Ep101: Lasering and Milling Absolutely Everything

Hackaday Podcast · 15 Jan 2021 · 42m · Episode 101

What this episode covers

Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss a week of hardware hacks centered on laser and milling techniques. They cover a 20W fiber laser for PCB fabrication, a DIY vertical mill built from scrap, and a method for micromachining glass using laser-induced backside wet etching. The episode also explores an open-source ESP32-based laser tag system, a tool for mounting browser tabs as a Linux file system, and the technical details of NVMe storage interfaces.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Making It · 1h 00m

    Episode 229: Jimmy made a laser bandsaw.

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their recent projects, including Jimmy building a functional forge and a prototype laser bandsaw with Full Spectrum Laser. Bob Clagett details his acquisition of a stroke sander and his philosophy on investing in tools like joiners and redundant battery-powered grinders to save time. David Picciuto shares his experience as a pit crew chief for a sprint car race and his plans to attend a driving school.

  • OnTrack · 33m

    Chemical-Free PCB Production: How uFab is Changing Everything

    Tyler Richards, founder of uFab, explains how his company is revolutionizing PCB manufacturing with the PCBee system, a laser-based printer that produces multi-layer boards in under 4 hours without chemical etchants. Richards details the technology's ability to handle materials like FR-4, Rogers, and flex substrates with 2-mil feature sizes, addressing the supply chain disruptions of 2020 that inspired the venture. The discussion covers the economic and environmental benefits of eliminating hazardous waste, the technical challenges of plating and via drilling, and the potential for reshoring production to smaller, localized facilities.

  • The Electromaker Show · 27m

    Giant Lego 3D Printing, Self Soldering PCBs, new ESP32 C6 modules, and more!

    The host of The Electromaker Show reviews several maker projects, including Ralph S. Bacon’s exploration of wireless serial debugging, Carl Bugeja’s self-soldering PCB concept, and Ivan Miranda’s giant 3D-printed Lego go-kart. He also highlights the ZS Watch open-source smartwatch, the Puca DSP audio board, the FarPatch wireless debugger, and the newly announced ESP32 C6 module.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 14m

    Milling About

    Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics and Dave Jones of EEVblog discuss the practicalities of PCB milling, with Gammell sharing his experience using an Other Machine Co. mill and the safety risks of milling FR4 fiberglass. They analyze the economic viability of desktop CNC machines versus rapid prototyping services, noting that for most hobbyists, buying overnight PCBs is more cost-effective. The conversation also covers the new Avnet and Kickstarter partnership aimed at supporting hardware startups, which Jones criticizes as potentially misleading 'wank value' rather than a guarantee of success.

  • Making It · 1h 09m

    477: The Print Dialog Box

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the challenges of learning new hardware and software for their maker projects. Jimmy Diresta details his upcoming trip to Windy Hill Foundry to cast steel apples and his excitement for the new X-Tool MetalFab laser system. Bob Clagett shares his experience assembling a new 4x8 plasma cutter and Shapoko CNC, focusing on the software learning curve and hardware setup. David Picciuto explains his ongoing, iterative process of building a Casio keyboard, dealing with soldering unknowns and tube amplifier modifications.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Hackaday Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.