Clik here to view.
Bathroom scale v1.2
I’ve been using the XBee-enabled bathroom scale for almost a year now, and it works a treat. Every morning, I hop on, the weight goes to the computer, and the computer dumps the weight reading into a...
View ArticleSuper PID first light
All’s well that ends well. I had a long day out in the shop today, and it was filled with a lot of trials. First, I spent a little time working on the foot for the NJP mount. I’m kind of working a lot...
View ArticleThinking about PCB creation
So far, I’ve been able to successfully avoid making my own printed circuit boards (PCBs) for all the electronics projects I’ve done. Between Protoboards (letting someone else do the etching), perfboard...
View ArticleClik here to view.
PCB Fabrication – been there, done that.
Well, I did it. My first PCB. I decided to tackle something simple for my first attempt at etching a circuit board. I wanted something with a low parts count, and that was easy to test. I decided on a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
PCB Fabrication – Getting the hang of it
With my first PCB under my belt, I was ready to etch a board for something I really need. I took the lessons learned last week, and was able to produce a really nice result this time. I left the etch...
View ArticleClik here to view.
CNC – At last!
The CNC machine is functional. I had been on a bit of a mission lately, to get the machine up and running. Among things that needed to be fixed, replaced, or installed: – The router bearings were going...
View ArticlePCB Fabrication – OK, I over-reached
I decided to tackle my first circuit that includes an IC. I picked an old standby, the Myke Predko 2-wire LCD backpack, where he uses a Hex Buffer (74LS174), wires it as a shift register, and then uses...
View ArticlePCB Fab – Breadboard first!
After failing to get the 74LS174 board working, I decided to go with the flow and build a 74HC595-based LCD driver board instead. There are plenty of examples online, from Adafruit to Steve Hobley to...
View ArticleBreadboard works
With my initial hubris about circuit construction dulled by a couple of nasty bugs and failures, I decided to construct my next circuit the old fashioned way — I bread boarded it first. I wanted to do...
View ArticleClik here to view.
PCB – The sun is the thing
I finally got back on the PCB fabrication horse. I printed out v1.1 of the 74HC595 LCD backpack, and v1.0 of the MCP23008 version. I chopped up the transparencies and mounted them up on Saturday, then...
View ArticleCNC Build – Courage is the first virtue
Well, as per normal in the way my life and hobbies go, it took two months to get back to the CNC once I’d determined that the cables fit properly. I decided that I was going to push forward today, so...
View ArticleCNC Build – Stupid cables
Connecting the new sensor cable is tough — it’s a “real” RS232 cable, so the female end has two protruding female studs, so that two cables can be bolted together. This totally doesn’t work with the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
CNC Build – Back in the game!
I decided that I was going to figure out the sensor cable today, once and for all, one way or the other. And, spoiler alert, I did. I cut the zip ties and looked at the way the port is installed, and...
View ArticleAlexa, please turn on game room
After a kind Christmas gift from R, to get me started, (how did you know?
View Article
