Electronic component shortages may last through 2011 via Chris… Memory chips and other fundamental components such as resistors and capacitors are in short supply after their makers slashed output, fired staff, put equipment purchases on hold or went out of business during the recession. In contrast to what happened in 2001 after the dot.com crash, […]
Interesting concept from Peter over at the RepRap: Builders blog, who has successfully made some cuts in a CD case using an experimental 1W laser cutter with a Z-axis control that allows the laser diode itself to reciprocate up and down, kinda like a saber saw. This action moves the beam’s focus, where it cuts most effectively, up and down through the material at each point along the cutting path. I have wondered about dynamically-variable-focal-length CNC lasers before, and although I’m probably in over my head, here, it seems like there should be some way to do it optically without having to physically move the whole laser head up and down. Everyone’s a critic! Nice work here, Peter. [via Hack a Day]
In the Make: Online Toolbox, we focus mainly on tools that fly under the radar of more conventional tool coverage: in-depth tool-making projects, strange, or specialty tools unique to a trade or craft that can be useful elsewhere, tools and techniques you may not know about, but once you do, and incorporate them into your […]
Xavier of My Heap put together this delightful homebrew engraver’s vise by attaching a PanaVise to a bowling ball that pivots in a PVC pipe coupling. No word on how well it works, but ya gotta give it up for that kind of ingenuity. More: PanaVise crank mod Lie-Nielsen chain-drive shoulder vise World’s most beautiful […]
There are a lot of photography tutorials, but not a many that specifically talk about taking photos for electronics projects – here’s one of hopefully many! This tutorial by John De Cristofaro (Johngineer) aims to teach you how to take photos of your hacks and projects for sharing on the web, and perhaps even in […]
Open music labs introduces the MICrODEC – A Microcontroller and a Codec – A Reprogrammable Audio Processor. Clean design, with an AVR performing all the CODEC functions (handwritten in assembly!). Engraved aluminum case is available, the box is a semi-kit, so all the SMT stuff is soldered on for you already – This could easily […]
Playa lung is a sort of misnomer, (dust can’t get in your actual lungs), but playa dust is a serious irritant and can cause major bronchial issues. Thus the need for particle masks at Burning Man. If you have to rock utilitarian necessities, you might as well do it in style, right? I think that […]
