Alan

Once again I need more tools.

'Make: Electronics' by Charles Platt

Invested in a book to help me get over the beginner hump in electronics

Minecraft Volume Alpha Minecraft Alpha is the thing that wroom wroom and zoom zooms and it's grreaat

This month's album purchase is the Minecraft soundtrack. It's excellent calm background music. I like it when I'm working. c418.org/albums/minec...

I've barely played this game myself but I used to have letsplay videos run while I worked for hours on end, so I may have built a Pavlovian association

Simple little notebook on a cutting mat. Thread binded with a red cover.

Time for a new notebook. I made this one without drawing blood!

A blinking light. Next step is to understand how this works.

Why am I worried about frying 50 pence worth of components with my static. I need to take more risks in life.

Ordering electronic components is kinda of exciting because you get such a huge list of products in your order for very little money.

Breadboard with Elegoo Arduino clone microcontroller. 2 buttons switch the light on or off.

I've made an overly complicated LED light switch. There's much more to learn, but I think my biggest challenge in learning microcontrollers is going to be finding some desk space. The floor isn't ideal.

Now linked to 6 Discord servers and yet to figure any of them out. Isn't it just too much conversation?

Just ripped a CD for the first time in who knows how many years. I'm very happy with my move away from streaming music. I'm much more actively discovering and engaged in listening to individual albums.

I've finally finished JE Gordon's 'Structures or Why Things Don't Fall Down'. I really had to wrestle with it as I don't have any background in this subject. But I feel enlightened and I think it will inform designs of future maker projects.

Screenshot of my score from ear training intervals.

100/100 for the first time in my ear training of ascending intervals from Minor 2nd all they way to Major 9th. This took an extremely long time to get good at. I can't recognise so many when descending or harmonically yet.

I was thinking of trying that. I've only got as far as researching the equipment.

After a break I'm back to reading about structural engineering. It's quite tricky to grasp some concepts but it is very illuminating. Well worth the struggle.

The surreal book cover

Half way JE Gordon's Structures or Why Things Don't Fall Down which is very interesting and is also stressing my brain.

A screenshot showing a snippet of my Algebra 1 course progress on Khan academy.

Onto Algebra 1. But the way Khan Academy has overlapping courses means I'm starting it with 32% already complete.

Definitely a necessity

I made my first album purchase in years yesterday (on Bandcamp) and I've been listening with more intention to my old music collection recently. Largely moving away from streaming and algorithms. It feels like I'm waking up from a decade long music coma.

A long roll of plane shaving from a piece of lumber

I actually confidently felt a burr when sharpening today. And held to the light I could even see the burr glimmering. So I'm gradually getting better. This was a particularly satisfying roll of shaving from the plane.

Yesterday I went to scan my ticket QR code at Kings Cross and NFC triggered my Goggle Wallet instead. Which I consider to be Google's fault more than Transport For London since I have a setting to always require authentication. So NFC is being turned off except for the rare instance I need it.

Something wind related. But it also reminds me of the funnel on a ship.

The book cover featuring a chair by John Makepeace

A surprise in the post today from my friend Robjn. British Craftsmanship in Wood by Betty Norbury

It's been about a decade since I edited OpenStreetMap but I went for a walk to a new housing estate with GPS a few days ago and I've just put it on the map. It's pretty easy to edit.

The sizing issue seems to be more to do with the printing actually.

Pen inside a little 3d print hole center finder. Basically a cylinder with the pen inside and the outer part the diameter of the hole.

A view of the pen inside the plastic 3d print

A metal work vice installed in its new position on the work bench.

I've moved this vice so it's no longer in the way of my woodwork. I also made a 3d print. The measurements for this were wrong so the pen doesn't fit as planned (perhaps should have fetched the better calipers) but it still worked for finding the centre of the hole. Super quick to make as well.

I have something simple in mind that might make more sense designed in code... so I will have a play.

I had not heard of either build123d or Too Tall Toby but they both look very interesting.

One day I'll have to learn to weld

Cartoon. Two hens facing each other. One is saying "Don't forget, the clucks go 'bok' this weekend.

A reminder for UK residents

Steel flat edge resting on the top of a planed piece of cheap lumber.

I'm starting to get the hang of planing. This was a very rough and unlevel rip edge. It takes too long and this project doesn't need to be this flat, but it is good practice.