2011.01.28

Weekly Metapost : 2011.01.21 - 2011.01.28

03.00.01 - Mark

Weekly Metapost from January 21st, 2011 to January 28th, 2011

Elsewhere Online [collection of past links]

Apple’s Diabolical Plan to Screw Your iPhone « iFixit Blog

http://www.ifixit.com/blog/blog/2011/01/20/apples-diabolical-plan-to-screw-your-iphone/
Tagged : apple article ifixit pentalobe repairs security Steve Jobs tools

Doesn't matter if it’s high end laptop or a simple coffee maker, if you can’t work on it without some special tool there’s some thing wrong. I’m annoyed whenever is see slotted anti-tamping screws, security hex screws, and tri-wing bits, even if I know I’ll never really need to work on it. If anything it tempts me to tamper with it. While I’m used to Steve Jobs history of wanting to lock the users out in every way possible, these pentalobe things are ridiculous.

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2011.01.27

My thought process

18.29.05 - Mark

Just a look at my own line of thought
...
My Cordless drill battery won’t charge.
Shoot, neither one works.
I guess I new replacement batteries.
(checks google shopping)
Wait, DeWalt ones are expensive.
(checks ebay)
They’re not cheap on ebay either.
How about recell the batteries?
Yep, there are businesses for that.
Is there a local one?
Better yet, could I do that?
There’s a youtube video for that.
That doesn't look too hard.
But how do weld batteries tabs?
OK, You need a spot welder.
Can I build one of those?
Yep, I even have the transformer for that!
(scans hack-a-day article)
Bookmark it and look at that idea later.
So what type of battery cells do I need for the battery pack?
No luck online.
Although they’ll see me the information.
Not paying $10 for that knowlege
(goes off an measures battery cells)
Where are my torx screwdrivers?
(finds them in tool box)
(take apart battery)
Should I peel the plastic off and see how are they wired?
No, let’s price the parts first.
What battery is about .873” diameter and 1.375” tall?
How much will they cost?
Err, I probably need that in millimeters
So about 22mm diameter and about 35mm height
(converts in google searches)
(digs on digikey)
Ouch $5 for a single 4/5 sub-C NiCad, too much.
Mouser?
No better, unless I order hundreds of them.
Google Shopping?
Still a little pricey.
How about on ebay?
Ok, that’s better, and they already have tabs
Darn, no need for a spot welder.
Hmm, no inexpensive battery suppliers in North America.
Several from Hong Kong / China.
Can I wait 3 weeks to 4 weeks?
Am I sure I can recover the parts from the batteries I have?
Do I recell one or two?
...

While I haven’t decided if I’ll try the rebuild battery route or not, but it occurred to me that our thoughts are processed as quickly as the evolution of a live conversation. The changes in pace, direction, focus, and more. We often realize that these changes happen (unless you have an extremely high tolerance for boring conversations), but we rarely look at the trails our minds blaze. For a “small” project like this it’s kind of interesting recording the sequence of ideas touched on, both distractions and propellents. I’ll admit there were a couple “ohhh shinny” moments I left out, but most of the related process is now written down. I doubt it holds any value to anyone else out there, but you might try this little exercise. It's a little enlightening.

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2011.01.22

Relearning CAD

22.23.27 - Mark

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been knocking together a few tables. Nothing special, a few small workshop tables, a desk side table for a photo printer and scanner, and most recently a work bench for a local non-profit.

In a consumerist country, I absolutely could purchase all of those tables. Light weight, standard sizes, virtually no labor involved. However attractive folding tables are rare and subsequently tend to be expensive (if they’re even for sale) and the relatively weak commercial ones cost more than the lumber for a larger, stronger table that, if you have access to a few power tools, can be built in a few hours.

As someone who has a decent workshop, and a bit of a collection of nails, bolts, screws, and an assortment of other hardware my parents have amassed over a few decades, my only real costs was for lumber and my time.

While I didn’t dream up the plans on my own (I largely drew from The Wood Whisperer?s Outfeed Table video when I wasn’t reverse engineering an existing bench table) I did have to run out the math on my separate projects. Figure out the layout and assemble and figure out the cut list so I wouldn’t overstock myself.
Now, as much as I enjoy technology, on these projects I usually pick up a pad of Doane Paper (Grid + Line paper = Awesome) and draw out my plan. While I do take electronics into the work shop, next to a table saw or drill press, a good pencil and a pad of paper is both far safer and more user friendly than a laptop.

However after finishing the project, a couple people asked me about making more of them, and while I could redraw the plans or throw it on a copier, I decided to fire up SketchUp.

It’s been a few years since I last played with it, and what I remember about it was mostly not getting it to work well. 3D is nice, but my high school drafting class was basic 2D. However a few videos, a bit of playing, and a handful of restarts, I managed to draw out the plans. I doubt I’ll play with SketchUp enough to plan out masterpieces, but for the right job, it’s a decent (free) tool (once you figure out how to use it effectivly).


Parts List
Cut List

Files
Hand drawn plans (JPG, 1910px x 1463px)
Rendered Plan (JPG, 1215px x 942px)
Table SketchUp File (67.9 kb)

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2011.01.21

Weekly Metapost : 2011.01.14 - 2011.01.21

03.00.01 - Mark

Weekly Metapost from January 14th, 2011 to January 21st, 2011

Elsewhere Online [collection of past links]

Apple’s Diabolical Plan to Screw Your iPhone « iFixit Blog

http://www.ifixit.com/blog/blog/2011/01/20/apples-diabolical-plan-to-screw-your-iphone/
Tagged : apple article ifixit pentalobe repairs security Steve Jobs tools

Doesn't matter if it’s high end laptop or a simple coffee maker, if you can’t work on it without some special tool there’s some thing wrong. I’m annoyed whenever is see slotted anti-tamping screws, security hex screws, and tri-wing bits, even if I know I’ll never really need to work on it. If anything it tempts me to tamper with it. While I’m used to Steve Jobs history of wanting to lock the users out in every way possible, these pentalobe things are ridiculous.

Food for Thought [other noteworthy books]

Global Frequency Vol. 2: Detonation Radio [Paperback] Rated 5.0 stars for Global Frequency Vol. 2: Detonation Radio [Paperback]

Link | 0 Comments |


2011.01.07

Weekly Metapost : 2010.12.31 - 2011.01.07

03.00.02 - Mark

Weekly Metapost from December 31st, 2010 to January 7th, 2011

Elsewhere Online [collection of past links]

Sewell's Pump | The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop

http://www.eliwhitney.org/new/museum/-gilbert-project/-man/a-c-gilbert-scientific-toymaker-essays-arts-and-sciences-october-3
Tagged : articles biotechnology erector sets history technology toys wikipedia

When you think about modern developments in biotechnology, we usually thing of the prototypes as complex and expencive works. Learning that inexpencive lab tools and an erector set were used to make the prototype of the artificial heart sort of turns your world around. [via Wikipedia]

Eye Candy [list of other movies]

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) Rated 5.0 stars for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Invictus (2009) Rated 4.5 stars for Invictus (2009)
Inception (2010) Rated 4.5 stars for Inception (2010)

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