hsmag.

cc November 2021 Issue #48

Manage DIY
the mess
Tidy workshop,
tidy mind
Music
Adding long-range
DESIGN radio to a project

YOUR F IRST

Make your circuits permanent

Turn your ideas into reality
Learn Add custom artwork
Control LEGO®
sewing with Raspberry Pi
Make your own
cable bag

Vacuum tubes
Issue #48 £6
Nov. 2021

Learn to use retro

components

LEDS PICO BUBBLE WRAP PLA

 WELCOME EDITORIAL
Editor
Ben Everard
[email protected]

Welcome to Features Editor

Andrew Gregory
[email protected]

HackSpace magazine Sub-Editors

David Higgs, Nicola King

DESIGN
Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are almost ubiquitous in Critical Media
criticalmedia.co.uk
the modern world. They are cheap to make and easy to
Head of Design
assemble. For a long time, though, they’ve been seen as the Lee Allen
preserve of professional manufacturers and only the more Designers
Sam Ribbits, Lucy Cowan,
dedicated hobbyists. However, in the last few years, they’ve Ty Logan
become more accessible than ever before. There’s a wealth of Photography
Brian O’Halloran
beginner-friendly design tools, and getting PCBs made
is both simple CONTRIBUTORS
There’s a wealth of beginner-friendly design tools, and cheap.
Mike Bedford, Nicola King,
Jo Hinchliffe, Marc de Vinck,

and getting PCBs made is both simple and cheap In this issue, Rob Miles, Andrew Lewis,
Rosie Hattersley
we’re looking at
PUBLISHING
how to bring your builds up to the next level, with custom- Publishing Director
Russell Barnes
made PCBs that look great and hold your components [email protected]
securely. It’s much easier than you might think. Advertising
If all this talk of PCBs feels a bit modern for you, take a look Charlie Milligan
[email protected]
at page 70 where we’re revisiting that retro-tacular technology
DISTRIBUTION
from yesteryear: vacuum tubes. They may not be cheap or Seymour Distribution Ltd
fast, but they look cooler than any of this modern sand-based 2 East Poultry Ave,
London EC1A 9PT
electronics, and sometimes that’s more important. +44 (0)207 429 4000

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3
Contents 112

06 SPARK 33 LENS
06 Top Projects 34 Design your first PCB
Feast your eyes on some brilliant builds Master this pro maker skill

18 Objet 3d’art 50 How I Made: Automotive head unit

Floaty Boaty – a 3D-printed seascape Monitor your engine’s vital statistics with a Pico

20 Locksport 56 Interview: Wesley Treat

Introducing the rabbit hole of lock picking Recreating the signs of space age Americana

26 Build HAT 64 Improviser’s Toolbox Bubble wrap

Easily prototype with LEGO® Create with pockets of trapped air

28 Letters
We all love analogue noise machines
Tutorial
30 Kickstarting Sew a bag
Thumby – a teeny-tiny RP2040 games machine

Cover Feature

D ESI G N
YO U R FI R ST

74 Make a bag for storing all

your maker bits and bobs

Make your circuits permanent 94

Turn your ideas into reality
Add custom artwork

34
4
 CONTENTS

06
30 Build HAT
Interview Smart Lego

Wesley Treat

108
56 Making 1950s roadside America,
one sign at a time

69 FORGE 26 Unlock the robotics potential

of your LEGO® kits

70 SoM Thermionic valves

Explore this predecessor to the transistor

74 Tutorial Textiles
Work with fabric to sew a Stuff Bag
70
78 Tutorial Pico keyboard
Create a unique isometric Pico-powered keyboard 101 FIELD TEST
82 Tutorial FreeCAD 102 Best of Breed Feather development boards
Export your designs for 3D printing Adafruit’s maker-friendly board family

90 Tutorial Get organised 108 Direct from Shenzhen

Your workshop is a tool. Here’s how to use it Make your own battery packs with high-voltage electrons

94 Tutorial DIY synth 112 Review LED matrix

Make cheesy sounds with a Pico and many LEDs Add 117 RGB lights to… anything, really

Some of the tools and techniques shown in HackSpace Magazine are dangerous unless used with skill, experience and appropriate personal protection equipment. While we attempt to guide the reader, ultimately you
are responsible for your own safety and understanding the limits of yourself and your equipment. HackSpace Magazine is intended for an adult audience and some projects may be dangerous for children. Raspberry
Pi (Trading) Ltd does not accept responsibility for any injuries, damage to equipment, or costs incurred from projects, tutorials or suggestions in HackSpace Magazine. Laws and regulations covering many of the topics
in HackSpace Magazine are different between countries, and are always subject to change. You are responsible for understanding the requirements in your jurisdiction and ensuring that you comply with them. Some
manufacturers place limits on the use of their hardware which some projects or suggestions in HackSpace Magazine may go beyond. It is your responsibility to understand the manufacturer’s limits.

5
Top Projects

REGULAR

Eco-Arduino
By Jiva Materials jivamaterials.com

P
CBs, as you’ll know from our cover feature this
issue, are currently constructed from epoxy
resin and fibreglass. To extract the metals used in
their construction, they need to be shredded and
incinerated, which is an inefficient, time-consuming,
and energy-consuming process. Electronic waste is a
growing problem, and with the current squeeze on semiconductor
prices, it makes sense to have a PCB substrate that makes it easier
to reuse components without chucking a load of waste in a landfill.
Enter Soluboard®, from Jiva Materials. This PCB substrate is
based on natural materials, which delaminates when it’s soaked in
warm water, allowing the natural parts to be composted and the
metals to be recycled.
We like the thinking behind this product, and we also like the
woody aesthetic. Here’s how it looks when incorporated into an
Arduino Uno.

Right
The makers estimate
that, compared with
traditional materials,
Soluboard® PCBs
would save 10.5 kg
of carbon per square
metre of PCB

6
SPARK

7
Top Projects

REGULAR

MMXX T-APE
By mayojaster hsmag.cc/T-APE

F
orget what you think you know about synthesizers:
this, from mayojaster, is something (as far as we’re
aware) completely new. Instead of using samples, or
square waves generated by something like a 555 chip,
it uses what the maker calls a ‘bytebeat’, which is
software that generates a fractal that the synthesizer
can use to generate sounds.
We can’t vouch for the maths behind the sounds, but we can tell
you that we like the way it looks, and we like the way it sounds. If
you want one, buy it from Tindie, unless you’re in a recently post-
Brexit country, where you’re best off ordering from mayojaster’s
own website so they can calculate the VAT properly.

Right
The MMXX T-APE
features ten
capacitive keys,
two encoders, two
light sensors (so you
can use it as a kind
of theremin), and a
headphones output

8
SPARK

9
Top Projects

REGULAR

Raspberry Pi Fight Stick

By Stuart Brand hsmag.cc/FightStick

T
his glorious piece of work is a self-contained retro
games emulator, lovingly crafted out of polished,
shaped, and drilled aluminium. The buttons are
custom-made, the joystick is custom-made, and it can
be used either as an all-in-one gaming system or as a
USB joystick. Naturally, there’s a Raspberry Pi at the
heart of this device.

Right
Stuart’s also made
a sumptuous Atari
console, which
looks just as good
as this does

10
SPARK

11
Top Projects

REGULAR

12
 SPARK

Digital picture frame

By Democracity hsmag.cc/DigitalPictureFrame

W
e’re big fans of upcycling old hardware here
at HackSpace Towers, but there is some
tech that’s just too far gone to rescue. One
approach to this is to rip out the guts, but keep
the vintage-looking shell of the old kit. That’s
what Instructables user Democracity did with
this Sony Micro TV.
In place of the old CRT that the TV originally used, there’s a
TFT LCD screen, behind a bezel made out of black acrylic and the
original glass of the TV. Images are served up by a Raspberry Pi 4,
and the whole thing is held together with a lot of hot glue.

Left
Democracity
wanted to keep
the old buttons
and knobs of the
1960s TV

13
Top Projects

REGULAR

Scrap-metal
horse
By Rickdadick450 hsmag.cc/MetalHorse

S
ince Magdelenian people drew on the cave walls at
Lascaux, we’ve felt an artistic connection to horses.
Now Reddit user Rickdadick450 has added to the long
tradition of horse-inspired art with this scrap-metal
sculpture. According to the maker, this took 20 hours
of work, and is made entirely of scrap. It’s the attention
to detail that gets us about this work; the way that the hard angles
of the metal come together to suggest the natural shape of the
animal’s face. Brilliant stuff.

Right
If you like this,
you’ll love the
Kelpies, the giant
metal horse heads
in Falkirk, Scotland

14
SPARK

15
Top Projects

REGULAR

Heat shrink
tube cutter
By Mr Innovative hsmag.cc/TubeCutter

I
f you’re soldering wires together in an enclosure that’s
going to live outside, or as part of a machine that moves,
you’ll probably want to protect the bare wires from the
elements (and from each other) with something non-
conductive that will wrap around the exposed wire. That
something is usually heat shrink tubing. This machine, made
by YouTuber Mr Innovative, has been built to cut heat shrink tubing
to consistent, pre-programmed lengths.
The machine feeds tubing into two lengths of metal pipe, while
a blade passes up and down in a narrow gap between the pipes; it
looks like a guillotine, but for plastic rather than decadent aristocracy.
Mr Innovative used an Arduino Nano, two stepper motors to drive
the moving parts, and a 2.8-inch touchscreen, held together with a
custom PCB. Yes, you could use a craft knife instead, but why not
automate when it looks as cool as this?

Right
If we had one of
these, we’d watch it
all day long. It really
is mesmerising

16
SPARK

17
Objet 3d’art

REGULAR

Objet 3d’art
3D-printed artwork to bring more beauty into your life

W
e’re breaking new ground
here at HackSpace
towers, for this is the first
time we’ve featured an
animation on these
pages. Floaty Boaty, shown here, is a
240-frame (very) short film showing the
classic 3D-printed Benchy in its element,
sailing the seven seas. Well, we say seven
seas – in fact there are 240 individual
seascapes, designed by visual effects
professional Mark Theriault.
Mark’s made the source files for this work
available at the link below. As well as the
240 slightly different wave scenes, there’s a
frame to keep the whole thing in one place,
a modified version of the Benchy boat, and a
peg to hold the Benchy in place on the
waves. Mark warns that the process takes
hours, so you’ll also have to think about
lighting if you try this at home.

hsmag.cc/FloatyBoaty

18
SPARK

19
A beginner’s guide to lock picking and locksport

REGULAR

A beginner’s guide to
lock picking and locksport
If you have an enquiring mind, the kind that can focus on
a puzzle for a long time, you’ll definitely find some aspect
of lock picking or locksport that you will enjoy!

L
ock picking and other locksport is a the UK, or Schlage in the US. Many padlocks are
popular pastime in many hackspaces commonly pin tumblers, as are European-style
and at many maker events. It’s a rich door-locks. In Figure 1, you can see a cross-section of
vein of interest for a curious mind, and a tumbler lock. Inside the body of the lock is a barrel
there are lots of different aspects to the that turns when unlocked. There are a number of pin
scene. In this article, we’ll take a look over chambers inside the lock – in the case of our diagram,
Jo Hinchliffe a small collection of locksport-type activities, and there are five. Therefore, it would be referred to as a
explore some of the basic skills to open common five-pin lock. The pins sit in holes that are drilled into
@concreted0g locks. In the second part, we’ll look at more DIY the housing and into the barrel. There are two
aspects of locksport – making tools, stripping and separate pins in each hole – the lower pins are the
Jo Hinchliffe is a
reassembling locks, and much more. ‘key pins’ and the upper pins are the ‘driver pins’.
constant tinkerer and
is passionate about all The commonest place to start with lock picking is Above the pins in each channel are springs that push
things DIY. He loves pin tumbler-style locks. Pin tumbler locks come in a the pins downwards. These are represented by the
designing and scratch-
building both model and
range of types, including the common Yale door-lock in purple areas in Figure 1.
high-power rockets, and
releases the designs and
components as open-
source. He also has a
shed full of lathes and
milling machines and
CNC kit!

Right
A collection of
locksport practice
locks, lock picks, and
other tools – some
commercially bought,
and some DIY

20
 SPARK

When the key is not in the lock and

it is in the locked position, the key
pins and driver pins drop into the
barrel and the driver pins stop the
barrel from being able to turn. The
key pins are specific lengths and a
corresponding key, when inserted,
will lift the key pins so that the top of
them will align with the top of the barrel.
This means that the driver pins are lifted into
a position just clear of the barrel. This point, at the
interface of the lock body and the barrel, is called the
shear line. When the pins are aligned at the shear line,
the barrel then can be turned and the mechanism are interchangeable. Two common types of tension
Figure 1
is unlocked. tool can be seen in Figure 2. On the left we can see a A diagram showing
flat-style tool, and on the right a bent flat bar tool. Both the basics of a
common pin tumbler
PICKING HOLES these types of tool are great to start using on standard lock, and the locked
There are a few conceptual approaches to picking a pin tumbler locks, but there are many more types of and unlocked states

lock, with the most common approaches being tension tools out there for you to research and Figure 2
‘single-pin picking’ or ‘raking’ a lock. Single-pin picking experiment with. It’s true to say that of all types of Two of the most
common styles of
is a challenging approach to learn, and requires a fair tools in locksport, people are constantly reacting to tension wrench
amount of practice to develop the sensitivity to be

”
able to feel the different internal parts of the lock and
the small movements you need to make. Single-pin
There are many more types of tension
picking, however, is seen as perhaps the most
elegant and, when performed well, efficient way to tools out there for you to research and

”
open a lock.
As we will explore, both single-pin picking and experiment with
raking of tumbler locks rely, in part, on tools that
create a rotational force in the lock, similar to the
rotational force you apply when using a key. These new lock designs, or coming up with new tool designs,
tools are commonly referred to as tension tools, so there is lots to research. YOU’LL NEED
torque tools, or tension wrenches, and these names The tension tool is used in combination with a lock
A practice lock
pick. Again there are no hard and fast rules about lock
pick selection, and I’d urge you to read around and A tension wrench
look at what other people used and experiment. For A half-diamond
single-pin picking, the most commonly used tool is the lock pick
small half-diamond pick (Figure 3), closely followed by A Bogota rake
the small hook pick. You can see, however, in Figure 4 lock pick
that a huge range of lock pick designs exist – but to
begin with, you probably won’t need many.
Single-pin-picking a pin tumbler lock relies on the
fact that no lock can be dimensionally perfect and
there will be a slight tolerance in manufacturing that
we can exploit. Essentially the exploit is based around
the idea that if you apply a rotational force onto the
barrel, as if trying to turn a key without a key fitted,
then one of the pins will be the first to bind. To try
QUICK TIP
this, take a torsion wrench tool and insert it into the
In the second part
keyway of a practice lock. If you apply a small amount
of this look at lock
of force, the lock will turn ever so slightly and then picking, we will
stop, or ‘bind’. As an exaggerated example in Figure 5, explore creating DIY
you can see a top view of the lock with the third tools and lock picks.

21
A beginner’s guide to lock picking and locksport

REGULAR

are limited, one part of the security of a pin tumbler

lock. But, for us, the shape of the keyway as we
advance may limit or change the type of tools that we
can realistically use and fit into the lock.
Having inserted our diamond pick all the way to the
back of the lock, bring the pick back towards you and
try to feel the rearmost pin. We don’t know which pin
is binding at the moment, so the test is to try and lift
each pin with the tip of the pick. The one pin that is
bound will feel stiffer than the others, which should all
feel similar and quite loose when you lift them. When
you find the pin that is binding, it will feel stiffer to lift.
Gently lift the bound pin and, at the moment the pin
aligns with the shear line, you should feel that the lock
turns ever so slightly more and you may hear a slight
click as the tension in the pin releases. You have set
your first pin – congratulations! If you release the
pin of the pin channels off the centre line. This would tension, the lock will reset and the pin will drop back
Figure 4 be the first pin to bind if the lock was being rotated down, so keep the tension on the lock as you
There are hundreds of
lock pick designs,
clockwise. Although that is an exaggerated example, it continue. To continue to single-pin-pick the lock, you
each with slightly is true that the tolerances in manufacturing, however repeat the process of lifting each remaining unset pin
different applications,

”
uses, and target fine, will always mean to try and identify the
locks. However, you that one pin channel new binding pin and then
don’t need many
binds before others. Next,
The tolerances in set that pin by lifting it.
to begin!

Figure 3
let’s take a diamond pick manufacturing, however Continue with this and,
Two common picks or a hook pick and gently when you reach your last
for single-pin-picking
tumbler locks are the
insert it all the way back fine, will always mean pin, the lock will turn
half-diamond pick to the back of the lock
that one pin channel binds under the tension from

”
and the hook pick
keyway. If you look at your tension tool.
keys for tumbler locks, before others Per Figure 6, most
you will see that there people begin practising
are different grooves cut lock picking with the lock
into the body of the key and these correspond with in-hand. Curling one hand around the lock, and using
the shape of the keyway in the lock. This primarily your thumb or a finger to apply some tension on the
means that the only keys that can enter the keyway wrench, is a common approach that works well. One
benefit, and simultaneously a failing, of this approach
is that sometimes you may feel a pin set and the
STAYING LEGAL cylinder slightly rotate through the hand holding the
lock rather than through the pin. This can be useful,
There are lots of rules you should check out about
locksport. Different regions have different laws about
owning and carrying lock-picking equipment and tools
if you aren’t a registered locksmith. Check out these
laws in your region. The other two golden rules that you
should consider sacrosanct in locksport are: first, never
pick a lock you don’t own, and secondly, never pick a
lock you rely on. The first rule is pretty self-explanatory,
but the second one needs a little more thought. Picking
locks causes some wear on locks and there is a
chance that something may go wrong. A broken and
QUICK TIP
stuck lock pick may permanently damage a lock and, if
Keep a note of the it is a lock you depend on, then you are in trouble. It’s
pin setting order as always best to have a set of practice locks to work on
you discover it, then and tinker with.
it’s easier to pick the
lock next time.

22
 SPARK

than their door-lock counterparts. It’s pretty easy to

find see-through plastic locks online that are sold at
quite reasonable prices – these are very helpful when
getting started.

SETTING YOU UP
‘False setting’ – If you have a lot of tension applied on
your tension tool, it’s possible to push a pin past the
shear line and for the key pin to bind the lock. You
but doesn’t emulate picking a lock in a door. A quick might feel that that pin is set, but it actually isn’t. The
fix is to use a small desk vice to hold the lock whilst only way to cure a false set on a tumbler lock is to
you work on it. In the next part of the series, however, release the tension, which releases all the pins back to
we will make a small practice board to mount our their locked position, regardless of whether they are
lock into. set correctly or false set. However, if you have
Raking is another manual approach to defeating a
pin tumbler lock. It’s similar in some ways to single-pin
picking, but is perhaps easier to perform as it requires
DO NOT DESTROY
less feel. There are a variety of rake tools and, in the
Lock picking and ‘locksport’ tend to be catch-all
next issue, we will explore making tools for both terms that cover all non-destructive approaches to
single-pin picking and for raking. To use a rake tool, opening a lock. Destructive approaches are where
(Figure 7), you again use a tension tool or tension a lock is wholly or partially destroyed as a process
wrench to apply a small amount of rotational pressure to open the door or system. Destructive approaches
to the lock. Insert your rake tool fully into the lock. As can vary from drilling and cutting to destroying with
plasma cutters or even thermite! Needless to say,
you apply slightly more pressure, you move the rake
locksport is primarily looking at the non-destructive
tool in and out and up and down in the keyway to methods of successfully bypassing or opening a lock.
create rapid movements of the key and driver pins. As Within non-destructive methods there are numerous
you are holding some rotational pressure on the lock approaches, a main distinction being ‘manual’ or
core, again as with single-pin picking, pins should set ‘automatic’ approaches. Manual describes, when
and remain in position as they reach the shear line. applied to common pin tumbler locks, the use of a lock
pick and a tensioning device, which are moved inside Figure 6
Once all the pins have been raked to the shear line, Practising lock-picking
the lock by hand. Automatic approaches include a pin tumbler lock
the lock should open and turn using the tension tool. the use of items like ‘picking guns’ that automate in-hand makes this a
Pin tumbler locks are common as door-locks, such movements using mechanical systems. Whilst interest very portable hobby!
as the lock pictured in Figure 6, but the same pin in both manual and automatic techniques is prevalent Figure 5
tumbler technology is also in many Euro cylinder-style in locksport communities, we are going to stick with An exaggerated top
view showing how
locks and also in many padlocks (Figure 8). Whilst manual techniques as these are the most common manufacturing
starting points for beginners. tolerances mean that
padlocks are unlikely to be re-pinnable, they can often
pin chambers are not
provide a nice challenge and are often lower-cost perfectly aligned

23
A beginner’s guide to lock picking and locksport

REGULAR

RIGHT COMBINATION
Another accessible area to begin locksport is the
manipulation of combination locks. Before you go and
buy a safe to practise on, it’s probably a good idea to
start a little smaller. Dial and ring combination locks
are widely sold as padlocks for lockers, or for garden
storage containers, etc. At the budget end of these
locks, many of them have been explored for
manipulation-type vulnerabilities. A couple of classic
worked out a small part of the sequence of which locks to explore, which have had large amounts of
order the pins set, your previous efforts aren’t all exploration in the locksport communities, are the
in vain! 38 mm Master Dial Combination lock (model number
The budget-type, starter lock-picking locks usually 1533), and the Master Lock 7640 (Figure 9). Lock
all feature standard driver pins which are all the same manipulation on these padlock-style combination locks
length and are a simple small metal cylinder. More have common themes but a variety of approaches. A
advanced security driver pins exist that have different common theme is that you apply pressure on the
geometries which can increase the challenge of lock’s shackle, pulling away from the lock as if trying
picking. Spool or mushroom pins are designed to to force it open. Applying pressure and then rotating
false-set easily, as they have thinner sections which the dials allows the locks to give clues as to their
means, as they are lifted, they can pretend to unbind combinations, by perhaps having stiff-to-move
Figure 7 the lock and allow the core to turn slightly before sections, or making a different noise or a slight
A common collection binding on the thinner part of the security pin. This movement when certain parts of the mechanisms
of raking-type lock
picks. A good one can trick you into believing you have correctly set that align. Researchers have often worked out and
to start with is the pin to shear line. There are numerous techniques you published how these clues can be processed to
‘Bogota’-style rake,
seen at the top of can research to overcome these pins, and you can ultimately come up with the correct combination to
this image
either collect these pin types from locks you have open the lock. In the case of the Master Lock 7640,
Figure 8 stripped or re-pinned, or you may be able to buy small you can (with the lock unlocked) reset the combination
A collection of locks
that all use pin amounts of security pins directly. In the second part of to whatever you choose. Applying pressure to the
tumblers – this this series, we will look at how to re-pin a lock, which shackle on the 7640, one approach is to simply work
includes Euro
cylinders, standard allows you to change the pin order in a practice lock, from the furthest away from the shackle dial and feel
pin tumbler locks, and also allows you to fit security pins into a lock to when the shackle gives/moves slightly, indicating the
padlocks, and even
radial tumbler locks practice with. correct number has been found, then moving on to
the next closest dial. We found that with our 7640 we
could, with some practice, successfully open the lock
from an unknown combination set by someone else in
less than ten minutes. If you haven’t got someone to
set the combination, you can test yourself by setting
the combination under a towel and mixing the dials.
The 38 mm Master 1533 is a classic lock for
manipulation and if you search online, there are
numerous manipulation techniques and approaches.
Most use feedback from manipulation to find the first
number directly, and then there are some simple
maths approaches to work out the third number
directly, and then to curate a reduced list of
possibilities. Approaches vary, but the website
hsmag.cc/8tries shows a technique and has tools
that mean you can open this lock by only ever trying a
maximum of eight combinations.
Another area of interest is ‘bump keys’ or ‘bumping
locks’ (Figure 10). It’s an approach that brings us close
to some of the automatic techniques for opening pin
tumbler locks, but still using manual tools. A bump key

24
 SPARK

QUICK TIP
If you are struggling
to feel separate
pins, spend some
time just probing the
front pin in a lock
with a half-diamond
pick as practice.

is a key made from an official key blank, just like the into the pins, thus causing the key pins to hammer up
type a locksmith would cut a replacement or spare key the driver pins. This is often described using pool as
from for your lock. Therefore, it fits into the keyway of an analogy, where you strike the cue ball into an object
the target lock. A bump key is cut in such a fashion ball and the cue ball stops dead and the object ball
that, for each pin, the corresponding valley in the key moves away. As the driver pins are shocked away
is cut to the maximum depth possible for that lock from the key pins, this can create a gap at the shear
type. The bump key is inserted into the lock and then line and the rotational tension you are applying to the Figure 9
removed one bump or one pin’s worth. You then apply bump key causes the lock to open. A common Lock manipulation
is an interesting
some tension to the key using your fingers and then, addition is to place an O-ring over the shoulder of the area of locksport.
Simple combination
using a small block of wood, a tiny hammer, or bump key to allow the key to bounce back into its padlocks often
commonly the back of a screwdriver, you give the partially retracted position, allowing you to reset and have documented
vulnerabilities
bump key a sharp tap. Inside the lock, the angled bump again quickly and repeatedly as needed. that allow them to
parts of the key valleys transmit the energy of the tap We hope you have enjoyed this overview of some be opened
with manipulation
of the basic manual approaches to locksport. Next
month we will look at some easy ways to make lock Figure 10
TOOOL picks, tension wrenches, and other tools from
A collection of
commercially
bought bump keys
common items, to allow you to build up your own that fit a range of
personal locksport tool-kit. Yale-style keyways

There are heaps of tutorials and guidance online and

many places to discuss locksport. A great forum full of
all different locksport information is an online forum,
lockpicking101.com, which has sections covering
a huge range of different aspects of locksport, from
creating DIY tools through to exploration of high-
security lock design, and much more. The other great
resource for getting into locksport is local groups
or, indeed, lock-picking events at Maker Faires or at
your local hackspace. One international organisation,
TOOOL (The Open Organisation Of Lockpickers), has
chapters all over the world, and many chapters have
their own websites with their events listed and a host of
other locksport resources.

25
Build HAT

FEATURE

Build HAT
Control LEGO® from your Raspberry Pi

L
EGO® has introduced generations of sensors, force sensors, colour sensors, LED
children to making. The little blocks slot matrices, and more.
together in almost endless possibilities The Build HAT and power supply are available now
and, if you add in mechanical from all the usual Raspberry Pi suppliers, for $25 and
components from Technic sets, you can $15 respectively.
create some complex builds. While the Build HAT was designed for education,
Through the years, LEGO® has built a few different there’s plenty for makers to get their teeth into.
programmable electronics systems for adding Want to live-stream video from your LEGO® car?
silicon brains to your builds. MINDSTORMS® and Add a Raspberry Pi camera. Want to trigger your
SPIKE Prime Sets have given users an interface LEGO® build from data on the internet? If you can
for controlling their plastic bricks with code and, get the data onto your Raspberry Pi, you can send
through this, have introduced countless children to it to your LEGO® build. Want a platform to quickly
physical computing. prototype an idea for a project? There aren’t many
Of course, LEGO® is not the only organisation quicker ways of building than plugging LEGO®
helping children learn physical computing, so bricks together.
perhaps it’s inevitable that LEGO® and Raspberry Pi
have worked together to create the Build HAT. This
add-on to Raspberry Pi computers lets you control
the latest generation of LEGO® motors and sensors
from Python code running on your Raspberry Pi.
Here, of course, you have access to the full range of
modules and hardware that you can usually connect
to your Raspberry Pi. With extended headers, you
can connect additional HATs, or other components,
to the GPIO pins as long as they don’t use the UART
connection (14 and 15).
To make it easy to mount your Raspberry Pi,
LEGO® has created the Maker Plate. This lets you
attach your Raspberry Pi securely to your build.

MORE POWER
While you can power the Build HAT directly from
Raspberry Pi, the motors run at 7.5 V, so you’ll need
an additional power connection to the barrel jack on
the Build HAT if you want to run motors. Raspberry
Pi has also launched an official power supply for this.
There are four connections on the Build HAT that
can talk to sensors and motors from the SPIKE
Right
Add cameras and Prime kits, or the most recent generation of LEGO®
other Raspberry Technic. The available options include motors with
Pi-compatible sensors
to LEGO® integrated sensors for precise control, distance

26
SPARK

27
Letters

REGULAR

Letters ATTENTION
ALL MAKERS!
If you have something you’d
like to get off your chest (or
even throw a word of praise
in our direction) let us know at
hsmag.cc/hello

3D PRINTING
It seems that you’re starting to take 3D printing Ben says: From the outside, 3D printing looks like
seriously. First there’s your columnist talking a cult. But it’s not: it’s just a tool. And just like
about using 3D printing to renovate her house. I when you get a hammer, everything’s a nail,
like this; for anyone lucky enough to be able to when you get a 3D printer, everything can be
buy a house, it’s the biggest expense of your life. solved with PLA. Need a woodworking jig? Print
If 3D printing is mature enough that she trusts it one. Need a picture hook? Print one. A switch?
with her house, that says a lot more than Print one (never mind that you can get switches
printing Marvel or Dungeons & Dragons figures, for pennies, with overnight delivery – we’ve still
as pretty as they are. printed them). Once you’ve solved a couple of
And now in this issue there’s '50 top 3D prints'. problems with a 3D printer, you’ll start seeing
I can see myself using a few of these! Sometimes other things that you can do with it. You go from
it’s a pain to sit on the ring road for an hour each solving problems to creating opportunities. And if
way to get to B&Q for a simple tool. But if I can that starts with printing a D&D figure, so be it.
print a tool in a few hours, then I can set the
printer away and fill the time with something
else useful. I get it now. I’m a convert.

Ian Wood
Southampton

28
 SPARK

OSKITONE
“Technology isn’t the answer to everything” – I didn’t expect to see that line from
a man who makes and sells technology [Oskitone’s Tommy Marshall, who we
spoke to for issue 47]. But it’s true!
“I don’t like computers. I don’t like them at all” – the man has a window into my
soul! I feel seen, as the kids would say!
In all seriousness, technology is not the answer to everything. We need to go for
walks in the trees, get out into nature, talk to people… we need food, shelter, and to
tinker with analogue through-hole DIY electronic synthesizers. I know what I’m
asking for this Christmas.

Stephen
Croydon

PCB PLEASE Ben says: I too liked what Tommy was saying in that interview. I love technology,
Your series on KiCad has been incredibly both for the things we can do with it, and the fact that there’s always something
useful. And even more so now that you’ve new to learn. But at the same time, I get frustrated with computers. Spending a
delved into PCB design with it. I’ve been weekend building an analogue synth, then a Sunday afternoon playing tunes on
mucking about with circuits on perfboard it, is embracing technology, but it’s a different sort of pastime to playing with a
as a step up from having everything on computer. That’s why we like basic electronics: you can build something that it’s
breadboards (seriously – I know they’re possible for one person to understand. When you know that you’ve soldered
meant for experimentation, but I’ve got every component of your new toy, you get a wonderful sense of understanding, of
projects that reached breadboard stage being at one with the instrument as you compose your latest masterpiece. I also
years ago and are still working fine, thank know what I’m asking for this Christmas!
you very much). But perfboard feels
like a bodge (yes, even more of a bodge
than breadboard).
So thanks for getting me started with
the KiCad extension of FreeCAD. I’m still a
way off getting things made, but it feels
like I’m getting there.

Brian
Stoke-on-Trent

Ben says: Have we got a treat for you!

Turn to page 34 for the complete guide to
designing, assembling, and
troubleshooting your first PCB. It’s been a
bit of a journey getting things set up, sent
to get manufactured, then getting the
PCBs back and finding out that I’d made
an elementary mistake and have ended
up with fancy coasters… but, as the old
saying goes, it’s good to learn from your
mistakes, and it’s even better to learn
from someone else’s.

29
Crowdfunding now

REGULAR

CROWDFUNDING
NOW
Thumby
Is this the smallest gaming device?

From $19 hsmag.cc/thumby Delivery: February 22

W ”
hen it comes to technology, how
small is too small? Does such a Thumby is undoubtedly
thing exist, or is smaller always
a novelty device, but
better? TinyCircuits specialize in
making itty-bitty electronics. sometimes constraints

”
Previously, they’ve made development boards, arcade build great art
machines, and even other handheld games machines.
However, Thumby, at just 29.5 × 18 × 8.5 mm is their
smallest device yet. In that diminutive space, it packs
a 72 × 40 pixel monochrome screen, a four-way presses, that might be a problem. The other side of
D-switch, and two buttons. It comes pre-loaded with this is that it’s really easy to carry around with you. It’s
five retro-style games, and can be programmed in small enough to fit on a key ring (though again, we
either MicroPython or Arduino C++. can’t say if it’s tough enough to last long on the
Powered by RP2040 – the same microcontroller as rough-and-tumble environment of a key chain).
Raspberry Pi Pico – Thumby has plenty of processing We’re particularly interested in the link cable. This
power that you can harness for your gaming pleasure. lets you use a micro USB port to connect two
Along with two processing cores running at 125MHz, Thumbys together for multiplayer gaming. How well
there’s 2MB of flash for your games. you can fit the graphics for two-player games on a
Obviously, with a device this small, poking tiny 72 × 40 pixel screen is a challenge for you.
buttons becomes a problem. We’ve not been able to Thumby is undoubtedly a novelty device, but
get our hands on one, so we can’t say how easy it is sometimes constraints build great art. The diminutive
to play. We suspect that the small size will force size makes it look fun, and that alone is a great
developers to think about the controls a bit more. If motivator to get people up and programming their
your gameplay requires unforgiving and exact button own games.

30
 BUYER
BEWARE !
When backing a crowdfunding
campaign, you are not purchasing
a finished product, but supporting
a project working on something
new. There is a very real chance
that the product will never ship
and you’ll lose your money. It’s
a great way to support projects
you like and get some cheap
hardware in the process, but if
you use it purely as a chance to
snag cheap stuff, you may find
that you get burned.

Below
What is this, a
games console
for ants?

31
 T H AT M A D E

OUT
“The Computers That Made Britain
is one of the best things I’ve read NOW
this year. It’s an incredible story of
eccentrics and oddballs, geniuses and
madmen, and one that will have you
pining for a future that could have been.
It’s utterly astonishing!”
- Stuart Turton, bestselling author
and journalist

Available on

Buy online: wfmag.cc/ctmb

LENS
HACK MAKE BUILD
Uncover the technology that’s powering the future
CREATE

PG
34
DESIGN YOUR FIRST
PG

50
HOW I MADE:
AN AUTOMOTIVE
HEAD UNIT
Convert analogue signals from
Give your electronics projects
your car to digital, graphical their final form
loveliness with a Pico

PG
PG
56 64
INTERVIEW: IMPROVISER’S
WESLEY TREAT TOOLBOX
If you’ve ever wanted a tiny grill What masterpieces can you
that’s perfect for cooking two make with all that spare
sausages, he’s the man for you bubble wrap?
50 bestyour
Design 3D prints
first PCB

FEATURE

DES IGN
YOUR F IRST

Creating permanent
circuits needn’t be
complicated

34
 LENS

CB design may seem like a hugely

technical endeavour that’s the remit
of elite engineers, but the truth is,
it’s not. If you can build electronics on
a breadboard, you can design a PCB.
There’s no magical difference. Instead
of wires, you just have traces of copper. That’s the
only difference.
Turning PCB designs into real boards used to involve
either harsh chemicals or harsh prices. While the home-
spun route still requires some careful use of powerful
chemicals, it’s now easier and cheaper than ever before
to get your PCBs manufactured. Small boards are often
only a few pounds, including delivery, and only take a few
clicks to order.
While you can use protoboard to make your projects
permanent, there’s a whole heap of advantages to
building custom PCBs.

• You can get the PCB any shape you like, so you can
fit it into any chassis or enclosure
• It’s easier to make your circuit small
• It’s much easier to use modern surface-
mount components
• They can look great
• They can be structural in your makes
• It’s easier to make your design rugged

There’s no one thing on this list that is the main reason

for everyone. This author particularly enjoys PCB design
because it can help make great-looking builds, but for
you, the reason might be different.
Fortunately, whatever the reason, it’s the same easy
process for designing a PCB that can be manufactured.
We’re going to create a PCB that’s mostly aesthetic, but
you can build whatever you like. Now, let’s take a look at
the software we’ll use.

35
50 bestyour
Design 3D prints
first PCB

FEATURE

KEY

Build up from the basics

n this tutorial, we’re going However, you can use whatever you
to use EasyEDA. It’s good for like. Switching to surface-mount LEDs
entry-level PCB designs. It’s fairly and resistors would let you make the
easy to use and you can get started PCB a little (or a lot) smaller if you wish. The
without having to install any software. advantage of designing your own PCB is you can
Point your web browser to easyeda.com/editor. use exactly the parts you want to use.
You don’t have to sign in to an account, but if you We’ve only used a few components, so it
do, you can save your projects in the cloud. should be easy to understand:
There are two basic steps you need to do
to create a PCB: design the schematic and LEDs A triangle, bar, and two zigzag arrows
then convert this into a PCB design. EasyEDA show these light-emitting components in your
does both of these. Technically, you don’t have schematic. EasyEDA colours them in for an
to create the schematic first – you can dive easy reference.

" There are two basic steps you

Resistors There are two ways of representing
resistors in schematics: you can have zigzag
lines, or a thin rectangle. The former is more
need to do to create a PCB " common in the USA, the latter in Europe. They
are both completely equivalent, and you can use
either in EasyEDA by selecting the EU or US
straight into the PCB, but there’s a high chance option in the resistor drop-down.
something will go awry, so we’d strongly
recommend starting with a schematic. You’ve Headers These are any connections, whether
probably seen schematic diagrams before. They they’re pins, solderable holes in the PCB, or
show how electronic components connect some custom connectors.
together in your circuit.
We’re going to create a name badge. This is a Touchpad There’s no specific symbol for a
nice easy test for your first PCB. It contains your touchpad, so we’ve used a header. There’s
name in the middle – this is in exposed metal, so nothing special about the touchpad, it’s just an
reflects the light from the LEDs. There are also area of exposed metal that you can touch.
two touchpads that you can use to control the
LED animations. Pico Larger modules are represented by
We’ve used entirely through-hole components, rectangles with the relevant information written
except for Pico, which we’ve surface-mounted. in them.

36
 LENS

+5V LED16
H2
HDR-F-2.54_1x2 LED-TH-3mm_R R17
220
LED0 1
LED-TH-3mm_R R1 2 GPIO16
220
GPIO00 LED17 GND
GND LED-TH-3mm_R R18
GND +5V 220
GPIO17
LED1 U1
LED-TH-3mm_R R2 Pico
220 GND
1 40 LED18
GPIO00 GPIO0 VBUS
GPIO01 2 Raspberry Pi 39 LED-TH-3mm_R R19
GPIO01 GPIO1 VSYS
3 38 220
GND GND
4 37
GND GPIO02 GPIO2 3V3_EN GPIO18
LED2 5 36
GPIO03 GPIO3 3V3 GND
LED-TH-3mm_R R3 6 35
GPIO04 GPIO4 ADC_VREF
220 GPIO05
7
GPIO5 GPIO28_ADC2
34
GPIO28 GND
8 33 LED19
GPIO02 GND AGND
9 32 LED-TH-3mm_R R20
GPIO06 GPIO6 GPIO27_ADC1 GPIO27
10 31 220
GPIO07 GPIO7 GPIO26_ADC0 GPIO26
GND GPIO08
11
GPIO8 RUN
30
GPIO19
LED3
12 29
LED-TH-3mm_R R4 GPIO09 GPIO9 GPIO22 GPIO22
13 28
GND GND
220
GPIO10
14
GPIO10 GPIO21
27
GPIO21 GND
GPIO03 15 26
GPIO11 GPIO11 GPIO20 GPIO20
16 25 LED20
GPIO12 GPIO12 GPIO19 GPIO19
LED4 17 24 LED-TH-3mm_R R21
LED-TH-3mm_R
GND GPIO13
18
GPIO13 GPIO18
23
GPIO18
R5 GND GND 220
220 19 22
GPIO14 GPIO14 GPIO17 GPIO17 GPIO20
SWCLK

SWDIO
20 21
GND

GPIO04 GPIO15 GPIO15 GPIO16 GPIO16

GND
41
42
43

GND LED21
LED5 LED-TH-3mm_R R22
LED-TH-3mm_R R6 LED10 220
220 LED-TH-3mm_R R11 GPIO21 H1
GPIO05 220
HDR-F-2.54_1x2
GPIO10
GND GPIO27 1
LED6 GND LED22 2
LED11
LED-TH-3mm_R R7 LED-TH-3mm_R
GND LED-TH-3mm_R R23 GPIO28
R12
220 220
220
GPIO06 GPIO22
GPIO11

GND LED12 GND

LED7
LED-TH-3mm_R
GND
LED-TH-3mm_R R13 LED26 R25 R26
R8
220 LED-TH-3mm_R 1M 1M
220 R24
GPIO12 220
GPIO07
GPIO26
LED13
GND
LED8 GND LED-TH-3mm_R R14
LED-TH-3mm_R R9 220 GND
220 GPIO13
GND
GPIO08
LED14
LED-TH-3mm_R R15 GND
LED9
LED-TH-3mm_R
GND 220
R10
220 GPIO14
GPIO09 LED15
LED-TH-3mm_R R16 GND
220
GND
GPIO15

GND

There are a couple of things about this that In a schematic, components are linked by
you may be unfamiliar with if you’ve only used wires, but this can very quickly become very
schematics to build circuits before. messy, with wires going all over the place. An
Firstly, each component is linked to a physical alternative is to use net labels, which are labels
design of its mounting on the PCB (known as used instead of wires. In Figure 1, you’ll see
a footprint). That means that when we add an that we’ve connected each GPIO to a net named
LED, we don’t just add any LED, we add an after the GPIO pin. We then use this net to
(in our case) 3 mm through-hole red LED. The power an LED. EasyEDA knows that the two are Figure 1
colour isn’t critical – it’s just what will show up in connected and acts as though a wire is linking The design for
our PCB – there
the 3D render – but the size is. You might decide the two. You can link more than two things to are lots of
you want 5 mm, or 0805 SMD LEDs. The choice the same net. For example, we’ve linked lots of LEDs, a power
connector, and
is yours, but you make the choice when you’re things to the ground net. two touchpads
adding components to the schematic. You can When you don’t explicitly label a net, EasyEDA
Below
alter it afterwards by highlighting the component will generate a name for it based on the names You can view
in the schematic, and changing the footprint in of the components that it links. It’s important to this project
at hsmag.cc/
the right-hand pane. know that every connection has a name. PCBBadge
The second thing you might not have come
across is nets. Net, short for network, is a
connection between two or more components.
If you built your circuit entirely out of wires,
the majority of connections would be a simple
wire between two components. In this case,
each wire is a net. However, in some cases,
you might have a single connection that spans
multiple components – for example, you might
want to connect lots of LEDs to ground. In
this case, the ground net might be made up
of multiple wires. In each case, though, it’s a
continuous connection that doesn’t go through
any components.

37
50 best3D
Design yourprints
first PCB

FEATURE

ADDING

Building the first

schematic
asyEDA Designer is to the symbol. In the EELib tab, scroll
an online tool at down until you find the LED symbol.
easyeda.com/editor. You There’s a drop-down underneath it that
don’t have to create an account lets you select the right footprint. Each one
to use this, but if you do, you can comes in Red, Green, and Blue flavours, but this
keep your projects online and easily access them doesn’t affect our circuit in any way. We used
from any computer. LED-TH-3 mm – TH stands for through-hole, and
Go to File > New > Project to create a we used 3 mm LEDs. You can use whatever
new project. size you like. Different LEDs will give different
First, let’s add the LEDs. LEDs come in all final effects. For example, you could use larger
sorts of shapes and sizes, so it’s important to surface-mount LEDs to create a line effect, or
make sure you’ve got the right footprint attached smaller surface-mount LEDs to create more of

Right
The basic
components are
available in EELib

38
 LENS

Left
You can search for
more components
in the library

a sparkle. If you go up to 5 mm LEDs, then you when it arrives. However, they can be a very
might end up with a wide PCB – which could be quick way to get a footprint, and there’s a huge
useful if you’ve got a lot of text to fit on there. selection to choose from. If you do decide to
Once you’ve dragged your LED on there, use a user-contributed footprint, then you should
we also need a resistor. Again, these come in spend some time checking it against your parts
different footprints, so make sure you get the datasheet to make sure that you’re happy with it
one that’s right for you. The through-hole options before committing it to your design.
are given in proportions of an inch. We’ve used Since we’re creating a name badge, we want
AXIAL-0.3 which fits smaller resistors and keeps the mechanics of it – the Raspberry Pi Pico that
things compact, but you can go for 0.5 for drives the interface – entirely hidden away. There
larger resistors or a bit more space. By default,
they’ll be 1 K resistors. Once they’re on the
schematic, you can highlight them and change
that to 220 ohms.
" User-contributed footprints
Next, we’ll add the headers and connect them
up. We’ll use HDR-M-2.54 and you can use the
are a bit of a risky option "
drop-down to select 2 × 2. There are two sets of
2 × 2 headers; one is for power, the other will be are lots of Raspberry Pi Pico footprints available,
used as a touchpad. but most of them have holes – either for pin
So far, so easy. LEDs and resistors are headers, to access the test points, or for the USB
both common components in more-or-less components. We want a Pico footprint that’s
standard packages. What happens if you want a entirely one-sided, so we created one.
component that isn’t in the standard library? Click the Library button, and make sure
Well, there are two options: EasyEDA lets EasyEDA and Symbol are selected, then enter
users share footprints, and you can search to see Pico One Sided into the search field. User-
if someone else has created a footprint that you Contributed should now be an option, so click
can use. Alternatively, you can create your own. on that. The one you want is Raspberry Pi Pico
Let’s look at both of these options now. Castellated One Sided by user Ben Everard
User-contributed footprints are a bit of a (make sure it’s got castellated in the name – this
risky option because there’s no guarantee author created another one while writing this
that the person designing it had any idea what article that doesn’t work properly, but there
they were doing. They may not even have doesn’t seem to be an option to stop sharing it).
used it themselves. If you use one, it’s entirely Double-click on this line and you should be able
possible that you’ll find the PCB doesn’t work to add it to the schematic.

39
50 best3D
Design yourprints
first PCB

FEATURE

ADDING

Creating our own

footprints
hat’s all our standard for LEDs. The choice is yours.
components added. The exposed metal graphics on
The one thing left is the the front area are one footprint that we
decoration on the front. This created in a graphics editor. EasyEDA can
is partly functional as we can use import image files that you can import from
the exposed metal on the front as touchpads. other graphics programs. We used Inkscape
However, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution as to create ours. We started a new file, added
obviously we have names of different lengths. the text with the font and effects that we
This author goes by a three-letter name, so to wanted, then we selected this text and used
fill the space, he added a couple of stars. You Path > Object to path to convert it into a format
might have a longer or shorter name, so we’ll EasyEDA can use. While EasyEDA can import
leave it up to you. The important thing is that SVG files, we found that it corrupted these and
Below this exposed metal can be either a touchpad or it worked much better to import a PNG.
The Footprint simply decorative. In our circuit, we’ve used the In EasyEDA, go to File > New > Footprint,
designer lets you
customise almost two stars as touchpads, but you can use letters then File > Import > Image. Select the image
any element of how if you’d rather. You can also make more than file you want. There are sliders to control the
your component
fits into the PCB two touchpads, but you’ll have fewer pins spare corners and simplification; however, we haven’t
found these to be particularly useful at all.
There’s a certain amount of simplification that
seems unavoidable.
You’ll also need to select the size at this
stage. You can obviously make it as big or little
as you like. For reference, our final board is
76 mm wide.
When you click Insert Image Into PCB,
EasyEDA will put the image on the top layer of
the board. This is where we want it, but it won’t
expose the metal. To do that, we also need to
add our shape to the top solder mask layer.
Slightly confusingly, the top layer of copper
is inclusive. Where you put a track or an image
– basically anywhere that shows red – is where
copper goes. The solder mask layer is exclusive.
That means that where you put a shape is

40
 LENS

where the solder mask (protective layer that The final act of creating our footprint is to Above
When you add the
goes over the top of the PCB that’s traditionally draw a trace connecting the appropriate pieces footprint, it should
green) doesn’t go. Therefore, you want the of artwork to the pad. Select the Trace tool, automatically
assign the pins to
same image twice placed directly on top of itself and draw a connection. Right-click to finish the pads
to add the copper to that area and remove the the trace.
solder mask. That’s our footprint finished. This is a slightly
Copy and paste the image on top of unusual footprint in that, most of the time,
itself, then highlight the name and right- you’ll want to draw a footprint for an existing
click. Select Attributes and change the layer component, not some customised artwork.
to TopSolderMask.

" Where you put a track or an

We also want to stop traces running through
the name as that will impinge on the effect
we’re going for. To do this, select the ‘Solid
region’ tool and draw a solid area tightly around
the graphics. Right-click to finish drawing.
image is where copper goes "
However, we don’t want a solid region, we want
an empty region, so press ESC to exit the tool, However, once you’re familiar with the tools,
then highlight the region and change the drop- the task is fairly similar.
down in the right-hand pane to No Solid. Use File > Save to save the file and give it a
We’re almost there now. We’ve added our name. We now need to assign this to one of
graphics and connected everything up. We just our footprints. Back in the schematic, select the
need to add pads that our traces can connect to. header that you want to be a touchpad and click
Click on the Pad tool (the circle in the tool box) in the Footprint attribute in the right-hand pane.
and add the ones you want. Press ESC to leave This will bring up a window that lets you search
the tool. We need to set the properties of our for your new footprint and add it.
pads, so click in them to bring up the properties You should now have a complete schematic
in the right-hand pane. Change layer to Top with components. Let’s now look at building
Layer, and Solder Mask Expansion to 0. the PCB.

41
Design your first PCB

FEATURE

PC B

These boards were

made by PCBWay.
Head to pcbway.com
for quality, Turning the schematic
affordable PCBs
into reality
e promised you You’ll see light-blue lines
PCB design, and so connecting your components. This is
far, we haven’t actually known as the ’rat’s nest’ and represents
done any PCB designing connections that you need to make. They’re
– we’ve just created all the not actual connections on the PCB. As you wire
bits that we need to use to design the PCB. up the PCB, these lines will disappear.
Let’s fix that and design our PCB. We can convert You can drag and drop your components where
the schematic into a PCB with Design > Convert you want them. It’s up to you how you lay it out,
Schematic to PCB. There’s a pop-up telling you but if you want to follow in our footprints, you’ll
about unfinished nets. This first need to place Pico
is expected because we on the rear of the PCB.
haven’t connected every Select it and right-click.
possible thing on Pico. In attributes, select
However, it’s not a bad Bottom Layer.
idea to double-check The main task in this
this. If you click Yes, PCB design is getting
you’ll get a list of nets everything laid out how
that aren’t connected – you want it. If you like
this should just be the everything neat and
unused pins. If there’s symmetrical, then you
anything unexpected can use the grid. Press
in there, take a closer ESC to leave the current
look to make sure tool and then click on
everything is connected the black background.
as expected. In the right-hand
Once you’re happy pane, enable the
with the nets, use snap, and set the size
Convert Schematic To you want. If you prefer
PCB again and, this time, click on No. EasyEDA a more organic, free-form look, then you can
will then present you with a PCB with all the disable it.
components. There’s a box asking about the Our design is, from an electrical standpoint,
Right size of the PCB, but you can just ignore this quite simple, so you do not need to worry too
Our finished PCB for now as you can adjust it later to fit around much about being able to connect everything
manufactured and
soldered up your components. – it will almost certainly be possible. However,

42
 LENS

Left
Our final PCB
design ready
to be sent to
manufacturing

" EasyEDA has cloud and

it is easier if you place the LEDs near their
respective pins, and also the resistors near their
respective LEDs.
Once you’ve got everything placed where you
want it, it’s time to route. You can either do the
local options for autorouters "
routing manually, or use the autorouter to do
the hard work. about getting a connection. As long as two pads
Autorouters have a bad reputation, and they’re are connected, that’s probably all you need to
far from perfect, but on a PCB like this, where worry about.
there’s quite a lot of connections but enough Hopefully, most of your tracks are now
space that everything should find its way through, connected, but if you have some nets unrouted,
they can save a lot of time. Let’s start with that. let’s look at how to do it by hand. Any unrouted
You can always go back and do it manually if you nets should still have their rat’s nest lines
don’t get a result you’re happy with. showing you where they need to go. Tracks go
EasyEDA has cloud and local options for on one side of the PCB, but you can send them
autorouters. We’ve had some difficulty using
the cloud router recently, so would recommend
installing it locally. There are instructions on how
to do this at hsmag.cc/Autorouter.
Whichever option you choose, it still works in
SURFACE FINISH
the same way through the web app. Go to Route One of the options you’ll be given when
> Autoroute > Autoroute. The default options ordering your PCBs is the surface finish.
should be fine. Press Run to kick it off and then There are typically three options: HASL, HASL
(lead-free), and ENIG. HASL stands for Hot Air
wait while it finishes.
Solder Levelling, and it means that the PCBs
If you’re lucky, it will route all of the are dipped in a vat of molten solder and then
components and that’s it. You might find that blown with hot air to remove any excess. ENIG
there are one or two nets left unrouted, and you is Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold. In both
have to do these manually. cases, the surface finish protects the copper
Routing is one of those things that can be from oxidisation. ENIG is flatter and may be more
suitable for components with very small pads,
complicated or simple. Generally, the difference
but for our purposes, either can be used. ENIG
is the speed of the signal you’re routing. If you’re
is typically much more expensive, but does look
trying to shove a lot of data through a small area awesome. HASL is shinier and cheaper. Again,
of PCB very quickly, then you can have problems. the choice is yours.
However, if you’re trying to switch a few LEDs
on and off, then really you just need to worry

43
50 bestyour
Design 3D prints
first PCB

FEATURE

Left between layers using vias.

You can either
power the PCB These are little holes that go
through the through the PCB and are
USB port or
through the power metal-plated so you can attach
supply headers traces to them from either
end. Using these, you need to
find a path around the other objects and traces on
your PCB. As the autorouter hasn’t managed to
route these traces, it’s likely that you’ll need at
least one via to jump over or under any obstacle.
Adding a trace isn’t any more complicated than
using the Track tool and drawing the path you
want to take. EasyEDA won’t let you run a trace
too close to anything it shouldn’t connect to, so it
should be quite straightforward.
When adding a via, you first have to place the
via, then add it to the appropriate net before you
can connect a trace to it. Use the Via tool to place
a via, then press ESC to leave the tool, and then
click on the via to highlight it. In the right-hand
pane, there’s a Net option, and you can type
in there what net you want to connect it to. If
you’re unsure, click on one of the pins that you’re
connecting, and you can copy-paste the Net.
You may also want to remove the labels from
the silkscreen layer. This makes the finish a bit
tidier. Just select the label (and only the label) and
press DELETE.
That’s all there is to creating your first PCB. The
final thing is just to check that it’s all correct, and
then get it manufactured. There are a number of
design rules that your PCB has to follow – things

PROGRAMMING
Obviously, Pico will need programming to take
advantage of the PCB we’ve created. You can
program it however you like, but we’ve used
CircuitPython. This has the touchio module
that can take advantage of the touchpads
we’ve created.
You’ll first need to download and flash
the CircuitPython firmware from here:
hsmag.cc/CircuitPythPico. If you’ve not used
CircuitPython before, there’s a good Getting
Started guide at hsmag.cc/CircuitPIntro.
Our code to flick between two flashing
patterns is at: hsmag.cc/PCBBadgeCode.
Press the left-hand star to change patterns,
and press the right-hand star to change
the speed.

46
 LENS

OTHER PCB DESIGN TOOLS

EasyEDA isn’t the only option for designing your PCBs. Here are a few of the other popular choices:

• KiCad is an open-source tool that we’ve looked • Altium is used more by professional electronics
at before in HackSpace magazine. It’s perhaps engineers than hobbyists. At an eye-watering
more fully featured than EasyEDA, and is used by £265 per month, it’s out of reach of all but the most
professionals as well as hobbyists. If you want to dedicated hobbyists. It’s not a tool we’re familiar
try it out, one important difference is that you don’t with at HackSpace towers, but we’re told it does
assign footprints to your schematic components perform excellently.
when you design the schematic. Instead, Below
The castellated
there’s a step between designing the schematic • Fritzing – This software was popular for holes on Pico make
and designing the PCB where you annotate breadboard layout, but does include the ability it easy to solder
the schematic. to take designs from breadboard through to onto a board.
Solder one pad
schematic and PCB. If you’re already familiar with first to make sure
• EAGLE is widely used to design PCBs; however, the software and use it, then it could be useful for it all lines up, then
there are limitations with the free version, simple designs, but it’s a little unloved now. once you’re happy
with the placement,
including only being able to design PCBs up to solder everything
80 cm2. Also, the free licence is on a year-by-year else up
basis and may not be available in the future.

" There are a range of PCB

like making sure tracks are the right distance
apart and nothing’s overlapping. EasyEDA should manufacturing options available "
have ensured these were all followed as you did
the design. However, if you move components
around after they’ve been routed, things can go a
little awry. It’s a good idea to check them before
committing to an order. Go to Design > Check
DRC and it will ensure that everything looks good
(or give you a list of things to fix). You can view
and change the current design rules by going to
Design > Design Rule. The standard EasyEDA
ones should be fine for most purposes, but, in
some cases, you might want something a little
different (such as if you’re milling your own PCB
and have different tolerances than a PCB factory).
To get your PCB made, you need the Gerber
files from EasyEDA. Go to to Fabrication > PCB
Fabrication Files (Gerber). You’ll get a pop-up
asking about DRC checking, but if you’ve already
done this, there’s no need to do it again. Finally,
select Generate Gerber to download your file.
This will actually be a zip file containing separate
files for the PCB, solder mask, silkscreen, drilling,
etc. It’s almost, but not completely, standard
between different PCB manufacturers.
You should just be able to upload this zip file on
a web interface, view a rendering of your board,
and then order it. The boards in this article were
made by PCBWay (pcbway.com).
We can't wait to see what you create. Let
us know at [email protected] or
HackSpaceMag on social media

47
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hsmag.cc November 2021 Issue #48

Manage DIY
the mess
Music
SAVELORA
Tidy hsmag.cc
workshop, October 2021 Issue #47 hsmag.cc September 2021 Issue #46

SCIENCE
tidy mind
Adding long-range
D ES I GN radio to a project

44%
Adding long-range
radio to a project
YOU R FI R S T
NEEDS MAKERS
HOW CITIZEN SCIENTISTS ARE PUSHING THE
ALSO
Essential BOUNDARIES OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE

INSIDE
builds for your
home, office, NAILS
Repurpose spiky
and workshop
steel for your makes
TOUCH
INPUT Make your circuits permanent
Add capacitive
Turn your ideas into reality
CRYSTAL
RADIO
touch to Pico

DIY Learn Add custom artwork Build a retro

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®

CLOCKS
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Sept. 2021
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Nov. 2021

components

LEDS PICO BUBBLE WRAP PLA

How I Made: An automotive display unit

FEATURE

How I Made

AN AUTOMOTIVE
DISPLAY UNIT
Customising my car the geeky way

By Brian McKeon

M
y Sony car stereo was Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi, the ability to link
failing, sometimes with phones, and lots of Android apps.
refusing to start, so An equivalent Raspberry Pi setup would
I thought about an cost A$238: A$94 for a Raspberry
improvement: Pi 3; A$90 for a 7” touchscreen;
a 7” display A$29 for a GPS module plus
head unit. I presently have antenna, and A$25 for a
three conventional gauges 4-channel power amp. The
above the Sony and Android unit option was
wondered if I could put cheaper and mechanically
some software gauges more robust than
into a more modern attempting to assemble
head unit. multiple modules
Modern cars with the Raspberry Pi
feature an OBD-II option – the packaging
communications is important in a car
bus which allows where vibration can be
aftermarket head units an issue.
to connect to that bus I would need to
and get signals such as write an Android app to
engine RPM, temperature, display gauges, and an
etc. However, my 1990 electronic interface to fetch
Toyota MR2 is pre-OBD-II, the analogue input voltages.
so my head unit would The options for the analogue
need to take some voltages as interface would be via Bluetooth,
gauge inputs. WiFi, or USB. I had a Raspberry Pi
Android head units on eBay cost Pico that has a USB connection and can
around A$130, including postage. They read a few analogue voltage inputs – as
have built-in radio, audio power amp, it’s powered over USB, there’s no need

50
 LENS

Figure 1
Driving data displed
on your dashboard

for further power supplies. A Pico retails A Pico retails for around A$8; however, mine
for around A$8; however, mine came
attached to the cover of a HackSpace
magazine bought from the newsagent.
came attached to the cover of a HackSpace
My background is in embedded C
programming, and I found the Android
magazine bought from the newsagent
model has a significant learning curve.
However, it is very interesting once you will decrease if the boost is low. I used a The cool-down target’s set to a turbo
understand how it works – it is also very thermal mass and a thermal resistance to temperature of 220°C, which seems to
powerful once you get the hang of it. ambient, then fitted this to a maximum be a typical maximum temperature for
The software development environment temperature of 850°C (a cherry-red synthetic oil. We need the cool-down
(SDE), Android Studio, is a free download. exhaust) after an extended period of heavy- time so that oil and coolant remain
If you do want to play with the app, duty operation, a cool-down time of 30 circulating until the turbocharger bearings
however, it’s a monster package. At one seconds after light duty, and five minutes have cooled and won’t cook (burn) the oil
point I deleted and reinstalled Android after heavy duty. These are typical times if it isn’t circulating. I wait until this gauge
Studio together with a few prototype that people use for turbo cool-down in shows less than 220°C before shutting the
applications – the Windows Recycle Bin these situations. engine off.
revealed 150,000 files totalling 15GB had
been deleted! 33k
The Android Studio’s display can be
seen in Figure 1. The gauge on the left is Boost, AFR,
the turbocharger boost; the gauge in the Battery
middle is the air/fuel ratio (AFR), and the Voltage 10 k
gauge on the right is the turbo temperature + Pico
value that I calculate from the boost signal. 47 u Input
I use this to decide when to shut down
the engine for turbo cool-down. If boost Figure 2
A simple voltage Pico
indicates the engine/turbo is working hard,
divider protects
the temperature will begin to rise, and it Pico’s input 0V

51
How I Made: An automotive display unit

FEATURE

Left
The three inputs
wired up and ready
to be installed

import machine
The value shown underneath the gauges, My AFR measuring device is an
import utime
‘14.3 V’, is the battery voltage. ‘Innovate Motorsports 3918 MTX-L PLUS’,
import math
The Pico has an internal 3.3 V supply, so which I have mounted near the engine.
input voltages need to be kept in a 0–3.3 V It gives 0 V for 7.35 AFR and 5 V for
pinBoost = machine.ADC(26)
range. I added resistor dividers on the three 22.4 AFR. It needs a good 12 V connection
pinBatteryVolts = machine.ADC(27)
inputs to convert a 0–17 V range into a as it supplies the heater in the O2 sensor,
pinAFR = machine.ADC(28)
0–3.3 V range. The trimpot lets me calibrate so I’ve wired this 12 V supply from the
the input. engine bay.
while True:
Figure 2 shows one of the three Starting with the Pico, I loaded
print( “S,”+str(pinBoost.read_
input circuits. All three Pico voltage MicroPython: hsmag.cc/ProgRPI. Then I
measurement inputs have the same 0–17 V entered the following Python app onto the
range, and calculations of voltage to battery Pico using Thonny on my PC (thonny.org).
Figure 3
voltage, boost psi, and AFR signals are in The Python code is: I can display whatever data I want on the screen
the Android app.
The 47 u tantalum capacitor, plus parallel
8k or so, would result in a 400 msec
filtering time constant for any automotive
electrical noise, and this wouldn’t impact
the rate that these signals change.
My boost sensor has a 12 V and 0 V
connection and an output signal that is
4.14 V at +40 psi and 0.37 V at -11 psi. I
measured some voltages while I connected
the sensor to a water-filled plastic tube in
the shape of a ‘U’ (hsmag.cc/UTube). I
raised and lowered one side of the U to get
pressure changes. I could then work out
an equation to convert the incoming Pico
voltage to a boost pressure.

52
 LENS

Left
The unsuspecting
car ready for
enhancement

u16())+”,”+str(pinBatteryVolts.read_
Anas Altair for the great SpeedView library, with the Samsung tablet being Android
u16())+”,”+str(pinAFR.read_u16())+”,”)
hsmag.cc/SpeedView, and Felipe Herranz version 9, the Samsung did behave
utime.sleep_ms(500)
for the USB library, hsmag.cc/USBSerial. differently to the head unit, and I had to
The program displays lines like Although the head unit has USB ports, make changes to get it to work on both. So
‘S,10786,12979,13347’ a couple of times these wouldn’t connect with Android I am wary about different Android versions.
per second. The numbers will move Studio to allow app download. I could To load the Android app on the head
around depending on what voltage is at the download the app on a Samsung tablet, unit, you need to enable the Debug mode:
three inputs. so I did most development there, and hsmag.cc/DevOptionAndroid. Then, put
When you save this Pico program, there then tested the finished versions on the the file app-develop-debug.apk onto a
are options to save to your PC or to the head unit. I had to put the app binary on USB flash drive and plug this into the head
Pico. You should save this to the Pico so a USB flash drive, plug this into the head unit. Go to the file manager and the USB
that it will run automatically when the Pico unit USB, and then install it from the USB drive and then click on the app-develop-
is restarted. You can then unplug the Pico. flash drive. debug.apk file. Android should then install
I found a gauges software library and My head unit was Android 9.1. I noticed the app. If the Pico is then plugged into the
also a USB serial I/O library. Many thanks to that there are similar units that come with head unit, the app should start and display
Android 10, though I haven’t tried that. the gauges.
Android 10 includes specific changes to do Once the app is running correctly, disable
Figure 4 with Android Automotive OS extensions – I the developer option as per the previous
I had complete freedom to choose
the dials I wanted don’t know if these might interact. Even link. Developer mode is only needed to

53
How I Made: An automotive display unit

FEATURE

allow loading of the app as it is not being I found that the head unit drew 0.5 A you turn the ignition off. The Android file
delivered through Google Play. You when it was on, and a hefty 0.3 A when system itself is designed around the Linux
shouldn’t leave Developer mode enabled as it was off. 0.3 A is too high to be left EXT4 format, which has journaling – this
it could allow apps to be loaded from connected to a battery unless you drive prevents the file system from corruption if
places other than Google Play. your car daily. My car battery is in the 72 Ah power is lost unexpectedly. Even though
Before installation of the head unit, I
powered it up on the bench and adjusted
the calibration trimpots. The boost These power connections mean that Android
voltage input is normally in the 0–5 V
range. If a boost voltage of more than has to boot whenever the car is turned on,
10 V is connected, the app will display
three voltages in the lower line where it which takes around 40 seconds
normally only displays battery voltage. If
you have the unit connected to a battery,
you can connect the three input signals capacity range – 0.3 A would flatten the it won’t be corrupted, this doesn’t mean
to the battery positive – the app will then battery in a week. Therefore, I’ve wired that all file updates have been completed.
show three values. I measured the battery the power to the head unit so that all You might have selected a song on the
voltage and adjusted the three trimpots to power is from the accessory circuit of the music player, turned the ignition off, and
get the three displayed voltages close to MR2. These connections on the head unit Android may not have had time to record
the voltmeter reading. The display looked were +12 V and ACC. The head unit has your selection for when you restart the
like this (Figure 3) when I had adjusted an ILLUM connection for night use – this head unit. You would need to be quick to
the trimpots for a 12.15 V measured should be wired to a parking light signal. I see this sort of problem, though the impact
battery voltage. found that ILLUM gives back-light on the is pretty minor. If you do anything like
controls to the left of the screen, and also change settings, it would be a good idea to
dims the display a bit. turn the power off at the head unit power
These power connections mean that switch before turning the ignition switch
Android has to boot whenever the car off. This would let Android know to clean
is turned on, which takes around up before it is turned off.
40 seconds. These connections The head unit installed in my 1990
also mean that Android can Toyota MR2. The AFR is not connected yet.
have the power shut off I mounted the head unit using two strips
unexpectedly when of black-painted aluminium angle attached
to the side of the head unit and the front of
the dash. The Pico and resistor network are
in a small plastic box attached to the back
of the head unit.
If you want to try other gauge styles,
here are some examples from the
SpeedView library (Figure 4).
Have fun!

Above
Pico provides the
systems interface for
this project

54
 GET
STARTED
WITH

£10
with F
Robots, musical instruments, R
world EE
wide
smart displays and more shippin
g

Inside:
Build a four-legged walking robot

Create a Tetris-inspired clock

Grow veg with hydroponics

And much more!

VA IL A BLE
A
NOW hsmag.cc/store
plus all good newsagents and:

FROM THE MAKERS OF MAGAZINE

 es
Wesley Treat

INTERVIEW

W
HackSpace magazine meets…

Wesley Treat
Drawing inspiration from the rusty, neon space age

A
ccidental YouTuber,
Etsy seller, sculptor,
photographer, and
scholar of mid-century
roadside art, Wesley
Treat is a man of many
talents. But he’ll be the first to tell you
that he’s not an expert in any one thing in
particular: instead, like a lot of self-taught
makers, his number one skill is teaching
himself new things.
We caught him just as he was heading
out the door to the Catskill Mountains
Maker Camp in New York State, to ask
him about learning, the space age, and
why imagination making things for
yourself is the best kind of making.

56
sley
at57
 es
Wesley Treat

INTERVIEW

W
HackSpace What do you do, and how did I picked up a couple of sheets of I don’t remember when I made the
you get started doing it? aluminium and learned how to put it decision to make my first video about
together with rivets. I couldn’t weld back making things. It was a video on etching
Wesley Treat My background is actually then; this was like ten years ago, and circuit boards at home. I had developed a
in theatre; that’s what my degree is in. But welding was something that was not even circuit board specifically for the signage I
I’ve always been a photographer. Since I in the realm of possibility. I still don’t know was making, just to animate bulbs and
was a kid, I’ve had a camera in my hand. how to weld aluminium; it’s a lot more things and learn how to program on an
In the late 1990s when the web just started difficult than welding steel. Arduino, taking that chip and putting it
to become a thing, I started doing web When I found out about pop rivets, it just into its own circuit board. I learned just
design, just to learn new skills. And I completely opened up. I could drill holes, enough to make it work through forums
started writing about roadside attractions, and I could go to a store and buy a pop rivet and taking parts and other people’s circuits
offbeat stuff, photographing those and gun, and I could finally make one of those and that sort of thing. And it still surprises
putting them up on a website. signs. And I made one – a big red arrow. me that all the ones that I’ve made on
That got the attention of a couple of That was my first sign and I sold it on those circuit boards still work amazingly,
guys in New Jersey who publish a eBay. I sold it for nothing, a ridiculously
magazine called Weird NJ. And it’s all low price.
about that kind of weird stuff. They asked I came up with a couple more designs
me if I wanted to write on a series of and started selling stuff on Etsy. And then I
books they were producing; they were found that a lot of interior designers will
doing one on each state, and I was hit Etsy for ideas. And so they started
running a website on weird stuff in Texas. contacting me – people doing restaurants

” It’s become an obsession: a lot of

them that I’ve shot over the years have
disappeared already. So I’m trying to

”
preserve them as I can

So they contacted me, and so I got the and that sort of thing. It’s slowly become a
Weird Texas, Weird Oklahoma, and Weird thing, and I have a good client base now, a
Arizona books. small number of clients who keep me busy.
At that time, I was driving through a lot
of small towns and I was noticing all this HS And then you started putting things
old signage. You know, the motel signs on YouTube.
with the big arrows and neon. It’s become
an obsession: a lot of them that I’ve shot WT I’ve thought about this many times; I
over the years have disappeared already. can’t remember how it started, how I got
So I’m trying to preserve them as I can. into it. I had long had an interest in video
At some point I wanted to start working editing. Back when I was in college, you
with my hands again because, even as a know that’s when non-linear editing just
kid, I was always kind of making little started to become a thing. At that time I
things. And I decided I wanted to make spent like $1000 on a video capture card,
one of these signs. I know a couple of guys which was a lot of money at the time. I was
who collect them because they’re in the still using tape, and it was frustrating,
industry, and they know when stuff’s because the technology was just horrible. I
coming down and they have the money to never could get video and audio to sync up
buy them up. They’ve got storage areas when editing that sort of thing. I just got
full of these old signs, but a guy like me… I too frustrated with it. But then, you know,
couldn’t get hold of one, so I figured I’d YouTube came along and I started to think
make one. about it again.

58
sley
t
LENS

a
Left
Wesley prototyped
the Furter Burner in
laser cut ply before
transfering the
design to steel

59
 es
Wesley Treat

INTERVIEW

W
even though I only kind of knew what I point of pride to get a sign like that out in
was doing. front of your shop. People were proud of
I’ve always liked the idea of trying to tell those signs, and they would, you know,
the story visually. The challenge is making they would design something unique
it understandable, so viewers can to stand out from the other 100 motels
understand the process without me along the same road. And they had to
explaining it explicitly. have character.
I talk more [in videos] now because I’ve The signage, architecture, the houses,
learned that I’ve got to put myself in there. the furniture inside them, it all just kind of
But I still mostly do it without speaking. comes together.
Anyway, Jimmy DiResta tweeted about
that first video, which was cool. And I HS The optimism of the early space
think at the time I got around 100 views age. You make a lot of things with stars
from that. That’s not a lot, but it was a on them.
thrill that people were watching this video
of mine. And it’s still one of my most WT I made a video that explains the
popular videos. And then I did another one history of that. The spiky balls are called
and another one, and it has slowly become Sputniks, after the first satellite. When the
a thing. USSR launched Sputnik, we didn’t know
what it looked like, exactly.
HS It’s rare that we know at the time how But one of the first US satellites,
significant things are. Vanguard 1, it had that spiky look, and so
the name Sputnik got attached to that
WT I didn’t know this was gonna turn into design. And it was the space age, you
an actual deal. There was no light bulb know; people were excited about it. And so
moment when I saw some particular video that design motif started to pop up

” There was no light bulb moment when

I saw some particular video by some
particular maker that inspired me.
think it really crept into a lot of the culture
at the time. If you wanted to seem like part
of the future, everyone was incorporating

”
Life is accidental. And random that aesthetic.

HS Speaking of the Sputnik video, you

by some particular maker that inspired me. everywhere, even on signs for motels. And followed that up with a video on failure.
Life is accidental. And random. I love them. I don’t know why exactly. Not just mentioning it in passing, but
Maybe because they serve no function taking the time to discuss failure.
HS What is it about mid-century stuff other than to look cool. That’s unusual.
that you like so much? Is it just that And I’ve always been kind of a space
there’s a lot of it kicking about in Texas nerd, too. So that space aspect, tied WT I do fail quite often, and I often
and Oklahoma? together with the Googie style, really does include it, because it’s funny just to see me
it for me. And then they’ve always got the screw up.
WT I guess it’s hard to explain why neon and the bulbs on them. And I love But I get a lot of comments from people
something visual appeals to you. The that too. saying that they appreciate that I do that,
signage, especially that Googie style, is Even what’s going on now, with SpaceX that I include the mistakes and the
linked with all the mid-century aesthetic. and stuff, it doesn’t compare with the screw-ups and, you know, just me grabbing
Signs today are all just backlit, acrylic, enthusiasm people had at the time. I grew a piece of metal like an idiot when it’s hot,
and vinyl. They’re strictly functional. up with the space shuttle; we were already forgetting that I just had a torch on it. It’s
They’re utilitarian. in space. But at that time, in the 1950s, just funny, but you know, let people laugh at
But back then they had character, they launching an object into orbit was me. I’m not an expert. I’m not an expert at
had personality, they got your attention. mind-blowing. I mean, it was science anything. People have said that they
People would open up a shop, and it was a fiction finally coming to life for them. So I appreciate me showing my mistakes,

60
sley
t
LENS

Right
The stars on this
hotel sign are
totally in keeping
with the optimistic
aesthetic of the
50s and 60s

a 61
 es
Wesley Treat

INTERVIEW

W
because it makes it more accessible and when it finally turns out the way you
for them. want it, you get that high. But yeah, I enjoy
Some people present as authorities on, what I do, as long as I’m doing something
woodworking, for example. And they new, learning something new, or
show you, ‘this is how you do this… this improving on some new skill.
is a perfectly cut tenon, this is a perfectly I’ve just started 3D printing. Creality just
cut dovetail’. And if you, the non-expert, sent me a printer to try out. The speed
try to repeat that, it’s never gonna bump is that I hadn’t learned Fusion yet. So
happen. That’s a guy who’s done that the modelling is where I’m having the
many, many times. issue. But now I’m learning, and I printed a
So people get frustrated when they couple of custom things… I see what people
attempt to repeat something they see in mean when they say it’s a hole you’re
a video. But when they see somebody else gonna fall into.
struggling, I think it’s actually encouraging. It was one of those things, I didn’t really
That guy, you know, I see the stuff that he have much interest in getting one. Because
makes, and they see him screwing up

”
along the way. And they’re like, ‘Oh, you
know what? I can screw up and I can still If I’ve made something because it
get to that same destination’.
I screwed up loads with the project I’m
amuses me, and then it amuses
working on at the moment. It’s like a someone else enough that they want

”
briefcase for my Little Wiener grill. That to own one… that’s a fantastic feeling
fits the grill and the tools, and the
condiments, all in one case. I’ve got all
these cutouts that exactly fit everything. I I couldn’t think of what exactly I would do Just the idea of a barbecue that’s only big
don’t show it, but I screwed that up four or with it. But now that I’ve got it, I’m thinking enough for one sausage sandwich.
five times and had to chuck several of of all kinds of stuff to modify.
those just because of dumb mistakes. Like, there’s this mount in my car, for my WT It was inspired by something Laura
I don’t include any of those in this one, phone, but it doesn’t, like, stick out far Kampf did – this miniature grill that was
because it doesn’t really help the narrative enough, so I’ve been modelling this perfect for a couple of sausages and some
at all. attachment to extend it and then hang my vegetables. I just wanted to see if I could do
And none of them are humorous at all cable on it. it even smaller. When I did that, people just
– it’s just things like I had trouble with one wanted to buy them. That was my first
router bit that kept slipping in its collet – HS How do you find your clients? product development. I didn’t know if they
there’s nothing funny or informative about were going to sell, because they’re kind of
that, so I left it out. WT I do a lot of sign work and stuff expensive to make because I’m not doing
like that. I do a lot of stuff for bars and thousands of them. Especially right now,
HS You look like you’re having fun while restaurants – that’s still my main source like, metal is expensive, but it’s gotten a
you’re making things. Are you enjoying it of income, and I show some of that stuff. pretty good reaction.
as much as you look like you are? As long as it’s a little bit different or I learned that it’s fun: I enjoy when
interesting enough, I’ll make a video out somebody places an order for something
WT I do get frustrated sometimes, when of it. I’ve made. Like, packing it up and sticking
things aren’t going right, but I try to keep in I’m getting to the point where I have the it in the box and putting that label on it
mind that that’s part of learning, and as privilege of picking and choosing some of – I’m kind of proud of that. Sending that
long as I’m learning I’m having fun. I don’t those commissions now. If I’ve got a thing out, knowing that somebody actually
really have a speciality: I collect skills. I just sponsor for something, then I can just wants to buy something that came out of
get bored easily. So I like to try. I like to try come up with something bizarre. I’ve got a my head.
new stuff, you know, just to see if I can huge list of ideas that I can choose from It’s different when a business needs
make it happen. – just things that I think will amuse me, a sign and they want me to do it. If I’ve
I’ve heard a lot of people talk about how but which might not pay the bills. made something because it amuses me,
they hit this part in a project where they and then it amuses someone else enough
start wondering if they’re really enjoying it. HS The Wiener Grill, by the way, is that they want to own one… that’s a
Once you get over that, then it’s fun again… absolutely superb. I laughed when I saw it. fantastic feeling.

62
sley
t
LENS

a
Below
If you can drill holes
in things, cut things
and bend things,
you too can work
with aluminium

63
Improviser’s Toolbox: Bubble wrap

FEATURE

BUBBLE
WRAP
The plastic protective sheets can be used for far more
than instant stress relief. Rosie Hattersley finds it’s
not just about the sneaky pop

B
ubble wrap usually finds its way bubble wrap to stop tools clattering and damaging
into our lives as a result of a the tools, or wrap a handle with the stuff to prevent
satisfying splurge on something sores from gripping it tight. Artistic options can also
delicate enough to need protection: be found.
trinkets, vases, items with sharp Bubble wrap was originally intended to be used
edges that might do damage tend as a form of textured wall covering, which sounds
Rosie Hattersley to come swaddled in the inflatable wrapping. quite zany until you factor in that it is a product of
Receipt of such items invariably leads to an the late 1950s. This means its invention is broadly
@RosieHattersley
immediate urge to pop the packaging in a bid to contemporaneous with other curvy creations such
produce the loudest, rudest-sounding parp, but if as bubble cars, bubble houses, and bubble dresses
Rosie Hattersley writes
tech, craft, and life you can resist its tactile entreaty, bubble wrap can (but a full 20 years after the introduction of the Aero
hacks and tweets be used for all sorts of secondary tasks. Perhaps chocolate bar). The putative, tactile wallpaper was first
@RosieHattersley.
unsurprisingly, most such reuses capitalise on its constructed from two shower curtains, but the concept
cushioning effect: line your drawers or tool-box with didn’t really take off. Undaunted, its creators, engineers
Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, set up the

“ Bubble wrap was originally intended Sealed Air Corporation and pondered its commercial
possibilities, with its more recognisable use as a
to be used as a form of textured packaging material emerging several years later. Nearly
wall covering” $10 billion of bubble wrap is now sold annually.

64
 LENS

BUBBLE WRAP
INSULATION
B
ecause bubble wrap uses trapped It also makes bubble wrap ideal as insulation Project Maker
air, it has thermal qualities that lend taped into place on the inside of windows to stop Build It
themselves to both blocking heat or your greenhouse or shed from getting really cold Solar /
preventing its escape. This makes it ideal (website BuildItSolar.com suggests simply spraying Gardeners’
for keeping cold things cool and hot things water onto the window pane to be covered, and World
warm, so bubble wrap is a good substitute for other then smoothing the bubble wrap into place), or to
Project Link
methods of chilling or heating. Take a box of salad out pop over plants to keep the frost at bay. It’s just hsmag.cc/BWInsulation
of the fridge, wrap it in bubble wrap, and pop it into as useful on too-warm days to filter the sunshine
your backpack and you’ll find your lettuce, cucumber, without blocking out all the light, or to stop delicate
and accoutrements are still cool an hour or two later. leaves from drying out and wilting.

Left
Keep your
plants toasty
warm this winter

65
Improviser’s Toolbox: Bubble wrap

FEATURE

BUBBLE
WRAP KITE
T
Project Maker he near weightlessness of
San Diego bubble wrap is another quality
Kite Club upcyclers can easily exploit.
Since it’s also fairly easy to cut into
Project Link
hsmag.cc/BWKite shapes and fasten with sticky tape,
its use as a material for building kites seems
obvious. There’s a straightforward how-to video
here: hsmag.cc/BWKiteMake.
California blogger Nancy Kissack photographed
characterful undersea-themed examples that the
San Diego Kite Club made from the bobbly stuff,
complete with trailing tentacles and eyes that seem
to float above the kite’s surface and stare down at
onlookers. The transparent 3D material belies the
fact it’s just paint.

Right
Pretty bubbles in
the air, they climb so
high, almost touch
the sky

66
 LENS

BUBBLE WRAP
WALL DECORATIONS
I
t’s perhaps no surprise to find up a 3D design that he then paints or covers Project Maker
bubble wrap used in a range with inexpensive gift wrap. Some of his designs Kobus
of children’s art projects, from seem more reminiscent of a theatrical set than an Hattingh
eye‑catching motif printing (see everyday interior.
Project Link
hsmag.cc/BWPrinting) to hsmag.cc/BWDecor
sculptures made from coloured bubble wrap:
hsmag.cc/BWSculpture.
The ‘relaxing art form’ creations of Kobus Hattingh
take things a little further, with life-size animals
sculpted from the plastic packaging material. Kobus
says he starts his projects by using double-sided
Left
sticky tape to attach pieces of bubble wrap to Add some texture
the wall he wants to decorate, gradually building to your rooms

BUBBLE WRAP
ARTWORK
B
ubble wrap artist Bradley Hart pointillism effect of impressionism or the oversized Project Maker
recreates iconic paintings and dots of pop art hero Roy Lichtenstein, is painstaking Bradley Hart
photographs by and time-consuming, in sharp
Project Link
injecting individual contrast to the disposable plastic hsmag.cc/BradleyHart
bubbles with acrylic derived from crude oil, of which
paint. Together, his ‘pixelated we produce an overabundance.
photorealistic pictures’ combine Bradley says his aim is to
to form an ‘album of memories’. highlight “the irony of applying
Bradley uses a computer such delicate physical artistry
algorithm to provide a visual to a mass-produced material,
overview of his highly detailed and the indestructible nature
bubble wrap artworks’ progress, of plastic versus the fragility of
and keep the colour work as bubble wrap”. Intriguingly, the
close to the instantly recognisable idea came about when Bradley
original image as possible. read about bubble wrap’s original
Left
The laborious painting purpose as a wall covering, and Packaging doesn’t
technique, which mimics the decided to recreate it. have to be boring

67
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FORGE
HACK MAKE BUILD CREATE
Improve your skills, learn something new, or just have fun
tinkering – we hope you enjoy these hand-picked projects

PG

74 PG
70
SEW
SCHOOL OF
A BAG
Create a perfectly sized
holder for your doodads
MAKING
Start your journey to craftsmanship
with these essential skills
PG

78 70 Thermionic valves

DIY PG

KEYBOARD 90
Create your own input device
ORGANISE
YOUR WORKSHOP
PG Find your things. You know, the
ones that are here…somewhere
82
FREECAD
PG

94
MESHES PICO MUSIC
Export your designs Build a MIDI controller from Pico
for 3D printing and a Camembert box
Getting to grips with glowing electronics

SCHOOL OF MAKING

Get to grips with

glowing electronics
Mike Bedford introduces the predecessor to the transistor – the valve or tube
– and shows you how to experiment with one in a simple circuit

I
n December 1947, John Bardeen and Walter hence our showcasing of this vintage technology.
Brattain at Bell Laboratories invented the We’re going to investigate the working of valves,
transistor and, in so doing, pretty much explaining what goes on inside their glass enclosures.
consigned its predecessor to the history We’re then going to show you how to experiment
books. That predecessor was the thermionic with a valve-based circuit, and how to migrate it from
valve as it’s called here in the UK, the electron the breadboard to a cool-looking retro curiosity that
Mike Bedford tube as our American cousins would call it, or just wouldn’t look out of place on a bookshelf next to any
valve or tube for short. Yet the triode valve, as invented other piece of historical technological paraphernalia.
Despite loving all things by Lee de Forest in 1906, which he actually called We’ll also see that valves aren’t quite as obsolete as
digital, Mike admits to the ’Audion’, was a game-changer. Transitioning the you might have imagined.
being a bit of a luddite,
vinyl records and all. world from a reliance on steam-engines, gears, and
So diving into vacuum levers to one empowered VALVE BASICS
tubes proved a perfect
distraction.
by electronics is If you’ve struggled to get your head around the
an achievement workings of transistors, I have some good news. The
that shouldn’t be operation of valves seems so much more intuitive
forgotten, than the migration of electrons and holes across the
junction between n-type and p-type semiconductor
materials. To set the scene, though, we’re going
to take a step back from de Forest’s triode to
investigate its predecessor, the diode.
Diodes are now semiconductor devices,
but we’re thinking of the diode valve,
which first saw the light of day in 1904
courtesy of John Ambrose Fleming.
Although Fleming’s creation was subtly
different, most commercial diode valves
had a cathode, an anode, and a heater, all
of which were housed in a glass enclosure
from which the air had been removed. The
cathode is a metal cylinder coated with alkaline
earth metal oxides. Inside the cathode, but not
touching it, is a wire filament, similar to the one
found in old-style light bulbs. When a current is applied
Above to the heater, it glows orange, heating the cathode
Building an and, in so doing, causing the earth metal oxides to
ornamental valve
circuit on a stained emit electrons which normally remain close to the
and varnished
wooden plinth
cathode. The diode also has another electrode, the
seems just right anode, which is another metal cylinder surrounding the

70
 FORGE

Left
One of Lee de Forest’s
original Audions,
the device that kick-
started the electronics
revolution (the heater
has burned out)

Credit
Gregory F. Maxwell

Below
The symbols for
different types of
valves (left to right:
diode, triode, tetrode,
pentode) reflect their
internal arrangements

cathode. Now, if a voltage is applied to the anode, and

that voltage is positive with respect to the cathode,
the electrons emitted from the cathode are drawn to
it, so a current flows. On the other hand, if the voltage
on the anode is negative with respect to the cathode,
the electrons are repelled, so no current flows. Like
the familiar semiconductor diode, therefore, it allows a
current to flow in one direction but not the other.
Where it gets really interesting is when a spiral coil the greater the voltage, the more it reduces the current.
of wire is wound in the space between the cathode Importantly, though, small differences to the grid
and the anode. This coil is called a grid – specifically a voltage can control a high-voltage, high-current signal
control grid – and is de Forest’s critical contribution. If passing between the cathode and the anode. The
a negative voltage is applied to the grid, it repels the triode was, therefore, the first-ever amplifying device.
electrons flowing from the cathode to the anode, and From what we’ve seen so far, you’ll probably have
realised that valves are categorised as something-
odes, where the ‘something’ dictates the number of
electrodes. We’ve encountered diodes and triodes,
which begs the question of whether there are also
tetrodes, pentodes, or more-odes. There are, although
most do the same job as triodes but do it better.
The snag with triodes is that there is a stray
capacitance between the control grid and the anode,
and this can cause problems. In particular, that
capacitance places a practical limit on the frequency

VALVE VOLTAGES
Valves needed two supply voltages, one for the heater
and one for everything else. 6.3 V was usually used for
the heaters, although some dual valves, like the 12AT7,
allowed the two heaters to be connected in series
and used with a 12.6 V supply. The main supply voltage
was higher, often much higher, to allow high-power
operation with the relatively small anode current that
Left
common valves were able to handle. A couple of Here we see the
hundred volts was typical for radio receivers; kilovolts construction of an
old triode. Tetrodes
were sometimes used in transmitters.
and pentodes follow
the same principle

71
Getting to grips with glowing electronics

SCHOOL OF MAKING

in the same glass enclosure. The circuit is called an

astable multivibrator, which is a square wave oscillator.
We’re going to use it to flash two LEDs alternately.
That means it’s easy to see that it’s working and, if you
decide to take it beyond a mock-up on a breadboard,
you’ll end up with an interesting-looking contraption
that evidently does something.
We bought the components from Cricklewood
Electronics, although the components aren’t difficult
to obtain, and you’ll probably have some of them
already. Here’s what you’ll need. The valve is a 12AT7,
which has the alternate part number ECC81, and is a
double triode. Valves aren’t available from all electronic
component suppliers, and a 12AT7 will cost £12–£15.
You’ll need a socket for the valve – these are referred
to as bases, and the type needed for the 12AT7 is a
at which the valve can operate. The solution was to B9A base. The capacitors can be either electrolytics or
add a second grid, which was also a spiral-wound coil tantalums, and the voltage rating shown is, of course,
of wire, but this time between the control grid and the a minimum. Because this is an experimental project,
anode. This second grid is called the screen grid, and unless you already have a good stock, we suggest you
is normally connected to a positive voltage, somewhat buy several pairs of capacitors, from the one we show
less than the anode voltage. This is a tetrode. down to 1µF. We used standard red LEDs, but if you
Unfortunately, the tetrode had a different drawback. want to build the multivibrator as a curiosity to keep,
That positively charged screen grid further accelerates we suggest you also buy a pair of panel-mounting neon
the electrons en route to the anode to such a velocity lights around 10 mm in diameter – we’ll explain why
that electrons are emitted from the anode, and this later. You’ll also need three 9 V PP3 batteries together
affects performance. The solution was to add a with three of the associated clip/leads, four 1.5 V AA
third grid, constructed like the other two but located batteries, a 2×2 AA battery box, and if that box has a
between the screen grid and the anode. This is the PP3-type connector instead of a flying lead, you’ll need
suppressor grid, and the resulting valve is a pentode. a fourth PP3-type battery lead. Finally, if you’re going to
Above
This schematic will There are also hexodes, which fulfil a somewhat go beyond the breadboard design, you’ll need a double
provide a starting
point for your
different function, but that’s a story for another day. pole on/off or changeover switch.
experiments into Our circuit is shown above and we’ll provide an
using valves
HANDS ON inkling of how it works later. For now, though, you’ll
Below A hands-on exercise is often one of the best ways just be using it as a guide to wiring up the circuit on a
Valves are still
manufactured. We of learning, so we thought we’d suggest a simple breadboard. Wiring it on a breadboard will be intuitive
bought this one and experiment using just a single valve or, more except for making connections to the valve, because
discovered it had been
made in Slovakia accurately, a single component that has a pair of valves the valve can’t plug into a breadboard. Instead, solder
solid conductor wires onto each pin of the base, and
plug the other ends of each of those wires into the
breadboard. Our base had the pins numbered but,
if yours doesn’t, the pins are numbered clockwise,
starting with the pin immediately clockwise from the
gap, while viewing the base from the side with the
pins. Oh, and when you first apply power, don’t expect
it to work immediately. Valves only work when their
heaters have reached the correct temperature, and
that can take quite a few seconds. Since you’ll have to
solder, even with a breadboard, you might choose
a different method of prototyping, like the one at
hsmag.cc/AstableMultivibrator.
Experienced valve design engineers are thin on the
ground, and this author doesn’t count in their number.
So the circuit design is one he found and modified

72
 FORGE

slightly. A search will reveal two or three variants, so

we suggest you use our circuit just as a starting point.
Some circuits, such as the one in the previous YouTube
video and the one at hsmag.cc/VacuumTubeAstable,
have the grid resistors connected to the positive
supply instead of 0 V, although in the first video, the
schematic isn’t shown, so it needs some detective
work. We tried both and barely noticed any difference
in performance. Also, some circuits use a higher
voltage, more typical of valve circuits. Bizarrely, with
the capacitor values shown in other circuits, and what
theoretically should be needed, the LEDs flashed
several times per second, so we had to increase the
values of the capacitors substantially. We never did
figure out why – perhaps there was a quirk with our
valve, unlikely as that might be since it was new, or
perhaps it was concerned with the unusually low painted with a wood-coloured varnish. It’s easiest to
voltage we used. The circuit in the first video also make all the solder joints to the base before you fit it to Above
The size of the plinth
used a low voltage, but the component values can’t the plinth, especially if the plywood is thick. and the arrangement
be read. Needless to say, there’s plenty of scope Finally, a comment on the LEDs, which we thought of components is
up to you, but this
for experimentation here, and if you want the fuller weren’t visually in keeping with a valve-based circuit. might provide some
inspiration
story, take a look at hsmag.cc/Multivibrator. In your The ideal indicators would have been panel-mounting
experiments, the only thing to take care with is the neon lights, but these require a much higher voltage
resistors in series with the LEDs – if the value is too than 27 V. So we bought a couple of suitable-looking
small, you’ll blow up the LEDs. neon lights, but used them
So, how does the circuit work? Put simply, only to disguise the
oscillation occurs thanks to the cross-coupled LEDs, sawing off the
capacitors between the anode of each triode and the bottoms, removing
grid of the other. This causes each triode to turn off the neon lights, and
as the other triode turns on. The reason this doesn’t inserting the LEDs in
happen so quickly that you wouldn’t see the LEDs their place.
alternating, is that capacitors take time to
charge up, the time depending on
the value of the capacitor and of
the resistance through which it
charges and discharges.

BEYOND THE BREADBOARD

Having experimented on a breadboard,
if you decide to turn your final valve circuit
into a keepsake, the photos will give you
some inspiration, but a few words of guidance
might be useful. Valve circuits were often built onto
a metal chassis with the valves mounted on top and
most of the other components wired to the valve
VALVES TODAY
bases in the hollow area below. We chose a similar Valve amplifiers are still used by some rock guitarists
approach but, in the interests of aesthetics, we used a and a faction of the audiophile community because of
wooden plinth. The horizontal surface was made from their fabled warm sound. In other applications, valves
aren’t used for their pleasing sound but for much more Above
veneered plywood, which shouldn’t be too thick, and It’s a good idea to
prosaic reasons. A very special type of valve, called experiment with
the sides were made from offcuts of moulded wooden a travelling wave amplifier, or TWA for short, remains the circuit, either
door architrave, reduced in height to only as much as the primary vehicle for high-power, extremely high- on a breadboard or
necessary to accommodate the batteries, mitred at soldered together ad
frequency space applications. hoc, before building it
the corners, glued and pinned. The whole thing was as a proper project

73
Make a fabric drawstring bag

TUTORIAL

Make a fabric
drawstring bag
Tidy up that makerspace by stowing away your cables, wires, switches,
and more in some handy homemade bags

Nicola King
@holtonhandmade

Nicola King is a freelance

writer and sub-editor who
also enjoys dabbling in
the fabric and fibre arts
fields. She owns more
yarn than she will ever
use in her lifetime.

QUICK TIP
Check the tension
of the stitches by
sewing on a piece
of scrap fabric
before you get
underway, and
adjust the machine
as necessary.

Right
One completed
drawstring bag to
hold your wires,
various components,
or whatever you want.
Adapt the pattern to
meet your needs

74
 FORGE

I
t’s probably fair to say that most makers
and crafters have a lot of ‘stuff’ – cables,
wires, PCBs, nails, brushes, threads, balls
of yarn… the list is a varied and very long
one. It’s probably also fair to say that one of the
great challenges we face as makers is storage,
so why not fashion your own drawstring bags to hide
away and organise some of those bits and pieces?
In this tutorial we are going to make a medium-
sized, lined drawstring bag in which you can store
your paraphernalia, and the beauty of the make is that
you can adjust the size to your own requirements;
make it bigger, smaller, wider – the choice is yours.
It’s also worth mentioning that, apart from a very
basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine
(i.e. how to thread it up and sew the most basic
stitch), you don’t need to know a huge amount about
sewing, as this is an easy make. Also, the sewing
machine that you use does not need to be all-singing,
all-dancing (as some can be eye-wateringly expensive)
– it just needs to sew a straight line.
Above YOU’LL NEED
STEP 1 The pocket sewn onto the front piece of the bag – white thread
PREPARE YOUR FABRIC is always a good option colour-wise, and is a sewing staple ½ metre of fabric
(cotton weight) for
First, you’ll need a paper template to use to cut out
the outside
your fabric. Using tracing paper, draw with a pencil STEP 2
and ruler a 45 cm × 35 cm rectangle. Then draw a PRACTICAL POCKETS ½ metre of lining
fabric (also cotton
second 22 cm × 20 cm rectangle (this will be the Optional, but useful, we now need to attach the
weight)
pocket). Cut them out and pin the larger template smaller piece of fabric to the ‘front’ of our bag. Take
to your main fabric. Cut two of these pieces, and the smaller piece and fold one of the long edges over Small piece
of contrasting
then repeat with your lining fabric. (I used a calico for by 0.5 cm, press with the iron, and then fold again, cotton fabric for
the lining as it’s durable and inexpensive.) Take the so you have no raw edges. Press, pin and, having pocket (optional)
smaller template and pin it to a contrasting piece of ensured that the sewing machine is threaded up and
Approx. 2 metres
fabric, and cut out just one of these. You should have ready to go, sew along that seam using the most of ribbon/cord/
four large pieces and one small. Now give them a basic stitch on any machine – the straight stitch. Take tape for the
quick press with an iron. it slowly and remove pins before you reach them. drawstring
That’s the top seam done. Now do the same with Tracing paper
the other three sides, but do not sew those yet.
Below Pencil
Five pieces of fabric ready for sewing – take your Take one piece of outer fabric and place face-up on
time cutting out, as preparing your fabric properly a table. Take the pocket and position it on the main Ruler
will often lead to a better finish
fabric, ensuring it’s central. Pin in place, using the Iron and ironing
pins you’ve used to hold the three seams down, but board
leave the top of the pocket open. Now, sew those
Scissors – for paper
three sides to the main fabric. As you sew along the and dressmaking
first side and approach the corner, lift the machine’s
Pins/clips
foot, swivel the fabric round and continue to the next
corner until all three sides are attached. Voilà – one Safety pin
functional pocket! Thread

Tailor’s chalk
STEP 3
SEWING THE MAIN BAG Seam ripper
Take the two outer pieces and put them right Access to a
sides together, ensuring that the piece with the sewing machine

75
Make a fabric drawstring bag

TUTORIAL

gap. Remember, this will be unseen on the inside of

the bag, but keep it as neat as you can.
Next, push the lining inside the bag and you’ll need
to press it again with the iron at this point to flatten
it out, especially the top edge. Then sew a topstitch
around the upper edge, around 0.5 cm from the top,
Right and when done, turn the bag inside out so you are
Ensure you leave a
12cm gap in the side looking at the lining.
of the lining, and trim
off any stray threads
as you go along STEP 5
THE LAST BIT OF SEWING
Grab your ruler and tailor’s chalk and measure 2 cm
from the top of the bag. Draw a line all the way
around (i.e. on both sides). Then measure another
2.5 cm below that, again drawing a line on both sides.
This will give us a ‘channel’ for the ribbon or cord to
go through. Note: If you were to use a thicker ribbon
or tape as your drawstring, you could make this
channel deeper so that whatever you are using fits
properly – just measure the width and decide how
deep you need it.
Next, turn the bag back to the right side and sew
around those two lines that you have drawn. We
don’t want to sew the front of the bag to the back
here, we just want two lines of stitching over the
drawn lines. Again, take your time, place the lower
side under the presser foot and work your way

SCISSOR HAPPY
pocket is not upside-down. Sew around the left-hand, It’s worth mentioning here that scissors are not all
Above right-hand, and bottom sides, leaving the top open. made alike; generally, scissors are intended for a
Right sides out, it’s
starting to resemble I suggest using a 0.5 cm seam allowance. Then, do specific purpose. Dressmaking scissors, for cutting
a bag. The iron is the same with the lining fabric pieces, but also leave fabric, should NEVER be used to cut paper, as
your best friend incorrect usage will blunt them and make them next
when it comes to a a 12 cm gap on one side so that we can turn the bag
crisp outline to useless when it comes to cutting fabric. In this
to the right side later. It’s always a good idea to press
tutorial, make sure that you cut your paper template
with the iron as you go, as it keeps things looking with general-purpose paper-cutting scissors,
professional, so, after sewing, press the outer and and cut your fabric with scissors designed
inner pieces and press open the seams. for that job. There are lots on the market
(hsmag.cc/FabricScissors) if you don’t
STEP 4 already own a pair.
Also, we’ve lined our bag so that we
ATTACHING IT ALL TOGETHER
have a neat, professional finish, with
Turn the outer fabric right sides out and poke the
no fraying ends inside the bag. If
corners out with a pencil so they are neat. Trim stray you wanted to skip the lining, you
threads as you go. Then, place this piece inside the could trim the inside fabric edges
lining, right sides together, so the side seams and top with pinking shears (hsmag.cc/
edge line up. Then, pin or clip these pieces together PinkingShears) which
and sew around the entire top edge. have a serrated blade
QUICK TIP and cut a zig-zag
Next, reach in through the gap you left in the lining
Use a lighter, plain- edge in fabric
side seam and pull everything out to the right side. It’s to prevent
coloured fabric
for the lining, as it now starting to look like a bag! We also need to sew fraying.
makes it easy to see up that gap in the lining; so, with the seam allowance
what’s inside. turned inward, sew a line of stitching to close that

76
 FORGE

FABRIC FAVOURITES Left

This is where we
create the drawstring
The range of fabrics available to buy both online and channels – adapt them
in fabric stores is huge, and the breadth of designs is to the right depth to fit
also vast. I bought my cool circuit board-inspired 100% whatever drawstring
you are using
cotton from here: hsmag.cc/CircuitBoardFabric, but
there are a myriad of different designs to choose from.
Or, consider designing your own fabric, something that
we’ve previously covered in HackSpace magazine –
hsmag.cc/DesignFabric.
In this tutorial, we are using a simple cotton fabric,
around. Ensure that on the seams on either side, you but if you wanted something thicker or more sturdy to
do a few backstitches, as this will help us when we house slightly heavier items, you could try heavyweight
fabrics such as denim or twill which have a thicker
come to insert the drawstring.
weave. If you wanted to make a basic bag and just
Now, take a seam ripper or small pair of pointed have press studs at the top instead of a drawstring, you
scissors and, on the outside of the bag, carefully could even use a leather/leatherette or PVC, and you
remove the stitching between the top and bottom wouldn’t need a lining.
lines of channel stitching at the side seams.
(This is why we backstitched at the seams – a
little reinforcement!)

STEP 6
THE DRAWSTRING! QUICK TIP
You’ll need two pieces of ribbon or cord, each around
Take your time when
three times the width of your bag for your drawstring.
sewing, and don’t
I used a fabric tape. Take your safety pin and attach feel the need to
it to one end of the drawstring. Then, feed it through rush. This will result
the channel all the way around the bag, pull it out, in a neater finish.
remove the safety pin, and gently knot the two ends
together. Do the same again with the other piece MIX IT UP
of ribbon, or whatever you are using, but insert the Now that you’ve made your first bag, why not make
drawstring on the other side of the bag, thread all the more for fellow makers? Or these bags could replace Left
Carefully remove the
way through, remove the pin, and gently knot. And wrapping paper at Christmas gift-giving and be stitching between
the top and bottom
there you have it – a usable piece of storage, easy recycled each year. As previously mentioned, you can of the channel at
to open and close, and hopefully customised to your make your paper template bigger, smaller, narrower the seams, ready for
your drawstring to be
own bespoke requirements. – there really are no rules and no sewing police, so threaded through
do your own thing! You could also add a press stud
Below
to keep the top of the pocket secure, add another Use your imagination
pocket on the inside, use stamps and ink-pads to and make them out of
any fabric you like or
stamp your own design on have in stash
the outer pieces, or use a
batting/wadding material
between the outer fabric
and lining to give some
rigidity and cushioning to
your bag. Or, why not make
your own fabric drawstring
to the right width in a
contrasting fabric? Make
these handy bags to fit your
needs, and start to organise
some of those lonesome
odds and ends that need
a home.

77
 Isomorphic keyboard: hex keys

TUTORIAL

Isomorphic
Part 02

keyboard: hex keys

Use the Pico board to make an isomorphic music keyboard with hexagons

L
ast month we showed you how to make with a strip at the top in one colour, and the rest in
a switch matrix and enclosure for an another. The specific one we used had yellow LEDs
isomorphic layout keyboard. This month we for the top 16 rows, with the rest of the display
will finish the construction, and look at the Pico blue. Like our other Pico projects, we fitted a right-
board, control switches, OLED display, and rotary angled header on the display, pointing inwards to
Mike Cook
MAKER

encoder, as well as how to wire it all together. We give a low profile mounting, and milled out half the
will also look at the software we need to test what thickness of the box to accommodate the display’s
Veteran magazine
we have built, and the final software to bring it all bezel and connector strip.
author from the old
days, writer of the to life.
Body Build series,
plus co-author of
Raspberry Pi for
Rotary encoder
Dummies, Raspberry
The control keys 03
Pi Projects, and
Raspberry Pi Projects 01 We added four triangular control keys to
We added our normal KY-040 rotary encoder
to interact with the display and control the Note On
for Dummies.
change various non-playing parameters, and velocity during play. Due to the library we used to
magpi.cc/mikecook built them on a separate piece of stripboard from read it, the clock and data signals needed swapping
the main matrix. They are, however, wired into round in order to get the rotation correct – that is
the main matrix as an extra column, number 14. clockwise rotation producing an increasing count.
Figure 1 shows the physical layout diagram of Figure 2 shows how we did this by swapping over
this. Note that the top left-hand corner of the the two connectors in the ribbon cable. Note the
board has been marked with a small white mark, green and yellow wires cross so we can keep the
as we found it helped us orientate the board while interface connectors the same as we normally use
adding the components. During play, these are on our other projects.
used to switch the MIDI channel and shift the
octave of the keyboard.

The Pico board

04 The whole keyboard is driven by the Pico
The OLED display
02 We used a 128 by 64 OLED I2C display to
controller board, and the schematic is shown in
Figure 3 (overleaf). The OLED and rotary encoder
Figure 1 Triangular provide visual feedback on what notes were being are directly connected to the Pico, as are the row
control keys –
physical layout sent. You can use any colour, but we used the type inputs of the matrix. These are connected to a 4-,

Figure 1

78
 FORGE

DOWNLOAD
THE FULL CODE:
magpi.cc/pibakery

Display showing current

note, octave shift, channel,
and note velocity

Rotary knob for note velocity

and menu navigation

You’ll Need
> OLED 128×64 I2C
display SSD 1306
5-, and 8-pin header respectively. The matrix back of the Pico board to solder this wire. Note the yellow/blue
column signals, on the other hand, are generated column output connection order was chosen to magpi.cc/piboled

by two 74HS138 decoder chips, because otherwise simplify the wiring of this board. > KY-040 rotary switch
we would not have enough Pico pins. Each chip magpi.cc/pibky040
produces a logic zero on the output determined by > Momentary push
three binary bits input. By using an extra two pins, switch magpi.cc/
Wiring the matrix pibmomentary
we can enable one decoder or the other.
06 We used ribbon cable with crimped headers
to do all the interconnections. As we only had 21 cm
lengths, we needed to use two lengths to make
The Pico board construction THE MAGPI
05 Figure 4 shows the physical layout of the
them long enough to fit for assembly. They were
joined together with a strip of long pin headers
Pico board. Note that here we are not only using and, as shown in Figure 6, we needed to use two
the normal Pico pins, but test pad 6 to bring out back shells to make up the required number of
the bootloader switch to the back panel. We knew column pins. These connectors have to live inside
in advance that there would be a lot of dismantling the lower processor enclosure after assembly,
to be done if we ever needed to press it, and we so some of the wires had to be extended by a few
were very glad when we found it necessary during centimetres in order to reach where they were
development. Figure 5 shows the point on the going on the matrix board.

This tutorial
is from in The
MagPi, the official
 igure 2 Swapping over
F
the clock and data in Raspberry Pi
the encoder cable magazine. Each
issue includes a
huge variety of
projects, tutorials,
tips and tricks to
help you get the
most out of your
Raspberry Pi.
Find out more at
magpi.cc
Figure 2

79
Isomorphic keyboard: hex keys

TUTORIAL

the top. Put the top side ring into place, and make
sure all the ribbon cables for the matrix are tucked
inside the lower box (Figure 8). We found it best
to fit three columns at once, turn them over while
pressing a board over the top, and then tape them
up. We did try turning the whole lot of keys over
twice, but a lot fell out. Do this with the top on a
thick book so you can get it flat with the encoder
shaft not fouling it.

Final assembly
09 Now attach the ribbon cables to the display
and the encoder, and place the top on the side
Figure 4 rings. Just put one of the countersunk screws in the
top and just engage the thread, but don’t screw it
up yet. Make sure no wires are sticking out of the
Figure 4 Physical
Test all the parts
layout of the
Pico controller 07 Before engaging in the final assembly, make
sides; push them back if they are. Make sure the
side ring is clicked into the middle tabs, and then
sure all the sections work. Figure 7 shows the tighten up the top screw. Insert the other screws
bottom section with the Pico processor and leads. and tighten them up carefully, checking no wires
Top Tip Connect the display and encoder to the ribbon poke out and the tabs remain engaged. Test that all
cables, but don’t mount them on the top yet. the buttons click when pressed.
Fitting the lid Also connect up the column and row connectors

If you find a key

to the matrix. Then hop over to our GitHub page
and run the examples to test the encoder, display,
 efore engaging in the
B
will not click when
pushed down, you
and matrix. With the matrix, check that every key
gives a key number. If any key shows repeating key
final assembly, make sure
probably have
a wire that has numbers, it is likely that breaks have not been fully all the sections work
moved over a key. made in the wiring around those keys.
Remove the top
and rearrange
Figure 5
the wires.

Mounting the top

08 With the OLED display fixed into place and
Figure 3 Schematic of
the Pico controller the rotary encoder bolted on, you can now attach

Figure 3

Figure 5 Accessing the bootloader signal

The software
10 We decided to use CircuitPython from
Adafruit, having used MicroPython, and C in our
previous two projects. It had the big advantage
of having a USB MIDI capability, but does not
have any interrupt handling capability. This was
nearly a showstopper until we found an example
of using a rotary encoder using the GPIO pins. We
found the OLED driver complex to understand,
especially for the simple display we wanted to

80
 FORGE

Figure 6 Figure 7

Instrument Select mode Figure 6 Connecting

produce, and the examples we found weren’t all

12 Once in the Select mode, a list of instrument
the matrix column
signals to the Pico on
the bottom layer
that comprehensive. But, in the end, we prevailed. groups is shown. Turn the encoder to highlight
See the implementation notes on our GitHub page the required group, then push the encoder knob Figure 7 The Pico
for details of how to set up your Pico. again, and you are taken to the first instrument board ready for
connection to the
in that group, in a list of all 128 instruments that peripheral devices
you can scroll through. Push the encoder to send a
MIDI message to change the instrument, and the
Play mode
11 In the play mode, the note name and octave
left/right controls to change the channel. The up
control takes you first to the instruments and then
number are displayed when you hold down a key; back into play mode. Note that, once in the Select Top Tip
when more than one is held down, the last key is mode, the down button acts the same as pushing
shown. The buffer can cope with up to ten keys the encoder button. Other chords
being held down at once. The left/right triangle
controls change the channel, and the up/down For more chord
ones change the octave. The rotary encoder selects shapes, see
Chords you can play magpi.cc/
the note-on velocity. When playing Channel 10,
the percussion names are displayed. To get into
13 Each note appears twice on the keyboard,
chordshapes.

the instrument select mode, you push the switch left and right side. Given any starting note, the note
incorporated into the rotary encoder. above it is a perfect fifth up, to the left is a minor
third, and to the right is a major third. So you can
play a major or minor triad, as shown in Figure 9. Figure 8 The top
Figure 8 Chords shapes are the same for any chords in any layer waiting for the
keys to be placed
key. This is reputed to be much easier to learn than
a conventional piano keyboard, and once you know Figure 9 Note
how to play one chord, those in other keys are the intervals and simple
chords with the
same shape, but just transposed. Hex‑Keys layout

Figure 9

81
Getting Meshy in FreeCAD

TUTORIAL

Getting Meshy
in FreeCAD
Get your designs ready for 3D printing,
CNC milling, and more

S
TL files have been around since see we have created a cube object and a sphere
the 1990s, and in simple terms, object in the Part workbench and cut part of the
they contain a mesh of triangular sphere out of the cube.
facets that describe the shape of the With the cut object selected in the file tree, click
design. STL files are a common mesh File > Export and you should see that FreeCAD
format to use in 3D printing where they suggests you export the object as an STL file.
Jo Hinchliffe are imported into a ‘slicer’ piece of software that Give the file a name and export it, and it’s ready
generates the G-code for the 3D printer to follow. to be sliced for 3D printing. In the background,
@concreted0g
As such, STL has become a standard file type for FreeCAD has made a lot of sensible choices about
sharing 3D print designs on sites such as Thingiverse the resolution of the mesh of our exported part.
Jo Hinchliffe is a
constant tinkerer and and GrabCAD and more. Whilst heavily associated Put simply, FreeCAD makes a choice about the
is passionate about all with 3D printing, STL can often be used for other number of triangle facets our exported STL mesh
things DIY. He loves processes such as CNC milling or routing. object contains.
designing and scratch-
building both model and Most of the time, for simple parts, creating an STL Sometimes we might want to have more control
high-power rockets, and file in FreeCAD is simple and somewhat automated. over the mesh that‘s created for our part, and we
releases the designs and
components as open-
As an example, let’s quickly create any object in the might want to change the resolution to get the best
source. He also has a Part or Part Design workbench. In Figure 2, you can results for our project. This is one area where the
shed full of lathes and
milling machines and
CNC kit!

YOU’LL NEED
A computer and
a copy of the 0.19
stable version of
FreeCAD

Figure 1
A simple example of
a mesh with an issue
we have discovered
using an automated
analysis tool

82
 FORGE

Figure 2
A simple part used as
an example of how
easy it is to generate
an STL mesh file

Figure 3
Creating a mesh
on the Mesh
workbench allows
for more precise
control of settings
and the subsequent
resolution of the part

more specialised tools on the Mesh workbench can should be 0.10 mm, and the second value, ‘Angular
help. As an example, we have a nose cone part for a deviation’, should be 30 degrees. If they aren’t, set
rocket designed – let’s move to the Mesh workbench them to these values and then click OK (Figure 3).
using the drop-down menu to create some different
resolution meshes to compare. RESOLVING RESOLUTIONS
On the Mesh workbench, highlight the nose cone You should now have two objects in the file tree: your
part and then click the tool that reads ‘tessellate shape’ original nose cone part and the new mesh object.
on the tooltip as you hover over it. This tool is also Similar to other items in the file tree, you can toggle
accessible by clicking Meshes > Create mesh from the visibility of the mesh and the part by highlighting
shape. You should see a dialog box in the combo view the object and pressing the SPACE bar. Select the
area, and you should see two changeable values on original nose cone part and set it as invisible so that
the Standard tab. The first value, ‘Surface deviation’, we just see the mesh object in the preview window.
You can see in Figure 4 that the created mesh
consists of lots of triangles closely approximating the
part, but we can adjust the values to increase the

” FreeCAD has made a lot of sensible choices about

”
the resolution of the mesh of our exported part

resolution of the mesh if we delete our first mesh,

make the nose cone part visible, and highlight it so
we can create a new mesh. For this mesh, let’s set
the surface deviation to 0.03 mm and the angular
deviation to 10 degrees. You should see, similar
to Figure 5, that the resulting mesh is a higher
resolution and more precisely matches the original
part. Of course, this also increases the complexity of QUICK TIP
the mesh and, if taken too far, may well begin to slow While STL files are
down your graphics card performance. the most common
mesh file, they aren’t
To export a mesh from the Mesh workbench, you
the only ones. In fact,
can highlight the mesh in the file tree, right-click, and many would argue
select ‘Export mesh’. There are numerous options of that STL are not great
STL types, but we tend to export as ‘Binary STL’ and, files for mesh objects.

83
Getting Meshy in FreeCAD

TUTORIAL

Figure 5
Our second mesh resulting in a
higher resolution mesh, which more
closely matches our nose cone part

these seem to work well with our slicing software for we create simple solid objects and combine them
Figure 4 3D printing. One thing to note is that the Export mesh using Boolean functions to stick objects together,
Our first attempt at
creating a mesh of the function seems to want us to add the ‘.stl’ to the file or subtract one shape out of another. If we want to
nose cone part name in the name input box. turn around the hook part of our mesh file, we will
Of course, creating a mesh file from an object we create a copy of the hooked end and rotate it using
made in FreeCAD is just one small aspect of the work these tools.
of the Mesh workbench. One area it is particularly
useful in is for editing and amending mesh files. This REGULAR SOLIDS
scenario often arises when we’ve found an object First of all, click the ‘Build a regular solid’ tool
online that we wish to 3D-print but will require some icon or select the same tool by clicking Meshes >
reworking. Often, if you are downloading an object Regular solid. You should now see a small window
from a website such as Thingiverse or GrabCAD, you with a drop-down to select various shapes, cubes,
may only have the option cylinders, etc., and

”
to download a mesh file/ some entry boxes to
STL, or indeed you might add dimensions. We
have the project file but it
The Mesh workbench will create a cube
is made in software that has some tools that are 35 mm long, 50 mm
you don’t own. wide, and 10 mm high.
similar in approach to

”
As an example, we Similar again to working
have an STL file of a the Part workbench with solids on the Part
hands-free door puller. workbench, if you
Let’s pretend that, in highlight the cube object
use, we decided it would be better if the hook faced in the file tree, right-click and select Transform, we
the other way round. We could, of course, with the can then move the cube into place over the hooked
QUICK TIP knowledge within this FreeCAD series of articles, end of the door puller (Figure 7).
The Intersection, draw this part from scratch in a matter of minutes, Next, select the two objects in the file tree and
Union, and but let’s use the Mesh workbench to make some click the ‘Intersection’ tool icon. You will now see an
Difference Boolean changes. Click the ‘Imports a mesh from a file’ tool additional item in the file tree labelled ‘Intersection’.
operation tool icons
icon and navigate to the STL file and select to import If we toggle the cube item to be invisible and then
look like green
versions of their it (Figure 6). select the intersection item, we can then right-click
counterparts on the The Mesh workbench has some tools that are and use Transform to move the intersection object,
Part workbench. similar in approach to the Part workbench, where which is a copy of the hook section, away from the

84
 FORGE

rest of the door puller object. Next, make the cube

visible once more, select the door puller object and
the cube and then perform a ‘Difference’ Boolean
operation on it. You should now have a version of
the original door puller with no end and a copy of the
hooked end (Figure 8).
All that remains is to move and rotate everything
into the new position, and then we can use the
‘Union’ Boolean operation to create a new single
mesh object. We can then highlight the new door
puller union object and click the ‘Export a mesh to file’
tool to create our new STL file ready for 3D printing.
Continuing to use our door puller tool project as an
example, let’s explore how we create a Part object
from a mesh. Moving to the Part workbench, we can
highlight the mesh – in our case called ‘Union’ in the
OPENSCAD Figure 6
Importing an STL
file tree view – then click Part > Create shape from file to the Mesh
FreeCAD is a community-developed, open-source workbench for editing
mesh. You should now see that a part has been made piece of software that uses other open-source pieces
of our door puller object (Figure 9). Let’s make our of code and modules within it. Another excellent
mesh object invisible in the file tree to explore our part. open-source piece of CAD software is OpenSCAD,
You should see that the part object creates its faces which uses a code-based approach to 3D modelling.
Files and models created with OpenSCAD can be
and edges based on the triangles in the mesh, which
imported directly to FreeCAD. FreeCAD has an
means that it is an accurate copy, but also means it OpenSCAD workbench to enable people to use the
can be a little challenging to work with. You can, of best of both software approaches.
course, select faces and map sketches to faces, which In the Mesh workbench some of the functionality,
is pretty straightforward on larger flat sections of a part including the Boolean operations we are using in this
but gets challenging if you consider the curved part article, require OpenSCAD to be installed and a path
to the OpenSCAD executable to be set up in FreeCAD.
of our puller. It can also be useful to convert meshes
Head over to openscad.org and download and install
to parts if you want to recreate aspects of a mesh
the latest version for your operating system. Once
design. Converting a mesh to a part means that you installed, back in FreeCAD, move to the OpenSCAD
can use the ‘Link to an external geometry’ tool in the workbench and then click Edit > Preferences and
Sketcher workbench to pull in reference points to scroll down to select the OpenSCAD icon. In the
create sketches over parts converted from meshes. Preferences dialog, the first item is an input box to
Sometimes we might want to work with extremely set the file path to the OpenSCAD executable – your
system should have detected the correct path, but it’s
complex mesh files. If you’ve ever downloaded a
worth opening the file location and checking it is all
complex model, such as a model of a person or set correctly. Once checked, click the Apply button
object that’s full of complex organic curves, you might and close the preferences.
notice that your graphics card starts to slow down

Figure 7
Creating a mesh solid cube and positioning
it over the part we intend to rotate

QUICK TIP
You might want to
install the brilliant
Rocket workbench
using the Add-on
Manager if you want
to play with the nose
cone design.

85
Getting Meshy in FreeCAD

TUTORIAL

”
points, 4818 edges, and 3212 faces. Next, click the
‘Decimates a mesh’ tool, which appears as a green
Mesh decimation must be used in moderation, as taken

”
diamond-shaped tool icon. In the Decimating dialog
too far, it’s easy to completely destroy the object box that appears, set the reduction level to 50 percent
and leave the absolute number box unchecked. Click
OK. In the preview window, if you are still zoomed
when you manipulate the object. The FreeCAD Mesh in, you should notice the resolution of our puller part
workbench has a handy tool to play with optimising change, it should look cruder and the triangles should
the mesh resolution that may be able to reduce the be more obvious (Figure 10).
data, or put simply, the number of triangles in a given If we check the details of our mesh object in the
mesh while still retaining enough detail. This tool is dialog box, we can see it has reduced the number of
called the ‘Decimation’ tool. Mesh decimation must points, edges, and faces by 50 percent to 803 points,
be used in moderation, as taken too far, it’s easy to 2409 edges, and 1606 faces. This carries through to
completely destroy the object, which can also be a affect the file size of an exported mesh, and indeed,
fun experiment. In the preview window, let’s zoom in exporting this decimated version creates a file size
Figure 8 so that we have a close view of a part of the internal percent smaller than the none decimated mesh. If
New parts created chamfer on the large hole in our door puller object. you zoom out on our 50 percent decimated mesh
and ready to be
put back together Notice that when zoomed in, you can see the facets version of the door puller, you’ll see that it makes
in our improved
configuration
that make up the mesh surface. As this is a small file, very little real-world difference to the resolution of
we’ve made this mesh a pretty high resolution, but the object, and the size and shape of the object is
Figure 9
With the two parts of let’s explore the effects of decimation. First, select unchanged. You can experiment with the decimation
the puller rearranged, the door puller object, in our case called ‘Union’ in the value – it can be quite amusing to see what happens
we combine them
back into a single file tree. Notice that in the dialog box, once selected, to a shape when you approach the near 100 percent
mesh using the Union we get some details of the number of points, edges, decimation values.
Boolean operation
ready for export and faces our mesh contains. For us, these are 1606 Sometimes we might work with mesh files, or
indeed create mesh files, that have issues and
problems. The Mesh workbench has a tool that
enables us to quickly and repeatedly analyse meshes
for problems. With our mesh object highlighted, click
the ‘Opens a dialog to analyse and repair a mesh’ tool.
This should open a large dialog box on the right-hand
side of the preview window. There is a list of potential
problem items that FreeCAD can analyse a mesh
for. You can analyse a mesh for each item on the list
individually, or you can click ‘Analyse’ on the ‘All above
tests together’ option at the bottom of the list. Close
that dialog box for now, and let’s quickly make a new
simple object with a problem!

86
 FORGE

In a new project, move to the Part workbench described as non-manifold. Another way to create QUICK TIP
and create two identical default cube solid objects. a non-manifold example is to create a tube with no Another useful
These default to 10 mm cubes, using Transform, ends where the surface of the tube has no thickness tool on the Mesh
move the second cube object up 10 mm in the Z – this can be done using lofting tools or sweeping workbench allows us
axis and across 10 mm in the X axis. Finally, highlight operations in FreeCAD, for example. to scale mesh object.
Simply select the
both cubes in the file tree view and perform a Union
mesh in the file tree
operation to make the two cubes – one part called FIXING THE ISSUE and click the ‘Scale
‘Fusion’. Moving to the Mesh workbench, with our Having analysed our cubes example and found the selected meshes’
fusion object highlighted, click the ‘Tessalate shape’ non-manifold edge issue, we may well be tempted tool icon.
tool icon to create a mesh object. You can see the to click the Repair button next to the offending
resulting mesh imported in Figure 1. Make the issue in the dialog box. If you try this, FreeCAD will
original solid part fusion object invisible in the file automatically apply a repair, but be prepared for this
tree, highlight the mesh object, and then reopen the to fail as it will only work occasionally on simple
mesh analysis dialog as before. Double-check that problems, such as a small gap on a surface that
your mesh object is the object listed in the Mesh needs closing. It’s always worth a try, however, and
Information section (especially if you have multiple you can always undo any odd changes the repair
projects open), then click the Analyse button on the functions apply. For the sake of completeness, let’s
‘All above tests together’ option. The tests will run manually create a solution. If we move back to our
quickly, and you should see just one error reported. part object and delete the fusion object so that we
You should see that in the list of analysis areas in have our two separate cubes, move the upper cube
the dialog, the ‘Non-Manifolds’ section has a check back over and into the lower cube creating a couple
box with one non-manifold issue found. A simple of millimetres where they overlap. Then create a new
way to think of this common error to understand mesh and analyse it – you should see that you have
when something is non-manifold is to consider if cured the manifold issue.
it is possible to be manufactured. In this instance, Finally, while we’ve looked at some useful stuff on
our two cubes are only connected at one edge and the Mesh workbench, we have only really scratched
they do not overlap at all, which means, in essence, the surface of what’s available. As ever, there is lots
that the connected edge is infinitesimally small. more information, and tutorials, to be found online
Of course, it’s impossible to create a connection on both the FreeCAD community forums and in the
between these objects, and as such, they are FreeCAD wiki.

Figure 10
Using the ‘Decimate a
mesh’ tool to reduce
the resolution of a
model can make a
complex model easier
to work with

87
 This stunning 224-page hardback book not only tells
the stories of some of the seminal video games of
the 1970s and 1980s, but shows you how to create
your own games inspired by them using Python and
Pygame Zero, following examples programmed
by Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton.

Get game design tips and

tricks from the masters

Explore the code listing

and find out how they work

Download and play game

examples by Eben Upton

Learn how to code your own

games with Pygame Zero

Available now hsmag.cc/store

Dealing with a messy workshop

TUTORIAL

Dealing with a
messy workshop
Keeping your spaces clear and well organised is just as important
as choosing the right tools and consumables for your next project

S
pace is one of those things that inattentiveness. Neglecting small acts can lead to
makers never seem to have enough big problems. Not putting a tool back in its proper
of. If you have a table to work on, you’ll place, letting rubbish pile up in a corner, and putting
wish you had another table to keep things aside into piles to 'sort out later' are prime
your tools and notes in order. If you examples of small acts that can turn a workshop
have a whole workshop on multiple into an unusable space. If you lack the strength or
Dr Andrew Lewis levels, you’ll probably wish you had an extra bit of willpower to tidy up at the end of each day (which
room tacked on at the side for storage. 'If I just had is strongly recommended as a practice, as even 15
Dr Andrew Lewis is a a bit more space', the mantra goes, 'then it wouldn’t minutes of tidying can make the world of difference),
specialist fabricator
and maker, and is the
be such a mess in here'. This isn’t true, of course. then at least allocate a regular period of time in
owner of the Andrew No amount of extra space is going to make you more your calendar exclusively for tidying. Treat this time
Lewis Workshop. productive and tidy unless you manage it properly. like an important meeting you must attend. If you
can’t make it, you have to reschedule it as soon
THE FOUR HORSEMEN as possible. The good news is that tidying up is an
OF THE SHOP APOCALYPSE ideal task to break up into manageable chunks. You
There are four main consumers of space in the don’t have to clean everything in one go, and a few
workshop: tools, consumables, inattentiveness, weeks of regular effort will make a huge difference
and stalled jobs. The easiest of these to address is to your space.

90
 FORGE

Left
This is a perfect
example of a log-jam.
All of these items have
been placed here to
sort out and put away
at some mythical
point in the future. If
you don’t take care of
these piles of leftover
parts regularly, they
join up to form a
single pile that
eats all of your
available workspace

QUICK TIP
You might find
you won’t lose out
much by buying
and selling tools
second hand to free
up space. You might
even make a profit.

RISE OF THE MACHINES practice of making things. Once you start to think of
Machine tools can take over a workshop very the space as a tool, then you see how the value of
quickly, especially if you subscribe to some of the any machine tool can be weighed against the value
American YouTube makers who all seem to have a of the space itself. It’s just a matter of deciding
workshop the size of a barn (or several barns) and where the balance lies – is the functionality of the
sponsorship deals to match. If you have a workshop space worth more than the cost of the tool? You can
with limited space, then you need to be brutal when follow the same pattern of thinking for smaller tools, Below
Large tools that get
it comes to deciding what tools you keep in your although it’s easier to be forgiving if the space they used infrequently
workshop. Ask yourself what you will lose if you get occupy is less imposing. In some cases, modern are the curse of the
workshop. Choose to
rid of the machine. Does the machine do something hand-held tools like portable bandsaws and belt either store them or
unique that you can’t do another way? Could you sell sanders can mostly replace the functionality of larger get rid of them if you
want to reclaim your
the machine now and buy another one if you need it floor-mounted machines. lost space
in the future? As a general rule, if you haven’t used
a large machine tool for twelve months, then you
should consider getting rid of it.
As an example, imagine that you have a small
workshop with a tabletop lathe and milling machine.
If you find that you are using the milling machine
very infrequently, you might be able to sell it and add
a Z axis to the lathe instead. You’d lose the ability
to mill larger pieces of metal, but much of the other
functionality would be preserved by the modified
lathe. That might be enough for the type of making
that you do.
If you think that selling and buying large machines
to suit different projects seems extravagant,
consider the fact that your entire workshop is
actually a tool for storing and facilitating your

91
Dealing with a messy workshop

TUTORIAL

Right
Solder and welding
wire are good
examples of a critical
consumable. If you
don’t have any, then
you can’t solder or
weld anything until
you get some. You
should always have
a stock of critical
consumables on hand
for a project, because
there is a high cost
to being without
them. Non-critical
consumables are
usually things like
bolts or resistors,
where you can
temporarily substitute
a different value until
the correct one arrives

Consumables and material storage is always a of a consumable, order more of them straight away.
difficult thing to manage. Some consumables are Don’t leave it until you’ve completely run out and
critical to a process of making, and not having that need to wait for a delivery before you carry on.
consumable at hand will prevent you from continuing Salvaged materials are the most difficult thing to
your project. The amount and type of consumables deal with in a small workshop. As a general rule,
that you keep in stock at any time will be decided don’t pick up salvage unless you have a specific
by the sort of projects that you do, but don’t fall into plan for it. It’s tempting to grab every free or cheap
the trap of thinking that you have to bulk-order and piece of material that looks like it might be useful,
store everything. Having reliable suppliers for your and store it or strip it down for parts. If you do
consumables gives you the option to buy items to really want to strip something down for parts, do
arrive just in time for your project. It also gives you it immediately, and then dispose of the bits that
no excuse not to reorder stock parts as you use you don’t want. Salvage feels like the right thing
them up. If you see that you’re starting to run out to do, but it’s only eco-friendly if you actually reuse
the parts, otherwise you’re just storing recyclable
materials. It can also take a lot more time to reuse a
CONTAINERS piece of scrap than it does to start with a fresh piece
Sometimes you will need to clear your bench at short of material, so be aware that you’ll probably have
QUICK TIP notice to work on another project. Maybe an urgent to allow extra time when you’re scheduling jobs
A good size for a repair has come into your workshop, or a deadline has to clean off salvage and make it presentable. With
wheeled cabinet is been pulled forward. Having some large containers
offcuts of rigid materials, it makes sense to cut them
60 cm square, with or trays that you can use to shift the contents of
your desk into is a useful tip. Meat roasting tins are to a standard size before you store them. There’s
the height matching
your main work excellent for heavy items, while lighter items can go some wastage, but regular pieces are much more
surface. A cabinet into plastic litter trays. Clear the desk into the tray, convenient to work with than jagged offcuts.
this size gives you label and date the side, and move it out of the way
plenty of storage to work on the emergency. When you’re done, you MAXIMISE YOUR SPACE
space inside, and can switch back quickly and all of the same parts will
When you store things, you need to decide where
you can make one be there waiting for you. This also works if a project
stalls because of a parts shortage, so you can switch they are going to go, and keep some sort of record
cabinet from a single
sheet of plywood quickly to the next project while you are waiting for of what’s in a storage space so that you can find
with very little the parts to be delivered. things when you need them. Labelling boxes and
wasted board. trolleys is an obvious strategy that not only informs

92
 FORGE

you of where an item should be when you need it,

it also informs you where it is supposed to go when
you’ve finished using it. Labelling doesn’t need to
be exhaustive. It’s not a complete inventory of every
component in storage – it’s a general guide to the
sort of things stored there.
Even more generally, divide your item storage
into three categories, and place items accordingly:
immediate, shallow, and deep. Immediate storage
is the toolbox that lives on your workbench, things
that you use on a daily basis, and things that you
want within arm’s reach. Shallow storage is usually
cupboards or drawers, where you’ll keep things
like rolls of LED lights, bottle cutters, or a sewing
machine that you use several times a year, but not
every day. Deep storage is for the things you need
to keep, but won’t be using for several months. You can make more of your available space
This is the workshop equivalent of the warehouse by making it reconfigurable. Rolling trolleys and Above
Labelling the edge
that Indiana Jones put the Ark of the Covenant into. cabinets on wheels can be repositioned to maximise of a trolley makes it
easy to see what’s
Things that go here might be critical spare parts for space, or bring certain tools and consumables closer inside, even when it’s
a machine tool that you probably won’t need to use, to you when you need them. When they’re not in underneath a work
surface. Keep the
but can’t afford not to have. This storage can be less use, you can slide them out of the way. If you can labels general, or
accessible than your regular storage, and might even keep your cabinets all of the same size (in particular you’ll end up trapped
in the practice of
be off-site in a shed or an attic. You don’t need to the same height), then they’ll be even more flexible, adding new labels
get in here often, so it’s not too important if it takes and could be used to set up a temporary workshop every time you buy
fresh consumables
a while to get to it. in a different location.
Left
Doors are not dead
space. You can
store smaller items
on the outside of
cupboard doors using
galley-style shelving.
Nail varnish shelves
and spice racks are
particularly useful
for storing paints
and small tubes of
glue. They’re cheap,
lightweight, and easy
to fit

QUICK TIP
Nothing fills up the
materials storage
space faster than
good intentions.

93
Make a Pico musical cheese box

TUTORIAL

Figure 1
The white buttons are
used to play notes,
the coloured buttons
are used to move
between tracks. The
cheese was delicious!

Make a Pico musical

cheese box
Create syncopated rhythms and computer-generated
music using a Pico

M
ake a portable MIDI controller that INSIDE THE BOX
you can use to create complex Figure 2 shows the contents of the box. There are
rhythms and musical sequences quite a lot of wires, but the task of assembly wasn’t
and use as a tiny keyboard. In too onerous. The box contains a twelve NeoPixel
a cheese box. The article ‘Make ring and twelve buttons which are connected
Music with Pico’, in HackSpace to a Raspberry Pi Pico. Each button has its own
Rob Miles
magazine issue 46, showed how easy it is to use dedicated input pin on the Pico.
@robmiles a Raspberry Pi Pico device to send MIDI notes to a Figure 3 shows the circuit for the box. The button
synthesizer. We are going to build on that to create signals are pulled low when a button is pressed. To
Rob Miles has been a MIDI instrument, the ‘Pico musical cheese box’, simplify the wiring, the ground signal is connected
playing with hardware
and software since
as shown in Figure 1. The musical cheese box uses in a ring around the switches. The pixel ring display
almost before there was a ring of twelve pixels to display notes, and twelve only needs a single data connection, along with
hardware and software. buttons for user input. You can use the cheese box power and ground connections.
You can find out more
about his so-called life at with a synthesizer program that connects to MIDI, and The prototype used wire wrap wire for the
robmiles.com. there is also a specially written Pure Data patch for it. connections. One end was wrapped round pins on

94
 FORGE

Figure 2
The cables have been
organised in two sets
of six coloured wires
(a red set and a green
set), plus three (the
yellow set) for the
pixel. And there are
still plenty of spare
pins for more buttons

YOU’LL NEED
A Raspberry Pi
Pico

A 12-pixel WS2812
pixel ring (search
for ‘WS2812 ring 12’)

12 × coloured
push-buttons
Ideally eight white

”
buttons for the
the Pico device, the other end was hooked inside notes and a red,
the hole in the pin on the switch, and then soldered green, blue, and
You can use the yellow button for
in place as shown in Figure 4. All the switch the controls. The
connections were encased in heat-shrink tubing. cheese box with a buttons should be
non-locking, push
synthesizer program that

”
to make
HARDWARE MAPPING
The buttons are used by the CircuitPython program connects to MIDI A micro USB
cable to link the
running inside the Pico that controls the device.
Pico to the host
The program contains Note and Select classes to
represent the two types of button on the device. which will be used with they are played. The select Connecting wire
The author used
Note and Select objects are created with hardware values are assigned a pin, a pixel number, and the coloured wire wrap
pins and pixel number settings when the box starts. colour of the button which will be used to select (search for ‘30 AWG
the appropriate voice. This colour is then mapped wire wrap’) which
notes = ( needed a wire wrap
to an instance of the appropriate Voice class. The tool (search for ‘wire
Note(pin=board.GP6,pixel=11,num=0),
mappings opposite were used for the first cheese wrap tool’). He also
Note(pin=board.GP5,pixel=10,num=1), used a fair amount of
box. You can change them to match the hardware
Note(pin=board.GP4,pixel=9,num=2), heat-shrink tubing
that you build. Look for the statements in the
Note(pin=board.GP3,pixel=8,num=3), A Raspberry Pi or
program (they are near the bottom), and change the
Note(pin=board.GP2,pixel=7,num=4), machine running
GP and pixel values to match your hardware.
Note(pin=board.GP1,pixel=6,num=5), Windows, macOS,
Note(pin=board.GP12,pixel=5,num=6), or Linux running
BOX SOFTWARE Pure Data to make
Note(pin=board.GP11,pixel=4,num=7)
You can download the software for the box from the the sounds
)
GitHub site for this project: hsmag.cc/CheeseBox. A box There is a
The software is written in CircuitPython, which can 3D-printable design,
selects = ( or you can just drill
be installed on your Raspberry Pi Pico using the
Select(pin=board.GP7,pixel=0,col=Col.RED), some holes for the
image from here: circuitpython.org/downloads. lights and buttons
Select(pin=board.GP8,pixel=1,col=Col.GREEN), in a cheese box and
The software uses the Adafruit adafruit_bus_device
Select(pin=board.GP9,pixel=2,col=Col.BLUE), stick the pixel ring
and adafruit_midi libraries, which need to be and Pico inside it
Select(pin=board.GP10,pixel=3,col=Col.YELLOW)
copied into the lib folder on the CircuitPython
) Screws You’ll need
drive of your Pico. You can find these here: some screws size
The code above is the Python that creates the circuitpython.org/libraries. M2 4 mm in length
collections of Note and Select objects that provide You can use Thonny (thonny.org) or Mu to fix the pixel ring
and Pico to the
the user interface for the box. The note values are (hsmag.cc/MuEditor) on your computer to open the case (search for
assigned a pin, a pixel number, and a note number program and download it into your Pico. ‘laptop screws’)

95
Make a Pico musical cheese box

TUTORIAL

Figure 3
This diagram took
almost as long to
draw as it took to
build the hardware

Figure 4
Wire wrap cable is
single core, which
makes it very easy to
work with. It is also
very flexible, so it is
less likely to strain
the connections at
each end

” Different elements in the application are A full description of how the program works

”
would take more space than we have for this article,
managed by software objects called classes but we can take a look at how it is structured.
Figure 5 shows a simplified class diagram for the
software. Different elements in the application
are managed by software objects called classes.
The Button classes (Note and Select) manage the
information for the buttons. The Voice classes
(Keyboard and Rhythm) manage the information for
the voice tracks that are played. The Setting class
holds setting information for a collection of setting
values. The Step class is based on the Setting class
and holds information for a step in a track. The
MidiBox class contains lists of buttons and voices,
and repeatedly updates them to keep the box
running and provide the illusion of several things
happening at the same time.

MAKING TRACKS
The software manages four performance tracks: one
keyboard track and three rhythm tracks. A track is
selected by pressing one of the coloured buttons.
When a track is selected, the pixel next to its
selection button is lit in the colour of the button. The
red keyboard track lets you play notes. When this
track is selected (indicated by a red pixel next to the
red button), the box starts a MIDI note playing when

96
 FORGE

Figure 5
A child class (one with
an arrow pointing
to the class above
it) inherits all of the
properties of the
parent above it. The
items inside each
class are the data
values stored within it

Figure 6
The two diagrams
show the switches
around the outside
and the pixels in
the middle

Figure 6 shows how the buttons work for the

tune and rhythm tracks. When the red track is
selected, you can play notes just by pressing white
buttons. When the green, blue, or yellow track is
selected, you use the white buttons to set steps in
the sequence. The green rhythm track on the right
of Figure 6 starts with two beats from the kick drum
a white note button is pressed and stops the note (the red pixels) and ends with a ride cymbal (the
when the button is released. yellow pixel).
When a rhythm track is selected (by pressing a The rhythm track functions in the same way for
green, blue, or yellow button), the box will display all three tracks. You can step through the options for
the steps in the track and a moving white cursor that each step by repeatedly pressing the white button
shows the position in the track. The user can select to change the colour of the pixel for that step. A
beats to be played at points in the track sequence red step means ‘kick drum’. When the sequencer
by pressing the corresponding white button. All reaches that step, it will send a MIDI note to play
the sequencers run in parallel and work through that sound.
a sequence of up to eight steps. Each step can Figure 7 shows the mapping of pixel colours
produce a drum sound or a musical note. The speed to drum sounds. The number after each sound
of each sequencer can be changed, as can the name is the MIDI note that will be sent to trigger
length of sequence for that track. By making tracks that sound. These notes correspond to the
of different lengths running at different speeds, you General MIDI standard for musical instruments
can create surprisingly complex rhythms as tracks go (hsmag.cc/MIDI) so the cheese box will work with
in and out of time with each other. most synthesizers.

A NOTE ABOUT SCALES

The white buttons on the box don’t play successive
MIDI note values. Instead, they play the notes from a
particular musical scale. This is so that the box sounds
musical when you play it. Different scales use different
arrangements of gaps between the successive notes.
The most common scale is the ‘major’ scale, but there
are others. Some have fantastic names like ‘Phrygian’
and ‘Mixolydian’, as you can see in the Scale setting in
Figure 8. You can experiment with different scales to
find the one that sounds best for a particular tune.

97
Make a Pico musical cheese box

TUTORIAL

SETTING UP so on. You can also change the mode of a rhythm

Figure 7 You adjust the settings for the box by holding down track to play notes rather than drums. This lets the
Each time you press
a step button, the the button for the selected track, and then setting track play short musical sequences.
selected beat for the colour of pixels that are mapped onto setting
that step moves to
the next colour. If it values. If you press the red button when the red MAKING SOUNDS WITH PURE DATA
reaches the end, it
wraps around to
track is selected, the tune settings are displayed. You can use the cheese box with any synthesizer,
off (black) Figure 8 shows the tune settings. There are but you can also use it with a specially written Pure
Figure 8 seven different setting items. Each of them is Data patch. Pure Data is a programming language
The pixel colours assigned a pixel and for creating music

”
in the centre of the
settings show the value of the setting applications. You can
the default selected by stepping find out more about it in
setting options
through the colours for
You can use the cheese box the article in issue 47 of
that setting. There are with any synthesizer, but you HackSpace magazine.
also seven settings for Pure Data programs are
can also use it with a specially

”
the rhythm track… expressed as a network
Figure 9 shows the written Pure Data patch of connected objects.
rhythm settings for the The connections
green track. You can set between the objects can
the speed of the track in beats per minute. You can be either individual values or audio streams.
also set the pattern length and the ‘speed factor’. Figure 10 shows the Pure Data patch that
The speed factor is used to slow down a rhythm generates sound output for the cheese box. It works
track. A factor of 1 means normal speed. A factor of as a ‘switching station’ which acts on incoming
2 means half speed, a factor of 3 a third speed, and MIDI messages. The ‘notein’ object at the top left
of the patch accepts incoming MIDI messages and
sends out the note number, volume, and channel
(these are the three outputs along the bottom of the
notein object). The patch uses spigot objects
to control the flow of the data around the
patch. Values will pass through the spigot
if the right-hand input to the spigot
is true.
Any messages sent to MIDI
channel number 1 are passed into
the polyphonic object (poly) and

98
 FORGE

CHEESE BOX
If you don’t fancy
buying some cheese
just to get a box for
your cheese box, you
can download and
3D-print a custom
case. The designs
are available at
the GitHub site for
this project:
hsmag.cc/CheeseBox

then on to a set of six note synthesizers. Messages

sent to any other MIDI channel are stripped of
their note off elements (these have no meaning for EUCLIDEAN FUN
drums) using the stripnote object and then the note By changing the speeds of the tracks and playing
number is used to select the sound generator to be notes and drums at different points, you can
used. You will notice that the note numbers in the generate interesting sounds that change over time.
select object are the same as those in Figure 7. These are called Euclidean rhythms. You can find
You can find this patch, along with installation out more here: hsmag.cc/Euclidean. Don’t be
instructions, at the GitHub site for this project: afraid to experiment with the sounds. If you change
hsmag.cc/CheeseBox. At the moment, the note the rhythm mode of a track to ‘Euclidian’, the
generators only output simple sine waves, but in cheese box calculates a note frequency by adding
the next issue of HackSpace magazine, we will be together note values from other Euclidian tracks.
discovering how to use Pure Data to produce more By careful choice of track speeds, you can create
interesting sounds and create a crackers controller extended sequences of changing notes. Once you
to go with the cheese. have something interesting, try changing the scale
and listen to what happens. You can
pick different octaves for the note
playback so you can generate
bass sounds too. Remember
that there is no such thing
as bad music, just stuff
that only you like.
Figure 10
Pure Data programs
can run on a huge
range of computers,
from Raspberry Pi
Zero upwards

Figure 9
By default, each
rhythm track sends
on a different MIDI
channel so that the
rhythms can be used
to trigger different
voices. However, you
can select the MIDI
channel for each track
so that you can make
the rhythm tracks play
on the same channel
as the keyboard

99
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FIELD TEST
HACK MAKE BUILD CREATE
Hacker gear poked, prodded, taken apart, and investigated

PG

108
BATTERY
SPOT PG
102
WELDER
Build your own battery packs
BEST OF
PG

112 BREED
LED Feather development
boards

MATRIX
Add 117 RGB LEDs
to your next project
The Feather board ecosystem continues to grow

BEST OF BREED

ONLYTHE
BEST
The Feather board
ecosystem continues
to grow
What’s been happening with Feather?

By Marc de Vinck @devinck

102
 FIELD TEST

H
ackSpace magazine is celebrating
its fourth year in print, and I’m
happy to have been a little part of
that history, having written over 40
Best of Breed roundups, and even
a build here and there. I decided
to look back at some of my early reviews, and I
thought it was about time I revisited my favourite
microcontroller ecosystem, the Adafruit Feather. It’s
been years since we last did a dedicated roundup,
and there have been so many new products launched
that it warrants a second look. In fact, I could do
several Best of Breed articles and I’d still only cover a
small percentage of the new products!
And although it has been a while since there was a “Wouldn’t it be great if, instead of collecting
dedicated roundup, I have covered a few Feather shields, HATs, PMODs, Clicks, Booster Packs, Above
boards in various reviews over the years, as there are Props… you could have a cross-compatible platform? The Feather format
includes plenty of
so many varieties of boards and accessories out Something that doesn’t force you into one chipset?” GPIOs and a LIPO
there that it’s hard not to include them when writing – Limor Fried (Lady Ada) charging port

about microcontrollers and sensors. The most recent Below

There are lots of
board I reviewed, just a few months ago, was the But what else is happening? And who better to ask wings to expand the
Adafruit Feather RP2040 which features the all-new than Limor Fried, the creator of the Feather platform functionality of your
Feathers
microcontroller from Raspberry Pi, the RP2040. I’ve and founder of Adafruit. I’ve known Limor for more
played around with the board since then, and I still years than I can remember. I bought one of her first
stand at giving it a 10 rating, as it’s a great board at a kits when she launched Adafruit. We even took some
great price. early road trips back in the day, looking at equipment
and visiting some tech companies. Since then, we
have kept in touch, and crossed paths every so often, OLD
so I decided to reach out to her and ask about the FEATHERS
Feather ecosystem and what she thought You can learn
was interesting. more about the
Limor sent me some interesting links, and in true history of the
inclusive Adafruit fashion, it included a variety of Feather platform
by visiting the
Feather boards from a wide range of companies –
Adafruit Learning
indie makers, startups, and larger established brands. System. And
Limor continues to be the catalyst for growing and don’t forget to
celebrating the community. It’s just another reason check out all the
why so many people love Adafruit’s products, Feather-related
myself included! tutorials too!
Thanks Lady Ada!

103
The Feather board ecosystem continues to grow

BEST OF BREED

The Swan MCU

vs QuickFeather
BLUES WIRELESS $25 blues.io QUICKLOGIC $49 quicklogic.com

Left

T
Low-power mode
he Swan is a low-cost, embeddable You can pick uses just 8 µA

STM32L4-based microcontroller, up the Swan as

specifically designed for battery- a standalone
powered IoT solutions. Its Feather board, or as part of
form factor enables it to be used with a Blues’ starter kit that
variety of add-on FeatherWings and features the Swan board
sensors. You can power the board via USB, a battery, and the firm‘s Notecard and
or line power. It also features a software-switchable Notecarrier boards that add
2 A regulator for powering external sensors. The additional features, and make
Swan only draws 8 µA when in low-power mode, connecting to all 55 pins of the board
making it an ideal development board for remote and simple and fast. Head over to blues.io to
long-term sensing. learn more.

T
Below
There’s an
he QuickFeather Development Kit accelerometer
from QuickLogic is a Feather form and microphone
on board
factor system that the manufacturer
says is ideal for enabling the next
VERDICT
generation of low-power machine
learning-capable IoT devices. What The Swan MCU
makes it so special? Not only is it open-source, as it’s Low power is
built around the open-source SymbiFlow FPGA Tool, great for IoT.

9
but it also features a Cortex-M4F MCU and integrated
FPGA. You’ll also have access to the on-board
GigaDevice 16-Mb of flash memory, mCube
accelerometer, Infineon pressure sensor, and Infineon
digital microphone. QuickFeather
Being that this is cutting-edge technology, you’ll Incredible power
really need to head over to the product page in such a small
(hsmag.cc/QuickFeather) to learn more about how form factor.

9
you get started with powerful tinyML applications,
sensors, and programming an FPGA. They have a lot
of videos and PDF instructions that will certainly help.

104
 FIELD TEST

FeatherS2 – ESP32-S2 Feather

Development Board
ADAFRUIT $22.00 adafruit.com
Left
8MB of RAM for
data-intensive
projects

T
he powerful FeatherS2, designed by
Unexpected Maker, features an
ESP32-S2 development board with VERDICT
16MB of flash memory and 8MB of
FeatherS2
QSPI-based external PSRAM. Yes, – ESP32-S2
those are in MB, not kB. You’ve got a lot Feather
of memory to play around with, along with a host of Development
other features. Board
This FeatherS2 has two 3.3 V regulators, allowing So much
you to not only power the board itself, but external memory and the
sensors as well. It also features the STEMMA QT familiar ESP32.

10/ 10
connector, making adding those sensors as simple as
plug and play. It’s a great addition to the ESP32 and
Feather family!

OPENWEATHER DESK DISPLAY

ADAFRUIT hsmag.cc/DeskDisplay
A while back, I created a non-obtrusive, and simple,
connected weather display for a HackSpace magazine
build. And you guessed it, inside was a Feather HUZZAH.
I just love how easy it is to get it up and running. And
several years later, it’s still running perfectly, notifying me
of the weather in a quiet and passive way.

105
The Feather board ecosystem continues to grow

BEST OF BREED

SparkFun Thing Plus –

XBee3 Micro
SPARKFUN $52.50 sparkfun.com

S
parkFun has entered the chat with
its Feather form factor boards and
Wings that it dubs ‘Thing Plus’. The
company has a large and growing
ecosystem, ranging from SAM- Left
A microcontroller for
based boards to the new RP2040 wireless applications
and ESP32s. It also has shields, or Wings, to add
extra functionality.
In this review, we’ll be looking at the Thing Plus - VERDICT
XBee3 Micro. The XBee wireless system has been SparkFun Thing
around for a long time, and SparkFun created a Plus – XBee3
Feather-compatible board that features the new XBee Micro
3 Micro Module. With its near plug-and-play 802.15.4 If you’re using
2.4GHz wireless connectivity, using the Zigbee 3.0 XBee already,
Protocol, it makes a great choice for so many home this is the board
automation setups and wireless network projects. for you.

8/ 10
You’ll also get 20 I/O pins to play with and a JST
connector for battery power. And, best of all, you can
program it with MicroPython!

CHEERLIGHTS

ADAFRUIT hsmag.cc/CheerLights
Yes, another internet-connected device that I created a
few years ago using the Adafruit Feather HUZZAH, my
all-time favourite microcontroller board. Again, the board
is so small, reliable, and easy to get up and running that I
just can’t think of using anything else. This build is part of
the CheerLights project. Originally developed by Hans
Scharler, CheerLights allows people to control the colour
of lights all over the world and synchronise them to one
colour set by a specific Twitter feed. Head over to the
Adafruit Learning System if you want to learn how I built
my own version of the CheerLights, or if you just want to
change the colour of the light on my desk!

106
 SUBSCRIPTION

200 PAGES OF RASPBERRY PI

QuickStart guide to setting up The very best projects built by
your Raspberry Pi computer your Raspberry Pi community

Updated with Raspberry Pi Pico Discover incredible kit and

and all the latest kit tutorials for your projects

Buy online: magpi.cc/store 107

SUNKKO 709A battery spot welder

REVIEW

SUNKKO 709A
battery spot welder
Practise your spot welding with this feature-laden piece of kit

SUNKKO £169 hsmag.cc/sunkko

By Jo Hinchliffe @concrete_d0g

I
f you are interested in building your own Sat toward the budget end of the spectrum, you
Li‑ion battery packs, perhaps for drone use, quickly find SUNKKO branded machines with a range
e-bikes, hacky racer or for a power wall of features. We opted to take a look at the SUNKKO
project, you have probably considered a 709A machine, which isn’t the cheapest model at
battery spot welder. Like many tools, there’s £169, but offers the range of features we wanted.
a range of offerings available, from cheap PCB- The 709A is primarily a spot welder designed to
based spot welders you run from a well-specified car spot-weld thin nickel strips to steel battery terminals.
battery, through to very automated high-end battery The 709A also, however, has a soldering iron channel
production systems. and attachment. Soldering directly to battery terminals

Right
The machine set up
with the soldering
iron connected. It’s
possible to run the
internal spot welding
system whilst the
soldering iron
is connected

108
 FIELD TEST

can be dangerous and the heat and the duration of

heat from soldering directly to battery terminals can
damage some batteries and is generally best avoided,
and hey, that’s why we have a spot welder, right? The
inclusion of a soldering iron may not be an important
feature for many who have a choice of irons already,
but often you may want to solder wires onto the nickel
tabs you have created to finish the pack, and an all-in-
one system might save you some desk space.
The unit arrived very well packed, and inside the
box, there is a pleasing range of accessories, including
two bags of nickel-plated iron strips, a 18650 battery
holding jig, spare welding probe tips, the soldering
iron, soldering iron stand, and more. Also included
is an external pen probe welding attachment and a
foot switch.
The standard way that this machine works is using
the on-board welding system. In the centre of the machine using simple radio buttons. You can then adjust
machine are two metal arms into which you insert the the power with the current adjustment dial. We found Above
Using the internal
welding probes. On our machine, one of the holes to that when using the thicker nickel-plated iron strips or external welding
receive a probe had a tough burr inside and needed (0.15 mm), we would get a decent weld at four pulses probes can create
strong welds
some work with a tiny file to allow us to insert the with the power dial set up at 7. We imagine this would
Below
probe. Once set up, the idea is that you press the work be different with each machine and also with different The front panel of
against the probe tips and push upwards. At the top materials. Often people get better results with pure the SUNKKO 709A is
clearly laid out and
of travel of the two welding arms, click a switch to fire nickel strips rather than the plated nickel-iron strips. easy to use
the welding system and create the weld; this system One of the reasons we were interested in this
means that a good amount of pressure is applied to particular model is that it offers the pen probe welding
the weld and the level of pressure can be adjusted by attachment to enable you to assemble larger pieces
turning a knob on the top of the unit. You can adjust further away from the machine.
the power and the pulse count for each weld on the To use the pen probe, you have to also attach
the foot switch to trigger the spot weld rather than
any automated system. Whilst our pen probe does
work, we have a pretty major flaw on our pen probe
attachment. Our probe cables are covered in the
spiral plastic wrap that is often sold or bundled with
machines as a cable tidying system. Unwinding
some of the spiral wrap revealed a situation that our
copper cable underneath was not insulated in any
way, confirmed with some continuity testing with
the multimeter. Whilst the output through these VERDICT
cables would be quite low voltage, it would certainly A good machine
be possible to spot-weld the cables together if they marked down
touched through the gaps in the spiral wrap. We for the slight
fault in the
haven’t seen or read discussion of this problem, so it
hole to attach
could be a ‘Friday afternoon’ machine that we acquired
the on-board
and others have better insulation but, as ours stands, probes, and
we have marked it down heavily for this issue. the issue with
In use, we have been able to create strong welds insulation on
with this machine, and it’s worked reliably with the pen probe
repeated sessions of spot welding. The soldering iron attachment.

6/ 10
system also works well and is certainly usable for the
scale of work intended: soldering battery and balance
cables to battery packs.

109
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Adafruit IS31FL3741

REVIEW

Adafruit IS31FL3741
Let there be light

ADAFRUIT $14.95 adafruit.com/product/5201

By Ben Everard @ben_everard

T
here are lots of ways of adding
programmable LEDs to your project.
NeoPixels are probably the classic,
but they’re not without their pitfalls –
they are expensive if you need a lot
of them, can be slow to update, and
don’t have great brightness control at the low end.
HUB75 LEDs can be cheap and fast, but can also be
awkward to wire up and control. APA102s are fast
and look great, but they also get very expensive very
quickly if you’re using a lot of them.
This board uses an LED driver – the IS31FL3741 –
which controls the 13×9 RGB LED matrix. This driver
is controlled over I2C with a selectable address, so
you can control four of these boards using a single
two-wire I2C connection. You can connect them up
either with the pin headers or the STEMMA QT/Qwiic
connection, meaning that you can get started without
any soldering – just plug it in and go. The LEDs are
mounted flush with the side, so you can connect
them horizontally to make a continuous display.
There are libraries to work with Python,
CircuitPython, and Arduino, so you should be able
to get up and running quickly with almost any
microcontroller as a host.
You can run this board at either 3.3 V or 5 V
– both power and logic. While most modern
microcontrollers are 3.3V, you can power the board at
5 V and still use this logic level. Adding the extra 1.7 V
of power makes a big difference
to how the LEDs look. 3.3 V isn’t
much above the forward voltage
Left
13 × 9 gives of the green and blue LEDs, and
enough space they struggle to get up to full
for some
complex effects brightness at the lower voltage.

112
 FIELD TEST

Left
Two STEMMA
QT ports mean
you can daisy-
chain I2C devices

Below
Cut or solder
jumpers to
change the I2C
address

BRIGHTNESS CONTROL vertically – well, OK, you can turn them on their side.
One feature we particularly like on this board is the You can’t tile them both horizontally and vertically
global current scaling setting. When you give an LED at the same time. However, it’s unlikely that you’d VERDICT
a value, the brightness is controlled through pulse- want to. If you’re looking to create a huge display, Cheap, easy-to-
width modulation (PWM), which means that the LED you’ll probably want to use hardware that you can use lights that
is flickered on and off faster than the eye can see update faster than you can with this matrix. you can tile
to make it appear bright (if it’s mostly on) or dim (if There is no such thing as the perfect LED solution horizontally.

9/ 10
it’s mostly off). The addition of the current scaling for all maker projects. While the Adafruit IS31FL3741
means that you can shift the brightness range up or does have some limitations, it’s also a great fit for
down. By turning the current scaling down, you can many projects.
have the full 8-bit brightness range on the dim side,
or by shifting it up, you can have the range on the
brighter side. This means you can adapt your display
to the environmental conditions and still have a wide
range of brightnesses to play with.
One bugbear of ours with many LED matrices
– particularly cheap ones – is the lack of mounting
holes. Yes, you can hot-glue them down, but that’s
not a particularly good solution. There are four
mounting holes on this, so you can attach it securely
to your project.
Another thing to really like about this display is the
price. At just under $15 for 117 LEDs, this is good
value, especially if you’re getting a few of them.
Of course, there are trade-offs for this approach.
While I2C is a reasonably fast protocol, it’s not super-
fast. Each LED is controlled individually, so if you’re
trying to change large numbers of LEDs quickly
(such as if you’re doing full-display animations), then
you might struggle.
The other significant trade-off is that while you can
tile these displays horizontally, you can’t tile them

113
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Raspberry Pi Build HAT
Many makers got their start with Lego. There’s
something about the fact that it’s easy to put two
bricks together, yet this simple process can lead to
huge and complex builds that fire the imagination.
This author vividly remembers the Lego Technic kit he
had as a child. There wasn’t much technology to the
Technic back then – a pair of motors and buttons –
but that was enough to let the creations come to life.
These days, technology is more accessible than
ever. The Raspberry Pi Build HAT lets makers add
a huge amount of processing power to their Lego
builds quickly and easily. We’re simultaneously
jealous of the young makers of today and excited to
see what they’ll do with these tools.