I want to cut grooves or thru-channels in an aluminium pipe (1 - 1.5"), basically a maze-type pattern.
In an ideal world I feel like it could work to run it in some kind of V-groove jig under a mill with a router bit, but I don't currently have access to one of those, or router at the moment.
Any suggestions for how to go about it, other than a cutting disc in a rotary tool?
I feel like I saw some small router bits for dremels but can't find anywhere to buy them.
I have some small, curved jewellery files a while back but they are so fine they hardly take any material away.

I'm looking at getting a digital canvas, something like...

• NETGEAR Meural MC327HW Canvas II
• Vieunite Textura Canvas
• Canvia Smart Digital Canvas

...but they are all quite expensive, and I would like an API to build my own automations and send images to it. I see there has been some reverse engineering of the netgear one, but this API could be shutdown at any time - so I prefer to build my own.

Has anyone done a similar project I can learn from?
I'll need to source a screen - can anyone recommend some with a good picture and matte finish?

Is there a cheap way to print small skull model of a Neanderthal printed, I have a obj stl file of that and a Heidelbergensis. about 3.5X3.5X3.5 Could use upwork to handle any payment.

I’m building an armature mechanism and I’m wanting to use standard skateboard bearings at the joints, but I need to create axles that fit very tightly into the bearings for minimal play. The axles need to be around 100mm long. Apparently the standard internal diameter of the bearings is 8mm and that matches what I see with calipers.

I’m not sure exactly what to order. If I get 8mm diameter stainless steel rod, will that fit exactly if I hammer it through or do I have to get something else?

Hey everyone,

Are you tired of the endless cycle of scrolling, notifications, and digital distractions? Do you dream of a phone that’s more about functionality and less about feeding your screen addiction? If so, I’ve got a project that might just be your next passion: creating the best open source, QWERTY, e-ink dumb phone ever!

Here’s the gist:

The Vision: I'm talking about building a sleek, minimalist phone similar to the Light Phone, but fully open-source. Our phone will feature an e-ink display for that beautiful, eye-friendly reading experience and a modular QWERTY keyboard for all you old school mf out there.

Why Do This? Because we deserve a phone that works for us, not against us. This phone will be customizable to suit individual needs and easy to repair, breaking free from the cycle of planned obsolescence. Plus, it's a fun project that could save us from endless anxiety by reducing our screen time and keeping us connected in more meaningful ways.

The Goals:

• E-Ink Display: Energy-efficient, easy on the eyes, and perfect for a distraction-free experience.
• Modular QWERTY Keyboard: Customizable and satisfying to use, ideal for typing without the need for an addictive touchscreen.
• Open Source: Accessible to everyone, allowing for tweaks, improvements, and community-driven innovation.
• DIY-Friendly: Easy to assemble with 3D printed cases and playful PCB boards, turning phone-building into a fun and educational hobby.

Why We Need You: I’m looking for fellow tech enthusiasts, designers, developers, and makers to join forces. Whether you’re skilled in electronics, coding, design, or just passionate about the idea, your input can make a huge difference. Let’s collaborate to design the hardware, write the software, and create something truly unique.

What’s in it for You?

• Learning Opportunity: Expand your knowledge in hardware and software development.
• Community: Connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for tech and minimalism.
• Satisfaction: Be part of creating a device that promotes a healthier relationship with technology.
• Fun: Building a phone from scratch is pretty cool, right?

So, are you ready to help me build the machine that will save us from the clutches of endless notifications and doomscrolling? Let’s make a phone that respects our time and mental health.

Join Us: We've created a Discord server to organize our efforts and collaborate more effectively. Join us here: Not So Dumb Discord Server. Let's build this amazing project together!

Right now I'm building out a new workspace for my various maker endeavors. I've been looking around online for opinions and showcases of the best worktops for general purpose making. Something that can:

• Take a beating from tool mishaps, bangs, friction with materials, etc with minimal wear.
• Disregard and be able to clean spills from water, finishes, acids, caustics.
• Minimize staining.
• Take minimal damage from issues with heating or brief direct flame contact.
• Repairable if damaged or worn too much.

Whether its a solid material top, a prefabricated composite, a finish on wood, I'm curious on what you prefer and if you have multiple types of surfaces for different jobs.

providing more examples here:

• ex 1
• ex 2 (There is a guide here as well on how to make this, will go through it but it does seem complex for a beginner. I would appreciate your thoughts on the feasability for a beginner as well.)

EDIT: updated link mentioned in original post

The idea started off with wanting to create a countdown clock so I can focus on my work while being aware of the time, kind of like a pomodor timer but I don't want it to be just display numbers, maybe text as well - something like this.

Some information about me, I have a background in science but electronics was not my strength so I have no idea the scope of this project would be. Please recommend me some useful resources to learn and also maybe breakdown of subjects/processes that I would need to get familiar with to complete this project

I'm kicking around doing a project of an analog clock with chimes on the hour using an ESP32 board and an RTC along with wifi and NTP. I was wondering if there are any products or components out there that could drive an analog clock mechanism from a microcontroller to keep them both synchronized. (Before I used a mechanism for the clock that's supposed to sync with the NTP, but not sure it's working.)

Thanks in advance!

I'm looking to make some screen protectors with a matte coating... any advice on how to do this?

Hello,

I'm an aspiring maker and lover of chess looking for some advice on a project that I plan to complete by repurposing an open source mechanical keyboard design.

Oled screens atop mechanical keyboard switches

My idea is essentially to rework the custom PCB from this project (detailed here: https://github.com/thpoll83/PolyKybd/tree/master) into an 8 by 8 grid, with each of the 64 switches in this oversized macro-pad containing a display and acting as a chess board square. The kicad files for this PCB are located here, and while I hope this will be a simple task, I have zero PCB design experience so I would be looking to commission this work from someone who does.

In the opinion of anyone here who would care to provide some much appreciated advice, is the task I have proposed here feasible? and if so where would you recommend that I request this kind of work from?

Thanks very much for any and all feedback!

What websites exist for sharing your projects? I'm kind of hoping there's a one-size-fits-all answer here, because my interests are varied. A single site where it would make sense to post about any DIY project. But I kind of suspect most sites are fairly targeted. For example, github and dev.to for software, hackaday.io seems decent for electronic hardware, and I've seen a few sites for sharing laser cut or 3D printed projects (names are escaping me at the moment). But what about general woodworking? What about crocheted projects? Etc. Maybe the answer is just generic blogging platforms?

A friend of mine gave me two old vapes with rechargeable batteries and a USB-C port. I don't intend to re-use them, but I'd like to tinker with the batteries etc.

Any ideas on what I could do with them?

I made a Kwaii Useless Robot that runs away if you press it too hard. Here is a demo video showcasing how it works.

https://youtu.be/l38ngzytmJw

https://preview.redd.it/y7g640te0qad1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd6933b2d1d2a002e20af61d69b1230659e4dc26

https://preview.redd.it/qwgt9beqzpad1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=0ce7391b4f62e0917bed63abef422d0710e8df2a

If you want to make one for yourself, I have open source the design files on my Github repo and build instructions on hackaday.

https://hackaday.io/project/196789-kawaii-useless-robot-2024-edition

https://github.com/tobychui/Kawaii-Useless-Robot

So, I'm starting out in the maker culture, mostly doing research for projects I'm interested in creating.

But as I was watching some maker YouTubers doing their projects, their knowledge in PCB design and electronics are just insane!!! I think I could pull these projects off, but lack the know-how for basic circuitry

My question is: how can I get this good at electronics? Where should I look to develop great skills and learn how to design my own? How did you get good at this subject, and what advices would you give to a starter on this field?

Me personally: I am a mechanical engineering undergrad, also I'm an electric technician - but all I learned is to work with high-wattage motors, transformers and HV lines - I only learned basic electronics. I'm also learning to use Fusion 360, and have some basic experience with woodworking. So far I only repaired some broken electronics like game controllers and Hand-held consoles, never had to solder something.

Hello makers!

I am currently in the process of creating a "supply bar" with my local makerspace. The idea is that there would be a selection of parts, like bread boards, motors, microcontrollers (+extensions), etc. that you can buy (non profit):

1. So that you don't have to wait for weeks to get it from China
2. So that shipping is not the priciest part

The problem was, that the only store in the whole city that sold specific parts has shut down a few years ago.

Can you think of some must haves, that you think should be included?

Found this, and it seems like a great staring place to learn to do exactly what it says on the tin. But, feels like maybe I'm missing something? Is it as simple as, "Watch the video, go back to the web page, you'll be good?"

Hello, I absolutely love the inventiveness here although I am not knowledgeable of any of it personally. I am doing a large personal project that is something like a museum-style diorama with miniatures, sounds and lights all contained within a large diorama structure.

Essentially, I want there to be a number of buttons and I want certain lights and sounds to be triggered by pressing these buttons. I would love to find someone to work with but I don’t know where to start. Is there a name for a professional for this kind of thing? Thanks so much I appreciate any help you can give me!

Calling all makers.... I just learned about JayCar Makerhub today hadn't seen this before. Not sure if it's still a thing as the one I was looking up showed permanently closed. That being said, I'm well aware of Micro Center that sells 3D printers/parts/filament and makerboards components etc (because I work there). But what other shops are there around the globe that sell maker supplies or electronic components in a physical retail location. Including both small chains and large. Any of them doing anything interesting when it comes to community hosting or classes?

https://preview.redd.it/i19ebkcmccad1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e3a9b0e4e57e5ddc127fc2dad7160ab0f41369b

I guess you can call it an art project? I'm wondering how flame polishing would work on a cd case. To better describe the project I wanted to try my hand at making some scales for a pocket knife out of some trash lying around the house. The current plan is basically sandwich material between some flat plastic (harvested from jewel cases). I was just gonna sand it but it got me wondering if flame polishing will work or is it like super flammable. In case it matters, the "core" of the sandwich will be a mosaic of broken CDs with the gaps filled with a mixture of lamp black and CA glue or maybe just another jewel case layer. Should I also worry about the holographic effect of the CDs getting messed up?

My rudimentary 2 second Google search tells my CDs are polycarbonate, while the cases are either polypropylene or polystyrene.

Hi guys! Forgive me if this isnt the right place to ask this idk who the right person to ask is 😅

So I'm after buying a microphone flag that can be seem in the picture. Its a very slight taper from top to bottom.

I need to design a label that Wraps around the whole way that can be printed in vinyl.

How to I design it? I know how to use cad and illustrator but I don't know where to start. I assume it's going to be like 4 squares with a very slight arc but i wouldn't know how to get the right arc...

Any tips?

I have a project I'm working on, it's a cabinet with a door with a panel that displays some stuff that requires power on the door. I need to get power from the body, to the door. From what I've seen there is something for rotational power supply called a slip ring, but what I'm looking for might be referred to as an 'electric hinge' or an 'electric power hinge', but I can't find a small one. My cabinet is only about 12" so the door is very small, I need a small gauge wire, I don't need anything robust an everything I've found is industrial and tamper resistant which is a bit overkill.

Is there another solution here?

I am currently using B&M clear silicone that is very cheap, but even if I don't introduce any water to it, it cures within minutes. I tried to slow the curing process down by freezing the cartridge to no avail. Making a 100g batch is just impossible. Do you have any suggestions of brands that are affordable but cure slowly? I know 151 is much slower but I don't think they produce 280ml clear cartridges anymore. Or if you have any suggestions how I can slow down the cure somehow, I am open to it. Maybe neutral silicone would be slower?

I've got a 10'x8' tin garden shed out back that was my original shop, that I've been working on reclaiming. The 4'x5' central floor space has been filled by the overflow of tools, parts, and materials that I collect for future use.

One of my biggest issues is a mouse infestation, despite having half a dozen cats roaming the area. I had one I evicted 2 weeks in a row from toolbox drawers, with her entire litter of babies. She hasn't returned that I know of, but I had another today, as I dug into the opposite corner of the shed, that had nested in my bookshelf, and she dove at my face in her escape. Her babies were dumped in the trash can along with the nest, but I never saw her again. I suspect she's trying to nest in the corner I evicted the other one last week from, which is a lot of buckets of materials on the floor level of shelving.

Despite the number of cats around(counting the outdoor cats, the garage cats, and the house casts, there are more than a dozen roaming the property), everywhere that's not visited all the time has a mouse colony living there. Poison isn't an option due to the risk of the cats getting into it.

Howdy folks, I’m helping my friend build a feature rich object that is currently enclosed in an enclosed box that’s relatively airtight.

were considering opening up to new features and want to upgrade the controller that is currently running the lighting component to a pi, adrino, or mini computer. Any other option is viable. We are looking to add a gyro sensor and needs to have 5ghz wifi options I do have some experience with pi 3 and 4 but really don’t know where to start.

the most important constraint is that it is incredibly cool running. We can add very very limited venting to the object.