tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112051845810931682024-03-13T13:18:21.406-07:00Mad Scientist's Lairmadscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-72625464401801842322014-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:002014-07-31T06:00:00.460-07:00Key remapping (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the home/end keys)So the page up and page down keys on my laptop (see <a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2013/01/lenovo-t430s-review.html">my review on the T430s</a>) are next to the directional arrows. This was driving me insane, as I would accidentally hit them and then my view would jump to kingdom come. Thankfully you can remap keys in Linux, and I found <a href="http://www.autohotkey.com/">autohotkey </a>for Windows. Such a lifesaver. I remapped pgup/pgdn to home and end. That's when I discovered...<br />
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How did I not know about HOME and END until now!?!?!<br />
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These are fantastic keys, especially since I'm so used to vi/m in Linux, and jumping to the beginning / end of lines to do inserts. It is super-useful to have these keys in Windows. I absolutely love the keyboard layout with the remapping now.madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-36770425983337174542014-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:002014-07-14T06:00:01.391-07:00Weekend Project - Mini CornholeSomehow I completely escaped cornhole while in college. I must have seen people playing it, but probably thought it looked a bit too silly to play myself. One of my friends in grad-school had a set, however, and I gave it a try.<br />
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Turns out I'm really good at throwing a beanbag into a hole - and had a good deal of fun doing it.<br />
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So this weekend I set out to make a set of my own! I had some plywood lying about, so that set the dimensions of the boards to 20"x13" (which is pretty close to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio">golden ratio</a>). I used two 7" sections of my favorite 2"x2" furring strip for the legs.<br />
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The recipe is simple enough: Slice off the sections with the jigsaw, then drill a hole big enough to get the jigsaw blade into and spiral out until you can cut out the center hole.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KRFzlsk-uq-s5_qoLhqhRIk0LDsKHBvK5Q5D_FTyXY5g-793IvAz7jqBoWV672QM_2UePOWcymHWYy4XW8vRZkwvqK_7ggWI7JIT66CSZ7UkO0UGpPd06w7MJpJtBH8JFeKyR8v_QQ/s1600/paintbegin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KRFzlsk-uq-s5_qoLhqhRIk0LDsKHBvK5Q5D_FTyXY5g-793IvAz7jqBoWV672QM_2UePOWcymHWYy4XW8vRZkwvqK_7ggWI7JIT66CSZ7UkO0UGpPd06w7MJpJtBH8JFeKyR8v_QQ/s1600/paintbegin.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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I measured out the center of the hole, and then used an old lid (a paint can could work as well) to mark a circle. You can center the circle by making tic marks the radius away in the horizontal and vertical directions. Line up the edges of the circle with those marks, and it should be centered.<br />
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I drilled a hole large enough for the jigsaw blade and then spiraled out to cut the hole out. Be careful and take your time during this part, since it's largely freehand, it's also <b>VERY</b> dangerous!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwgIzWVFQIjeKYNM24Sp1p5F36NEsNrOzpGmEvcLSYGLTi0NI0dG0Dhh22JhBkKh8azgYD0xltlnnmG1UbgWFrraQ4EDXP5Mbkq6McmwGII6JPDPmFY7pq87Z2iZMVYk6MsOmIBxX_A/s1600/cutbegin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwgIzWVFQIjeKYNM24Sp1p5F36NEsNrOzpGmEvcLSYGLTi0NI0dG0Dhh22JhBkKh8azgYD0xltlnnmG1UbgWFrraQ4EDXP5Mbkq6McmwGII6JPDPmFY7pq87Z2iZMVYk6MsOmIBxX_A/s1600/cutbegin.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QOY6w1JddWFn7ADNbVcDaKBwTBW57pF1jK5KB7UsnwDksyn9eHMT0OhTyVmfdmNbtK7Noil9y-mbM8sQt-fnjN3_lHwRDa9Hk3aMSS34u3UtKbz4AF2VleYlJPqMVdr3IiAyXRa2Kw/s1600/cutdone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QOY6w1JddWFn7ADNbVcDaKBwTBW57pF1jK5KB7UsnwDksyn9eHMT0OhTyVmfdmNbtK7Noil9y-mbM8sQt-fnjN3_lHwRDa9Hk3aMSS34u3UtKbz4AF2VleYlJPqMVdr3IiAyXRa2Kw/s1600/cutdone.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sand everything down so there are no edges to get splinters from. That would put a damper on your fun!<br />
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Onto painting! The photos are a bit out of order - I hadn't charged my drill - and I got a head start on painting before finish the cuts. There are some tricks that can make the painting go easier. I was going for a three-tone design, with two lines leading up to the hole. First I laid down a strip of painters tape for where I wanted the line to go, and painted around it.<br />
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Running a razor blade (or x-acto knife) along the edge of the tape helps it peel up without dragging the paint up with it.<br />
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I also used the x-acto knife and the lid I drew the circle with to cut a nice circle out of the ring of tape around the edge. This left a nice circle when I painted the highlight strips.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd2txTQRCAZwo3gX61z2f8Egn8eBsCBBfoquYcwr9GhJY6gicnjTA-aoXaBR_kOSaZuM5SbOybLiHxy4m6gfOJS-yzQvikRleo6_ZnQh8ZjIUFuIgiCl7pPqTsboRlZ8j57LCMxkvvg/s1600/paintslicecircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd2txTQRCAZwo3gX61z2f8Egn8eBsCBBfoquYcwr9GhJY6gicnjTA-aoXaBR_kOSaZuM5SbOybLiHxy4m6gfOJS-yzQvikRleo6_ZnQh8ZjIUFuIgiCl7pPqTsboRlZ8j57LCMxkvvg/s1600/paintslicecircle.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, attach the legs with a couple of screws (this prevents them from rotating). Don't forget to counter-sink the screws, so you don't have the heads sticking up waiting to catch someone's finger.<br />
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You may have to do some touch-up work, but we're done with the boards. Now onto the bags.<br />
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I used some split-peas for filler, as they have a nice smooth feel to them (it must have looked pretty strange to see me feeling up all the beans in the store). I measured out ~5.3 oz as a good weight, which used 2 16oz bags of beans for the 6 bags. As you can see, I was very careful about measuring out the beans :p.<br />
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Finally, we used some old cloth we had lying around for the bags, which are sewn just like a pillow - inside out and the flipped, filled, and sealed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQubvUyxJVN4pdxbIoJmDNSfimAfuQvaW06aduMFQ5jawxlRgqxWTkc4g7c5XrJYjFhmkORb4QYLfIZyysIdaDmw3hU0kGTYXg5UeEB59L79djLDRa8WCt_99YXQHwnLHQHwFUVn8i6g/s1600/beanbags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQubvUyxJVN4pdxbIoJmDNSfimAfuQvaW06aduMFQ5jawxlRgqxWTkc4g7c5XrJYjFhmkORb4QYLfIZyysIdaDmw3hU0kGTYXg5UeEB59L79djLDRa8WCt_99YXQHwnLHQHwFUVn8i6g/s1600/beanbags.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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All done! Grab a cold soda and enjoy your handi-work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvflSzN0nTo_bkRPEgLt5mrBgkZUfHyMkdCbRY9uQ_hTh0f5rJRvSviXpI-PMVCD_9qJAe0W6E9L2FXcQyr2yZu75fXhQGbiCPZ9vslkE_ZLrgmY70IwkEoOBZExFEcnpXg0UvXeOug/s1600/minicornhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvflSzN0nTo_bkRPEgLt5mrBgkZUfHyMkdCbRY9uQ_hTh0f5rJRvSviXpI-PMVCD_9qJAe0W6E9L2FXcQyr2yZu75fXhQGbiCPZ9vslkE_ZLrgmY70IwkEoOBZExFEcnpXg0UvXeOug/s1600/minicornhole.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tools:<br />
<ul>
<li>Jigsaw</li>
<li>Hand drill</li>
<li>Sandpaper</li>
<li>Painter's tape (optional)</li>
<li>Paintbrush</li>
<li>Coutersink / drill bits / screwdriver bit</li>
</ul>
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Supplies:</div>
<ul>
<li>Plywood (spare, probably ~$10)</li>
<li>2"x2" furring strip ($2)</li>
<li>Screws (8x ~$5 for a large pack)</li>
<li>Paint (I used some old latex paint we had lying about ~$5)</li>
<li>Cloth (spare, ~$2)</li>
<li>Beans ($4)</li>
</ul>
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Total: ~$28</div>
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<br />madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-64899815877211682602014-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:002014-07-07T06:00:02.798-07:00Cracked ScreenDisaster hath struck:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6CGU8k9HDSt52igcBFfDhuXT7UrTuf7YTAHC1pdNaY9kDQHrv4KMqTZt0vNe550zWPBY5QKItgsTcNz3tJc2rZM-kwtdq3pYVTfpZrhD2X3nQYyR6ehZJcfJn4G7KRo4g1P6pen1Ow/s1600/CrackedNote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6CGU8k9HDSt52igcBFfDhuXT7UrTuf7YTAHC1pdNaY9kDQHrv4KMqTZt0vNe550zWPBY5QKItgsTcNz3tJc2rZM-kwtdq3pYVTfpZrhD2X3nQYyR6ehZJcfJn4G7KRo4g1P6pen1Ow/s1600/CrackedNote.jpg" height="271" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've been running my tablets "naked" (shorthand for without a screen protector) and it's finally taken a toll.</div>
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<b>How it happened:</b> The Note was balanced right on the edge of stability on the table edge. A small nudge sent it flipping over and it landed flat, face down, on a tile floor.</div>
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Interestingly, I've dropped the Nook 3-4 times now, and its screen is still in perfect condition. I think there are two main differences here;</div>
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<ol>
<li>The Nook has a smaller screen, so for a given thickness of glass the aspect ratio (diagonal to thickness) is smaller for the smaller screen, providing added strength.</li>
<li>The Nook impacts have all been at an angle and not face-on.</li>
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<b>Repair:</b> I always like to do things myself, but after watching a few videos on removing the screen on YouTube, I opted to find some professionals with some more experience. The screen replacement cost $130, about half as much as I had initially purchased the tablet for on ebay (ouch!). The screen repair shop I went to was very professional though - they had obviously done this before (they had 2-3 Note's sitting in various stages of disrepair) and had a good turn-around time of four days (including the weekend).</div>
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The one down-side is that they weren't able to source the dark-gray screen, so the front of my tablet is now white:</div>
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But it works mostly as well as before! The new digitizer works well with the pen - it's responsive and there are no dead-zones. But there are a couple of new dead-zones for touch (right where the spacebar / web navigation tab is in portrait mode. Unfortunately, that is really annoying spot for a dead zone. Still it works, and works well enough.</div>
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Guess it's time to invest in a case.</div>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-74838694348942936472014-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:002014-06-30T06:00:09.271-07:00The Coffee TableFrom the archives: Here's one of our first projects, a coffee table. The apartment had this incredible empty space between the couch and the TV, plus there were absolutely no flat surfaces on which to rest anything. While I was going to go for the eminently practical plywood on my favorite 2x2 furring strips, the better half convinced me to make it a bit more artistic. Together we browsed through the hardware store and found these fantastic tiles. After about a month of hard work, we ended up with this table:<br />
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As far as construction goes, there's a plywood surface, under which there is an open frame of furring strips, with the four legs going into the corners and reinforced / held into place with an angled strip:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMrEtsoMZ8Awp4CIUVJuhUuBqcw5KLoUw2FjcNTZSfCSCRTzeCWiL4yjsVVnPv0ddI_x8P0Y4-8zZw832jH8OCXKuPCbiJc5z7R1lAFa1kgKuDXUQHRlzd8pV9pXJqbeq__-jWmrAVg/s1600/02_Underside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMrEtsoMZ8Awp4CIUVJuhUuBqcw5KLoUw2FjcNTZSfCSCRTzeCWiL4yjsVVnPv0ddI_x8P0Y4-8zZw832jH8OCXKuPCbiJc5z7R1lAFa1kgKuDXUQHRlzd8pV9pXJqbeq__-jWmrAVg/s1600/02_Underside.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_XXL-JOhK4Yh2O-7o2R-yzv8pFpyUWDwhVORjxkSh_kGtYMddzQYsyRRyP59UIdiZv6sYcSfQ6JEgPI9fOl_dsOYux2Yo2kZ4_QWzwgZtkISBtkvl8_Jy1XOdYKXC7QXd25LReNFBQ/s1600/01_GroutZoom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_XXL-JOhK4Yh2O-7o2R-yzv8pFpyUWDwhVORjxkSh_kGtYMddzQYsyRRyP59UIdiZv6sYcSfQ6JEgPI9fOl_dsOYux2Yo2kZ4_QWzwgZtkISBtkvl8_Jy1XOdYKXC7QXd25LReNFBQ/s1600/01_GroutZoom.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the top, we boxed in the center with some trim, then smeared out the tile adhesive, placed the tiles down and added all the grout. Unfortunately one tub of grout didn't quite cover it, and we had to go back for another tub.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AD-iOltySGx7v_MVXCO4ERJe3YQdcTyB2P-V_CB5E8u8Pgb7_H1OIKLqnKfTwLTT7VtJkmj7ByJKufqhUvyOuIxppBuJLFfaYmrlCh27vvQQDYPrPIQhEzMVC0uvwB5XFGK8uRBH-g/s1600/03_TableTop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AD-iOltySGx7v_MVXCO4ERJe3YQdcTyB2P-V_CB5E8u8Pgb7_H1OIKLqnKfTwLTT7VtJkmj7ByJKufqhUvyOuIxppBuJLFfaYmrlCh27vvQQDYPrPIQhEzMVC0uvwB5XFGK8uRBH-g/s1600/03_TableTop.JPG" height="207" width="400" /></a></div>
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Also, the tiny tiles are horrible to grout, they take forever. We also went ahead and sealed the grout to help protect the surface. The final product was well worth all the effort. We think it's a fantastic table and one we'll certainly have for awhile.<br />
<br />
Tools:<br />
<ul>
<li>Miter box and saw</li>
<li>Screwdriver / drill</li>
</ul>
Cost:<br />
<ul>
<li>Tools: $20</li>
<li>Supplies: $150</li>
<li>Total: $170</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-16431590717359607892014-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:002014-06-23T10:00:05.033-07:00Weekend Project - Floor LampI've wanted to make a Japanese-themed floor lamp to go in our reading nook for quite a while now, and finally got off of my rear to do it. I'll lead off with the beauty shot of it in place, because it really is quite nice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaM5stLelwPyOeEL8HFI96Zgk55WgeDqODeA_mrAXA-IAccYTND-RCFnAMEfl7rPdFG3QLNJOhwt5-VB1yI78XI-brZmVN5R93PJJUg8Bu94v-YUl9YOhSJCtp6lPgL2ezaQeXE4SMA/s1600/10_lampfinal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaM5stLelwPyOeEL8HFI96Zgk55WgeDqODeA_mrAXA-IAccYTND-RCFnAMEfl7rPdFG3QLNJOhwt5-VB1yI78XI-brZmVN5R93PJJUg8Bu94v-YUl9YOhSJCtp6lPgL2ezaQeXE4SMA/s1600/10_lampfinal.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I wasn't able to find 1"x1" wood anywhere (the actual dimensions are closer to 3/4" square), so I had to cut a 2"x1" in half the long way. I wanted a lamp that would be 4' tall, and around 8" wide. These measurements worked out perfectly, as with one 12' section of board, I was able to cut out 4, 4' lengths for the corners and 12, 7.5" lengths for the lattice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVReuDRpBfzqHFxXO51Qnpcz8zCWITpnsErONIF5NY1aEcYLqws9KKn-se5Wl_ZEbE-AhiidEnSuNG_pf-UYYxkaDkkc0wgCKJu0n7xdBCTNuaXgIkctSuDnKPA1zGiwO8_Ns6mSf6yA/s1600/01_cutmid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVReuDRpBfzqHFxXO51Qnpcz8zCWITpnsErONIF5NY1aEcYLqws9KKn-se5Wl_ZEbE-AhiidEnSuNG_pf-UYYxkaDkkc0wgCKJu0n7xdBCTNuaXgIkctSuDnKPA1zGiwO8_Ns6mSf6yA/s1600/01_cutmid.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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After a quick stain, I hot-glued each of the four corners with the three of the connecting pieces, and then nailed them together. Two of the corners were then combined, so I had two components of one full side and one partial side.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ0wFWDgZtlwcTuJLKTJcUpo8oZGCx4k1yLhb3NYOGaE4KTEKnCHLOVBswiGgtpqq-kg4Vxn3J9Oy82pmZnARJkBbVdAB4SqL8ZqzHC9mtrQewY-Pb3ib9WcJ8RiAUhPifTPsSo4YdA/s1600/02_gluing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ0wFWDgZtlwcTuJLKTJcUpo8oZGCx4k1yLhb3NYOGaE4KTEKnCHLOVBswiGgtpqq-kg4Vxn3J9Oy82pmZnARJkBbVdAB4SqL8ZqzHC9mtrQewY-Pb3ib9WcJ8RiAUhPifTPsSo4YdA/s1600/02_gluing.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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The longest part of this project was trying to find some good paper. I could only find industrial size sheets of Japanese rice-paper, and eventually settled on tracing paper. The tracing paper worked out very well in the end. With the paper selected, I just hot-glued it to each of the two complete sides.<br />
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Next up, the sides were joined together with a cross bar formed from a dowel running through the center. This will allow us to hang the bulb for the lamp.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJSqWByNTILRCdCP1A6gxE4fD9aaGs0VI8yjk4UwBNCEV_Vm7fGtfy-_KkebUDCcESKRfoyqGLR7hwFsQ_Y0V3ltV_4zby0xwywwKg_41WBniu-toGcdcaztBGWKQVz2GJmcPq9kC2Q/s1600/05_papersides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJSqWByNTILRCdCP1A6gxE4fD9aaGs0VI8yjk4UwBNCEV_Vm7fGtfy-_KkebUDCcESKRfoyqGLR7hwFsQ_Y0V3ltV_4zby0xwywwKg_41WBniu-toGcdcaztBGWKQVz2GJmcPq9kC2Q/s1600/05_papersides.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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With that done, the next two sides were covered with paper (the final side is quite difficult once the other three are covered). And you can see that it lights up nicely.<br />
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Back to the saw and staining to cut some trim for the base.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JTd4EWLL3tM6RBy_dgLO_p2gzRh2EQEUnPhYcGJnZcBGIBdeCF58t6FBwLF5PDZuysY6XJ8oLG5CpdgVh88Pkk2uZkAhyphenhyphenoBPhDf7kC89cmbZMeftzFkMzVf1YZJSMLPNm9pWIf6U3w/s1600/07_cuttingbase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JTd4EWLL3tM6RBy_dgLO_p2gzRh2EQEUnPhYcGJnZcBGIBdeCF58t6FBwLF5PDZuysY6XJ8oLG5CpdgVh88Pkk2uZkAhyphenhyphenoBPhDf7kC89cmbZMeftzFkMzVf1YZJSMLPNm9pWIf6U3w/s1600/07_cuttingbase.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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With that glued together, the final segments of the paper go in, and we're done.<br />
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Here's a cool looking view from the top.<br />
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That covers the structure of the lamp. Just as important is the electrical component. This isn't too difficult; it comprises of an electrical cord, a switch, and a socket. I thought I would try something different here, and made a video of the wiring process. Remember to use all safety precautions.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/932JIZf5tBY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<div>
This project was fairly easy and straightforward. Having done it there are a few things I would have done differently, however. Mainly, I would have used a few more cross supports. This would have meant that the windows would have been smaller, which would have made it much easier to find paper to fit (I could have gone with the next size down, rather than the largest tracing paper size). If you look closely, you can also see that for the lowest window, the paper is glued to the base. Again, if there were more cross beams, I could have placed one at the base as well. All in all, you can't tell unless you know what to look for (so perhaps I shouldn't have told you ;) ), and I'm very pleased with the glow it gives the reading nook.<br />
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<div>
Here's the breakdown:</div>
<div>
Costs:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>$19 - Wood</li>
<li>$5 - Stain (I ran out of the old stuff)</li>
<li>$8 - Electrical bits & pieces</li>
<li>$13 - Paper</li>
<li>Total: $45</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
Tools:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Jigsaw</li>
<li>Random Orbit Sander (only because I had to slice the wood in the beginning, you could do it all with pre-sanded trim)</li>
<li>Miterbox & handsaw</li>
<li>Nailgun (I wish, this would have made it so much easier to do the frame)</li>
</ul>
</div>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-19921251249056680322014-06-09T06:00:00.000-07:002014-06-09T06:00:06.091-07:00The Android FamilyHaving recently acquired a larger tablet, I thought I would provide an overview of my devices for those who are curious about getting one of their own and would like to see how the different sizes lend themselves to different uses. This isn't going to be a technical post - you can find the details already on the web. Instead I'll just discuss how I use them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8v6IDBCg5sR_M6qZcsuJjd6JB60nWR7NNUJeEgusbMISTQmxEki6xBTTenADDwSnHQ-YAkTWfIG2Tuo5NZBI4e_wAAiYEaG6RZ1tjL0Srrkoj1YgI1Xf7MuqJpAp_N2EcnvFmK0mkg/s1600/AllView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8v6IDBCg5sR_M6qZcsuJjd6JB60nWR7NNUJeEgusbMISTQmxEki6xBTTenADDwSnHQ-YAkTWfIG2Tuo5NZBI4e_wAAiYEaG6RZ1tjL0Srrkoj1YgI1Xf7MuqJpAp_N2EcnvFmK0mkg/s1600/AllView.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let's break down the contents of that photo. The largest is a 10.1" Samsung Galaxy Note, about a year and a half old, but most recently acquired. The midsize one is also the oldest; a Barnes and Noble Nook Color. And the smallest is the Motorola Razr M; the only one actually equipped to make telephone calls.<br />
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Before I get started, here are a few more comparison photos:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW88UF7-5QLABESFdO3MYFzE4IaL9pb98Vhpuu3Il_pZEXPvPIp8pNUxlH-23_cJi8qaUQPqphD14rUjAuAyQY6bKXg3ZsvOYx44x9IHkattNX38NHHNexmlASwDi9MR0fKHFs_-2xvQ/s1600/TopView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW88UF7-5QLABESFdO3MYFzE4IaL9pb98Vhpuu3Il_pZEXPvPIp8pNUxlH-23_cJi8qaUQPqphD14rUjAuAyQY6bKXg3ZsvOYx44x9IHkattNX38NHHNexmlASwDi9MR0fKHFs_-2xvQ/s1600/TopView.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The screens laid out on top of one another.<br />
The 4" phone comfortably fits in the pocket.<br />
The 7" nook is a squeeze.<br />
The 10" tab is nae gonna fit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CZLnzzNzsp8qDVpuOYn4TXtCgkurj2q82JlrCzaCmkYIjefWO03kw1Z63L8DXFkqDydzFx4O4VjYkJH5TDlE-RMrltWQqkO0hk6KaCtpdtt8KcSiIqapBw8mK0mgRAoYd6KXB7XsSw/s1600/SideView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CZLnzzNzsp8qDVpuOYn4TXtCgkurj2q82JlrCzaCmkYIjefWO03kw1Z63L8DXFkqDydzFx4O4VjYkJH5TDlE-RMrltWQqkO0hk6KaCtpdtt8KcSiIqapBw8mK0mgRAoYd6KXB7XsSw/s1600/SideView.jpg" height="76" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Height-wise, they're all fairly similar.<br />
I've never noticed this being a deal-breaker.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBXW4nrFjPDwUhYI-aQ9Nt99RGvYuqYEDWF90sKfkTzeWF3atMExi8_6Z8YxnmYBC4K-mueU9SpC222DxsoJCHCD-x8ppvcFAaF-1RqXr66k__9a2ZngqWHptxER2D70TCAOZPpc-BA/s1600/Screens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBXW4nrFjPDwUhYI-aQ9Nt99RGvYuqYEDWF90sKfkTzeWF3atMExi8_6Z8YxnmYBC4K-mueU9SpC222DxsoJCHCD-x8ppvcFAaF-1RqXr66k__9a2ZngqWHptxER2D70TCAOZPpc-BA/s1600/Screens.jpg" height="177" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The screens are all fantastic.<br />
The nook has an easy brightness adjust and gets plenty bright to use outdoors.<br />
The phone could use a quick brightness adjust for daylight use, though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Nook Color</b><br />
The Nook Color was my first Android purchase, and its use reflects that. While I could have gotten a phone, I didn't want to pay for the extra data plans at the time. But I did want to get into the Android dev scene. And the Nook is stellar for that. Being one of the few tablets at the time, it was picked up and quickly hacked. Enthusiasts had their own version of Android running, and unlocked additional features such as; overclocking, audio compensation, and Bluetooth. The inclusion of an SD Card made it easy enough to run the unlocked OS from it, and to recover it should something go wrong. I picked mine up in 2011, and the first thing I did was root it. I've never regretted that. As you can see I'm <a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2014/02/weekend-tech-project-building-cm11.html">still hacking away </a>at the Nook. So it's served that use above and beyond the call of duty.<br />
For the more casual consumer, I think it still offers a useful place, albeit one that is better served by the more recent Nexus 7. It's screen is large enough to browse the web comfortably, but it shines when reading books. I find the size is great for one-handed reading, either books or blogs. More modern devices are lighter, which is great for long-term reading. The speed improvement you get from a more modern device only really impacts web-rendering - I don't notice any difference when reading books from the Nook App or through my local library. It does a good job at games too, again the screen being a nice compromise between small enough to hold and large enough to see.<br />
<br />
<b>Galaxy Note 10.1</b><br />
The Note 10.1 is an interesting mix of work, web, and games. On one hand it has pretty much entirely replaced my work notebook. The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.steadfastinnovation.android.projectpapyrus">Papyrus</a> app is absolutely fantastic - it integrates hand-written notes with pictures, etc. and makes for a much more dynamic notebook. It also supports cloud backups. Secondly, the screen's large enough that I can read research papers comfortably. Not only can I read, but the pen allows for nice annotations (which you can later read). I use Mendeley for my research papers, and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.matthewwardrop.scholarley">Scholarley</a> is well worth the full-version (if only for the batch document sync) - keeping my papers up to date and available. These two features alone make the tablet very much worth it - I don't have to haul papers back and forth, and have all of my notes available wherever I am.<br />
On the other fronts, the large screen excels as well. This is the only of the three devices that the wife is willing to use for web-browsing. Mainly because it is so much larger and easier to navigate. It works for casual reading as well. RSS feeds render and feel great, but I find books to be just a little too large & cumbersome. Conversely many apps, such as Twitter, are made for the smaller screens and don't take advantage of the available screen area.<br />
Since this is one of the more recent devices, the processing power really makes gaming much more enjoyable than on the Nook (which just doesn't have quite enough to make some high-detail games fluid). The battery on the Note is fantastic, though. It will power through a full day of (sparse) note-taking and reading and then still have enough for web-browsing and games at home.<br />
<br />
<b>Motorola Razr M</b><br />
As I mentioned above, this is the one with cell service, and that's where I really use it. Since I have larger screens available and prefer using them for reading / gaming, I have a paired down app-list on the phone. Here's the entire install list I have;<br />
<ul>
<li>Connectivity</li>
<ul>
<li>Phone</li>
<li>IM</li>
<li>Email</li>
<li>Maps</li>
</ul>
<li>Work</li>
<ul>
<li>Calendar</li>
<li>Task sync</li>
<li>Time tracker</li>
</ul>
<li>Cloud</li>
<ul>
<li>Music (2-3 services)</li>
<li>Storage (dropbox / drive / evernote / scholarly (pdfs not synced) )</li>
<li>Twitter (I find I'm posting mostly from the phone)</li>
</ul>
<li>Utils</li>
<ul>
<li>VPN</li>
<li>SSH</li>
<li>File explorer</li>
</ul>
<li>Misc</li>
<ul>
<li>Camera</li>
<li>NFC / QR</li>
<li>Bluetooth utilities</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
If I had to recommend just one to you - I'd have go go with a modern 7" tablet. The phone is great for the connectivity, but I was getting along without it fine before. And modern 7"ers come with GPS / cameras, which is the one area I find the Nook lacking. Similarly it's great for reading and games. So if you're just looking to dip your toes in, the 7" market is a good place to start.<br />
<br />
Still, your needs may not be lined up with my own, but perhaps you can use the info above to help figure out exactly which size fits your needs the best.madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-31956676714258011652014-02-05T06:00:00.000-08:002014-02-05T06:00:05.852-08:00Weekend (tech) Project: Building CM11I finally decided to dive into the deep end and compile Android from source!<br /><br />
This is not a complete how-to post. I'm writing this first to help you troubleshoot your own build and show where you might run into trouble. Primarily, though it's my notes for the next time I build.<br /><br />
<br />
<h3>
Building:</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvfriLJomo2pFfRjkqi7rjrRkKBqv7JDjOy1EQH8i6YRgWuLDJDrQXE_WQ9HmJIWi25evflR4vJOU8cUhD2B1mG91t1CvT1hBdagOKOvHHeWiySdPoltup7djve9WRqJ95bObaO_wHQ/s1600/build1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvfriLJomo2pFfRjkqi7rjrRkKBqv7JDjOy1EQH8i6YRgWuLDJDrQXE_WQ9HmJIWi25evflR4vJOU8cUhD2B1mG91t1CvT1hBdagOKOvHHeWiySdPoltup7djve9WRqJ95bObaO_wHQ/s1600/build1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
First off, I'm building this in Ubuntu. Also, this is going to use some hard disk space. Make sure that at least 37 (more safely 40) GB is available. I didn't have quite this much available on my linux partition, so I plugged in my external HDD. You have to make sure that you have read-write-execute permissions to the mounted drive. The easiest way I found to do this is to use;<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo umount /media/madscientist/MyExternalHDDsudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sd** /media/madscientist</span></li>
</ul>
You need to fill in the **. This can be found be finding where the device is located in /dev. You can do this with the command;<br /><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo fdisk -l</span></li>
</ul>
From here on out, I'm following the instructions at;<br /><a href="http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Build_for_encore">http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Build_for_encore</a><br />with backup from this thread;<br /><a href="http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1370873">http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1370873</a><br /><br />Before you run envsetup and breakfast, you need to add a file, here's the description:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Have you set up your local manifest file to use the NookieDevs repo? If not, here is one that will work. This goes in the file [source directory]/.repo/local_manifests/roomservice.xml<br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><br /><manifest><br /><project name="NookieDevs/android_device_bn_encore" path="device/bn/encore" remote="github" revision="cm-11.0" /><br /><project name="CyanogenMod/android_kernel_bn_encore" path="kernel/bn/encore" remote="github" revision="encore-omap3-3.0.y" /><br /></manifest></span></blockquote>
After this, you may need to re-run repo sync.<br /><br /><div>
Okay, now my nook isn’t showing up on usb. Trying to find adb_usb.ini to edit as per;<br /><a href="http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Doc:_adb_intro#.22Device_not_found.22_errors">http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Doc:_adb_intro#.22Device_not_found.22_errors</a><br />Finally, I found the file in; <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">~/.android/adb_usb.ini</span> and could add the code: <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">0x2080</span><br /><br />With this done, I restarted the adb server (adb kill-server, adb start-server).<br />You'll have to answer a dialog on the nook to confirm that the computer is allowed to run usb debugging. With this done I was able to attach to the debugger.</div>
<div>
(Another useful site for nook usb info is here; <a href="http://nookdevs.com/NookColor_USB_ADB">http://nookdevs.com/NookColor_USB_ADB</a>)<br /><br />This allowed me to run;<br /><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">~/Build/android/system/device/bn/encore$ ./extract-files.sh</span></li>
</ul>
Which requires that you already have cm 10.2 or later installed on the nook. This pulls some hardware information from the nook for building.<br /><br />Then you can run the build as normal. From here on out I didn't have a problem building.<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Installing:</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Before you install, you ABSOLUTELY MUST back up your existing ROM. This makes it so very much easier to get back to a working state if something goes wrong. Like having an out-of-date recovery image....<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKM-Q6E-55CX5AOc00fufU4Fgr8PaiTKdQxOSnu4Px3BUYUhuD1jBb8GV1ltt4xVFww9Lnz3wNK4-TrehQUoxaNtWkm-LDfgtvdWzZI631G1p8U_8OENyfGHo3Qsb6AUf0tiuuXUv8ug/s1600/build2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKM-Q6E-55CX5AOc00fufU4Fgr8PaiTKdQxOSnu4Px3BUYUhuD1jBb8GV1ltt4xVFww9Lnz3wNK4-TrehQUoxaNtWkm-LDfgtvdWzZI631G1p8U_8OENyfGHo3Qsb6AUf0tiuuXUv8ug/s1600/build2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When installing the build I encountered a “Build failed status 7” as per this thread<br /><a href="http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=47672324&postcount=353">http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=47672324&postcount=353</a><br /><br />This was because the recovery image was out of date. To install the latest recovery image, I followed the directions from <a href="http://nookdevs.com/CWR_Manual_Installation">http://nookdevs.com/CWR_Manual_Installation</a> in which you’ll need to mount and copy some files over via adb. Here's the dump of my command line history:<br /><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb shell mount -o rw,remount /</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb shell mkdir /boot</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb shell mount /dev/block/mmcblk0p1 /boot</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb shell mv /boot/uRecImg /boot/uRecImg.stock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb shell mv /boot/uRecRam /boot/uRecRam.stock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb push /buildpath/android/system/out/target/product/encore/kernel /boot/uRecImg</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">adb push /buildpath/android/system/out/target/product/encore/ramdisk-recovery.ub /boot/uRecRam</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
This brought me to CWM-based recovery v6.0.4.6, which looks promising as google seems to associate this with CM11.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This worked - CM11 was up and running!<br /><br />Grab the latest gapps from CM’s website (<a href="http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Google_Apps">http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Google_Apps</a>) and you're done!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsyK0EDOcHgMx4TWmSJkhcTI1NUI0tlmbCAOpRk3nvYv0fE9KJ3P9b6eo23HvfVqzHnelTo7Dtwc6Tq5f6BsXPQO740mRriLYeaTp8oc23oBlqInzoJ8Maihxf7dP34ATbN2D1fSwRg/s1600/build3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsyK0EDOcHgMx4TWmSJkhcTI1NUI0tlmbCAOpRk3nvYv0fE9KJ3P9b6eo23HvfVqzHnelTo7Dtwc6Tq5f6BsXPQO740mRriLYeaTp8oc23oBlqInzoJ8Maihxf7dP34ATbN2D1fSwRg/s1600/build3.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
<div>
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madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-87244567514670291742013-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:002013-09-30T06:00:05.702-07:00Weekend Project: Tablet StandI added a new tablet to the family, and thought that it was about time I came up with a stand so I could use them while typing. So with a bit of scrap wood and a few quick cuts I was able to whip one up in no time. It works great for both the Galaxy Note 10.1 and for the Nook Color. The stand is only about 4.5 in long and very lightweight. Here's the story;<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfmrUaVgRrvdBfpf904GXvO_W-MLn_dV_02DGhR-g7y_SiWGPuttvcCManVqxV3SJhFKhSCEPxFGh5J9gJ5kK-W9zSGd7E0AHeiCqcBEcXant-S5ZB_DqBVrkvuk_DbWZLTiZ3YmCpQ/s1600/Stand0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfmrUaVgRrvdBfpf904GXvO_W-MLn_dV_02DGhR-g7y_SiWGPuttvcCManVqxV3SJhFKhSCEPxFGh5J9gJ5kK-W9zSGd7E0AHeiCqcBEcXant-S5ZB_DqBVrkvuk_DbWZLTiZ3YmCpQ/s320/Stand0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Here's the basic design. A few slivers of plywood held</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
together with glue and dowels.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Acrw_DE5nbPaFW27LvdQGt3M_O5SM3vs6ethykXNyTQiy8eo7iXA9WEfJ7mwGIo0UhZckAu5HOAWvOoLPRao0vcNVpYyQmHrYcKPptHNlwNkGRLb6TVclGao3D3jc2HmMke1zB7bRw/s1600/Stand1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Acrw_DE5nbPaFW27LvdQGt3M_O5SM3vs6ethykXNyTQiy8eo7iXA9WEfJ7mwGIo0UhZckAu5HOAWvOoLPRao0vcNVpYyQmHrYcKPptHNlwNkGRLb6TVclGao3D3jc2HmMke1zB7bRw/s320/Stand1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The side-view. You can see the design sketches below.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-ZXODjGg8w-4xEwZH5iM1vMRZXW7j_VcSDLvLg92ori_fWh3nnH5Bgi8fWSGq0I0HQHXkso4xvFEo-bbvb75D9gTOS3pAPevJygMaFtSn-KtWsgCvWAIMw-PrQib6_kRDqZJuTibiQ/s1600/Stand2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-ZXODjGg8w-4xEwZH5iM1vMRZXW7j_VcSDLvLg92ori_fWh3nnH5Bgi8fWSGq0I0HQHXkso4xvFEo-bbvb75D9gTOS3pAPevJygMaFtSn-KtWsgCvWAIMw-PrQib6_kRDqZJuTibiQ/s320/Stand2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making sure that it will fit the tablet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXW-JIgx652cb6LqDlKBoZea9B-lRJwBA43tblAEWr5Hin0fa3T8NilFdMMH2cuBg_nACD1XLe_NjsfdNoImfDnMGfUGEd5GL7pYeoDSgePhe83QLLDh5ai1Q1RVFmEIyVcZ72VrFMQ/s1600/Stand3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXW-JIgx652cb6LqDlKBoZea9B-lRJwBA43tblAEWr5Hin0fa3T8NilFdMMH2cuBg_nACD1XLe_NjsfdNoImfDnMGfUGEd5GL7pYeoDSgePhe83QLLDh5ai1Q1RVFmEIyVcZ72VrFMQ/s320/Stand3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A layer of spray-paint goes a long way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis31ZqXgeg8CyxnrOGdzG_Iw-UZNXxcHQIYlp7l_T4CEH_giwpp1fuejhJTX870Px3W19pPRuFWd4Ee_NNCIuM3xAT2O-_Fkh_Bds_4P28lG5G11DsVc0XL4d_7iLpGZkymGAnTi2bZA/s1600/Stand4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis31ZqXgeg8CyxnrOGdzG_Iw-UZNXxcHQIYlp7l_T4CEH_giwpp1fuejhJTX870Px3W19pPRuFWd4Ee_NNCIuM3xAT2O-_Fkh_Bds_4P28lG5G11DsVc0XL4d_7iLpGZkymGAnTi2bZA/s320/Stand4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see it holds the Note 10.1 nicely.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQibOKPkN-W94G_0c6yDFs2SpQZMecJj7YFPGiFyd8T6tUaoyok-fkg4Vxibn3eEl73C2ZKTdZW92s6Ah5o14SnT7AGVTsLPAag_WLm8Rnzpggwb9dD8N_yTqsr64pXLMdYD6AXXHGA/s1600/Stand5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQibOKPkN-W94G_0c6yDFs2SpQZMecJj7YFPGiFyd8T6tUaoyok-fkg4Vxibn3eEl73C2ZKTdZW92s6Ah5o14SnT7AGVTsLPAag_WLm8Rnzpggwb9dD8N_yTqsr64pXLMdYD6AXXHGA/s320/Stand5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It also works great for the nook!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy1h9REWRXP1Nh_2xcqILfb4lC_LSD5Jk4IxIv7SZx-pVrPxbW-_ll5ESr3cvNdstB5jMt8jxmk2ZalMzpgGQHnHV2I0NLKL3Ym5UpdQJmRbV0e4glscOxAXlfZdxql_z_tZ7WbvFRg/s1600/Stand6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy1h9REWRXP1Nh_2xcqILfb4lC_LSD5Jk4IxIv7SZx-pVrPxbW-_ll5ESr3cvNdstB5jMt8jxmk2ZalMzpgGQHnHV2I0NLKL3Ym5UpdQJmRbV0e4glscOxAXlfZdxql_z_tZ7WbvFRg/s320/Stand6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Here's the side view, and you can see that it holds</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
the nook comfortably in landscape and in portrait mode.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYinkkaMc0QoupmdoO7U6eeGKZ4vYk6vPcip1jhqyIDRBcs1YUvf2sHLAfM8aEB1lC0PY3nwj-sxk8Rt_BLTSDg6H-5KTJsxErv4hmXxnh-37YCtOeme2AH97fvrUctprSjpHogtYIYg/s1600/Stand7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYinkkaMc0QoupmdoO7U6eeGKZ4vYk6vPcip1jhqyIDRBcs1YUvf2sHLAfM8aEB1lC0PY3nwj-sxk8Rt_BLTSDg6H-5KTJsxErv4hmXxnh-37YCtOeme2AH97fvrUctprSjpHogtYIYg/s320/Stand7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Galaxy Note 10.1 barely fits is portrait mode too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-2619924281479529092013-09-23T06:00:00.000-07:002013-09-23T06:00:02.549-07:00Weekend project: Bluetooth RadioPerhaps you may have seen these bluetooth powered speakers popping up around. Well, I had an old bluetooth headset that was sitting in my 'junk electronics' drawer, and I thought it would be fun to turn it into the receiving end of a bluetooth speaker system for the house. You may need an app such as <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bedoig.BTmono">btmono</a> to play music to a mono (as opposed to stereo) headset.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMKFL7jma1hDBUK7yxw_GHTtrYMfX5y07v6_OZR3_tnOwxJoMXS-Qv4OBlOjMzcHeP42QnwLxrG60XwpbeSNhhKwQhAhsYWjFf_ZoJdxC_UbYtasuQnovNP3GOe50AxRaOpx_fCUJDg/s1600/radio0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMKFL7jma1hDBUK7yxw_GHTtrYMfX5y07v6_OZR3_tnOwxJoMXS-Qv4OBlOjMzcHeP42QnwLxrG60XwpbeSNhhKwQhAhsYWjFf_ZoJdxC_UbYtasuQnovNP3GOe50AxRaOpx_fCUJDg/s320/radio0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The parts we'll need. Headset, audio jack, and splitter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUwSzKeDZnjyb2Ki4OzJ2Glqtzy7-xxwUHAzKpR3It_Rj-neFp7H2JwzchBrtQuuP79gstQVOnveeC-yCew6p8L8r-6HmW9gh1YAgh8A0bVQgM2Hj5G4y609F1hn19CPax134JDiJ0Q/s1600/radio1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUwSzKeDZnjyb2Ki4OzJ2Glqtzy7-xxwUHAzKpR3It_Rj-neFp7H2JwzchBrtQuuP79gstQVOnveeC-yCew6p8L8r-6HmW9gh1YAgh8A0bVQgM2Hj5G4y609F1hn19CPax134JDiJ0Q/s320/radio1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
After trying to remove the case for an hour,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
it was simpler to dremel off the speaker section</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and get at the wires that way.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7DRlhVSu5606gMIObnluiLuuaazz9_leay2z-Q9uzrEyCbFrO7Ly83xT9Zf3lEZLRUcBTqIvCE0KMmDwHnuCZo4KS-pP_CfVf5VZuR0jNtoQfUKJGCkuYK2z0k1m5l8KchQiwmP4Lw/s1600/radio2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7DRlhVSu5606gMIObnluiLuuaazz9_leay2z-Q9uzrEyCbFrO7Ly83xT9Zf3lEZLRUcBTqIvCE0KMmDwHnuCZo4KS-pP_CfVf5VZuR0jNtoQfUKJGCkuYK2z0k1m5l8KchQiwmP4Lw/s320/radio2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing it out with the audio jack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTlPfO3dmnkQGryH2rANJZNWG5BjfkYZRtQfGCNNurCEj5MLWoKz1CbeVyfTSzd7xokuatDnhOyIg1IfTZEDgIuANt3BsvbpGdsz47nPACOqWHVbwxV0ygpFPd4f7BqxeIqFWV6zqdA/s1600/radio3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTlPfO3dmnkQGryH2rANJZNWG5BjfkYZRtQfGCNNurCEj5MLWoKz1CbeVyfTSzd7xokuatDnhOyIg1IfTZEDgIuANt3BsvbpGdsz47nPACOqWHVbwxV0ygpFPd4f7BqxeIqFWV6zqdA/s320/radio3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Finally, I've hot-glued everything in. I would recommend</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
hot-gluing over the exposed leads so you don't get</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
speaker pop when plugging in the speakers.</div>
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</tbody></table>
<br />madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-65944876838289449032013-09-16T06:00:00.001-07:002013-09-16T06:00:06.667-07:00Weekend Project - PhotopopperOne of the current geek things to do is see what you can fit in an altoids tin. One of my friends had a similar tin that I was playing with awhile ago. He saw me playing around with it and challenged me to come up with something.<br />
<div>
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<div>
Well I've failed. It doesn't fit in the tin.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<div>
But it was still great fun to work on! And it's the perfect weekend project.</div>
<div>
So what am I talking about? It's <a href="https://solarbotics.com/product/k_pp/">Solarbotics BEAM photopopper photovore</a>. That's a mouthful, so let's break it down; it's a robot that follows the light. I got the design from the Solarbotics page, where you can buy a kit from them, although I just purchased the components on my own, as I wanted to fit them in the tin. </div>
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Here's the picto-breakdown - scroll all the way to the bottom for a video!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL3R4439h8fVnSYQcE7a_M-czt5BBe9N0n7nIlublUq6ZiI8cO4PEjds3wFlAWue-Z_kv4JLUvLfbqTGiKLJoB8bczg2AfvXzlyvCD-hirezDIU1CnJ9eLeLsJvpfs41n6hoCG6jkOA/s1600/photopopper0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL3R4439h8fVnSYQcE7a_M-czt5BBe9N0n7nIlublUq6ZiI8cO4PEjds3wFlAWue-Z_kv4JLUvLfbqTGiKLJoB8bczg2AfvXzlyvCD-hirezDIU1CnJ9eLeLsJvpfs41n6hoCG6jkOA/s320/photopopper0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">It's best to build the circuit on a prototyping board to<br />
make sure everything works. If not, it's easy to fix here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC4tXNfPd9FT01qpEbQTosQQP_1o0xq39YGWsts4Ky8FJ2gjiHFgG_BLgErCgutG37sWHk3kcIOFB_fFaakygcGQCy5fspcqTyv0S4aFMlZ5xDR0P0J1ealkZeujPnTb2P8ueePIc6w/s1600/photopopper1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC4tXNfPd9FT01qpEbQTosQQP_1o0xq39YGWsts4Ky8FJ2gjiHFgG_BLgErCgutG37sWHk3kcIOFB_fFaakygcGQCy5fspcqTyv0S4aFMlZ5xDR0P0J1ealkZeujPnTb2P8ueePIc6w/s320/photopopper1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Once it's working, you can solider it together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqXBkxK7X7n0zF58SFAgvizrbSLqw3I5GyUQqdyWc_-sUL7x_iiU57yu3nTizMOiaSYaVMEG5MjSs7bFpJb-eE05dBv42jxPAX6dR-8BjxdJLlVCJuOgjAL274o2mnKuu-Dypw-eZBg/s1600/photopopper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqXBkxK7X7n0zF58SFAgvizrbSLqw3I5GyUQqdyWc_-sUL7x_iiU57yu3nTizMOiaSYaVMEG5MjSs7bFpJb-eE05dBv42jxPAX6dR-8BjxdJLlVCJuOgjAL274o2mnKuu-Dypw-eZBg/s320/photopopper2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Finally, we use some double-sided tape to attach the shell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCMKkPRxu38-krDzDRZn7zJ11x0u1oPrGiS22B10ZKlDoKKLORwVAQ1q8_8_2cSUAAQnx9d37yTP2AlPSMgNZW5Y4_eZ3qvZMPVnGOlmlYiLX4TGd6WYKPUO2fPFm3jAZ4yVsXqMXyQ/s1600/photopopper3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCMKkPRxu38-krDzDRZn7zJ11x0u1oPrGiS22B10ZKlDoKKLORwVAQ1q8_8_2cSUAAQnx9d37yTP2AlPSMgNZW5Y4_eZ3qvZMPVnGOlmlYiLX4TGd6WYKPUO2fPFm3jAZ4yVsXqMXyQ/s320/photopopper3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The tabasco robot! It's hard shell protects<br />
it from many natural predators.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/R0CuXX6ieJU" width="459"></iframe>madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-65315971936102375882013-08-17T13:57:00.000-07:002013-08-17T13:57:00.087-07:00Cool FlowerSometimes nature does the unexpected.<div>
After a week in a vase, we had some flower stems decide to curl back in four directions:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUo7SR1OfjbAG9SQV_QiuN1hi3qpGpM3DFdol-glg3Bne5cn8BLpZJmozcXLQMuon-zW68yR-21Nl8EvRShpK7RVrKpCIsi5K7RbeKANKpfDsPFbpaQx8h9-cM4sIJLhrL31V2l6xYIg/s1600/00_flower1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUo7SR1OfjbAG9SQV_QiuN1hi3qpGpM3DFdol-glg3Bne5cn8BLpZJmozcXLQMuon-zW68yR-21Nl8EvRShpK7RVrKpCIsi5K7RbeKANKpfDsPFbpaQx8h9-cM4sIJLhrL31V2l6xYIg/s320/00_flower1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r_O2QaVwnT-NuEvNv0n0j2FhsXTYzx6o2-HVOnQSfqzgw17VhJNaKK8NyXfb-C-JbNgeVjX3GdclIkt08PBkzEesnmsPU9iFVjQZDg3UQ-wYXugmWnm7qhiXsvTzcSlfSykIqvkeCw/s1600/00_flower2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r_O2QaVwnT-NuEvNv0n0j2FhsXTYzx6o2-HVOnQSfqzgw17VhJNaKK8NyXfb-C-JbNgeVjX3GdclIkt08PBkzEesnmsPU9iFVjQZDg3UQ-wYXugmWnm7qhiXsvTzcSlfSykIqvkeCw/s320/00_flower2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-34421759785598191822013-08-10T13:50:00.000-07:002013-08-10T13:50:00.194-07:00MobileEveryone picks up seashells from the seashore, right? Well we did to thinking we would make a mobile out of them. Fast forward two years and we finally got around to making it ;)<br />
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The easiest way of finding the balanced midpoint is to put each of your index fingers at opposite edges of the stick, then move them inward. Volia! They arrive together at the center of mass.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Nl2DYAmD3T2wuGIE9fL9pPys5VCf45nHB8mI8jRTNCO3IbbrDsv6ZTNm2YiKNqEmPRIiMF_hEMQpkI1FVOuqNTMWYmkdzsGwmEoAWDL3KF8u5QqbMpfZ3CyRmSsQFPy6MoAraWFOsA/s1600/00IMG_20130701_182839_760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Nl2DYAmD3T2wuGIE9fL9pPys5VCf45nHB8mI8jRTNCO3IbbrDsv6ZTNm2YiKNqEmPRIiMF_hEMQpkI1FVOuqNTMWYmkdzsGwmEoAWDL3KF8u5QqbMpfZ3CyRmSsQFPy6MoAraWFOsA/s320/00IMG_20130701_182839_760.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Just a nicely balanced collection of seashells.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk8m54AFIWQH1L0Z1FPYEbA3E8yxN4xqHZyl4e9wI13yBTu3c8tzIc0sdcAgi9FM5bWCB73T8KripTTsIrSogvwspePZak8jAg7tFOMsVXgqBIA_NDh0otnqhEEQ5YAvMxcBWFztRXw/s1600/00IMG_20130701_182847_776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFk8m54AFIWQH1L0Z1FPYEbA3E8yxN4xqHZyl4e9wI13yBTu3c8tzIc0sdcAgi9FM5bWCB73T8KripTTsIrSogvwspePZak8jAg7tFOMsVXgqBIA_NDh0otnqhEEQ5YAvMxcBWFztRXw/s320/00IMG_20130701_182847_776.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">And the close-up.</td></tr>
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madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-48219743658249440002013-08-03T13:48:00.000-07:002013-08-03T13:48:00.165-07:00'Origami' BookshelfIf you haven't seen <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=frank+lloyd+wright+origami+chair&rlz=1C1LENP_enUS517US517&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NST4UbunNfTK4AOBpYHgDg&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=996&bih=622">Frank Lloyd Wright's Origami chair</a>, you should. Legend says each chair comes from a single sheet of 8x10' plywood cut and remade into a chair. Needless to say I wanted one as soon as I saw one. Unfortunately they're not for sale :(<br />
<br />
So I did what I could. Inspired from the chair I decided to start a bit smaller with my own 'origami bookshelf' from some leftover wood.<br />
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We'll start by slicing the old piece of leftover wood in half. One half goes to the shelves and the other to the legs. Then we'll cut slots halfway through so they can slot into each other. There are some small adjustments I had to make as I went on, but I'll let the pictures speak for me.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUVA2RWiPaKn1DV0zOsR4ARgassbSBHn98G83d5fodcPBGBToKl5bf93YalLox9H9G5IhUaFCN9oneLTWHeQyDug2Eo1hUtrPkalcCcgOyKsP5U4KaV7F8MxXKLD6vWtyZ1nyy824Pw/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_150050_647small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUVA2RWiPaKn1DV0zOsR4ARgassbSBHn98G83d5fodcPBGBToKl5bf93YalLox9H9G5IhUaFCN9oneLTWHeQyDug2Eo1hUtrPkalcCcgOyKsP5U4KaV7F8MxXKLD6vWtyZ1nyy824Pw/s320/00_IMG_20130622_150050_647small.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The leftover wood piece.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTlHdxuPBymryotW3aSsfGA0AH6M7zLmcuWyCwn1Wi5fdLcMJRuDJ02uadKCNebyJ80shPa-W98J-y5LEO_C8fIuY0ggVGpQktrfvC4tKelNsx97Rqu0aqqA6rNKyAY-q4tGL2qaHrw/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_151200_331small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTlHdxuPBymryotW3aSsfGA0AH6M7zLmcuWyCwn1Wi5fdLcMJRuDJ02uadKCNebyJ80shPa-W98J-y5LEO_C8fIuY0ggVGpQktrfvC4tKelNsx97Rqu0aqqA6rNKyAY-q4tGL2qaHrw/s320/00_IMG_20130622_151200_331small.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marking up the slots.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQ2uN_5kfTG_QXmJETboqjmyp88DDxU_ihQ1040KZbKf-w9vz00Vi_TNdvtYKNC0UwOKih4UasvNT9WyIbIOUtRwsoCFdNN19ClN4PVbRpL1U8HRnI1oUxw4ZcjAzqbvkFiOyyJuhyg/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_151653_767small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQ2uN_5kfTG_QXmJETboqjmyp88DDxU_ihQ1040KZbKf-w9vz00Vi_TNdvtYKNC0UwOKih4UasvNT9WyIbIOUtRwsoCFdNN19ClN4PVbRpL1U8HRnI1oUxw4ZcjAzqbvkFiOyyJuhyg/s320/00_IMG_20130622_151653_767small.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the cuts.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BSJjyPIJ2s1msYcOFs2LJOvSnFuQ_1ER3XXEsVhnFI7wXRHYUkIlsffH1DirCpMJgRA8xe7oJ4VyWoE10tf_D2cE5Vl-tmaxGedzxIK4EFIHXbOa4DQXMmyfSA3F72dUfgeAjRqrhA/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_162634_374small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BSJjyPIJ2s1msYcOFs2LJOvSnFuQ_1ER3XXEsVhnFI7wXRHYUkIlsffH1DirCpMJgRA8xe7oJ4VyWoE10tf_D2cE5Vl-tmaxGedzxIK4EFIHXbOa4DQXMmyfSA3F72dUfgeAjRqrhA/s320/00_IMG_20130622_162634_374small.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking that everything fits.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVfkMA_DdLqdxJu-Nx6KoMKRe8kx8kDQmWQLi_W23kkf4W-hu6dmUUDFFSl53q4eXE7ZvO62cuVqqNbU_tNNTMd6q52HwFmOSLjSgpfKubs8FEwsZO_nTdAHJxEE2cFZC-GesRbg38g/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_170739_826small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVfkMA_DdLqdxJu-Nx6KoMKRe8kx8kDQmWQLi_W23kkf4W-hu6dmUUDFFSl53q4eXE7ZvO62cuVqqNbU_tNNTMd6q52HwFmOSLjSgpfKubs8FEwsZO_nTdAHJxEE2cFZC-GesRbg38g/s320/00_IMG_20130622_170739_826small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pieces individually.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxR2gJc8LktmncZSDoK6WI5seGwHWVj2mC0TVP2TwKKmvTRHwqld6PdXgDpwKSLdTRHzxfgw6WE-x6DUV6l4kX4coD-DRMqePIedyXEybbJyNcwuyXPQi8y6nH0RTIGX0J84U02q8Yw/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_170905_713small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxR2gJc8LktmncZSDoK6WI5seGwHWVj2mC0TVP2TwKKmvTRHwqld6PdXgDpwKSLdTRHzxfgw6WE-x6DUV6l4kX4coD-DRMqePIedyXEybbJyNcwuyXPQi8y6nH0RTIGX0J84U02q8Yw/s320/00_IMG_20130622_170905_713small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assembled lying down.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd6WVWsSaOGBrdPzlfQH5epesvBmjLVfEzBSavDmIvasarCMGcXdrDaEdv0XVXuOha62LXhd1KbxOROAas2Kd9CviNQ-3u3_g5W1Lp7iEPzJpwBXDddnvOFM1Ho9zD7X0ytcHVju4JQ/s1600/00_IMG_20130622_171008_688small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd6WVWsSaOGBrdPzlfQH5epesvBmjLVfEzBSavDmIvasarCMGcXdrDaEdv0XVXuOha62LXhd1KbxOROAas2Kd9CviNQ-3u3_g5W1Lp7iEPzJpwBXDddnvOFM1Ho9zD7X0ytcHVju4JQ/s320/00_IMG_20130622_171008_688small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Assembled standing up. There is a bit of a tilt to the setup, </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
resulting in a leg being trimmed towards the end.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Also I thought that the second shelf angled with respect to</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
the first and to the ground.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iSddf5zSN9fc_Q68gVhO61LI_gOvk4_aFmI8L6mTeNhJGixCzZAdHCvhiCuNqTy_u1o3NWOZaM4JCrKIPSQmADJFO7ARH-eHPNqJioMiUnc08drRv__zR3q0B-LIKxfkipWIoR0Z3g/s1600/00_IMG_20130623_113007_835small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iSddf5zSN9fc_Q68gVhO61LI_gOvk4_aFmI8L6mTeNhJGixCzZAdHCvhiCuNqTy_u1o3NWOZaM4JCrKIPSQmADJFO7ARH-eHPNqJioMiUnc08drRv__zR3q0B-LIKxfkipWIoR0Z3g/s320/00_IMG_20130623_113007_835small.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepping for the stain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76YxcL8_E0O46j-SUzrNogOemplPiGSdDTkX04D1zdTnJ0z0LHRPSNK04nPDBNFk4ZHJaSzpzbR0L7ttt_GsdyxqIVBlz99yjupJsecx3v-sbB3maN0EpbjP50bQjpdvBikimHNZ2-g/s1600/00_IMG_20130623_165615_318small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76YxcL8_E0O46j-SUzrNogOemplPiGSdDTkX04D1zdTnJ0z0LHRPSNK04nPDBNFk4ZHJaSzpzbR0L7ttt_GsdyxqIVBlz99yjupJsecx3v-sbB3maN0EpbjP50bQjpdvBikimHNZ2-g/s320/00_IMG_20130623_165615_318small.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turns out stain can polymerize if<br />left exposed to air and alone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLgaWiWzKwEJTQ7ABFIAuL_aB27KQurgiR8MsUnpnLNxBSV0LTLRGwsZjhy7ixmorScigEBVkdntzyktnW7xH_aR9AGoRVf_4D-oVjpqGZH4YXT_mcbF-l1dzMKMZyoapTUq3V5WKCA/s1600/00_IMG_20130623_165619_598small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLgaWiWzKwEJTQ7ABFIAuL_aB27KQurgiR8MsUnpnLNxBSV0LTLRGwsZjhy7ixmorScigEBVkdntzyktnW7xH_aR9AGoRVf_4D-oVjpqGZH4YXT_mcbF-l1dzMKMZyoapTUq3V5WKCA/s320/00_IMG_20130623_165619_598small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done with staining, you may have noticed an extra piece.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3cpZJBzKh_Jll9-H7aVwoCjZYhEK04V3Tn5X_2kJ1Rjn2riX8vd1n2D3TlWzwKf6snPnQupag0tfRwscKdUUkTbusZpGgohPVIJ389mdoISHyF4BCDzKUFupXJWtPfakbgHMJfEorw/s1600/00_IMG_20130623_154530_748small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3cpZJBzKh_Jll9-H7aVwoCjZYhEK04V3Tn5X_2kJ1Rjn2riX8vd1n2D3TlWzwKf6snPnQupag0tfRwscKdUUkTbusZpGgohPVIJ389mdoISHyF4BCDzKUFupXJWtPfakbgHMJfEorw/s320/00_IMG_20130623_154530_748small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The extra piece helps maintain the shelf separation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-90350262013791763612013-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:002013-07-31T06:00:08.572-07:00T60 Screen Power Inverter Replacement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sometimes you fix things, and they don't turn out fixed. This is one of those stories.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have this old Thinkpad T60 (circa 2004 - they built these things well), where windows finally gave up the ghost on this fellow, so I put on Ubuntu, but it consistently had issues with the screen - after a few minutes of operation the backlight would go out. I thought that the screen power inverter might be the problem.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It wasn't, but it was still a fun replacement, so I thought I would share:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZV2O5CYZFYFNLnAJ4zwpWeA9TiU3ZTyFCbE1iQSnTSs2QXX9L8eqLv-yvChngLsOpJZSIPse_JO95uHm_Ff4GqWcueQr3xoHTOLP7BS4pEeV-nSJpI1bh8nROFPwbT2w0UrrKBajyQ/s1600/00_tools.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZV2O5CYZFYFNLnAJ4zwpWeA9TiU3ZTyFCbE1iQSnTSs2QXX9L8eqLv-yvChngLsOpJZSIPse_JO95uHm_Ff4GqWcueQr3xoHTOLP7BS4pEeV-nSJpI1bh8nROFPwbT2w0UrrKBajyQ/s320/00_tools.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Equipment :</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>laptop (unplugged and with battery removed)</li>
<li>Screwdrivers</li>
<li>new power inverter</li>
</ul>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RVhp5NI0Pa5jQggZ4G8VRGJrFfK_Cl6R95lSqi4cJFK1TlMR_JgPNbK-1cdD9bHt9tG_g0m3FOK40UzFoIkMOpo08s8auR4j_jnQQNoxlOVswvwsJgc1Wdshh26y5099sY6UXqfGbA/s1600/02_screwlocations.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RVhp5NI0Pa5jQggZ4G8VRGJrFfK_Cl6R95lSqi4cJFK1TlMR_JgPNbK-1cdD9bHt9tG_g0m3FOK40UzFoIkMOpo08s8auR4j_jnQQNoxlOVswvwsJgc1Wdshh26y5099sY6UXqfGbA/s320/02_screwlocations.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Screw locations - four on the front and a few on the sides.<br />
They're hidden behind small black covers, you can use a flat<br />
screwdriver to pry them off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA2NtwMNIKviXIQpu9baGq0BxF98JugdDis5scmUi4BaOpZ9reZ_OR3fyZHa2ywzfT5q5EgWWAw_nPL6NRkrue0qujFD7mjbaVxnvS5qBdbPB1Fz1OFH63fH3GgaIuWaxPl5idZdtqQ/s1600/04_incase.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA2NtwMNIKviXIQpu9baGq0BxF98JugdDis5scmUi4BaOpZ9reZ_OR3fyZHa2ywzfT5q5EgWWAw_nPL6NRkrue0qujFD7mjbaVxnvS5qBdbPB1Fz1OFH63fH3GgaIuWaxPl5idZdtqQ/s320/04_incase.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Here we are with the screws removed, you can pull up on the<br />
screen-front to reveal the power inverter - the green and<br />
white strip at the bottom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWd1xtJk2ERuO4j4mQLW4blUoRGMKCCxJD7ZtdrMI0n70jgBABCuxTuihyphenhyphenRhptKsQkKODc55PiXOSYfcAIQ5ldkUWHHDwoe2MzIf-JRA8bow0XSJBX_s2h80h2K0TkEvRYXOgBKOc8Q/s1600/05_powerconverter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWd1xtJk2ERuO4j4mQLW4blUoRGMKCCxJD7ZtdrMI0n70jgBABCuxTuihyphenhyphenRhptKsQkKODc55PiXOSYfcAIQ5ldkUWHHDwoe2MzIf-JRA8bow0XSJBX_s2h80h2K0TkEvRYXOgBKOc8Q/s320/05_powerconverter.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">It pulls right out and you can swap it with the new one.<br />
One side connects with the screen, and the other with the chassis<br />
Reverse steps to get back to working laptop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-40081682023439465182013-01-09T06:00:00.001-08:002013-01-14T16:56:31.923-08:00Lenovo T430s ReviewDisclaimer: This is not a particularly serious or comprehensive review. Rather, it is a collection of my usage notes than anything else. Also, I'm not being paid by Lenovo to say any of this.<br />
<br />
A little background and perspective on where I'm coming from.<br />
My last laptop was a Lenovo T60 bought circa 2007, and manufactured around 2006 (I purchased it refurbished). It came with Windows XP, and I drove it into the ground. About a year ago, XP finally gave up the ghost, and instead of doing a clean XP re-install I loaded it with Ubuntu. It functioned fine for a few months and then the power inverter to the display gave out. This seems to be a <a href="http://www.insidemylaptop.com/ibm-thinkpad-screen-went-blank/">common problem</a>. While I'll probably get around to fixing this (and yes, a post will be in order on that), the T60 is now serving as an office desktop, and I decided that it would be a good idea to upgrade to a new laptop.<br />
<br />
After looking at the current models of Lenovo laptops, I settled on the T430s - good specs and lightweight. I ended up getting another refurbished model from <a href="http://outlet.lenovo.com/">their outlet</a>. Here are the specs;<br />
<br />
Windows 7 Home Premium<br />
CPU: Intel Core i5-3210M @ 2.50GHz x64<br />
RAM: 4.00 GB<br />
HDD: 320 GB<br />
Graphics (integrated): Intel HD 4000<br />
Graphics (descrete): NVIDIA NVS 5200M<br />
Display: 1366x768<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSL4ZIhtWS2jHISx0GrrI6hh8G50b8Rgafg-tEQO5W9Po68zxIh4Rv64scmox89EkY_IfkI9WxEBNwUqVUFpgzcxYxGh2xo7j4XQGzj5B0JnWMd6a744Pz6e4YcEEqMxQEbOrE1MqPMw/s1600/TR_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSL4ZIhtWS2jHISx0GrrI6hh8G50b8Rgafg-tEQO5W9Po68zxIh4Rv64scmox89EkY_IfkI9WxEBNwUqVUFpgzcxYxGh2xo7j4XQGzj5B0JnWMd6a744Pz6e4YcEEqMxQEbOrE1MqPMw/s200/TR_1.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm dual-booting Win7 and Ubuntu using the instructions at <a href="http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2012/05/17/how-to-dual-boot-ubuntu-12-04-and-windows-7/2/">LinuxBSDos</a>. Linux installed seamlessly, but be sure to make a windows recovery disk before you do this! I left my recovery partition well enough alone as well. Finally, I had some issues getting the Windows updates to apply (unrelated I think), and fixed it <a href="http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/247522-windows-updates-wont-install.html#7">with these instructions</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Usage notes:<br />
<ul>
<li>I was pretty skeptical about the keyboard - I've tried a couple of chicklet style keyboards and haven't been impressed (Apple and Asus - full disclosure, I'm not much of an Apple fan-boy, but neither do I have a bone to pick with them). The reviews were pretty positive about this one (although less so on the e-series, so be warned), so I thought I would give it a chance. The keys have enough travel, are well separated, and the mechanism behind each key is solid. I thought the curved shape to the top was mainly bogus, but my hand does feel much more centered on the home row than with the flat Apple keys. I ocassonally use the home/end/pgup/pgdown group, but am not bothered by their separation on the keyboard. After getting used to ViM, I really want to use this keyboard for complete computer navigation. It lives up to the hype.</li>
</ul>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VHnu3M2yiSos8lQaqht1WSvXGZ1TdZRcQTDCQ2ajGOYWEHNFedJX8hVOHPWs1C_ltr4ncuDnaODqe7X9A7Qio5ainrHTZsxH5fSHD8dw-yy8S0yYpTVCv9prLRT3Jq0kIMlw0p9JFw/s1600/TR_Key2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VHnu3M2yiSos8lQaqht1WSvXGZ1TdZRcQTDCQ2ajGOYWEHNFedJX8hVOHPWs1C_ltr4ncuDnaODqe7X9A7Qio5ainrHTZsxH5fSHD8dw-yy8S0yYpTVCv9prLRT3Jq0kIMlw0p9JFw/s320/TR_Key2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>I'm less positive about the widescreen (although it's rare to get a laptop without this anymore). Personally, I feel as though it makes me hunch over more, since the center of mass of the screen is lower. It's not noticable when it's on your lap, but rather when you're using it on a desk.</li>
<li>Also, I'm not much of a fan of the trackpad. The T60's trackpad was perfect - I could use it for days without having my hand hurt. The 430s... well, after using it for most of today, I feel like I'm developing claw-hand. It has some nice two finger scrolling and three finger tap / swipe actions that work well. I'm not entirely sure what the problem I have with them is. I've noticed this with my wife's Lenovo V600 too. At first I thought it had to do with how recessed the trackpad was, however, now I'm thinking that it has to do with how large it is. I usually have my thumb resting on the left mouse button, and in order to keep the other fingers from registering, I have to arc my index finger far away from them, or constantly hold up my middle finger. The trackpoint (red pointer in the keyboard) feels much better, but I can't keep myself away from the trackpad long enough to give it enough time to form an opinion. I'm thinking I'll have to get an external mouse with this one.<br />Added: So I've this for about a week now, but wanted to leave my initial impressions up. It still hurts my hand to use the mouse for extended periods of time, but not quite as much. I've gotten much better at the multiple finger gestures and really enjoy using them. I would still recommend an external mouse for the long haul. Also, I've encountered the first, and hopefully only, problem I've had with this refurbished machine - the right trackpad mouse button has died. This isn't that much of a big deal, I can just jump up and use the trackpoint's rmb, but it's not an ideal situation either.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RYb6uETHcfazA5lEZ6gOjOTBo7q9e7aVt7xUJVpUwICpFVMzgaQwhk9EGv9fetW97VB07iScwOdINnXbqBV4CwcT0ZzMcgVmiijdET4hzFI3L1K4Z7ZiqThgF7Di4i0Kqpgo_F-tKQ/s1600/TR_Key1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RYb6uETHcfazA5lEZ6gOjOTBo7q9e7aVt7xUJVpUwICpFVMzgaQwhk9EGv9fetW97VB07iScwOdINnXbqBV4CwcT0ZzMcgVmiijdET4hzFI3L1K4Z7ZiqThgF7Di4i0Kqpgo_F-tKQ/s400/TR_Key1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the size of the trackpad may be responsible for my 'claw' feelings.<br />At last, that combined with my propensity to use the left side of the trackpad<br />(you can make out where my fingers have been on the T60).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>The battery life seems good. I got about 4.75-5 hrs of word processing with the internet up, and 1.5 hrs of graphics-heavy Mass Effect 3. This brings up a good point - you do have to make sure the power plug is <i>fully</i> seated into the machine - that's how I have the numbers for ME3 - I didn't fully seat the power cable :p.</li>
<li>Sounds are great, the speakers are now next to the keyboards and pointing up. They sound rich enough for me, but that's not saying much, I'm not exactly an audiophile.</li>
<li>Graphics-wise it does what I've asked of it so far, which is to say the occasional Starcraft II and Mass Effect 3 :p. And runs pretty cool while doing that.</li>
<li>Other notes: I would not pick it up from the right (CD tray side) while burning a CD. The tray is a bit thin and it killed a burn I had going from the little bit of case-flex it does have. These are magnesium cases and are supposed to be quite strong, though. Judging from the number of times I've dropped the T60 that sounds about right.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Here are some more comparison photos:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRny9hrOntgSJDLT2hnvCSTKQUhgagCt8CnewddFhOwwkqkNCDD6XVryRAZ6ADYw_zmwDA2Z2aNPQ5OytOfsRrBnHEG9qFyZsH8zFgc3XQOoWljJhUNFd3lj7DUrNBfSu4xSpqk48XQ/s1600/TR_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRny9hrOntgSJDLT2hnvCSTKQUhgagCt8CnewddFhOwwkqkNCDD6XVryRAZ6ADYw_zmwDA2Z2aNPQ5OytOfsRrBnHEG9qFyZsH8zFgc3XQOoWljJhUNFd3lj7DUrNBfSu4xSpqk48XQ/s320/TR_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top view, and front view, the T430s is slimmer in the front<br />but builds towards the back to about the same thickness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACCSZYtg9I23p8rzaWI3ZiunSCwpO2FJdMmTqM9J2j0LC3yivsdDqPK2YLeiTgLV3471vZygsFJEtUatStfP7h7z-xlEQ9q13KRwIbnPXiampY6r61o3YRDs6bw6lrqMY0Ek0YAtiiQ/s1600/TR_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACCSZYtg9I23p8rzaWI3ZiunSCwpO2FJdMmTqM9J2j0LC3yivsdDqPK2YLeiTgLV3471vZygsFJEtUatStfP7h7z-xlEQ9q13KRwIbnPXiampY6r61o3YRDs6bw6lrqMY0Ek0YAtiiQ/s320/TR_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thankfully, it has the same matte screen that prevents reflections.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wU_mRRoqDasLEElArwT5aRkecZApVNq1tl8XgM6VpJPEqQoXa8Ky3SP065nknMIX6yVc9uAOzHT7e2fRqCYNqzIaiV8b8-MVC78oeS-TlETTPOZCKD1SLaEytGled8nSJOHcvhefcQ/s1600/TR_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wU_mRRoqDasLEElArwT5aRkecZApVNq1tl8XgM6VpJPEqQoXa8Ky3SP065nknMIX6yVc9uAOzHT7e2fRqCYNqzIaiV8b8-MVC78oeS-TlETTPOZCKD1SLaEytGled8nSJOHcvhefcQ/s320/TR_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
All in all, it seems to be a solid laptop, and I'm really quite looking forward to using it.<br />
<br />
Does anyone else have problems with the new Lenovo trackpads? I'd like to know what your solutions are, two handed? Middle finger navigation? Finger exercises? A hack that lets you use the webcam as a mouse?madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-84322525100383056602013-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:002013-01-09T18:53:37.189-08:00Ubuntu on the T60 I've had a Lenovo T60 laptop that's been running Windows XP for the last few years, and it's slowly gone downhill. I finally decided to do a clean linux install when I found the \Windows folder in the recycle bin with no way of removing it (I had previously messed up the PATH environment variable, and have had constant empty message boxes popping up from "Lenovo Recovery"). So this posts will chronicle the task of bringing my laptop up to speed as a working machine with Linux (specifically Ubuntu).<br />
<br />
<b>1) Install Ubuntu</b><br />
This step one would think would be easy, but unfortunately, the Radeon X1400 card I had in the laoptop doesn't play nice with the Ubuntu installer. Turns out you have to force it into a basic mode, and later you can install an open-source driver for it. Otherwise it leaves the computer with a black screen after you start the install, and ends up going nowhere. To get around this when installing, modify the install line before the "-" to look like;<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">... noquiet nosplash radeon.modeset=0 ...</span><br />
The specific details are on <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-in/2011-July/010675.html">this mailinglist</a>. <br />
This also means that I had to install the open source <a href="http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/jaunty/man4/radeon.4.html">Radeon </a>drivers after boot. You can also install the <a href="http://askubuntu.com/questions/79416/black-screen-after-installing-ubuntu-11-10-amd-64-altenate-radeon-graphics-card">fglx </a>proprietary drivers from AMD, but that seemed to be more involved than this fix. To get the open source drivers couldn't be easier - just go to the Ubuntu Software center and search for "Radeon". The result that reads "ATI binary X.Org driver" is the one you want. <br />
<br />
<b>2) Prevent Overheating</b><br />
This required tweaks in a few different areas. The first is telling Ubuntu that it can use the power saving features of the motherboard. This is done by editing the grub startup file (note, if you motherboard / bios is too horribly old, it may not support this feature. Unlikely, but possible). I followed the instructions below <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKi1YHAq3wM">this video</a>, which also exist elsewhere (but I lost the link). <br />
Second, I installed a lightweight power manager (<a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2011/04/jupiter-0050-released-fixes-restore.html">see here </a>for instructions). This is similar to the power scheme manager that often comes OEM with laptops. Called <a href="https://launchpad.net/~webupd8team/+archive/jupiter">Jupiter</a>, it allows for different power settings - I found "Performance -> Power on demand" suited my needs well . It also enables me to turn on/off bluetooth/wifi/trackpad and the external display. Bluetooth can be a real power eater, and I find having the external display off really keeps the laptop cool.<br />
Finally... I cleaned out the fan. I didn't think I needed to, but I noticed that there wasn't much air blowing out of it. A few spurts of the compressed air can later the fan was going full-tilt and doing a nice job of keeping the laptop cool.<br />
<br />
<b>3) Dropbox & Office Install</b><br />
Despite their attempts to make life much easier for you, I found the dropbox installer to be one of the hariest parts of this entire process. It wouldn't install from the Ubuntu Software Center, nor would it install from the command line. Either route would end up with a 99% downloaded.... message until my patience ran out. The solution was to grab the .deb installer from their website. Install that with dpkg, and then once it started configuring, cancel out and install the dropbox daemon and restart. The specific commands can be found on <a href="https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus-dropbox/+question/201183">post #8 here</a>.<br />
Okay, so I'm not always a fan of Microsoft, but I do think the got Office 90% right. OpenOffice.org is a great alternative, but is ~60% of the way to being a great Word / PowerPoint replacement in my book, so I (unfortunately) had to install Office. Thankfully my school offers copies for school/work, so I was able to get one from them. Using <a href="http://www.playonlinux.com/en">Play on Linux (PoL)</a> - which is a great wrapper program for Wine (a collection of windows libraries that allow windows programs to play on linux) - I downloaded the installer and ran the PoL install script. The only hang-up was that the windows installer was a .exe file, and the PoL install script wanted a CD. As it turns out, that installer wasn't actually a binary executable, but an archive renamed to a .exe. Archive manager was able to open it up, and after extracting it to a folder, PoL was quite happy to install it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3NNEjlkl_I4bbCU8RUDO1UN8DPr7TOHZgCXPiRsqK2thb2eGedfz8_-gTfNSUXPHX5MvaBWoUyNjRKNghJesdJsKswxpNKIrWPp0rPMnmJDJY5mWYUgcJkOzSXZXq0oWvU2piOxwoQ/s1600/IMG_9483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3NNEjlkl_I4bbCU8RUDO1UN8DPr7TOHZgCXPiRsqK2thb2eGedfz8_-gTfNSUXPHX5MvaBWoUyNjRKNghJesdJsKswxpNKIrWPp0rPMnmJDJY5mWYUgcJkOzSXZXq0oWvU2piOxwoQ/s320/IMG_9483.JPG" width="240" /></a> My university offers a download of office for students. The only minor change I had to make was renaming the installer extension to either .iso or .exe (it was something else obscure), then the PoL installer was able to recognize it and install it for me.<br />
<br />
<b>4) Install other services</b><br />
No other programs gave me much trouble (ssh, svn, eclipse, matlab, etc.). Network printing with the ubuntu server was a breeze as well.<br />
<br />
And there you have it, a snappy 'new' laptop.<br />
<br />
How about you all? Brought an old machine back to life with a linux distribution? Which one did you choose? Have any trouble?madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-22887535523610419312013-01-07T17:57:00.001-08:002013-01-07T17:57:48.376-08:00From 2012 into 2013<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGRG_2F9V0mwLtppO_dnFm93CfZLk94fX7cdKIAIp10VZTvSfLSNtyaKM9-EaGg81qWZoq2ze4B-5C4uCPJhxTl_jw22GgZK4-l3a5VXqlYXd0ytkxKmPSUpsuogzntwDHJXEbOqEFg/s1600/IMG_9481+(600x800).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGRG_2F9V0mwLtppO_dnFm93CfZLk94fX7cdKIAIp10VZTvSfLSNtyaKM9-EaGg81qWZoq2ze4B-5C4uCPJhxTl_jw22GgZK4-l3a5VXqlYXd0ytkxKmPSUpsuogzntwDHJXEbOqEFg/s320/IMG_9481+(600x800).jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incidentally, this is one in the best series<br />of Hallmark ornaments ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I just thought I would let everyone know that this blog is still active going into the new year. It's still very much an experiment, but I think I'll keep it up.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
I've been going back over the site views (and comments, yeehaw!!), and it seems like the woodworking and diy projects are very popular. You can certainly count on more of them! This is still mainly an outlet for all of my random projects, though. Consequently you can expect some computer related articles, some woodworking and diy projects, and the new experiment will be to take scientific journal articles and write explanations of them about once a month.<br />
<div>
<br />
I'm looking forward to the new year, and the new projects to come!</div>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-77028451976092809182012-09-03T08:51:00.004-07:002012-09-03T08:51:58.538-07:00Weekend Project - Wine Bottle TorchesWe had seen these blue wine bottles turned tiki-torches in <a href="http://www.gerardotandco.com/blog/recycled-bottle-torch/">various</a> <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2009/08/diy-project-eriks-recycled-wine-bottle-torch.html">corners</a> <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/easy-3-recycled-tiki-torch-113640">of the</a> <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/?q=wine+bottle+tiki+torch">internet</a>, and decided that they would look great on our back porch (and might even keep the bugs away too). So a quick trip to the hardware store netted the required components for a hair under $25 (nearly half was in the $10 torch fuel). The hardest part of the construction was in removing the wine bottle labels - but repeated soaking in warm, soapy water and scrubbing with rubbing alcohol removed them to our satisfaction. Here are the photos of them in use (we have one hanging up and one on the <a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2012/06/backyard-table.html">table</a>);<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhVqm81znMgt_rRw4pqkb3Tsz6bbXLKL-sfyuqSvxFWxyuVxkCysmBh9QhRT-6nTYXAyKKhm3vSKJgr8VU-qjNpy7Q3EAaCu-ekiYA3LqW6ZeGS6bXw18SmOma8k74MCSUAXABCkRLA/s1600/torch1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj987XbTytcUDDKiUEPMog2HHL_6kN8ML2g9RfALWvkFitbVS5gmxFomqln2L6a8DhBVq1xruhCDn-ZPD6n9E_qGS1vVvIDGKJdzX183SxdXoUdlYb3ZpTsA92Z1Ew1u23G8Nd0GI-Mrg/s1600/torch2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj987XbTytcUDDKiUEPMog2HHL_6kN8ML2g9RfALWvkFitbVS5gmxFomqln2L6a8DhBVq1xruhCDn-ZPD6n9E_qGS1vVvIDGKJdzX183SxdXoUdlYb3ZpTsA92Z1Ew1u23G8Nd0GI-Mrg/s320/torch2.JPG" width="240" /></a><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhVqm81znMgt_rRw4pqkb3Tsz6bbXLKL-sfyuqSvxFWxyuVxkCysmBh9QhRT-6nTYXAyKKhm3vSKJgr8VU-qjNpy7Q3EAaCu-ekiYA3LqW6ZeGS6bXw18SmOma8k74MCSUAXABCkRLA/s320/torch1.JPG" width="240" /></div>
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Tools:</div>
<ul>
<li>Screwdriver</li>
<li>Teflon tape</li>
<li>Lighter</li>
</ul>
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Cost:</div>
<ul>
<li> $25 (fuel, hardware, teflon tape - no wine bottles)</li>
</ul>
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<br />madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-5954524811642298052012-06-22T06:00:00.000-07:002012-06-22T06:00:20.445-07:00Backyard Table We've been on a scrap-wood kick - trying to get rid of the extra plywood we have with some useful projects. One of these is a table for the backyard patio. The fountain turned our backyard into a nice oasis to chill out in, but it was still lacking something. Primarily a table, so that our back-porch picnics would have somewhere to put the food instead of just on our laps.<br />
In our characteristic fashions, the Mr. wanted to just screw some plywood together, stain and seal it, and then call it a day. But the Mrs. had some more vibrant ideas, and after a quick trip to the local hardware store, we came back with some tile and mastic. Here's the story of the backyard table.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsZ8pQIXHcEfcRp6HFS-dEu-rEgr6nlRE6FN1QGb6lf9CifjzuTPpdHr6qi3gO1E04orkZLa4IIeUH2h32fYM1kTZJcMYNwP1KRiF43Jul21SXyDnofSJKcJTI1mIDChRVEsiKhqiGQ/s1600/01_Sanding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsZ8pQIXHcEfcRp6HFS-dEu-rEgr6nlRE6FN1QGb6lf9CifjzuTPpdHr6qi3gO1E04orkZLa4IIeUH2h32fYM1kTZJcMYNwP1KRiF43Jul21SXyDnofSJKcJTI1mIDChRVEsiKhqiGQ/s320/01_Sanding.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We cut out an (almost) equilateral triangle from one of the plywood scraps, rounded the corners, and sanded it to a nice finish. After this came two coats of stain and sealer.<br />
Next we laid the tile out on the wood, marked the edges, and cut the tile with a Dremel equipped with a diamond cutting wheel (sorry no picture). This process took awhile, and should also be completed with proper safety precautions (safety goggles, dust-mask, and gloves).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsKk559mo9dfPvAevGJsNAYbYLf_f-z-Do3uLrhP-MLBdeaNmi5MnAnuVqrDZK2Hlg-2MOdi1Pxk56rYIkqFDuYBUiN4aaRlOnHmLL75XkIduF81bJDTFlKQ_l4E_8XecKtNwFZ_sTg/s1600/02_Grout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsKk559mo9dfPvAevGJsNAYbYLf_f-z-Do3uLrhP-MLBdeaNmi5MnAnuVqrDZK2Hlg-2MOdi1Pxk56rYIkqFDuYBUiN4aaRlOnHmLL75XkIduF81bJDTFlKQ_l4E_8XecKtNwFZ_sTg/s320/02_Grout.JPG" width="320" /></a> Next up was the mastic and grout - a thin layer of mastic was applied on the surface of the wood, and we pressed the tiles into that. Once it had dried (24 hrs) we applied the grout to the tiles. We needed to start at the center tiles and work our way to the edges to allow the edge tiles some time to set. This way we didn't knock all the grout off when cleaning the tile surfaces. Moistening the cloth helped remove the drier grout from the top of the edge tiles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMs53C1G61jh6_5qqZvKnh7E3ZxzX87AjZ1unk7b1VdIDJlcSVwMlXNOwaY65LiIQY_Ly-wBWQruzYYXLRk5ZHHSwp5ktzR8low7tqBTVpUA-NgkDeQdKqhG_vg4uf9elpseVb76dASQ/s1600/03_Legs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMs53C1G61jh6_5qqZvKnh7E3ZxzX87AjZ1unk7b1VdIDJlcSVwMlXNOwaY65LiIQY_Ly-wBWQruzYYXLRk5ZHHSwp5ktzR8low7tqBTVpUA-NgkDeQdKqhG_vg4uf9elpseVb76dASQ/s320/03_Legs.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
After that the legs were attached with some hardware that we had laying around from when we built the bench. The screws going into the table-top are 1/4 inch plywood screws. With the metal bracket, they barely avoid going through the plywood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gBWqaH8iRmTmE_OXZ_vxau7aAu4pLma60SCw1xJ_G5u0ezqjHNpMLqsvaIXnUgu1BMtAoeioVSF-q4yPgl9Uhjaetu4531u340osUdxG0haFNbanwSkHHKJWzuCxREHzGpf4kuRTvw/s1600/04_Done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gBWqaH8iRmTmE_OXZ_vxau7aAu4pLma60SCw1xJ_G5u0ezqjHNpMLqsvaIXnUgu1BMtAoeioVSF-q4yPgl9Uhjaetu4531u340osUdxG0haFNbanwSkHHKJWzuCxREHzGpf4kuRTvw/s400/04_Done.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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With a couple of coats of grout sealer, we had a final product! The table nestles nicely between the two chairs when we have them angled towards the fountain, and is matched in height to the arms, so it's easy to use.<br />
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Tools:<br />
<ul>
<li>Mitre saw</li>
<li>Jig saw</li>
<li>Power screwdriver ./ drill</li>
<li>Dremel</li>
<li>Protective devices (goggles, dust mask, gloves) </li>
</ul>
Cost:<br />
<ul>
<li>$10 Tile</li>
<li>$5 Mastic</li>
<li>$0 Existing wood, screws.</li>
</ul>madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-33390283294153520462012-06-17T09:36:00.000-07:002013-01-09T18:29:34.004-08:00Wine Bottle Cutting Jig We've been storing up empty wine bottles for awhile. The plan was to recycle them into some artwork - vases, candleholders, etc. Earlier this year, we tried to cut the top off by scoring them with a glass cutter and heat-shocking the glass. The plan didn't work out so well, mainly because the scoring was very uneven, both in pressure and in making an even line around the vase. So while we were able to heat-shock the glass into breaking off, the end result was more effort than it was worth, and not very pretty.<br />
So over the last few months, I've ideas of how to improve the results simmering on my mind. The result is a nifty cutting jig I threw together this weekend:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpshfFa_QZNfc4Yqw67pm5h3I5673Zmg4veZ8VXHBUBywCczL2jTvKFJFldsFC01c5dpQ6JvnatCS4PNo9wBmLIaoLyVv1h0qPwTp9ldU0zzvQdF8Gdd2PW2HvKC0KXu66wBS1EwZMA/s1600/01_CuttingJig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpshfFa_QZNfc4Yqw67pm5h3I5673Zmg4veZ8VXHBUBywCczL2jTvKFJFldsFC01c5dpQ6JvnatCS4PNo9wBmLIaoLyVv1h0qPwTp9ldU0zzvQdF8Gdd2PW2HvKC0KXu66wBS1EwZMA/s320/01_CuttingJig.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL00houkzK9HaESZ-fQeGm6_5BOQGSpzNLKrFJiQ7e1Op2UO4ZFo4LbkI-T-1DGdzMGPQbBfs2ye-8c8jD6cOskAafS5HRw8AT0j_gl44mVLmWgBM7hXWrxZVjvjWrfWgswaBTXMl2lQ/s1600/02_Cutting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL00houkzK9HaESZ-fQeGm6_5BOQGSpzNLKrFJiQ7e1Op2UO4ZFo4LbkI-T-1DGdzMGPQbBfs2ye-8c8jD6cOskAafS5HRw8AT0j_gl44mVLmWgBM7hXWrxZVjvjWrfWgswaBTXMl2lQ/s320/02_Cutting.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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The idea is simple: a couple of boards to hold the bottle while we rotate it, and a backstop to keep the bottle from sliding back and forth. The glass-scoring tool is seated in a wood block so it's easier to apply pressure.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwyEUgogfNbFmiOxE45QfBkBsObCACIDHNp_iEBCfHdjV4nqfpcmC4MH_tKSIhaPcX0UELK6dbNudeF4hY1TyNOS6nzuu6cMs3OmLxdu-XcwGob7-zJmrQkPmaecHbqk97dK2_sYX_A/s1600/03_Pegs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwyEUgogfNbFmiOxE45QfBkBsObCACIDHNp_iEBCfHdjV4nqfpcmC4MH_tKSIhaPcX0UELK6dbNudeF4hY1TyNOS6nzuu6cMs3OmLxdu-XcwGob7-zJmrQkPmaecHbqk97dK2_sYX_A/s320/03_Pegs.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL00houkzK9HaESZ-fQeGm6_5BOQGSpzNLKrFJiQ7e1Op2UO4ZFo4LbkI-T-1DGdzMGPQbBfs2ye-8c8jD6cOskAafS5HRw8AT0j_gl44mVLmWgBM7hXWrxZVjvjWrfWgswaBTXMl2lQ/s1600/02_Cutting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
My favorite part is the peg and hole system I used to allow the tool to cut the bottles at varying heights. The holder / guide for the cutting tool has two pegs at the bottom which pair up with numerous holes along the length of the guide-rail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GXMXCsl8yPx-Expzqc66sk5IDY6ALgJIICilCbR6N7wD9QJm2f8qswN-zeQt3Z-me2IaN7jvmfHUlG8LxG75LIHM9-YxOsEGpOVfArbchHMkmx_IoAF5g4_vzIZGJZqv2wrCh4x9Wg/s1600/04_Bottle2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GXMXCsl8yPx-Expzqc66sk5IDY6ALgJIICilCbR6N7wD9QJm2f8qswN-zeQt3Z-me2IaN7jvmfHUlG8LxG75LIHM9-YxOsEGpOVfArbchHMkmx_IoAF5g4_vzIZGJZqv2wrCh4x9Wg/s320/04_Bottle2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This allows the jig to accommodate bottles of multiple sizes. It doesn't allow for arbitrary distance movements, but the steps are 3/4" apart, so it's close enough for practical purposes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtcuZUj-1jHcaFUsyzOTbjWM9P05toaKnDEqjwQQ7CxbVPTInmIzj5vG6xZXGUVPloeW_gPt15EKJOakDiFHVvS0B_HeiTFqIeWVvRgXtUbph_bieCdckbY4it6-L4-Y6Pu5p0SreKg/s1600/05_CutBotle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtcuZUj-1jHcaFUsyzOTbjWM9P05toaKnDEqjwQQ7CxbVPTInmIzj5vG6xZXGUVPloeW_gPt15EKJOakDiFHVvS0B_HeiTFqIeWVvRgXtUbph_bieCdckbY4it6-L4-Y6Pu5p0SreKg/s320/05_CutBotle.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
As you can see, it makes nice even scoring - perfect for later heat-shocking for cutting the glass.<br />
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Tools needed:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Jigsaw</li>
<li>Mitre Saw</li>
<li>Sander</li>
<li>Power screwdriver / drill</li>
</ul>
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Total cost:<br />
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<ul>
<li>$7 (Another furring strip and some longer screws.)</li>
</ul>
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EDIT: Here's a schematic of the jig with sizes. The base and backing is 1/4 inch plywood, and the square wood pieces are furring strips. Be sure to take all safety precautions when working with wood, glass, and fire. Click for a larger size.</div>
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madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-34265412093595469162012-05-27T12:44:00.000-07:002013-01-07T17:16:40.263-08:00New Painting and Poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We've made a couple of additions to our gallery in the effort to slowly add life to the dull white walls around here.</div>
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The first is a Monet print. The print itself was mostly square, but it didn't fit into any of the frame sizes at the local craft store. We had to ordered a 24" x 24" frame from online, and then spray-painted the silver over the white. We had some difficulty picking a mat color to compliment the deep purples and greens in the picture, and wound up going for this teal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJjLH5Pss7BSRlUTJn4hahHjx1Ocuw-wP3OSKPz4uOLi3bv2v7P4-o9E8JoztOOYKgN8sNo89CLQ6g2hoXPMJ63J5CTHbQVbLv4KHImzUFDiB5asVsx3Mx7cK0kvHajb37OXLvChU5Q/s1600/MonetSmall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJjLH5Pss7BSRlUTJn4hahHjx1Ocuw-wP3OSKPz4uOLi3bv2v7P4-o9E8JoztOOYKgN8sNo89CLQ6g2hoXPMJ63J5CTHbQVbLv4KHImzUFDiB5asVsx3Mx7cK0kvHajb37OXLvChU5Q/s320/MonetSmall.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next up was a project I'd been putting off for awhile. The "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster was a birthday present, and I thought it would be great to have a matching "Live Long and Prosper" poster. So with a little <a href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=923&q=spock+live+long+and+prosper&gbv=2&oq=spock+live+&aq=0&aqi=g4g-S1&aql=&gs_l=img.3.0.0l4j0i24.462.2072.0.3257.11.11.0.0.0.0.116.860.9j2.11.0...0.0.OhtkV-Ap458">creative image searching</a>, and some help from the <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a>, I had a matching hand from Mr. Spock for the decoration. The image is 11" x 17", which was the largest the local print shop could do in color, so we got lucky. The "Sans" font matched very well, and I scaled the text to be the same 2" height.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc4-vaQpOW2DbRYFnIyAUBhR2fkehTLB6TWkVfR5-ebUGCArEzJaZ5er5UpJlXwmH9avHXNxaThFYuxtnoPlf-ZWK7_K56p5Q-eBJwBnBQpiiS87LWFd_YJsF3rvScblrCXshTSAxtg/s1600/PostersSmall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc4-vaQpOW2DbRYFnIyAUBhR2fkehTLB6TWkVfR5-ebUGCArEzJaZ5er5UpJlXwmH9avHXNxaThFYuxtnoPlf-ZWK7_K56p5Q-eBJwBnBQpiiS87LWFd_YJsF3rvScblrCXshTSAxtg/s320/PostersSmall.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1405531247"></span><span id="goog_1405531248"></span>madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-47941270161325138062012-05-11T18:29:00.000-07:002012-05-11T18:29:00.643-07:00The BenchHere's a project that we completed awhile ago, but haven't posted yet. It's the second major construction project we built - a bench. You see when we moved into our new apartment, there was this recessed nook in the upstairs bedroom that was just calling for a cushioned seat for some comfy reading. Over the course of about six months (we really got slowed down on the sanding) we finally built the bench. Here's the story:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEagxCOUmyFnwPB_uqeUow1pzxqu7vzllkgk6PEkxVtHZjliVytslHhLpxIc-TMwmTK2kYPtdEyurWloG304O0rGwrIAiX5g-T7HwlbaCK_onkGgpvOa8cS_tDu4f4yjAvzD0JRndyA/s1600/Bench01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEagxCOUmyFnwPB_uqeUow1pzxqu7vzllkgk6PEkxVtHZjliVytslHhLpxIc-TMwmTK2kYPtdEyurWloG304O0rGwrIAiX5g-T7HwlbaCK_onkGgpvOa8cS_tDu4f4yjAvzD0JRndyA/s320/Bench01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The basic supplies for this project were a bunch of 2x2 furring strips (which can be had for a few dollars / 8 feet, so they tend to be one of my favorite basic building supplies), plywood for the walls and surfaces, and metal brackets to hold everything together. Of primary concern was that the center of the bench not sag and support the seat fully. To this end, I created two frames (see right) of the furring strips.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsy2U1Vd-IXuR9SSeoblxmcjjkuArPsIGdtRXQgpgII28rcnqiQrEc8QWK9vLZ16AD-nX43b0mdYDAmtlBUEcfCNQHP28WoVZoR0R8pc84RyKJowpXJM6y73kYBNmZVVOFw-L_iZWog/s1600/Bench02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsy2U1Vd-IXuR9SSeoblxmcjjkuArPsIGdtRXQgpgII28rcnqiQrEc8QWK9vLZ16AD-nX43b0mdYDAmtlBUEcfCNQHP28WoVZoR0R8pc84RyKJowpXJM6y73kYBNmZVVOFw-L_iZWog/s320/Bench02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On top of each frame went a piece of plywood. You can see one of the few tools I was using, my hand drill / screwdriver. This is really a must-have, switching to the drill and putting in a few pilot holes helps the screws go in straight and without causing the surrounding wood to splinter. Also, it really helps to have a countersink (a cone shaped bit) that drills out a divot for the screw's head to recess into. This way the top of the wood is flat, and there are no screws sticking up to poke yourself on (or in this case to interfere with the seat top and baskets).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DlxPJlhiTVqg0LlyGzciVJLthY0D_TSlxjB42MG1WrNpDBDJJ2FMTmu55kjdR1Z2JYoDb-Er1NxPWKL4n0BxdESTiXikZc2uwDejfCnbY55RqgXJGzMvz6DdaRt8rtuXhsb2DCzuSw/s1600/Bench03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DlxPJlhiTVqg0LlyGzciVJLthY0D_TSlxjB42MG1WrNpDBDJJ2FMTmu55kjdR1Z2JYoDb-Er1NxPWKL4n0BxdESTiXikZc2uwDejfCnbY55RqgXJGzMvz6DdaRt8rtuXhsb2DCzuSw/s320/Bench03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here you can see the walls going up. Again, the furring strips provide support (they will be the main weight-bearing elements). Imagine the bench for a moment without the plywood and with a top on it. If you're like me you can see the whole lot shearing and falling over to one side when someone sits on it. By having the plywood "L" into the furring strips at the end, I was hoping to use the plywood's resistance to shearing to help strengthen the bench to this particular mode of failure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPqibjWMFeWH7QFDv68_EaqsQVW5BD0rlO5rpu8UdQfDkiBK3_vrsVvE7H7o7yyNUgOMklJiJdaNldZeyt25yISm_xZLPturX7xQuWDvHUkBWaLLZLhfB7jIM6rEiRwnn2ZQqmLl6ow/s1600/Bench04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPqibjWMFeWH7QFDv68_EaqsQVW5BD0rlO5rpu8UdQfDkiBK3_vrsVvE7H7o7yyNUgOMklJiJdaNldZeyt25yISm_xZLPturX7xQuWDvHUkBWaLLZLhfB7jIM6rEiRwnn2ZQqmLl6ow/s320/Bench04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here we are with the top on. One thing you can notice, is that because the plywood L's into the furring strips there is a small gap. If you have a router, you could create a small groove in the furring strip for the plywood. This would remove the gap while maintaining structural stability.<br />
Our joke at this point was that it looked more like a coffin than a bench, and unfortunately it stayed this way for a couple of months over the course of the winter as we were building up the courage to sand it down prior to the staining.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQ_aHDKytPEJLosw_LbjkevxwXDqBKWEzXyflxDEfZBh4Dcl5mF90lOp3f8pPUhWz-aReNrlawbgZx5ZM-kgpf0D4DCTTmbm_uOjhyse1fRPRcVa8g8216Ix9odG56TCDVQ_JlA08AA/s1600/Bench05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQ_aHDKytPEJLosw_LbjkevxwXDqBKWEzXyflxDEfZBh4Dcl5mF90lOp3f8pPUhWz-aReNrlawbgZx5ZM-kgpf0D4DCTTmbm_uOjhyse1fRPRcVa8g8216Ix9odG56TCDVQ_JlA08AA/s320/Bench05.jpg" width="229" /></a> Here's the complete creation. What is left out of these pictures are the steps of staining and the creation of the cushion for the top. Prior to staining, we also attached two pieces of trim on the front to add embellishment, but really to just help hide the exposed sides of the plywood.</div>
The cushion was a really good find. After looking for foam at a bunch of craft stores and finding it very high priced (it was looking like $75-80 for 2 inches of foam) we found a camping mat at our local wholesaler (COSTCO / Sam's / etc.) with three inches of foam for $30. Just had to slice it up, wrap the cloth over it and staple the cloth to a thin (1/4 inch) piece of plywood. This was screwed in from under the seat to hold it in place.<br />
We snagged a few baskets and pillows from one of those store that sells unsold / slightly damaged shopping center stuff (Home Goods, etc.), and the bench was complete!<br />
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Here are a couple of other photos of the complete bench in the "reading nook".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1KY9ng2mtjgDw-sKgM2VQngbQJGbNciitA7duUrZ76RkXhUOBMsBdlGIYI2q3IPMStPEU_VX1V_d9ihkzFoXCL7mdPmLVUdxRrb0fq_GzwYHF-iu2FWahB-TFrn1j5MnihXay2L8Nw/s1600/Bench06b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1KY9ng2mtjgDw-sKgM2VQngbQJGbNciitA7duUrZ76RkXhUOBMsBdlGIYI2q3IPMStPEU_VX1V_d9ihkzFoXCL7mdPmLVUdxRrb0fq_GzwYHF-iu2FWahB-TFrn1j5MnihXay2L8Nw/s200/Bench06b.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiYtS3-Op0vTlk0xBJximrgjokNgMy-xsK37G0RtD2P4REWw5R0HEyQ7K6YkCnmL-r2rdMZGUqItalItictjQKcEIqQWHcEHLphjCHE5_TTSEUhtR8nJ8roqY4Oh7RQzAjmGABt_TdA/s1600/Bench06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiYtS3-Op0vTlk0xBJximrgjokNgMy-xsK37G0RtD2P4REWw5R0HEyQ7K6YkCnmL-r2rdMZGUqItalItictjQKcEIqQWHcEHLphjCHE5_TTSEUhtR8nJ8roqY4Oh7RQzAjmGABt_TdA/s200/Bench06.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Tool List:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wood saw and miter box (cutting the furring strips).</li>
<li>Cordless screwdriver (also used to drill the pilot holes)</li>
<li>Jigsaw (This was the next tool on the purchase list, although all of the plywood pieces could have been cut by the hardware store).</li>
</ul>
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Price Tag:<br />
<ul>
<li>Tools: $63</li>
<li>Supplies (wood, stain, baskets, foam, etc.): $166</li>
<li>Total: $229</li>
</ul>madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-51616253706364476562012-05-07T18:30:00.001-07:002013-01-07T17:16:03.465-08:00Bedside Tables - Part IV - Done!<br />
We've finally finished the bedside tables! Here's a quick overview of the final steps, and a few pictures of the final product.<br />
Left out is the cutting of the side panels and the doors. The side panels needed to fit flush, which was achieved by setting the jigsaw at a 45-degree angle for the long cuts along the side (See the picture below). I switched back to a straight cut for curve at the bottom and top of the side panels. The doors also needed straight cuts in for the hinges. After the sanding, staining, and sealing, we had the side panels and doors finished.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjujbiH_E2SvlgPifYHKaimtANv8aJirSKEyur7zmTmwyl1MsRj1yKS2sqmyyAWk2SdGgp0pOjEF-QYgEyfOeP4O-lV3-27nu6JhXJ_pqa7gSiVqmLy3XDl8aRTJKPjeGH5pkQ1WhAEw/s1600/P4_2_hinge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylAec7_1I-vcoYujaqKO2K8Sif5vwBV-ouQnFEhUPdicJSCxF-aFEXYkrdyiM0_3xM60WN16vR7vy5fVDX7s-GkSXr8rhlkdmN6qWfGptY2aWj042PQoeAE9xWdqm1PHDR9Yr0MLqOg/s1600/P4_3_hingeext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylAec7_1I-vcoYujaqKO2K8Sif5vwBV-ouQnFEhUPdicJSCxF-aFEXYkrdyiM0_3xM60WN16vR7vy5fVDX7s-GkSXr8rhlkdmN6qWfGptY2aWj042PQoeAE9xWdqm1PHDR9Yr0MLqOg/s200/P4_3_hingeext.jpg" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjujbiH_E2SvlgPifYHKaimtANv8aJirSKEyur7zmTmwyl1MsRj1yKS2sqmyyAWk2SdGgp0pOjEF-QYgEyfOeP4O-lV3-27nu6JhXJ_pqa7gSiVqmLy3XDl8aRTJKPjeGH5pkQ1WhAEw/s200/P4_2_hinge.jpg" width="200" /><br />
Once everything was stained, the doors needed to go on first, as I needed access to get to the hinges. I used quite a few washers to keep the screws from
piercing through the thin 1/4 inch plywood.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8nx6TKBCmC4bw73LG6ujrjz3l86O4rh0PIP67gqJffhohqT0Em0M8I1YQiPAw6iM7QYD2vElfKABj8BWwyuAuBVA9-_eaDiaWNoIwEqYY-YD83IsVUB62UT1UIKaCS0PCNU-_SgP8w/s1600/P4_5_mag2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8nx6TKBCmC4bw73LG6ujrjz3l86O4rh0PIP67gqJffhohqT0Em0M8I1YQiPAw6iM7QYD2vElfKABj8BWwyuAuBVA9-_eaDiaWNoIwEqYY-YD83IsVUB62UT1UIKaCS0PCNU-_SgP8w/s200/P4_5_mag2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMeGphgqnG7dAcUgc8Dva_T75o0Y6ZJEOFJAwxyvWtaY3OTqmTVRFBMtGx9-RKsPYjZvCzivLlDiNl2rDKMhHP2PjsFbql7iPuW3slNPYcSmOAND3ws3lTfZVopEAMSU-lEgII9RH3A/s1600/P4_4_mag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMeGphgqnG7dAcUgc8Dva_T75o0Y6ZJEOFJAwxyvWtaY3OTqmTVRFBMtGx9-RKsPYjZvCzivLlDiNl2rDKMhHP2PjsFbql7iPuW3slNPYcSmOAND3ws3lTfZVopEAMSU-lEgII9RH3A/s200/P4_4_mag1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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We picked up a magnetic latch to keep the doors shut, and again used three or four washers on the door catch. Positioning the door catch required some dexterity; almost closing the door, then marking the horizontal and vertical position of the catch. The latch also required some distance tweaking so it was close enough to the edge to grab the door, but not far enough over to keep the door open, or be too obvious.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDMY_AQwu5foAeWxOQmq4SkJlpWT6CC-WGvApMpWorGXgnsSo8C1uMC7h_fEHy33yqcafua7L7Kqc0QiNCeuw7Cf0wrg7_wf7Bg2Iy6X8mfOGpKQX33tLH0r2NmeZAFcZ4oHbRW-UHg/s1600/P4_8_done_sides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDMY_AQwu5foAeWxOQmq4SkJlpWT6CC-WGvApMpWorGXgnsSo8C1uMC7h_fEHy33yqcafua7L7Kqc0QiNCeuw7Cf0wrg7_wf7Bg2Iy6X8mfOGpKQX33tLH0r2NmeZAFcZ4oHbRW-UHg/s320/P4_8_done_sides.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Here's the final product. The notches in each door, combined with the angled cut, allow them to open almost all the way. The sides are nailed into the shelves with small furniture nails. We're letting them air out in the study for a few days to loose the smell before we bring them upstairs, but other than that, they're finally done!<br />
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Here's the price tear down:<br />
Tools:<br />
<ul>
<li>Jigsaw</li>
<li>Mitre Saw</li>
<li>Power drill / screwdriver</li>
<li>Sander</li>
</ul>
Supplies:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wood, stain, etc. was left over from the bench.</li>
<li>Hardware (angle brackets, hinges, door handles, washers): $30</li>
</ul>
Total:<br />
<ul>
<li>$30</li>
</ul>
madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-85037756102120272682012-01-21T04:00:00.000-08:002012-01-21T04:00:02.909-08:00Home Server - Part IV - Networked Printing Okay, so the Unison file sync is taking longer than I expected, but I realized that I could network the printer, so as to have any computer in the house print through the wireless. There were a few hiccups, but it was mostly painless. Here's what I had to do.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2012/01/home-server-part-i-linux-server-box.html">Part I - Installing Linux</a><br />
<a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2012/01/home-server-part-ii-ssh.html">Part II - Setting up SSH</a><br />
Part III - Setting up SVN<br />
Part IV - Networked Printing <br />
<br />
First you'll want to install the samba print driver in Ubuntu, instead of using the command line to install this time, I went to the software center, searched for samba, and installed from there. I followed the steps from this <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NetworkPrintingWithUbuntu">Ubuntu community link</a>, but had to make some modifications as I went. It was fairly fast, and I had to modify most every step, so here goes. First off all the setup is Ubuntu server with attached printer (HP Officejet 5500), two Windows 7 boxes, and a Win XP laptop that needed to print to the printer.<br />
<br />
I went to http://localhost:631 from a browser on the Ubuntu box, but this didn't have much information on sharing the printer beyond allowing me to confirm the name. Next up was to open the samba configuration file "sudo vi /etc/samba/smb.conf". Under [printers] (there is something like #printers above it - don't be fooled, keep scrolling), change / add the lines to;<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> browsable = yes</span><br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" /><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> guest ok = yes</span><br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" /><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> use client driver = yes</span></span><br />
The last one is for the XP machine. Now restart samba with;<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> sudo restart smbd</span><br style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" /><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> sudo restart nmbd</span></span><br />
For the the Windows client printers, add the network printer by going to; <i><b>Start -> Printers and Faxes -> Add a printer -> Network printer -></b> </i>Now enter the local IP address of the machine and then the exact printer name for instance "\\192.168.1.21\officejet-5500-series". It will then give you a warning about installing drivers from the network, but then it will fail to install the driver. Select one close to you model (if you can find the exact model go for it).<br />
At this point, the Windows 7 machines were printing fine. However the Windows XP box was not. I had to go back into printers and faxes, then right click on the <b><i>Network Printer -> Properties -> Advanced</i></b>. If you were not able to select the exact driver when you set up the printer (as I was) this may help. Previously I had already used the printer from the XP machine, and it had correctly installed the driver then. I was able to pull down the menu next to driver and find the correct one. After clicking Apply, Windows prompted me to install the driver again, but (again) they didn't have it, so I canceled out of that dialog, and hit OK to the printer's properties. With the correct driver associated, the printer was printing! As always questions and comments are welcome!madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11205184581093168.post-40584794635748671882012-01-19T04:00:00.000-08:002012-01-19T04:00:15.600-08:00Home Server - Part III - SVN Now that we have our linux box running, and we can connect to it from inside and outside the network, let's get to the good stuff - keeping all of our files in sync, and our version tracking the code. This allows us to always roll back if we should make a goof-up.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2012/01/home-server-part-i-linux-server-box.html">Part I - Installing Linux</a><br />
<a href="http://madscientistlair.blogspot.com/2012/01/home-server-part-ii-ssh.html">Part II - Setting up SSH</a><br />
Part III - Setting up SVN<br />
<br />
Some reminders from the previous cases - our example server sits on internal network at 192.168.1.21, our DNS service forwards traffic from the example domain madscientistlair.blogspot.com, and our SSH is configured to use example port 1986. We've so far been able to use PuTTY to connect.<br />
<br />
First off, we want to create a directory the non-administrator users can access (since we're using them when we SSH in). As the computer administrator we're going to create some directories, and then a usergroup, and finally add the users to that group, and give the group access to the folder. Then we can restrict SSH logins to those users, but they can still access all the files we want to access anyway.<br />
<br />
I chose to make a new high level directory /share with the command "mkdir /share". Within that I have /share/music, /share/photos, and /share/repos. This last one is where our subversion repositories will sit. The repository is where subversion maintains all of the files and file history that it uses. We will actually add the repositories first, and then do our group permissions to make sure that the permissions take on the repository files.<br />
<br />
I followed the <a href="http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.7/svn.intro.quickstart.html">quick start guide</a> at the end of the <a href="http://svnbook.red-bean.com/">svnbook</a> to get myself started. First, we tell svn we want to use to repos folder as our repository;<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> svn create repos</span></div>
Now we add files<br />
<pre class="screen"> svn import /tmp/myproject file:///var/svn/repos/ProjectA -m "initial import" </pre>
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The argument goes svn import [folder holding your files] [repository you want to add the files to]. The -m tells it what comment to associate with this version. It's always good to add comments to your commits so you can figure where to roll back to.<br />
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Now I promised user groups and access to that folder. Create the usergroup and add users with the commands;<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> sudo addgroup sharegrp</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> sudo adduser username sharegrp</span></div>
Obviously username needs to be changed to the actual user name you want to add.<br />
Now
we need to change permissions on the folder we created.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> chgrp sharegrp -R /share</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> sudo chmod -R
775 /share</span></span><br />
This sets the group associated with the share folder as sharegrp. The second command changes the folder permissions to read-write-execute for
owner (root) and group (sharegrp) and read-execute for any other users. The -R flag tells it to recursively do this for all the folders and files in the folder. I still had some issues being able to read / write to the folder immediately after, but a simple log-out and log-in fixed this for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
Now we've established and populated the subversion repository, we can check it out on our remote computers. I was following <a href="http://www.vectorns.com/blog/11-tortoisesvn-over-ssh-on-windows-via-putty">this guide</a>, but the basic steps are to install <a href="http://tortoisesvn.net/">TortoiseSVN</a>. TortoiseSVN integrates into the windows shell, so that when you right click on or in a folder, you should see some new options "SVN Checkout" and "TortoiseSVN" with an arrow for more options. First we need to tell T.SVN that we'll be using ssh. So right click anywhere and go to TortoiseSVN -> Settings -> Network. Browse for the TortoisePlink SSH client. Mine was located at "C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoisePlink.exe". Now let's checkout the repository. Navigate where you want it, right click and hit "SVN Checkout". It will prompt us for the repository we wish to checkout. You want to end up with something like;<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> svn+ssh://[username]@[PuTTY Saved session name]/share/repos/ProjectA</span></span><br />
Oh, I should mention; once PuTTY can connect to your server, re-enter the information, then give it a name on the main screen, and click save. This will save the session, and allow other programs, like plink or tortoiseplink (both command line interfaces to putty) to access this session. That's what I referred to above as the PuTTY saved session name. Also, it's useful to have Paegent running in the background during this, to run the authentication without prompting you for it. Click "Okay" and you should be on your way to checking out your repository!<br />
<br />
I also had to configure svn for my linux work machine. The command line interface is a tad bit different. First off, since we're using a non-standard port, we have to add a new ssh tunnel for subversion. Edit <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">~/.subversion/config</span></span> under the [tunnels] heading add in <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">myssh = ssh -p 422</span></span><br />
Now when you go to checkout tell svn to use that tunnel with the command;<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> svn checkout svn+myssh://[username]@[madscientistlair.blogspot.com]/share/repos/ProjectA</span></div>
<br />
Now onto using subversion. The basic work cycle goes something like this;<br />
update -> resolve conflicts -> make changes -> commit changes<br />
In TortoiseSVN click the folder you want to update and go "SVN Update". From the linux command line, either use <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">svn update</span></span> if you're in the folder, or <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">svn update [path to folder]</span></span> to update the specific repository. I've not yet had to resolve many conflicts, so I'm going to leave this blank for now. Once I have some more experience I'll link to a detailed discussion. When you're done commit the changes with svn commit -m "comment on the changes". Or use Tortoise, right click the folder and use SVN Commit. I have noticed that TortoiseSVN someitmes won't commit any changes, if you right click on the top level directory, and you have not checked out all the sub-directories.<br />
On this note, you may only want to check out part of a repository, here's how to do it. For instance, assume our project repository looks like;<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ProjectA</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> |-Web</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> |-Template</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> |-Android</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> `-Matlab</span></div>
and you don't want the Web or Template folders checked out. When you initially check out the repository, select "Checkout Depth -> Immediate children including folders". This will make empty folders which you can then populate by right clicking and using SVN Update, but under options pull down "Fully Recursive" instead of "Working Copy".<br />
Again, when you're done making your changes, bring the server back up to date by right clicking and going SVN Commit.<br />
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That's it. This is pretty cursory guide to getting SVN running on our server, but you should have a functional, if rudimentary, SVN system now.madscientistlairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997904626853699510noreply@blogger.com0