I've wanted a recumbent for ages, they look very comfortable, have good air resistance because of the low profile and really scream out "LOOK AT ME, I'M AN ECCENTRIC".

when I stumbled opon the python design http://www.python-lowracer.de/ I saw a design that was radical, even for recumbent, it breaks many of the rules for conventional bicycle design, like having a negative trail. (see the site for like for more information)

This project is a mixer, especially designed for electronic musical instruments.  It has 16 inputs, each with a level control and a three-way switch which selects between two subgroups and mute.  It has a very clean signal path, and sounds amazing!  =]

the reprap is now crudely functionion and has printed out several test shapes.

two squares with layers.

and a flat raft shape.

but most importantly, i've figured out how to consistantly start a print off properly.

using gcdump at the command line:

0. set metric mode

G21

1. move extruder to home:

G1 X-100 Y-100

2. get the extruder good and hot. i tell it to go to 118 with 

M104 P118

wait until it is up to temperature.  (will take a while)

3. turn on extruder motor

M101

after see my friends struggle with weird windows problems, anti-virus software killing windows etc. I've given up dealing with that stuff when I went to linux years ago. I don't even download software any more. I'm much lazier - if it's not in a repositry I re-evaluate my need for that software.

windows people won't even know what I'm talking about.

well, to install a piece of software I just open the terminal (under applications -> accessories -> terminal) and say

>sudo apt-get install [X]

This article details how I modified my Paia 6710 Vocoder for much better noise and sound. Here's a picture of the finished product:

Front panel L-R: Instrument input, instrument level, hole for peak indicator LED, mic input, mic level, hole for peak indicator, HPF switch, Main output, mic threshold, bypass switch, output jack, power indicator.

Here is the original schematic, which is referenced below:

a few weeks ago, I saw this great looking old singer sitting in my favorite op shop. it was jammed, and they gave it to me for $7. I slung it over my bicycle handlebars and rode back to makerspace. 

You would not belive how satisfying doing something like this is. Next time you feel like you need some emotional payback, I recomend you invest a hour or so in organising something - something at makerspace.

soSetimes your working on a project, and well it just doesn't go right. Your glue came undone, or your electrical connections are intimittent, or its just taking much much longer than you had anticipated. It can be frustrating.

the canoe has been launched for about two months now. I've broken nearly every part of it. I broke the bottom mast step. I broke one of the aka (outrigger) holders on the waka (main hull). I broke the aka-ama mounts. (ama is the outrigger pontoon). I discovered the ama was too small, and did not have enough bouyancy when sailing with the ama on the downwind side. I cracked the forward aka, but strengthened it before it broke through. I broke the top mast step, and the rudder stock.

epoxy is AWESOME. It makes boat building easy. If your peices of wood arn't quite the right size and theres a gap, it doesn't matter. you can thicken the epoxy and fill the gap. you can make the outside of something really durable by reinforcing it with fiberglass, or use it as a glue, by mixing in a power to thicken it. you can buy special powders to do this, but I just use flour. you can thin it down so it soaks into wood, sealing it and protecting it from water - and hardening the surface.

the first step in building the boat is drawing the design onto the plywood. it is critical that the design is drawn correctly, or else how will it be cut correctly?

I started I was just using a tape measure but soon discovered that 1) the (cheap) tape measure was lieing to me, and 2) I was occasionally misreading the marks, and 3) pencil marks are too wide to be really accurate.