I enjoy making things. Here is a selection of them.
For every kind of work, there exists a table. Any kind of work can be performed on any kind of table, but the work is tremendously more fun when it’s on the right table.
Remote control interface for acquiring frequency response plots using Rigol 1000 series instruments.
Command line tool for nodal analysis of linear electrical circuits build with java.
A time-delayed alarm is a useful device that can be used in various scenarios, such as security systems or to remind you to close the freezer properly. The alarm is triggered after a certain amount of time has elapsed, providing a delayed response. In this article, we will discuss the design of a time-delayed alarm using two NE555 timer ICs and some passive components. The NE555 timer IC is a popular integrated circuit that can be used in various applications, including timing and oscillation, both will be used in this design.
My friend saved this one from the trashcan. Because it was defective I offered to repair it for her. Defects The filter retainment clip on top is broken. The vacuum works as intended but shuts off after a short time. When pressing the trigger again the vacuum again works for a short duration. The on-time decreases after consecutive trigger pulls. Issue 1 Scanning The broken clip is scanned with an EinScan 3D scanner. This scan is used as a reference in CAD to model a replacement part.
I repaired this for my girlfriends mum who wanted to throw it away. DC61 Battery Pack nominal voltage: 21.6 V rated capacity: 2100 mAh (46 Wh) 6-CELL (214141) 6INR19/66-1 Preliminary Testing ✔ PSU 26 VDC at dc barrel plug ❌ No current draw when plugged into battery Unless the button is pressed no voltage is applied at the terminals After pressing the button on top of the battery the light flashes red 32 times and then green once (the 32 flashes of death) before extinguishing and a voltage of 11 VDC was measured at the two battery terminals Disassembly After prying the battery casing open using a metal prying tool, plastic spudgers and plastic picks to keep the released latches open the battery measured 22 VDC at the main battery terminals.
Reverse engineering of a Dremel 12 V battery charger. The chargers specifications according to the manual: Voltage range: 1-3 cells, 3,6 - 12 V Charging current: max. 1500 mAh Reverse Engineering Two pictures were taken to trace the connections on the pcb. Since this is a simple one sided pcb this was fairly easy. The pcb has the markings: PCB1857V1
This was my first attempt at milling my own single sided circuit board on my 6040 CNC router. Along the way I had some issues with the pcb blanks bowing, but I ended up with a functional LPT to USB adapter for Estlcam.
The main subject of this post is a cheap Chinese import router, commonly referred to as “6040 CNC”, owing it’s name to it’s x/y travel distance of 60/40 cm. This kind of router is sold in multiple, slightly different configurations using either 0.8 kW, 1.5 kW, or 2.2 kW high-frequency spindle, commonly called “China spindle” in various internet forums. There are also different sizes with similar construction available. My machine was bought in the summer of 2020, yours might differ from mine. The machine is designed to cut and engrave plastics like acrylic glass and softwood. This machine is not designed to cut metal and doing so I would consider abuse. This is not to say that it can’t cut it at all but you won’t have much fun doing so. On Youtube, you will regularly see videos of the sort “Cheap machine cuts metal!”, but this is much less cutting than it is grinding. Given a butter knife, even I myself could “cut” a soft metal eventually…
The name audio spectrum analyzer is probably a bit too high trotting. A more befitting name would be funny looking graph display that changes with the music. But this was my second electronics project in 2018. It uses only through-hole components on a two-layer PCB.
Features The software runs on a RPi 3b. The handheld features a 3.5′ 320×240 px TFT-LCD screen that I salvaged from a car rear view monitor but via the RPi’s onboard HDMI interface, it can also be connected to a larger monitor. On the front of the device, there are eleven buttons with four additional ones on the back. The backlight metal button on the side is the console’s power switch which is connected to the “PowerBoost 1000C” charge controller with an integrated 5.1 V boost converter from Adafruit.
