 way switches, and one wall's worth of outlets installed and wired up. Got about 11 more 120V outlets and the four 220V outlets to put in.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UZ1MDhBb9VvFgkD7A

Also got a dumpster and filled it up with crappy cabinets and shelves out of the shop and other general junk left by the previous owner.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vp483oXfxKHdJAT17

Also moved the garage door opener to the center. I have no idea why, but they had it mounted to one side and it was really putting the door in a bind. It's super smooth now. Worked better with my light layout, too.

[Edited on April 26, 2020 at 8:18 PM. Reason : j]

4/26/2020 8:11:16 PM

God help me. I'm going to pull network cable weekend after next.

Going to pull that sweet, sweet Belden Cat6a.

4/30/2020 3:18:07 PM

Wife and I refinished this cool retro metal table thing

https://photos.app.goo.gl/a2seVwi29rP5Ksbv7

5/5/2020 5:07:49 PM

How does that new paint finish look in person? It looks like it lacks some luster or smoothness the original had, but it just might be the lighting.

5/6/2020 11:18:11 AM

So has anyone ever tinted the windows in their house? We have a south-facing room with windows on three walls so it gets really warm in there in the summer. Last summer was our first summer in the house and the electric bill was a little higher than desired because that room stayed so warm. I want to put tinting on the windows to help keep the heat out.

Once I get around the actually repainting and decorating the room I'm going to add some blackout curtains to help as well.

Anyway, anyone have any recommendations on a type of tint to use?

5/6/2020 2:11:38 PM

I know there's a reflective film you can put on windows but I don't have first hand experience.

5/6/2020 4:59:15 PM

^^^it's a regular spray can satin finish. maybe it's the shitty lighting, but it came out like we wanted. looks better in person i guess.

^^that's a double-edged sword as those south-facing windows also help to warm the house in the winter. i would just do blinds, personally.

[Edited on May 6, 2020 at 8:36 PM. Reason : adfs]

5/6/2020 8:33:51 PM

front of my house faces south, so I tinted the front 9 windows and our master bath (which faces west and I was tired of having the sun in my eyes if I had to drop a deuce after work). Noticeable difference. I also replaced the weather stripping on all the windows. Both jobs only took a few hours. I used the stuff from Lowes (window lizard or something like that google tells me it is gila tint).

If you do decide to do the tinting, drench the window with the water solution (I think they give you instructions on how to make it with baby shampoo and water). The stuff is not hard to apply and is easily removed if you hate it. I used a straight edge to cut the film so it stayed nice and even. It is easy to clean as well, kids have drawed on it with crayon and put stickers all over it, still looks great.

[Edited on May 6, 2020 at 11:51 PM. Reason : ]

5/6/2020 11:48:41 PM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iFmVR3EmFAZD2htx5

My uncle got the wood finished up on the coffee table and turntable/record stand I made. I just need to figure out stain/finish.

5/11/2020 7:10:07 AM

Looks like it came out of Jimmy Diresta's shop.

5/11/2020 11:56:24 AM

I guess that's a good thing. He makes some cool stuff. I'm excited to pick them up, get them finished, and get them in my living room. I think they're gonna look sweet.

5/11/2020 8:39:49 PM

Does upgrading the home network count?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/3YPfQ9NwCZERBAXC6

5/24/2020 12:45:25 AM

So, last summer I removed the popcorn ceiling from the master bedroom. My goal is to remove it from the whole house, but removing it from the bedroom was an awful experience.

Today I finally rehung the ceiling fan.

But, after all the rain last week, we got a leak in our roof. Which caused a stain in the ceiling in our living room. Waiting for the insurance adjuster to come and check it out. It would be amazing if insurance would pay to have the popcorn ceiling removed in the living room, but I doubt that will happen. However, I will not just patch up or put up a new popcorn ceiling. So, it looks like I will have another popcorn ceiling removal torture planned for this summer.

5/26/2020 6:07:10 PM

Quote :

"So, it looks like I will have another popcorn ceiling removal torture planned for this summer."

Maybe you can wear one of those hospital gowns or coveralls or something like that

5/27/2020 2:03:54 PM

finished product on the coffee table and turntable stand

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SP3uLDoKSsdnj1bk9

super happy with the end result and, more importantly, my wife loves them

6/7/2020 10:16:41 AM