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It's the holidays! If someone gave you the gift of unlimited budget for one project, what would you build? We are asking e14 in our Join, Share & Win Competition

A big hello to all!

We are back with December's aske14. As the holiday period is in full swing!

This month, the question is all about someone who has given you the gift of an unlimited budget for one project. What would you build?

Competition Details

You'll have to be a member of the element14 Community to join in and take part in this “Join, Share & Win” challenge. It's simple, all you have to do is:

1. You need to make sure you are Register or Login
2. Then answer the following question by adding a reply or commenting!

If someone has given you the gift of an unlimited budget for one project. What would you build?

The Community team will then select the best 3 answers to win the UNO R4 Arduino!

Entries close January 2nd 2026, so don't wait!

Winners Announcement

The Community team has selected the following members, in no particular order. As it was the holiday season, we added an extra winner.

E14Alice will be in touch with you soon to verify the delivery information before sending you UNO R4 Minima Arduino.

This month, we are giving away:

UNO R4 Minima

Terms and conditions

PDF

Other Holiday Activities

If you are looking for some more holiday fun, we are also running a Hack The Holidays competition.

All you need to do is create an electronics project themed around the Holidays and what they mean to you, to be in with a chance of winning one of several prizes.

Top Replies

Andrew J 1 month ago

I would build a working German Enigma machine. It’s something I’ve already been thinking about and have created a Fusion360 model in-order to 3D-print the non-electrical elements and worked out how switches would work. It does require springs and metal strengthening parts which have to be acquired. With an unlimited budget I could actually prototype to my heart’s content to get it actually working; alternatively, with money no object I could get the parts machined instead and re-create a more accurate replica.
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cstanton 1 month ago in reply to Andrew J

Resin printers aren't too bad, you could have an itty bitty baby enigma machine.
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Andrew J 1 month ago in reply to cstanton

I have a couple of 3D printers, one I built myself (from a kit), and it should work with PLA and/or ABS. The parts that will require the most testing and prototyping are the rotors and reflector as the 26x4 spring loaded contacts are likely to exert a fair bit of lateral pressure and stress on some plastic parts. There are a few axles that would need to be steel or aluminium as plastic wouldn’t be strong enough. Most of it should be doable though.
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manojroy123 1 month ago

I want to make a Chemical vapor deposition maching to perform coating on glass to make it conductive and also want to make optical filter for various applications maybe even make some miniature devices like optical antenna integreted circuit. Does anyone knows how to perform conductive coating on plastic.
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manojroy123 1 month ago

another would be automatic optical glass or saphire lense making machine.
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balajivan1995 1 month ago

Sticking to my new year resolution for 2026 (using renewable energy), I will buy Solar panels, lots and lots of solar panels. Followed by batteries, inverters, and whatever necessary to power my home with solar energy alone.
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robogary 1 month ago in reply to Andrew J

Cool idea, amazing machine. Caution: decoders are available since 1948, VPN can be used for the PC. :-)
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bradfordmiller 1 month ago

Well, a Dyson Sphere around Sol springs to mind, but I may be thinking too small. Unlimited budgets are infinite, after all.
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bradfordmiller 1 month ago in reply to Andrew J

Or, you could just buy one: http://enigmamuseum.com/replica/

And for those who aren't into mechanics so much: https://obsolescence.dev/enigma-touch.html
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robogary 1 month ago

For my wife, me, and the benefit of all society, develop a universal clean-bot. The small robot would spend its lifetime , stopping only to recharge and reload, clean and disinfect bathrooms, toilets, and kitchens.
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