MEP EP#96: I Expect You To be Bored Mr. Bond

Podcast Notes

• Episode 100 is coming up! It’ll be a Q&A session – so send in your questions to podcast@macrofab.com
• 2nd Annual Star Wars Xmas Special Engineering Podcast. Check out the video from last year!
• Parker
  • Built a mounting surface for the Jeep Electronics
• Stephen
  • Failure of the Science Museum Project
    • Was expecting soft foam at the bottom of the “well” to move the cones of the drill bit
    • Hard plastic was installed instead
    • Coupling bent up that connects the rotational shaft to the large nema 34 stepper
    • Safety first, equal amounts of time spent on safety as engineering the rest of the project
• Pick Of the Week (POW)
  • How to reduce Arduino Uno power usage by 95% – Deferred Procrastination
    • Replace the linear regulator with a DC-DC converter
    • Adjust the USB-to-Serial circuit so it’s only powered from the USB port
    • Cut out (or desolder) the always-on LED’s on the board
    • Use the processor sleep mode.
    • Before: 53mA After: 2.5mA
    • DC -DC convertor used was a Traco TSRN-1 for $6.07
• Rapid Fire Opinion (RFO)
  • Internet of Toilet Paper Holder – HackADay
    • Revolutionized entire toilet paper supply management life cycle
    • Tracks usage statistics – Manage wiping data and share on social media
    • Instructables to make your own!
  • Man is about to launch himself in his homemade rocket to prove the Earth is flat – The Washington Post
    • Self-taught rocket builder Mike Hughes – 61 yr old limo driver
    • Holds record for biggest limo jump
    • Plans to launch himself 1,800 feet high
    • U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) “told me they would not allow me to do the event … at least not at that location,” Will have to reschedule the launch
    • Not “atmosphere” it’s “atmosflat”
    • $20,000 rocket had a fancy coat of Rust-Oleum paint and “RESEARCH FLAT EARTH” inscribed on the side
• Visit our Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!