All posts in reverse chronological order
last modified: October 19, 2025
Posted on 2017-11-12— Common
I share a quick video of the snowflake assembly, showing the LED-side assembly with hot-air soldering. The build went smoothly overall, though some excess solder left a few LEDs slightly raised. If you're curious about the process and tips, I invite you to watch the full post and video.
Posted on 2017-11-01— Common
I received five-snowflake PCB panels from Eurocircuits and was quietly impressed by their quality. The tiny 0.15 mm decorative lines, white solder mask, precise milling and tented 0.25 mm vias created real production challenges. I’m pleased with the result — please read the full post for photos and details.
Posted on 2017-10-14— Common
I recently received PCBWay boards for a small power-converter project and was pleased with the result. I liked the wide choice of solder-mask colors (including white) and the fast, affordable service. If you’re considering a low-cost prototype run, read on for photos and my short impressions.
Posted on 2017-10-02— Projects
I received prototype boards from Eurocircuits and was impressed by their outstanding build quality—sharp solder-mask edges, precise alignment, and a subtle shine on the traces. I share close-up photos and brief thoughts about vias and finishes; read on if you appreciate careful PCB craftsmanship.
Posted on 2017-09-09— Projects
I recently finished a compact cat feeder and made small upgrades — I added a USB charging port and a larger battery so it can run for months. I put together a short demo video and linked the project notes; if you’re curious, please watch the clip and read the full write-up.
Posted on 2017-08-24— Projects
I built a simple, single-portion programmable cat feeder in about four days using rapid prototyping. I describe the Fusion360 sizing, plywood shell, servo mechanism, electronics, and the issues I encountered with breakout boards. If you're curious, read the full post for parts list, wiring and source code.
Posted on 2017-08-23— Common, Projects
I finally published all design files and documentation for my plant watering sensor project. The package includes PCB layouts and firmware, but this is an advanced build: it needs SMD reflow, Atmel Studio and an Atmel-ICE programmer. If you're interested, please read the full post and the GitHub repo for details.
Posted on 2017-04-29— Projects
I describe making a small alpha batch of my low-cost plant-watering sensor: ordering parts, prepping and soldering wires, testing PCB assembly with stencils, and solving sealing with epoxy. If you’re interested in practical prototyping tips and lessons learned, please read the full post for photos and detailed steps.
Posted on 2017-04-22— Projects
I describe how the new measurement method let me collect reliable, long-term soil sensor data after a single watering. I discuss a brief power-loss artifact, weather effects on drying, and testing epoxy seals for the sensor. Read the full post to see the measurements, results, and my next steps.
Posted on 2017-04-12— Projects
I began a second long-term test of my plant watering sensor to confirm it tracks moisture cycles after watering and drying. I'm focusing on logging and sealing the sensor's foot for repeatable readings. If you're curious about methods and results, please read the full post and share feedback.
Posted on 2017-04-04— Common, Projects
I tried mixing epoxy in a plastic cup and caused a small meltdown — a useful reminder about heat, cure times, and containment. I share what went wrong, safety and cleanup tips, and practical fixes to help you avoid the same mistakes. Read the full post for step-by-step guidance.
Posted on 2017-03-28— Projects
I received the foot parts for my plant watering sensor from Eurocircuits and I’m pleased with their consistent quality. They removed the PCB bridges cleanly so the boards match my design, saving finishing work and improving the look. Read on to see photos and my impressions.
Posted on 2017-03-26— Projects
I ran a five-day long test of my plant watering sensor and the results were confusing, so I started a new, more insulated setup using an Adafruit Feather M0, an optocoupler, and pulse-length encoded signals with interrupts. If you’re interested in the hardware and code details, read the full write-up.
Posted on 2017-03-20— Common
I ordered a single test panel for my plant-watering sensor and was pleasantly surprised to receive three gold, perfectly made panels from Eurocircuits. Their registration holes make stencil alignment easy. I share photos and brief notes here—please read the full post to see the details and next parts of the series.
Posted on 2017-03-20— Common, Review
I bought a Weller WT solder station and appreciate its lightweight pencil, fast heating, and thoughtful features. Still, two persistent problems — a tip retainer that unscrews and one that deforms — reduced usability. I describe the issues, my contact with Weller, and the eventual retainer fix; read the full post for details.
Posted on 2017-03-18— Fun
I tried hot-air soldering on the Boldport Club project “The Matrix” and recorded the process. As a newcomer, I share what worked — I reflowed 120 LEDs in under 10 minutes, list the tools I used and link the video. Please read the full post and share any feedback or questions.
Posted on 2017-03-14— Projects
I built a compact logger to collect long-term capacitive readings from my plant watering sensor. Using a Feather M0, RTC/SD FeatherWing and a tiny OLED, it logs averaged frequency to CSV every minute so I can study watering-to-dry cycles. Read on for parts and details.
Posted on 2017-03-09— How and Why
I walk you through designing the final PCB for a low-cost plant watering sensor: choosing tools, shaping the board, iterative layouts, BOM decisions, assembly planning and unit-cost calculations. If you want practical steps and cost details, please read the full post to follow the next parts.
Posted on 2017-03-06— Common
I use Autodesk EAGLE regularly and, while I appreciate parts of it, I ran into 12 recurring issues that waste time and hinder workflow. In this article I explain each problem and suggest improvements. If you use EAGLE, please read on — I hope it helps.
Posted on 2017-03-04— How and Why
I guide you through writing a near-final firmware for my cheap plant watering sensor, describing module structure, incremental development, and practical tests. I cover ADC sampling, oscillator checks, EEPROM settings and a prototype fix for the push-button. If you’re building a similar device, I invite you to read the full post.