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What was your biggest project Disaster? We are asking e14 in our Join, Share & Win Competition

e14phil

Calling all makers, engineers, and tinkerers!
We are back for a second, and more SPOOKY month, asking you about your projects, spaces and adventures in engineering!
Last month we asked you about your workbench tips RE: What are your Tips for an Organized Workbench? [Ask e14 - Join, Share & Win Competition] September 2025 

This month we want to know about the biggest project disaster you have experienced. 

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Photos: Historically "accurate" engineering accidents.  

Competition
Join the element14 Community today and take part in our latest “Join, Share & Win” challenge.

It’s simple:
1. Register (or Login) for FREE
2. Answer this question by adding a reply / commenting:

What was your biggest project Disaster?

3. Be in with a chance to WIN!

Share with us your best (hopefully lighthearted) watercooler story of how that one project sank, fell over or failed to start!

The Community Judge team will select our 3 favorite answers to win one of the prizes below. 

Here’s what you could win:

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Arduino Uno R4 Minima

October Competition [Now Closed] 

The judging panel of   and myself have selected our winners in no particular order. 

Please congratulate:

  
 
 

Alice will be reaching out to you all to get your prizes via Direct message. 

Congratulations, and this months competition begins today! 

General Terms
What: Win 1 of 3 Arduino UNO R4 Minima
How: Sign up  or Sign in and Comment your answer to What was your biggest project Disaster?
When: Before October 31th 2025. 
Anything else: Full terms are below, but we must be able to ship to the address in your account. 

Entries close October 31st, 2025, so don’t wait!

Terms & Conditions

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  • Mine had to be when I used to work as a technical manager for a chain of "high end, high production" music venues. 
    At that time I had a theatrical pyrotechnics license and was setting up a few rows of fountains that would rain down "safe" shower of sparks.
    (think: When the boyband get to the key change in the song and they stand up off their stools) 
    image

    I had set the venue up, ordered two boxes of 12 pyrotechnics, attached them to the rigging, inserted the resistive igniters and made it safe while I set up the rest of the venue for the evening.  The promotions manager passed by, spotting the second box of Pyro's, asks me to "Go on phil, throw those up as well, and we will cover the cost"

    At that point I rig a second run and wire them together with minimal functional understanding of Resistance in a Parallel Vs Series circuits.

    The real educational moment had, of course, to come at the countdown of "5 4 3 2 1, Happy New Year!" when the small pyro technics detonator didn't have enough ampage to ignite the multiple rows on cue. 
    Leading me to pull the cables out, untwist the pairs, and set them off at  00:01 and 00:02 respectively. Happy new year, I guess :) 

Reply

  • Mine had to be when I used to work as a technical manager for a chain of "high end, high production" music venues. 
    At that time I had a theatrical pyrotechnics license and was setting up a few rows of fountains that would rain down "safe" shower of sparks.
    (think: When the boyband get to the key change in the song and they stand up off their stools) 
    image

    I had set the venue up, ordered two boxes of 12 pyrotechnics, attached them to the rigging, inserted the resistive igniters and made it safe while I set up the rest of the venue for the evening.  The promotions manager passed by, spotting the second box of Pyro's, asks me to "Go on phil, throw those up as well, and we will cover the cost"

    At that point I rig a second run and wire them together with minimal functional understanding of Resistance in a Parallel Vs Series circuits.

    The real educational moment had, of course, to come at the countdown of "5 4 3 2 1, Happy New Year!" when the small pyro technics detonator didn't have enough ampage to ignite the multiple rows on cue. 
    Leading me to pull the cables out, untwist the pairs, and set them off at  00:01 and 00:02 respectively. Happy new year, I guess :) 

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