{"id":40838,"date":"2023-01-24T12:50:43","date_gmt":"2023-01-24T19:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=40838"},"modified":"2023-01-26T12:46:44","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T19:46:44","slug":"maker-updates-favorite-tips-and-projects-from-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/maker-updates-favorite-tips-and-projects-from-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Maker Update\u2019s Favorite Tips and Projects from 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Gareth\u2019s Tips, Tools, and Shop Tales is published by Cool Tools Lab. To receive the newsletter a week early, sign up&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/garstips.substack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve embedded some of the videos into this newsletter rather than linking to them.&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:garethbranwyn@mac.com?subject=tips\">Let me know<\/a>&nbsp;if you have a preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Maker Update\u2019s Favorite Tips and Projects from 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F217ea3f6-7f60-426e-b707-d47ac3228499_877x444.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F217ea3f6-7f60-426e-b707-d47ac3228499_877x444.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tyler<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Donald<\/strong>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<em>Maker Update<\/em>&nbsp;have a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Bcpz1bi7Uek\">casual conversation<\/a>&nbsp;about what some of their favorite maker projects and tips were for last year. Projects include&nbsp;<strong>David Blair\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/makezine.com\/projects\/freaky-fractals-hd-video-feedback-machine\/\">Freaky Fractals<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/rVzwHwN4-V0\">AI-Based Dog Poop Laser Targeting System<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mTK8dIBJIqg&amp;t=0s\">Real-Life Subtitles<\/a>. Favorite tips and tools include&nbsp;<strong>Becky Stern\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/beckystern.com\/2022\/05\/29\/portable-soldering-station\/\">Portable Soldering Station<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/xw8DCnuFwkE\">How To Make Vintage Hand-Painted Signs with a Laser Cutter<\/a>, and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ra_9zU-mnl8\">Gridfinity<\/a>&nbsp;3D printable storage system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Arduino I\/O<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_51303\"  width=\"480\" height=\"270\"  data-origwidth=\"480\" data-origheight=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iw63hngE75g?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Becky Stern<\/strong>&nbsp;is back with another of her excellent Digi-Key electronics tutorials. In this one, she covers the basics of Arduino input and output, both analog and digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Taking a Closer Look at the Fiskars Pro Folding Knife<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_94260\"  width=\"480\" height=\"270\"  data-origwidth=\"480\" data-origheight=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KE4ME3D9KLM?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Earlier this month,\u00a0<strong>Todd<\/strong>\u00a0at\u00a0<em>Project Farm<\/em>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/HV2nMU1pC5Y\">tested folding utility knives<\/a>. He ended up recommending the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/pTYxAZ\">Fiskars Utility Pro<\/a>. As often happens, in the wake of his review, the price of the knife skyrocketed from $13 to $31 on Amazon. In this\u00a0<em>DIY Tool Reviews<\/em>\u00a0video, they do a more in-depth review of the tool and compare it to a Milwaukee Fastback. They were skeptical at first, but the Fiskars wins them over. And the good news is, the knife is now\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/hHPNt\">back to $13<\/a>\u00a0on Amazon. I just ordered one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q-Tips Polisher for a Rotary Tool<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb056cd45-d28e-499d-a2ac-ac9ac4689679_479x352.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb056cd45-d28e-499d-a2ac-ac9ac4689679_479x352.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>From jeweler&nbsp;<strong>Connor Enright\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CnjGKyTjSVW\/?igshid=OTRmMjhlYjM%3D\">Instagram feed<\/a>:<\/em><br><br>\u201dDid you know that the shaft of a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/dqTp\">Q-tip<\/a>&nbsp;fits your standard slip fit flexshaft? I cut mine down to about an inch to get rid of most of the flex in the Q-tip. You can then either use them straight away, or if you want more rigidity, soak the paper shaft of the Q-tip in superglue\/PVA, and let dry fully before inserting into the flex shaft. This will also stop any runaway fibers getting caught in the handpiece. Then it\u2019s on to a healthy charge of Luxi&#8217;s red compound before polishing the bowl of this teeny spoon to a mirror finish. This one may be obvious, but it has been a real lifesaver for me when needed! Next up to try are the micro COVID test swabs!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips for 3D Printing Parts for the Gridfinity Storage System<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_74702\"  width=\"480\" height=\"270\"  data-origwidth=\"480\" data-origheight=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KtbKwAuwv9s?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Zack Freedman<\/strong>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<em>Voidstar Lab<\/em>&nbsp;released his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ra_9zU-mnl8\">Gridfinity<\/a>&nbsp;3D printed workshop organization system last year and other makers have really taken to it, creating&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.printables.com\/search\/all?q=Gridfinity\">dozens<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thingiverse.com\/search?q=Gridfinity&amp;page=1&amp;type=things&amp;sort=relevant\">dozens<\/a>&nbsp;of custom storage solutions to use with it. In this&nbsp;<em>Next Layer<\/em>&nbsp;video,&nbsp;<strong>Jonathan<\/strong>&nbsp;runs through 9 tips he\u2019s come up with in working with the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Zip Tie Top Tips &amp; Tricks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdf5da676-67d7-46c0-9048-91e7b5e1a049_770x432.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdf5da676-67d7-46c0-9048-91e7b5e1a049_770x432.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Over on Hack-a-Day,&nbsp;<strong>Al Williams<\/strong>&nbsp;has gathered&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/hackaday.com\/2023\/01\/05\/excuse-me-your-tie-is-unzipped\/\">a round-up<\/a>&nbsp;of videos and other information on how to get the most from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/nPVRGxJ\">the lowly zip tie<\/a>. He also touches on the history of this indispensable attachment tech and recommends getting a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/xBbW86\">zip tie gun<\/a>&nbsp;if you\u2019re doing a lot of tying work and need a consistently tight connection. [Via&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ea0FmFwqmHE\">Maker Update<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Life Hacks: Phonecam Shopping Reminders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdafd586f-f58e-4302-84f5-70a6245d3cfe_1000x861.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdafd586f-f58e-4302-84f5-70a6245d3cfe_1000x861.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"662\" height=\"570\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s yet another notational use for your phone. Does this happen to you: You see that a lightbulb is burned out or you run out of something in the kitchen. You think to put it on a shopping list, but you forget. Later, making that list, you think back and try to remember what that thing was that you needed. Next time, take photos of what you need and then look through your phone images when you\u2019re placing your order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Notable Quotables<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBuy once, cry once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An old saying (which goes back at least as far as the 1920s) about the value of buying the best tools you can afford. You might cry over the money you spend, but you\u2019re less likely to be crying over the failures of a cheap tool later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shop Talk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Responding to a piece I wrote&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/garstips.substack.com\/p\/gareths-tips-tools-and-shop-tales-22-10-08\">on maintenance,<\/a>&nbsp;where I said \u201cThe other day, while oiling a squeaky hinge with some lithium grease, I flashed on my granddad,&#8221;&nbsp;<strong>Paco Hidalgo<\/strong>&nbsp;wrote:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHow did you apply viscous lithium grease to you hinges? Did you disassemble the door from its hinges? Or did you try my fast simple method, mixing the grease with Naphtha and dribbling it down the barrel of the hinge in place?\u201d<br><br>I use the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/epbOH2\">Liquid Wrench spray lithium grease<\/a>. It works well, but is a little a messy (foamy) and I\u2019m sure not nearly as penetrative as grease mixed with naptha.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gar&#8217;s Tips &#038; Tools &#8211; Issue #145<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13684,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[2371],"tags":[2372],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40838"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13684"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40838"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40859,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40838\/revisions\/40859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}