Making: T-800 Terminator Arm
I have never really been big on metallic filaments because it always seemed like they were missing something. They always looked more glittery than metal-like to me. However with recent surge in popularity of silky style filaments it may be time to give them another look. At a recent meetup at a local 3D printing…
Read MoreMaking: Wristband Scanners for Abstractions II
Earlier this summer a friend who runs a local coworking space and organizes events focused on software development reached out asking about the possibility of using NFC/RFID for the upcoming Abstractions II conference here in Pittsburgh. The goal was to use branded festival style RFID wristbands for check-in, area access, side-quests, and sponsor booth sign-ups.…
Read MoreKeyboard Mod: Jailhouse Blues
Having used mechanical keyboards for a number of years I’ve been interested in the idea of building or modding one for a while now, but put it off knowing that it was a proverbial rabbit hole. The world of mechanical keyboards is surprisingly vast with a plethora of options from layout to switch type to…
Read MoreMaking: Turner’s Cube
Almost everybody knows what it is like when things get busy and an interest or hobby gets put on the back burner indefinitely. It has been a couple years since I posted about my last serious project. This month marks a year since we packed up everything, sold the house, and moved to Pittsburgh. Since then…
Read MoreFrom Asheville to Pittsburgh
I was born just outside of Columbus, Ohio but moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina at the age of fourteen where I lived in and around Asheville for the past twenty years. It is a nice city in a beautiful location, but after so long it was time for a change. I had never…
Read MoreConstructing a Simple Outdoor Enclosure
Though I’m a bit late getting this post out as a followup to last year’s Detecting Lightning with a Raspberry Pi, the topic of project enclosures never really gets old. Especially cost effective and readily available ones. These days there are a plethora of board specific cases and enclosures available online for things like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, BeagleBone,…
Read MoreDetecting Lightning with a Raspberry Pi
I’ve always been fascinated by both lightning and remote sensing. Giving the rather obvious and ubiquitous nature of the former, it provides the perfect opportunity to do a bit of the latter. Lightning detection and the resulting data — while obviously useful for protecting people, pets, and equipment — can also help with things like storm identification,…
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