I have plenty of old tech in my life and am constantly making repairs. Keeping old cameras and darkroom equipment running is super expensive (if you can even find the parts you need). When I re-discovered 3d printing, my life changed. I could produce plastic parts for pennies that used might cost $50+ each. I was missing many key parts […]
3D Printing Saves the Day
My Side Hustle
I have a passion for 8 and 16 bit devices that goes beyond nostalgia. I can understand what is happening at the hardware level and can fix almost every issue that emerges. As a hobby, I repair and improve old video game systems and computers. Over the last decade, new Game Boy enhancements have rapidly emerged. Wearing my product manager […]
Film Photography
I attended art school during the twilight decade of commercial film photography. Digital cameras were common, but available pro digital cameras like the Nikon D1 could not compete with 35mm film for quality and were used mainly for press images or documentation. Photo classes focused on the traditional darkroom. I might have not been the best photographer in school, but […]
Cooking Outside
As I transitioned to full time parenting, one of my goals was to serve hot meals anywhere. I have really knocked this out of the park since. For larger meals, I use my portable Cobb grill. This wonderful system can cook a turkey with two large handfuls of charcoal. While cooking, you can swap accessories on or off to make […]
Transforming a 15 Foot Sailboat Into a Comfortable Cruiser
I’ve been hard at work upgrading my Montgomery 15 sailboat to enable comfortable inland cruising year round. I never liked the look of the stainless (passive) mushroom vent the previous owner installed on the cabin. If the boat capsized, this hole could be a big problem. I decided to remove this vent and patch the hole. The finished repair is […]
Wheels
I’ve been upgrading this Bianchi cyclocross bike for well over a decade. I’ve added: A wheel hub that can generate electricity as you ride; A powerful LED Light connected to this hub; A battery-powered rear LED light; Hand stitched leather handle wraps; A leather seat; Upgraded shifters and components; A heavy duty rear rack; A Velo Orange handlebar bag (great […]
A Real Computer in Your Pocket
This HP 200LX is one of my favorite pieces of tech. It has instant on (right back where you left it) and I only charge the batteries a few times a year. It runs any CGA compatible DOS software. There is nothing today that is more reliable and useful for distraction free or off-the-grid pocket computing. Over the years, I’ve […]
Adding Backup Heating for the Winter
Our house is primarily heated by a temperamental oil furnace. I’ve gotten pretty good at keeping it running (at least I have a better record than the grumpy service tech we used to call). For example, I greatly reduced clogging by adding a canister filter after the primary filter and learned how to quickly service the main components when they […]
Improving Our Home Workspace
When I was working from home after our offices shut down, I was frustrated by my workspace in the dim basement. I wanted my wife to have a more comfortable space, and promised to help her improve her setup in our guest bedroom. We decided a larger desk was in order. We limited this project to a single Sunday so […]
Off to a Good Start
Our first week together was a non-stop adventure. As expected, I found it much easier to parent outside of the house. We maybe pushed a little too hard and were both completely exhausted at the end of each day. Day 1 I wanted to start our time together with a bang and decided to visit one of the most majestic […]