Category: Tech

Emergency USB Power Supply (3D Printed)

This project makes use of a 12V battery, like you would use for a vehicle, for charging USB devices in case of a power outage or camping trip. It’s as simple as affixing a USB car charger to the battery. After Hurricane Sandy, I was without power and used an inverter/battery setup at home, but it was huge and heavy. This project revisits the concept with a smaller battery (meant for motorcycles/ATVs) and DC-only charging.

I’ve also created an optional 3D printed battery topper to cover the battery contacts and hold the USB ports. The design is available on Tinkercad so that you may modify it to fit your specific battery and USB charger.

The compact design makes it easier to transport and store. There are many situations where this device could be useful:

  • power outage
  • camping
  • off-grid living

Supplies:

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Motorcycle Gear Gift Guide

As many of you who know me know: I am all about the gear. Using the right equipment for the job is one of my favorite things to do, whether it’s knitting, electronics, or motorcycles. Here’s a list of the best gifts for the motorcycle rider on your list. Got a suggestion to add? Leave it in the comments! Read on for the full list.

Sena Motorcycle Bluetooth Headset/Helmet Intercom

In my opinion, motorcycling is a lot more fun when you can listen to your GPS directions, or your riding partner, from inside your helmet. I have been very happy with both the Sena headsets I’ve owned (I have one in each of two helmets): the Sena 20S EVO headset and SMH10R headset.

Especially for: new riders, long distance riders
Might not appeal to: loners, technophobes

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KitSplit and ShareGrid Review and Comparison From An Equipment Owner

I got into gear rental as a way to earn a little extra money from the film equipment I already own. I co-run this small venture in NYC with my partner, who’s a cinematographer. Over the last two years, it’s been a great experience to be an equipment owner on KitSplit and ShareGrid. What follows is a review and comparison of the two sites, including how much money we have made so far. I’ve tried to keep the review mostly about site features, but there is inevitably some user behavior that comes into play. I’d love to hear about your experience with either site (or both or another entirely) in the comments!

If you decide to join either site or both, please use my referral link, which gets us each $20 in free rental credit:

Listing Visibility

ShareGrid is transparent about how their search algorithm boosts new listings to the top. I watched their informative webinar that let me know new listings are prioritized in search results, so I used that info to create new bundles and re-create my oldest listings. The result is that my rental requests increased, and so did my ShareGrid revenue.

While KitSplit offers blog posts about optimizing your performance, they haven’t described how their search works (that I could find). I did create any bundles on KitSplit too (to keep inventory parity between the two sites), but did not re-create old listings.

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Silver RFID Ring

This guide will demonstrate how to make a silver ring that holds a glass RFID tag. It’s the same kind folks get implanted in their hands to unlock things like door, computers, or vehicles. I’m not quite brave enough to get the implant but I do like making jewelry and wearing rings, so this solution is perfect for me.

I got these tiny glass ampoule tags and RFID reader from Trossen Robotics– they are the daintiest tags I could find. Normally when mounting a stone on a ring, it’s surrounded on at least one side by metal. I was worried the standard bezel would impact the tag readability, so I wanted to create a design that would allow the most possible open space around the tag. I prototyped the design without a tag, just to see how comfortable it was before scaling up to add the extra pieces and figure out the construction.

I got these tiny glass ampoule tags and RFID reader from Trossen Robotics– they are the daintiest tags I could find. Normally when mounting a stone on a ring, it’s surrounded on at least one side by metal. I was worried the standard bezel would impact the tag readability, so I wanted to create a design that would allow the most possible open space around the tag. I prototyped the design without a tag, just to see how comfortable it was before scaling up to add the extra pieces and figure out the construction.

Prerequisite guides:

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Supplies:

To make this project, you will need:

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Workspace Inspiration – My Desks and Studios Throughout Time

I love being in my studio, whether its shooting a tutorial, using the workbench, or just attending a conference call. Since moving to NYC in 2003, I’ve always had to make do with a smaller-than-ideal workspace, except for those two years I lived in Arizona. Here’s a trip through workspaces of my past, starting with college.

I shared my freshman dorm with three other students. Four desks, four beds, four dressers, four NYC college freshmen women. I ended up doing a lot of my art school homework in the dorm’s study room or at the house where I babysat. But the furniture was the same at my next place:

The first space in NYC I had to myself was a single-off-a-suite I lucked into via the student housing lottery. The dorm was on Union Square West, just a few floors of the otherwise-privately-residential building above Blue Water Grill. (I’ve heard it has since been converted back to regular apartments and is no longer a New School dorm.) Since my bed was lofted, I could take over the whole floor with projects. Continue reading for the complete history of my workspaces:

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Why I Switched to the GH5s from the GH5

I recently sold my GH5 and bought a GH5s to replace it. Here’s why:

Dual Native ISO
I’m excited to be able to capture low light scenes with less grain, which will help improve the quality of what I already do, as well as help push my creativity.

Goodbye, Sensor Stabilizer
The GH5’s sensor stabilizer is great for run-and-gun shooters and vloggers, but I found that it just got in my way. Want to do a pan on a tripod or use a slider? Disable the stabilizer, or you’d get unintentional lags in the shot. Without it, the GH5s is 65g lighter than the GH5, even though the external body is the same size.

Ships with V-Log
A renter on Kitsplit had upgraded my GH5’s firmware to include the V-Log feature, which is Panasonic’s excellent flat color space for greater flexibility in color post-processing. Once I figured out how to use Final Cut Pro’s built-in V-Log LUT, I was hooked. This feature should have been free all along, so it’s a good move on Panasonic’s part to ship the GH5s with V-Log by default.

GH4 = BFF
My GH4 is still my go-to for still photos because of its lighter weight and smaller depth, both of which make it easier to grip with my smaller hands and fragile wrists.

Learn more about my camera equipment in my Camera Gear 2019 blog post.

My Camera Gear 2019

Here’s a comprehensive list of the gear I use in 2019 to capture and edit my DIY projects, tutorials, and videos. You don’t need anything special these days to start out capturing great photos and videos– use whichever camera you have access to. These are the tools I personally prefer for the type of work I do. Since the last time I made this post (2017), a lot has changed about my setup. I’ve carefully optimized my tool selection for my professional photography/videography practice. For some practical tips I still stand by, check out my 2014 MAKE article about making great build videos. Links to products are affiliate links.

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Prism Holder for Rainbow Portraits

I was inspired by the rainbow portrait trend to create a tool for precisely positioning a prism. This 3D printed prism holder cradles the glass while providing freedom to rotate for that perfect angle. The holder can be mounted on a c-stand or tripod, and comes together quickly with the attached STL files and a couple of nuts and bolts from the hardware store. Although I created it as a photography tool, it could also be used for physics demonstrations.

Here’s a project that has been on my list for TWO YEARS! Ugh, it’s so 2017… but I had fun modeling this prism holder in Tinkercad, 3D printing it, and using it to capture some rad selfies. It’s always fun to put another tool in the photography toolbox. 

Supplies

To keep up with what I’m working on, follow me on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and subscribe to my newsletter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases you make using my affiliate links.

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Geometric Succulent Planter

I designed and 3D printed this geometric succulent planter in Tinkercad, which has five chambers with drainage and a catch tray.

Supplies

To keep up with what I’m working on, follow me onย YouTube,ย Instagram,ย Twitter,ย Pinterest, andย subscribe to my newsletter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases you make using my affiliate links.

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