TGIMBOEJ? TGIMBOEJ? TGIMBOEJ!!

Well met traveller! I am but a simply bard wandering from shire to shire singing tales of glories long past! Be merry friend for this is the heralded meadowlands of the great TGIMBOEJ! What? You know not of The TGIMBOEJ? Then I have much to tell you! You see The TGIMBOEJ initially appears to be a small unassuming cardboard box.  However when opened it’s true nature is revealed, the box contains a large assortment of random electronic components as well as two page document! No ordinary scroll this,  for on this hallowed document  simple directions on how to use the TGIMBOEJ along with a table of previous TGIMBOEJ users are written. The weilder is directed, compelled even, to take out small parts and replace them with various parts of his/her own then send the box to the next person on the list! Currently the TGIMBOEJ is in the caring hands of the Harford Hackerspace,  it being bestowed upon them not too long ago.

Rumor says that they have selected several motors and several pumps as well as a USB barcode reader from TGIMBOEJ! Wise choices! What will they replace them with you ask? Such knowledge is known only to the next worthy possessor of the mighty TGIMBOEJ! Perhaps it will be you traveller…

Netduino Class Wrap-Up

We would like to thank all of the participants who came out and made the Netduino Class a huge success. This was the first class we hosted and we received excellent reviews from the class survey. Here is what some our participants said:

“It was fun. There was enough equipment and it was all in good condition and 
well organized.”

“It was groundbreaking! Netduino is “three weeks old” (or out on the market at least.) 
and we got a chance to talk to the “creator” of the product. What’s not to like.”

Enjoy the video montage!

Cheap logic analyzer (ELSA100)

I recently purchased this logic analyzer.  It’s a clone of the Saleae logic analyzer.  Available for 50$ here with 10 mini grabbers.  It appears to perform exactly like the Saleae except its noticeably larger.  It even uses Saleae’s software.  It does ship from over seas, and might take a little while but it did arrive, and had free shipping.

The cable that ships with it doesn’t have wires broken out for the power supply pins, but it appears there are 2 extra pins, 3.3v and 5v power sources.  I’ll have to see about adding 2 more pins to the connector to utilize them.  The factory cable has 8 logic wires, and 2 grounds, but the connector has lots of extra spots for wires, extra grounds and those power supply pins.

Anyway, you can’t beat the price.  Oh it’s also supported by Sigrok, an open source logic analyzer that is multi platform.

IKEA weekend light fixture hack

In my sons nursery, we have the changing table against the wall.  The problem is the only light in the room is in the middle of the room from a ceiling fan.  So basically while your changing him you are blocking the light with your body.

So me and the wife went looking for a light to add to his changing table, we found one at IKEA that we like but it’s a ceiling mount light with 3 individual 35 watt flood bulbs, with cartoonish fish as the housings.  I’m not about to drill a hole in the ceiling and install a wall switch (as the instructions state it’s supposed to be installed), so we looked around for something else but nothing caught our eye.

I decided to just get this fixture, and hack it.

In the lighting section of IKEA they have some DIY lamp kit, I just needed a cord since I’m going to be plugging this in the wall, and they’re pretty cheap.  So I grabbed the neon green one since it looks cool.

First thing I did was open everything up to see what we are dealing with…

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