Whirlpool Dryer Belt Repair

December 28, 2018December 27, 2018 Nick MomrikLeave a comment

The drum on my Whirlpool LER3624JQ1 dryer stopped spinning, which is the first issue I’ve had in 16 years!

After turning the dryer off, I could hear the motor spin down, so I suspected there was an issue with the belt. The drum would easily spin by hand, which usually means the belt broke. It was really easy to get inside the unit by following some simple steps I found on repairclinic.com. Sure enough, the belt had snapped.

I picked up a new 92-1/4 inch belt for $8 at Lowes and I was back in business.

I love the feeling of fixing something on my own. Like my mom said, maybe I can get another 16 years out of it.

Sugru Prism

December 27, 2018December 25, 2018 Nick Momrik2 Comments

I thought it would be neat to hang the prism from AdaBox 10 in my kitchen, which has a lot of windows and natural light. So I used Sugru (mouldable glue) to attach some wire.

Wait 24 hours while it adheres and turns to rubber.

Not sure I’ll keep it up. The wire looks odd hanging there.

Nailed It

December 26, 2018December 26, 2018 Nick Momrik6 Comments

I wanted to make something fun for a few Christmas gifts, so I made some letter magnets.

This fridge magnet (M for Momrik) was for my sister-in-law, Karen since I drew her name in our family gift exchange.

I also made two Ws (Williams) for my friends’ boys to go along with the frames we built.

I bet you’re wondering how the nail got in these. 😉

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2018 Nick MomrikLeave a comment

What’s your favorite family tradition?

AdaBoxes 8 & 10

December 24, 2018December 24, 2018 Nick Momrik2 Comments

More catching up on electronics stuff that was piled on my desk. Here I unboxed AdaBoxes 8 and 10. Then I assembled 10, which is a sweet device, and loaded some of the code examples. Skip ahead to 17:23 if you only want to check out the demos.

In the past I mentioned I might cancel my AdaBox subscription, which I did after box #8. On social media and in their YouTube shows Adafruit has been pretty much telling you what’s in the next box, which has been nice. I knew #9, based on their HalloWing board, didn’t interest me. Then when I realized #10 was going to be the NeoTrellis and subscriptions were still open late in the quarter I jumped in. I plan to make a game-time decision each quarter from here on out.

Frames with a Friend

December 23, 2018December 23, 2018 Nick Momrik1 Comment

The new fence and proper alignment of my miter saw was just in time. My buddy Casey asked if I could help him create some frames last weekend. He didn’t know what he was getting into doing a project with me. 🙂 Probably took longer than it should have, but we were using pre-finished trim/moulding so I wanted to make sure the result looked nice.

This was the first time I used a strap clamp and it was by far the easiest of the 3 clamping methods we used. The blue tape on the large frame actually worked well too. I was worried when none of my clamping options would fit that frame since it was so large and the trim was over 3 inches wide.

This really gives a sense for how big this frame is, a little over 3′ x 4′! Below is a shot of it installed in the play room. The wall is painted and has vinyl stickers.

The 2′ x 3′ frames got magnetic chalk boards mounted in them.

They went above each boy’s desk.

The frames turned out better than I expected and it was fun to have someone else in the shop for a project.

Link Dump – 2018/12/22

December 22, 2018December 21, 2018 Nick MomrikLeave a comment

Everything I Wish I knew About Stock Options 15 Years Ago ⇒
Great info in Dave’s post. Still a good idea to consult with an accountant though.
If You Have a Speed Square You Have a Level ⇒
The speed square is such a versatile tool. I hadn’t seen this use before.
This Is How We Weigh A Plane

…if an aircraft has not been weighed within the last four years, it is not allowed into the air.
Beginner Training ⇒
Looks like a pretty good indoor rowing program.
ElectroMage Pixelblaze V2 – WiFi LED Controller ⇒
This board would be great to use when putting LED strips in a frame or other project around the house.
Richey Richer With CrossFit and YouTube
Great story. I subscribed to their channel a couple of months ago and really enjoy their banter and sense of humor. I’ll have to order something from their next apparel launch.
Package Thief vs. Glitter Bomb Trap ⇒
This is amazing! Don’t steal packages people.
Logitech’s stance on local APIs
This was a terrible response to a security incident. I was ready to sell my remote and hub and never buy another of their products again. They’ve listened to the communities and are going to open up a local API.
Puma brings back fitness-tracking shoe considered ‘useless’ in 1986 ⇒
1986!!

Boldport Club Projects #25-30

December 21, 2018February 16, 2021 Nick MomrikLeave a comment

I fell way behind on electronics projects over the summer and my hobby desk turned into a huge mess. Last weekend I caught up on the Boldport Club projects and took a bunch of time-lapses.

Making a Better Jig for the General Tools Adjustable Pocket Hole Jig

December 20, 2018December 18, 2018 Nick Momrik1 Comment

Last year I bought the General Tools Adjustable Pocket Hole Jig (#854). I paid about $35 at Home Depot.

general-tools-jigs-854-64_1000

I’ve found it a pain in the ass having to screw/unscrew the clamping mechanism. Without any dust collection, it makes a mess too. I figured I could come up with something similar to the pocket hole systems that run $100 or more. So I made a jig for the jig.

I bought a toggle clamp at an estate sale (maybe $3?), which has been sitting on a shelf begging to be used. The other material was scrap wood and a $1 can of white spray paint I wanted to get rid of. The build was sloppy, but I wanted something quick and dirty.

The toggle clamp isn’t perfect but it seemed to work fine in my quick tests. I can’t believe how well the dust port works though. At the end of the video you can see a comparison between the original and my improved version.

The video is a really rough cut just like the build.