The Google Arts & Culture app has a feature that matches your selfie with a piece of art. I’ve seen it mentioned a lot this week so I was curious to see my match.
Should I start answering to the name Count Edzard?
Plumb Bob Restoration
I paid $1 for this plumb bob at an estate sale last month.
I was cleaning my shop yesterday when I noticed it hanging on the wall and figured I’d bring some new life to it. Didn’t take long.
I removed the rust with a brass wire wheel on the grinder, replaced the string, and made a handle out of a piece of dowel.
Magnets in the Workshop
I realized I have a lot of magnets around the workshop. They can be used for so many things.
These trays are invaluable for keeping screws, nuts, bolts, and washers from rolling all over my work area. Harbor Freight has a coupon making them a free item. I use them at my hobby desk too.
The rubber base is also magnetic.
Another Harbor Freight freebie are these tool holders. I’m using 4 on my pegboards instead of creating custom tool holders for this stuff.
There is another on my drill press cart for the chuck key, set screw allen wrenches, tape measure, and clamp.
I also put one on each side of a workbench I just finished building. I’ll post about that workbench later this week after a final accessory arrives.
The final freebie from Harbor Freight are these LED lights. I’ve used them many times already.
I picked up this digital angle gauge on AliExpress for about $15, which is half the price I’ve seen anywhere else. With the floor of my shop being so uneven, the table tops of my tools are never level. I use this gauge to set a zero reference on the table top and then make sure my saw blades or drill press bit are square or set to any specific angle I want. Here it is on my miter saw.
I received these rare Earth magnets for Christmas. They come in a variety of sizes so I included my iPhone charge cable for reference. You can place these magnets in the corners of a custom box to hold the top closed or use them in many different ways in projects you might build. So far I’ve only used them to help organize things around the shop.
I stuck one inside the clip of the tape measure on the drill press tool holder shown above so it has a stronger attraction.
I also glued one to the back of this small tape measure so I could keep it to my table saw fence.
It’s always handy to have a tape measure within reach around the shop!
My Dad gave me his Dad’s old scroll saw. The lock key was missing so I hacked together my own out of a piece of metal, a piece of rubber, and some electrical tape.
Since it doesn’t snap in the switch like the normal key, I added a magnet to the back and stick it to the saw when it’s not being used. After I get my 3D printer I’ll create a proper key that snaps in the switch and won’t fall out.
I also have a random assortment of other magnets in case I need them.
Do you use magnets for anything creative?
2018 Michigan Brew Ha-Ha
3 Versus 100
Photo Challenge: Weathered
This collection of dolls can be seen on the east side of M-33 south of Comins, MI. The snow makes it hard to get a sense for how creepy it really is. Keep an eye on your kids if you’re in the area.
Pringles Can Improvement
Pringles® are very user-friendly potato chips. They’re fun to eat and addicting. I have an issue with the can though. Once you eat half of the chips, getting at the rest can be messy, unless you pour them in a bowl.
Each can should have some kind of simple spring mechanism that pushes up the bottom as you eat chips. Or how cool would it be if you could peel away layers of the can as you go deeper in the stack of chips?
It would be amazing if the next chip was always at the top of the can.
Lucky Match
Say No to Glitter
It has the word “litter” right in the name.
Photo Challenge: Growth
As part of my daily posting, I’m going to complete The Daily Post Photo Challenge each week.
Whether you take photos with an iPhone or a full-frame DSLR, you’re welcome to participate in our photo challenges. A new theme is announced every Wednesday.
I’ll give myself 2 weeks for each challenge in case I need to come up with an idea for the theme. To keep me on track, I use a repeating reminder.
The first theme for 2018 is growth. I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, so I’ll share a little journey.
The other night, as I was soldering the project HackerBox #0026 I kept thinking back to my first attempt at soldering, when I put headers on a Raspberry Pi Zero. I remember being hesitant and scared, because I was teaching myself how to solder. I was worried I’d either fry the board or burn myself. It felt like it took forever. Everything worked though.
That was only 13 months ago, but it feels like years. I’ve gained a lot of experience with the soldering iron and now know I had nothing to be afraid of. Learning new skills can be scary.
“What if I screw up?”
“What if I’m no good?”
Don’t let the voices of fear prevent you from trying, especially if it’s something you’ve always wanted to do. Do some prep work, read up on the topic, and dive in. Or find someone with experience to help and teach you.
Here’s the back of the circuit board I soldered this week. A lot more complex, but it was second nature.
Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? What’s stopping you?
Nick Momrik 