Elecrow CrowPanel 5.79″ E-Paper ESP32 Display Review
Looking for a high-quality, energy-efficient display for your Arduino or MicroPython projects? The Elecrow CrowPanel 5.79” E-Paper ESP32 display could be exactly what you need.
Engraving Metal on the xTool S1 2W 1064nm IR Laser
xTool S1 2W 1064nm Infrared tool head is perfect for engraving metal. In this article we attempt to engrave a photo on a metal mousepad
The Joys and Dangers of Laser Cutting
It has been lovely to see the tabletop role-playing and war gaming communities embrace all the nerdy stuff that I love to play with. The problem is some folks are not taking safety precautions.
Easiest. Hackintosh. Ever. – How to Install MacOS Virtual Machine on Your PC Using Sosumi & Ubuntu
Today, we’re going to create the world’s easiest Hackintosh using the virtual MacOS package, Sosumi.
Resin Versus FDM 3D Printing for TTRPG/Miniature Wargaming
3D Printing in Resin or FDM/Filament - Which is better for D&D/TTRPG/Miniature Wargaming?
Arduino Stepper with Potentiometer Speed Control
For my 3D printed turntable I obviously need some way to turn the turntable, and preferably for video and scanning, some method to control speed. Fortunately, I have a whole box full of those cheap …
Raspberry Pi Security Camera
Have you been wanting a wifi camera? Maybe for some added security, or perhaps to monitor the kids/pets/roommate?
Turn your Raspberry Pi into an internet camera!
Glowforge Passthrough Hack: How to Trick the Glowforge Front Flap to “Pass-In” Large Materials
The Glowforge Basic does not have the pass-through feature of the Glowforge Pro but with this magnet hack, you can trick the front flap to think the lid is shut fully, allowing you to "pass-in" larger …
Creality Ender 3 3D Printer Kit Review
The Ender 3, as the name suggests, is the improved successor of the Creality Ender 2 3D printer kit, with a larger build area (~220mm+ x 220mm+ x 250), but still with the aluminium extrusion …
Laser Cut Box for the Massive Adafruit Arcade Button
The “Massive Adafruit Arcade Button” is one of my favorites, I just find it comically large. Therefore whenever I get a chance to specify this particular button, I jump at it. As luck …
Build a Macro Keyboard “Stream Deck” with Raspberry Pi Zero and Hyperpixel 4.0 Graphical Touch Screen
Can you build a DIY version of the Elgato Stream Deck? Many people could tell this is what I was building up to. I think we are getting a lot closer. This, of course, continues my previous …
Best K40 Laser Upgrades: Upgrading for quality and abilities!
Upgrading my K40 laser cutter to have better quality and abilities
Announce Your Entry with Raspberry Pi, Python and Bluetooth
Did you ever want to have your return to your office or home announced with a fanfare? Probably not, but let’s do this anyway ;) This script will use Bluetooth (built into the Raspberry Pi 3) to …
Linux Automation Tip: How to Send Messages from Python to Your Slack Channels
Slack is a hugely popular live group chat system. While a lot of my notifications now go to Discord, as I wrote about here, Slack is still more popular with development teams, and it is what we use in …
EZ-Robot IoTiny
While Arduino and Raspberry Pi dominate, there are other boards out there for robot builders. One of the best for rapid robot development is IoTiny from EZ-Robot.
DJI/Ryze Tello Mini-Drone Review
DJI/Ryze Tello Mini-Drone is, as the name suggests, a new and tiny drone from the people who created my lovely DJI Mavic Pro. The important differences are, however, compelling:
Running Raspberry Pi AND Arduino for the Best of Both Worlds
I have been writing a lot more about Raspberry Pi than Arduino lately, but don’t get the impression I am leaving the Arduino world behind. Both devices have their benefits, and in fact, I …
Linux Automation Tips: Create a Boot/Start Menu with Python
You may have seen in the Maker Hacks Facebook Group the latest iteration of my Raspberry Pi based entertainment center. It’s now got to the point where I need a boot menu, so I thought I would …
Using Grove Sensors, Buttons, and Displays, with Raspberry Pi and Python
Grove sensors are a plug and play way to add sensors, buttons, displays, and actuators to your electronics projects, without soldering. Let's take a look how well they work when paired with a …
Linux Automation Tips: Running Scripts Automatically
Running commands from the shell is all well and good, but what if you don’t want to always be logging into your terminal? What if the script, or even server, crashes or needs to reboot? In this …
Password-Less SSH Access to Your Linux Machine or Raspberry Pi Using Public Keys
If you are logging in and out of a Linux machine, especially a Raspberry Pi on your local network, it can be a pain to keep entering a password. The longer and more secure your password, the more of a …
Finally, Prusa Mk42 Heatbed for the Prusa Mk2/Mk2.5, and Pinda Sensor Clones!
The Prusa Mk2/Mk3 3d printers are renowned as top quality, but buying parts is a painfully expensive deal due to the long journey and single supplier. That just changed!
T8 CNC Kit Review
The T8 CNC is a desktop CNC kit built with aluminum extrusions, open source Arduino hardware, and GRBL software. If you were looking to learn CNC, perhaps this little $200 CNC mill could be a good …
Linux Automation Tip: Process Discord Messages and Launch Shell Commands in Python
In the previous Discord article we set up a listener, but really that was just the foundation – enough to listen for “hello” and greet the user. Now we need a real-world example.
Linux Automation Tip: Listen for Commands with your Discord Bot using Python
A Discord bot that only SENDS messages is all well and good, but really we want our bots to interact. We need to make them listen and respond.
Building a Cryptocurrency Mining Rig is Easier than You Might Think
Can your PC mine bitcoin? If you are interested in dipping your toe into cryptocurrency mining then fear not - it might be easier than you thought
Can I replace my iMac with a DIY PC?
Can I replace my 2012 iMac with a DIY PC that is at least as powerful? Can I do it for less than a new iMac would cost me? Will it run MacOSX?
Adding a GPU with Powered PCIe Risers
Adding a GPU (graphics card) to your PC, but not enough space or full length slots available? a great solution is to use a "Powered PCIe Riser".
Get Started with the Internet of Things with an ESP8266 IoT Sensor/Timer
Lots of people ask me about IoT (“The Internet of Things”). It’s a currently warm, if no longer hot, buzzword. Problem is I find a lot of the instruction out there …
Playing with Grove – LCD Displays
Recently I have come around to really enjoy the Grove sensors and displays from Seeed. They are so convenient!
Kano Pixel Review
In my research for my maker kids kits series, I came across a new gadget from Kano, the makers of the famous Raspberry Pi computing kit. It looked interesting so I bought one. Here are my thoughts on …
Maker Kits for Making Maker Kids
It must be building up to gift-giving season because I have been asked a whole bunch of times for ideas for what parents should buy their kids to encourage their interest in making – …
Ultimaker 3 First Impressions Review
Ultimaker sent me an Ultimaker 3 for review, and to try out some projects on – exciting stuff (and from community reaction, I am not the only one who thinks so!). Since I posted my video I have …
5 Ways to Bond and Glue 3D Printed Parts
Finishing is an important part of 3d printing, but how do you combine, glue, and bond your 3d printed parts to get a 3d printing result you can be proud of?
How to Use Tinkercad to Make a Custom Gift – a Personalized 3D Printed Maze Puzzle
In this beginner-friendly 3d cad tutorial, we are going to create a personalized maze puzzle in Tinkercad, ready for 3d printing!
Meshmixer Tutorial – Using Meshmixer to Delete and Edit Parts of an Existing .STL
Using Meshmixer takes your 3D printing superpowers to the next level. Find an existing STL file, modify it, delete parts, and then export for 3D printing - See how easy it can be in this tutorial and …
ESP32 Arduino – First Look
The ESP32 is the newest* super powered IoT/Arduino board you are going to want in your arsenal. I have long been a fan of the ESP8266, especially the cheap Chinese NodeMCU boards, so when I saw the …
The Problem with 3D Printing
Lately there has been a rash of people on the 3D printing forums and Facebook groups complaining about their 3D printers in a way that makes me think their expectations are set too high. I don’t …
Is Making an Expensive Hobby?
Is making expensive? Just lately I have had a few people imply I was wasting my money on all this electronics/3d printing shenanigans. But is it really any more expensive or wasteful as anything else? …
How to Make a DIY “Internet of Things” Thermometer with ESP8266/Arduino
I needed a temperature monitor for my 3d printer enclosure. Here's how I made a DIY "Internet of Things" Thermometer with ESP8266/Arduino