A flex PCB with concentric copper rings and perforations so it can be torn into smaller arcs and wedges.

The same flex PCB with one quarter of it torn out and turned into three curved connector pieces of different radii. The remaining board has a silkscreen that says "Do it [...] coward" in Jokerman font.

A silly idea that turned out well! Most flex PCBs are cut by laser, not milled, so you can make perforations by adding incomplete edge cuts. These disks are for cleanly joining LED strips at different angles and different radii, and they break apart with just my fingers, no other tools.

a really neat way to couple sheet metal to a motor shaft. I leaned this from photocopier teardowns.

2nd edition of our The AI Shift newsletter is out. The question today: could AI be making us LESS productive? @jburnmurdoch.ft.com www.ft.com/content/2480... At the individual level, it's clear we're not reliable witnesses on this Q. At an organisational level, it gets even more interesting...

YouTube video by Joe Brown BBB Beetle Champs 2025 - Full Competition - Bristol Bot Builders Beetleweight Combat Robots

Edited video from the event livestream: youtu.be/6pfFTds9S0Q?...

I will be at Assemble, Darby on Saturday, showing off the @pimoroni.com Giant Unicorn hat and other projects.
#GiganticUnicorn

The Bristol Bot Builders arena. Teams are lining up to the left for tech check.

Fig roll, with flipper arm in the up position, showing the rope-and-capstan spring cocking mechanism

Flesh coloured spring flipper robot Fig Roll, with some of the top armour off, showing a brushless servo motor for the flipper, and belt 4wd.

I'm at @bristolbotbuilders.com Champs today, supporting @pinski1.bsky.social and his new robot Fig Roll

Good Maker event in Derby, I will hopefully be showing off my Giant Unicorn hat there in October.

derbymuseums.org/assemble/

A forum post by Massimo Banzi from 2008: "I made that mistake, when I made the first arduino board. David Cuartielles took my first rectangular design , fixed a mistake (his first contribution) by applying the flying resistor you see. (photo of a board that has the components of an Arduino but a different layout and shape, silkscreen says "Wiring Lite) and turned it into this (photo of an Uno-shaped bare board with the text "Arduino" on it) when I put some finishing touches I managed to get the spacing wrong... We had 5 minutes before the deadline to go into production, the PCB guy was on the phone saying "send it now or it goes to next week" and we didn't have a name yet... they I said let's call it Arduino like a bar we used to go...there wasn't much time to think. Then I'm fond of the mistake... it makes it not perfect therefore more human... Yes...it could have been all perfectly optimised... but if engineers ran the world it would be an unbearable place where to live (smile emoticon) Massimo"

Happy 20th anniversary to the wrong header spacing in the Uno form-factor, btw.

Rule Zero lost a bit of bodywork in the last race:

I didn't mention the vast array of classics that currently live here...

Now this beautiful Porsche has arrived! The farm has turned into a classic car show.

Aluminium bodywork of an Austin 7. Complete with baking tray side cover?!

The horn?

Then Pete (builder of 1 Horse Power) turned up with his 7:

Between races Rory (builder of the Hackys The Rat & DB7) gave me a ride in his Austin 7:

In other news, it fukken WORKS and I've successfully made a tiny stained glass window for my beetle's abdomen. 😍

An old green traction engine with a Van der Graaf generator attached

Hey Derek @extelec.bsky.social seen this? A steam powered Van der Graaf generator

Lining up before the night race:

1 Horse Power, a horse themed racer

Turbine, a wind turbine themed racer. The blades spin as he's racing!

Ghost Rider (right), a trike with huge rear wheels, and Every Little Helps (left), a racer built around a shopping trolley. Ghost Rider's driver is wearing a skeleton suit, and Every Little Help's driver is wearing a Tesco employee top.

More pictures of racers

Some repairs underway now. We've got two racers with brush problems, and two with throttle problems. On the whole, we're doing well with reliability and most racers are finishing, so we've had some good races today.

I do love a Makerfaire

Qualifying is done, we've got the first grid:

I'm in Somerset today for Hacky Racers at Scrumpy Cup. Nice to see a mix of new racers and old timers.

Raspberry Pi CM0 castellated module features Raspberry Pi RP3A0 System-in-Package - CNX Software Raspberry Pi CM0 is a yet-to-be-officially-announced castellated Compute Module based on the Raspberry Pi RP3A0 SiP (System-in-Package) found in the

Oh hello 👀

www.cnx-software.com/2025/09/23/r...

YouTube video by HitchinTV Hitchin Soapbox Derby Ramp-Cam

Crash-cam: youtu.be/UF2xfD-Wy1I?...

There's plenty of talk about the event running next year, and you can register your interest now, via: www.hitchinsoapboxderby.com/contact/
There's a huge crowd, really getting into it, so I'm hopeful it will happen.

Hitchin Soapbox Derby · Sunday, Sep 21 📸 Shared album · Tap to view!

My event photos: photos.app.goo.gl/x8w2MU3StmeP...

I'm volunteering at Hitchin's first Soapbox Derby today. Some great racers and an excellent turnout.

I'm volunteering at Hitchin's first Soapbox Derby today. Some great racers and an excellent turnout.

Welcome to @bristolhackspace.bsky.social

Please give them a boost!

#Hackspace #Makespace #Bristol

PRESS RELEASE REGARDING BBB BEETLE CHAMPS - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bristol Bot Builders are excited to share that the BBB Beetle Champs 2025 is scheduled to take place on Saturday 18th October at St Michaels Centre in Stoke Gifford, Bristol. Please find attached promotional material for the event.

Book cover of "UP" with butterflies, glowworms, bats, condors, a hot air balloon, an aircraft, a kite, stars, clouds and other things that are above us.

I am very excited to report that my book is now available for pre-order!!

If you like things that fly – be it aircraft, bugs or birds, then this book is for you!

I am also so delighted with the beautiful cover art by @Rachelhillustrates.bsky.social :)

www.penguin.co.uk/books/461507...