Pimp our cups

Wine & Weld is coming up, and the only things that will make the day complete are some diamond encrusted wine glasses for the pre-welding post-welding celebration. However, if you're on a budget rhinestones, stickers, gems, and paint will have to do. 

Wetlands Research Using Remote Technology

Daniel made an awesome wetlands science project that was at least in part completed at HackRVA. Check out the featured main-page blog post for more details.

Crowd Fund Rewards Complete

Oh my gosh, this took FOREVER! ... wait, I mean, the rewards for last years crowdfunding project have been promptly completed on the standard 1 year timeline which all things crowdfunding are subject too.

If you'd like to make (CNC Route / Laser Cut / whatever) your own - also possible. Design files on HackRVA Thingiverse page here.

Things Now Attached to the Wall: Part 1 of 134

There are many new things attached to the wall, providing a stability completely unexpected from Aaron updating this blog. This ongoing series will examine many of the things stuck to the walls or close to the walls of The Space and examine their intrinsic beauty.

Exhibit one: Aaron likes to take pictures with his iPod. As other technology confuses and angers the great redheaded beast, he is allowed to grunt and scrape his paws against the screen to make the pictures happen, saving us a rage-fueled rampage where he tears off limbs in the same manner as an enraged orangutan. To that end, a simple, 3D-Printed solution with off-the-shelf hardware was developed to allow him to bang hammers against sensitive, printed boards on camera while not having to destroy (or lose once again) his iPod.

If you find his silly iPod left haphazardly in a place it doesn't belong, this is the place to put it. Also, it's a 3D range, magnetic anchored (or weight anchored if on a table) holder to direct your camera for pics or video.

The Greatest Invention

Fire, the wheel, and the Sisyphean drudge of maleficent need, as the philosopher Heidegger might label as the always-already of human is-ing, causes mankind to forge forward in the noble endeavor of creating that which fills the hole in our creative and most base (and basic) of needs. Such a man is among you in the living flesh, dropping the proverbial manna of creativity upon your brow in the manner of what may be the greatest invention of our generation, of our time: the post in a bucket.

Here, it is being used to hang wires for spray-painting metal:

Do you See?

It has been used to hold up a tarp to shield your virgin eyes from the deadly light of welding. As the tarp was up, you didn't, but do you See?

Its uses are multifaceted, its angles more intricate in the Euclidean simplicity than a careful study of the multifoliate rose.

I present to you the Post in a Bucket (tm) (patent pending).

Back Space Pedal

by Aaron

 

This is a gaming pedal (as in driving a car) that has been converted into a human interface device which moves cursors in reverse when stomped upon. In other words, a back space pedal.  It utilizes a salvaged PS/2 keyboard circuit for the interface.

HandShakeBot 3000

by Aaron

Cody visited for a Saturday afternoon of hacking. A few creative fitz-kits jointings and a sewing machine motor with variable-speed pedal-control, and this insistently polite "robot arm" is born. Now we need to train it to give tours of the space.

Tool Taxidermy

Not long ago, HackRVA lost a dear and trusted friend, Pinkie Taiwan. It was a trusty hot glue gun that bound together not only piece-A to piece-B--it bound together the community. Feeling jealous of the attention being paid to newer, more "sophisticated" electronic devices, Pinkie reached for the stars and surpassed expectations by managing to execute a processor-like command. Too bad it was halt and catch fire.

You will now find Pinkie's charred remains mounted on the wall as if it were the head of a majestic stag. Take a moment of silence to remember the passing of a dear friend.

The Bet: Aaron v Nelson

The Setting: Back yard, beers, 2 AM.

The Challenge: Nelson makes a wheelchair accessible ramp lead from the main room of HackRVA to the electronics lab (a three inch rise in floor height). Aaron's rules are that it can't be a stapled-together POS (at least safe and usable if not perfect) and it has to be easily moved and stored when not in use.

The Conversation:
"I could do it in forty-five minutes."
"Bull****! You couldn't build anything in under an hour. If you can make a ramp in under an hour, I will buy you dinner."
"It's a date."

The Product:

The End-Time: 45 Minutes.

I like my porterhouse steaks blue-rare, Aaron.

Arduino, Freeduino, What Do We Know?

Sorry you missed it, but some insane fun went on in the AM at HRVA. Someone had the bright idea to take a bunch of people who couldn't solder their way out of a paper bag and teach them how to do it by having a class in the Capital Wasteland that not only gave you an important hacking skill, but it gives you a little programmable computer that you can go insane with to do amazing projects. Imagine, if you will, a fantastic little piece of silicone and metal that will obey your every command and make things move.

Robots, I'm talking about. Yes, robots.

Here's an example of one project put together successfully if poorly soldered:

It worked, which is a testament to the patience of the teachers. If you run across the young man that made this, don't feed him. He keeps showing up and no one knows where he came from. He just grunts and grumbles when we hit him out the door with the broom.

If that moron can make a mini-computer, you can do better, so come on in to HackRVA and say hello and join up to make awesome things yourself.

Seriously don't feed that guy though. Why is he here?

Boxes and Nothing More

Let's take a look at what's happening at HackRVA. We know where the action is at, and it can be only at one place.

The word is BOXES.

Six sides makes the magic. If you're not making boxes--what are you doing with your life? It's become an obsession with us. Michael made a pretty one with red velvet lining in a carefully laid out plan. Dustin made a sweet little laptop box with a Raspberry Pi, screen and keyboard and all. Both were awesome.

And then there's this thing Aaron made... 

It's his tri-copter house. Hey, tri-copters have it rough sometimes, so they sometimes can't afford the nicest accomodations, but at least it has a luxurious black pleather interior with well-meaning pop-rivet joinings. For a first attempt, I think it's a resounding success! 

Think you can do better? Let's get hacking and see what kind of awesome-sauce box you can make.

Building of the New World Conference

Sidney has co-sponsered the "Build the New World" conference through HackRVA. He will be attending the conference in the Science & Technology Sector. Details below:

Specifically, BTNW will focus on the “Wheel of Co-Creation” originally designed by Barbara Marx Hubbard, who will be opening the conference. The Wheel identifies eleven “sectors” of a full-spectrum society:

a

            Full-Spectrum Community Sectors:

           1.    Learning & Education

           2.    Communications & Media

           3.    Art & Culture

           4.    Economics & Business

           5.    Peacekeeping & Relations

           6.    Justice & Governance

           7.    Health & Wellness

           8.    Food, Water & Environment

           9.    Infrastructure & Resources

           10.   Science & Technology

           11.   Spirituality & Religion

Thought-leaders in each of these sectors will speak at the conference. 

Dates:             May 28 – May 31, 2015

Location:        Radford University in Radford, Virginia

Website:         www.BTNW.org

USB Hardware Repair Saves the Day

By Aaron

Stephen got a call from a friend from across the world about a broken USB drive. From China to be exact, and the friend's daughter is a student in Charlotte, NC with a USB full of important school work files that couldn't be accessed. They actually cordinated a meetup through the hacker network to have it fixed at the Charlotte space, but ultimately decided to have it mailed to Steven. Sure enough, he fixed it. Disaster averted thanks to friendly hackers.

Stephen sez:
I was able to repair the usb drive and get Natalie's files. The solder pads had ripped off but I used a razor to remove the solder mask on different parts of the boards to access the circuit points. I cut apart a USB cable and solder the wires to the circuit board.

Quad Alphanumeric Office Hours

by Aaron

Need to talk? Check the lights!

Here's a great blog post by Daniel on how he built it at HackRVA.

Gears of "Almost" Finger Crushing

by Aaron

 

Michael cut these fabulous gears on the CNC in the name of learning more about mechanical systems and to make a neat demonstration. He happened to have a spare microwave turntable motor (we've kinda fallen in love with these things) so when you stick a finger in the works, it just sighs and spins the other way. You can see it hanging at the space in all its glory. 

Andrew Solderhands

by Aaron

 

We've done helmets, shoes, skirts, headbands, t-shirts.... and now... THE SOLDER GLOVE.

Impractical, maybe. Fun, definitely. Play is at the heart of creativity and we know how to have a good time. Just don't try any fist-bumps.

Embracing Failure

by Aaron sir-fails-a-lot

At a recent HackRVA book club meeting the idea of a "fail club" was brought up. We were all encouraged to find something we wanted to try but were afraid to fail at or thought we would fail at. For me it was chiseling stone. I learned a lot trying this. Thanks HackRVA book club!

Tracking the Stars

by Aaron

Andy knocks out another sweet project. He's really on a roll. This one tracks the night sky. He used a range of maker tools and parts to do it; CNC Router for plates, 3D printer for brackets and bearing blocks, stepper motor for movement, arduino for control, and custom circuits to connect it all. Nice Job!!

More build pics here.

Skeleton Shooters' CT Scanner

by Aaron

Alright, this is just awesome. The RVA Maker Guild lego leauge Skeleton Shooters (such a sweet name) did a demo on CT scanners made from legos. More pics here.

Minecraft to the Max

by Aaron

Caught looting someones pick-axe stash?

We had an impromptu Minecraft night at HackRVA. It lasted until way-past-bedtime-oclock. It's all good though, because now we have a Minecraft server at the space and people can play at home too. The only question left is do I call into work tomorrow to build a simulated replica of the space....