Pimp My 3D Printer: Part 2 – AM8 Conversion

In 2018, I bought my first and only 3D-printer: The Anet “Firestarter” A8 DIY kit. A few months later, I wrote a post about what upgrades and modifications I did to this printer (No more firestarter). Now, in 2022, I once again upgraded this printer. Like the Ship of Theseus, at what point does it stop being the original printer?… Read More →

Building a Laser Cutter: Part 6 – Focus Aid

My laser cutter is working perfectly. However, depending on the thickness of the material being cut, the focus of the laser lens needs to be adjusted. This is done by turning the lens screw in front of the laser, which is both finicky and imprecise. To improve this situation, I 3D-printed a small focus-lever with a scale. First things first,… Read More →

AVR ISP Programmer

Like many makers, I took my first steps in hardware programming using the Arduino platform. And just as Atmel Microchip hoped, I am still pretty faithful to the AVR platform today. To program AVR microchips, you need some kind of (USB) programmer. I opted for a cheap USBasp clone, because it is cheap but still reliable. However, you still have… Read More →

Pimp My 3D Printer

Adventures in tuning my Anet-A8 3D Printer. About a year ago, I purchased a rather inexpensive “DIY” 3D printer kit directly from the country that sells everything; China. My model of choice was the “Anet-A8” printer, due to its low price and big online support community. Not only the price and support led to my decision, but also the potential… Read More →

The Steampunk Wristwatch

Recently, I visited an Anime and Cosplay convention. Although I rarely watch any Anime, I do enjoy crafting costumes and in particular steampunk-esque things. Of course, I could not let the opportunity pass. So I decided to dress up as a steampunk gentleman. Nixie Tubes I always wanted to build something with Nixie tubes. Those are cathode vacuum tubes, which… Read More →