Ep 333: Nightmare Whiffletrees, 18650 Safety, and a Telephone Twofer

Hackaday Podcast · 15 Aug 2025 · 48m · Episode 333

What this episode covers

Hosts Elliot Williams and Kristina Panos discuss the 3D printing industry's shift toward patenting, James Brown's talking robot using IBM Selectric wiffle tree mechanics, and a PDP-1 replica built from PCBs. They analyze the safety risks of unprotected 18650 batteries in the WHY 2025 conference badge, review various hardware hacks including a fluid-simulation business card, and debate the hackability of modern smartphones and the history of early telephone media services.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 04m

    Use The Protection Circuit

    Dave Jones of EEV Blog and Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics discuss the technical and logistical challenges of hardware development. They detail a Gerber file compatibility issue with JLC PCB when using Altium's plane layers, the high cost of prototyping with custom components like transformers and connectors, and the critical safety implications of using unprotected 18650 lithium cells. The conversation also touches on the cancellation of the Open Source Hardware Summit in China, the rise of USB 4, and the precision required for home-milled PCBs.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 28m

    058 - Technically Met the Specs

    Eric Schlaepfer and Windell Oskay discuss their book 'Open Circuits,' detailing the process of cutting components in half with sandpaper and grinding wheels to reveal internal structures, while Jacob Creedon, Spencer Moss, Ken, and Will McGuiness share their perspectives on reverse engineering tools like IDA Pro and Ghidra, and the legal and social implications of technology. The group debates the future of AI, the validity of NFTs, and the importance of right-to-repair legislation, with Spencer Moss from Google and Ken from Somerset Recon highlighting the increasing complexity of hardware security. Mike Ryan from Ice 9 Consulting joins to discuss Bluetooth security, the obsolescence of passwords, and the dual-use nature of technology in the context of government regulation.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 11m

    Magical Fire Bags

    Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the engineering failures behind the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery explosions, attributing them to insufficient physical tolerance for battery swelling in a rigid aluminum enclosure. They analyze the rise and fall of Pebble and MakerBot as cautionary tales of startup hype and the risks of relying on third-party IoT service layers. The episode also covers the enduring relevance of the 8051 microcontroller, the complexity of historical chip documentation, and Ben Krasnow's use of off-the-shelf eBay components for rapid prototyping.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 08m

    Voltnuts for Flashlights

    Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the dangers of shorting batteries, using a melted toy switch to illustrate how low ESR components can fail catastically, and analyze an Apple LCD connector failure caused by moisture ingress and insufficient creepage distance. They debate whether electronics engineers can effectively handle mechanical design, citing Tesla's manufacturing inefficiencies and the value of specialized industrial designers. The conversation concludes with the closure of Make magazine, analyzing its failure as a result of venture capital pressure on a low-margin business model, and touches on industry consolidation involving Infineon, Cypress, and RISC-V.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 01m

    Our First Call In Show

    Hosts Dave Jones and Chris Gammell attempt their first call-in show, fielding questions from listeners on electronics design and ethics. They advise a caller on protecting low-level analog sensors from high-voltage induction in substations, troubleshoot I2C bus issues for a rocket stabilization prototype, and discuss the ethics of responsible disclosure for hardware security vulnerabilities with former guest Brandon Harris. The episode concludes with a discussion on the future of through-hole components for education and the challenges of judging the Hackaday Prize.

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.