PCB Repair is a Sticky Proposition
What do you do when a PCB is cracked or even broken in two? [MH987] has a plan: superglue the board back and then bridge the traces with solder, solder …read more Continue reading PCB Repair is a Sticky Proposition
Author Archives: Al Williams
The Wirtz Pump Spins
Over the ages, a lot of human activity has been concerned about getting water from where we find it to where we want it. If you want to move water …read more Continue reading The Wirtz Pump Spins
Tech in Plain Sight: Skyscrapers
It is hard to imagine that for thousands of years, the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest manmade structure in the world. However, like the Lincoln Cathedral and the …read more Continue reading Tech in Plain Sight: Skyscrapers
How Not to Build an RP2040 Board
We love that these days you can buy ready-made microcontroller boards that are very capable. But sometimes you need to — or just want to — do it yourself. Unfortunately, …read more Continue reading How Not to Build an RP2040 Board
Tiny Tape Cartridge Remembered and a Teardown
If you want to add sound to something these days, you usually store it digitally. Microcontrollers are cheap and fast, and you can hold a lot of audio on a …read more Continue reading Tiny Tape Cartridge Remembered and a Teardown
Decoding the 8088
There is a lot to like about open software, and in some areas, a well-thought-out piece of software can really make a huge impact. A great example of this is …read more Continue reading Decoding the 8088
Who Needs Sea Monkeys? Get PlanktoScope
Plankton are tiny organisms that drift around in the ocean. They aren’t just whale food — they are responsible for fixing up to 50% of the world’s carbon dioxide. That, …read more Continue reading Who Needs Sea Monkeys? Get PlanktoScope
Auto Xylophone Uses Homemade Solenoids
Want to play the xylophone but don’t want to learn how? [Rachad]’s automatic xylophone might be just the ticket. It uses homemade solenoids to play tunes under computer control. Think …read more Continue reading Auto Xylophone Uses Homemade Solenoids
Blaupunkt Tube Radio is the Sultan of Radios
According to [M Caldeira], the Blaupunkt Sultan 24300 was one of the last tube radios made in the 1960s. He’s got one but it needed some tender loving care, and …read more Continue reading Blaupunkt Tube Radio is the Sultan of Radios
Fluid Simulation Does the Math
If you like math, you should enjoy [kynd’s] page about simulating fluid in p5.js. You might still enjoy the pretty colors and shapes if you aren’t into math. What’s scary …read more Continue reading Fluid Simulation Does the Math