Entries by Glenn

So, for a while I've been wanting to try my hand at digitally creating my printed circuit boards.  Essentially to reduce the use of obnoxious chemicals.  Recent problems with printing my photo masks (my inkjet printers won't print dark enough anymore) have forced my hand.

Some snippets of my first 'for real' PCB creation session.

At last !  Making things…  

The very first real object made on ShapeOko : a nameplate for my friend Klaus-Dieter.  For his workshop.

The Beast = My newly-built ShapeOko CNC.

ShapeOko is a well-documented and well designed CNC produced by Inventables in the USA. (http://www.shapeoko.com/)

Note the pen…

This is the famous light dimmer of "Close Encounters" fame !
I needed a mains light dimmer that functioned with pushbuttons rather than the usual rotary knob.  It was to equip our guest bedroom (decorated, at last) with control buttons next to the two beds and next to the door.  I didn't want to spend more than around 30€, but the ones I found in the DIY shops were over 50€.  So, do some design work !

The design brief was to create a cheap light dimmer that could be controlled by three (or more) standard mains pushbutton wall switches.

The basic idea is this :