I’m making progress on my larger split-flap project (see Update on the Split-Flap Project for 2025). So far I have 32 operational for the larger 64 flap installation. In parallel, I worked on a smaller 4 flaps unit used as a clock.
For many of my PCB projects I’m using cut-tape SMD components. So far I have used to keep the components in the little bags as shipped by Mouser and others.
But keeping all the components in bags for multiple projects is not ideal: it takes a lot of time to go through the inventory. What I wanted is an easy and simple storage system at least for the ‘common’ parts used in multiple projects.
This blog usually features Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), but my other passion are Personalized Cutting Boards :-).
It has been a while since my last CNC or laser cutter post, so I thought I showcase just quickly one of the recent designs.
The ‘Verkehrshaus der Schweiz‘, the ‘Swiss Museum of Transport’ is Switzerland’s most popular museum.
In April 2023, it opened up a new building and the ‘Experience Energy!’ exhibition. For the opening event we created a unique construction kit to explore energy: from harvesting to storing and up to distributing and using energy.
The MCU-Link debug probe comes without an enclosure. To protect the hardware against ESD issues, I had created a 3D printed enclosure for it. That one worked fine, but takes some time to print it. If you have to build many enclosures for a full classroom setup, then a laser cutter is much faster. And to create some variations, I have decided to cut it with different materials and colors. To be environment friendly, extra glue is needed, and with recycled PMMA, different colors are possible too.
It is already December 1st, and time for a new Advent Calendar. This year the design includes birch plywood with PMMA, SK6812 RGBW LEDs running with a Raspberry Pi Pico board, building a small village.
In many cases I prefer wood as material: it has a warm feeling and with its texture it makes things unique and special. For some time I was thinking about creating a wooden case for eyeglasses as a gift. And here is a first version of it:
Split-flap displays are electromechanical display devices, which were common in airports or railway stations a few years ago.Unfortunately, most of them are gone and replaced by LED displays. Why not create a DIY version of it?
Switzerland got a snow cover, with more snow coming the next days. December started, and so did the Advent season. Similar to last year, we wanted to create a special advent calendar, which is then is given to families in the neighborhood who deserve it, because they did so much for our community this year.
Last year it was a special house created mostly with a laser cutter. This year I took advantage of having a desktop CNC down in the basement. The result is a ‘tree’ filled with small boxes made of oak wood:
It has been a while since my last MetaClockClock, and with the continued shortage of electronics on the market I had no chance to order new parts. But I still had some remaining parts, and with the modular design of the ’round’ clocks I was able to build up another one, but this time with even less than the usual minimum of 24 clocks:
So if you are up to build a MetaClockClock with less clocks, this might be the way for you.
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MCU on Eclipse 