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  • Author Author: Workshopshed
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Review of 2014

Workshopshed

My main project for 2014 was a combination of electronics, mechanics and software. The Topsy Turvy Clock uses an Arduino Micro, RTC and Darlington buffers to control two stepper motors to tell the time on this rather unique clock. It turned out to be more of a challenge than I expected with some unique challenges including a defective PCB on the microcontroller, avoiding overloading the onboard regulator and using opto sensors to locate the positions of the motors.

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I was lucky enough to have my proposals selected for two roadtests this year, in the summer I tried out the CapSense MBR3 sensor evaluation board.

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I had good fun with this board, testing it with different gloves and front panels.

 

I hope to use the MBR3 chips in a project next year. This required getting back up to speed on making PCBs so I've been learning Eagle and have bought some SMD components and tools to build the prototypes. The next step is to get the PCBs made.

 

My second roadtest underway, I'm looking at the Cel Robox 3D Printer so far having successfully made some toys for the family.

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My plans for 2015 are to finish the Robox Roadtest, build a little Stirling Engine, details of that on http://www.workshopshed.com/ and get my board with the MBR3 sensors built. All of this is done in my spare time so progress could be slow but these are reasonable challenges to complete, no doubt there will be a few side project on the way.

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  • Nice summary.

    Makes you realise how much you have (or haven't) achieved over the year ...despite the best intentions.image

     

    I gave up making promises and resolutions as I never seemed to be able to stick with them.

    It tends to be the same with projects and new boards ... any spare time gets taken by other things.

     

    Mark

  • in reply to mcb1

    Mark, I read an article this year about how you should never compare yourself to social media posts like this as it is of course a glamourised view of the world. Such as Facebook friends who posted fantastic holiday photos which in reality they only took because they felt guilty about not spending enough time with their family. You only see part of the picture.

  • in reply to Workshopshed

    You only see part of the picture.

    Not sure what you're suggesting. ...

     

    Sometimes the job looks like it should take 5 mins, but in reality it's many hours, so a list isn't always a good marker of efforts spent.

     

    Mark

  • in reply to mcb1

    Hi Mark I've seen many Blogs/Youtube video Sites and the likes wind to a halt over the last year. I feel that even if the producers of the material know how much time it takes to do this stuff those consuming it do not and after a while largely because of this people loose heart and stop doing things.

     

    Getting paid for material/work is the reason we do many things and the reason we call it work.

    For fun projects they can get parked due to folk getting tired or disheartened.

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  • in reply to mcb1

    Hi Mark I've seen many Blogs/Youtube video Sites and the likes wind to a halt over the last year. I feel that even if the producers of the material know how much time it takes to do this stuff those consuming it do not and after a while largely because of this people loose heart and stop doing things.

     

    Getting paid for material/work is the reason we do many things and the reason we call it work.

    For fun projects they can get parked due to folk getting tired or disheartened.

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