Collaborate Disseminate
We’ll take a guess that most readers have a set of digital calipers somewhere close to hand right now. The cheapest ones tend to be a little unsatisfying in the …read more Continue reading Hacking Digital Calipers for Automated Measurements and Sorta-Micron Accuracy
Running a metal lathe is not for the faint of heart. Without proper knowledge and preparation, these machines can quickly cause injury or destroy expensive stock, tools, or parts. The …read more Continue reading Lathe Outfitted with Electronic Gearbox
In a lot of ways, Etch-A-Sketch is the perfect toy; simple, easy to use, creative, endlessly engaging, and as a bonus, it’s completely mechanical. We find that last attribute to …read more Continue reading Electronic Etch-A-Sketch, No Microcontroller Required
If there’s one thing we like around here more than seeing an improved version of a project we’ve already covered, it’s when the improvements make the original project cheaper. In …read more Continue reading Pimp My Pot Redux, Now Cheaper and Even Better
Usually, when you want a servo motor, you simply buy one already made. But if you need something unusual, you can turn any DC motor into a custom servo you …read more Continue reading Roll Your Own Servo
Have you ever watched a movie or a video and really noticed the quality of the camera work? If you have, chances are the camera operator wasn’t very skilled, since …read more Continue reading Kino Wheels Gives You a Hand Learning Camera Operation
We’re all familiar with getting feedback from a rotating shaft, for which we usually employ a potentiometer or encoder. But there’s another device that, while less well-known, has some advantages …read more Continue reading Not a Pot, Not an Encoder: Exploring Synchros for Rotational Sensing
Rotary potentiometers, switches, and encoders all share a basic design: adjustment is done via a shaft onto which a knob is attached, and knobs are sold separately. That doesn’t mean …read more Continue reading Make Your Own Pot and Encoder Knobs, Without Reinventing Them
When it comes to design decisions, we’re often advised to “think outside the box.” It’s generally good advice, if a bit abstract — it could really mean anything. But it …read more Continue reading Odd Inputs and Peculiar Peripherals: RoenDi Smart Knob Thinks Outside the Box
The abacus has been around since antiquity, and takes similar forms over the hundreds of cultures that have embraced it. It may be one of the first devices to be …read more Continue reading Abacus Synthesizer Really Adds Up