# Ep 330: Hover Turtles, Dull Designs, and K'nex Computers

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2025-07-25
- Length: 1h 00m
- Episode: 330
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers
- Listen: https://hackaday.com/2025/07/25/hackaday-podcast-episode-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers/

## Summary

Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Al Williams discuss recent community hacks, including Fiona Bell and Leah Bukley’s paste extrusion of glass and eggshells, John Duffy’s bespoke Raspberry Pi multimeter, and Shadow Man 39’s 8-bit mechanical computer built from K’Nex. They also analyze the industrial design stagnation in modern smartphones and the complex logistics of the North American cold chain infrastructure. The episode covers the failure of AI coding tools, USB-C power delivery hacks, and a lock-picking robot that failed due to mechanical binding.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=2) Introduction: Vibe Coding Failure and AI Interns
- [13:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=785) What's That Sound: Steve Reich's Pendulum Music
- [13:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=821) Paste Extrusion: Glass and Eggshells by Hand and Machine
- [23:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=1413) John Duffy's Bespoke Raspberry Pi Multimeter
- [27:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=1642) USB-C Power Delivery Trigger Board and Legacy Connectors
- [32:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=1944) Shadow Man 39's 8-Bit Mechanical K'Nex Computer
- [35:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=2112) Sparks and Code's Lock Picking Robot and Mechanical Binding
- [43:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=2605) Quick Hacks: Camera Rangefinder, Soft Robots, and VHS Player
- [47:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=2845) The Death of Industrial Design in Modern Smartphones
- [52:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers#t=3147) Dan Maloney's North American Cold Chain Infrastructure

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Replet (tool)
- MPC (tool)
- Hand and Machine (company)
- K'Nex (product)
- John Duffy (other)
- Shadow Man 39 (other)
- Sparks and Code (other)
- Robert Morrison (other)
- HP 545 A (product)
- Maya Pasha (other)
- Dan Maloney (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [469: It’s My Fault, But Also Your Fault](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-01-31-469-its-my-fault-but-also-your-fault) (Making It)
- [Can AI Design IoT Hardware? | Flux's Matthias Wagner | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-04-14-can-ai-design-iot-hardware-fluxs-matthias-wagner-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [81: Two of Those People Can't Be Ducks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-12-17-81-two-of-those-people-cant-be-ducks) (Embedded.fm)
- [033 - All Over the Place](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-04-27-033-all-over-the-place) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [125: Pikachu Phone Cases](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2025-07-08-125-pikachu-phone-cases) (Thoroughly Considered)

## Citing this page

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