# Ep 346: Melting Metal in the Microwave, Unlocking Car Brakes and Washing Machines, and a Series of Tubes

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2025-11-21
- Length: 55m
- Episode: 346
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines
- Listen: https://hackaday.com/2025/11/21/hackaday-podcast-episode-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines-and-a-series-of-tubes/

## Summary

Hosts Elliot Williams and Dan Maloney review the 2025 Component Abuse Challenge winners, including Luke Barker's slip ring and Craig D's voltage boosting hack. They discuss reverse engineering a 20-year-old Miele washing machine via an IRDA diagnostic port, the Right-to-Repair challenges posed by Hyundai and the National Automotive Service Task Force, and Martin Pitterman's FMCW ultrasonic sensor. The episode also covers Denny's microwave metal casting, Pegor K's tiny ESP32 board, and Al Williams' articles on the US penny and pneumatic tubes.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=1) News: Component Abuse Challenge and Internet Archive Milestone
- [7:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=478) Reverse Engineering a Miele Washing Machine via IRDA
- [15:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=929) Right-to-Repair: Hyundai Brake Pad Paywalls
- [19:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=1197) FMCW Ultrasonic Sensor by Martin Pitterman
- [26:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=1575) Microwave Metal Casting by Denny
- [31:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=1906) Smallest ESP32 Dev Board by Pegor K
- [37:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=2277) WWII Survey Teams and Quick Hacks
- [45:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines#t=2719) Can't Miss Articles: Pennies and Pneumatic Tubes

## Topics

- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Miele (company)
- Hyundai (company)
- ESP32 (chip)
- RP2040 (chip)
- SR04 (product)
- Digi-Key (company)
- Internet Archive (company)
- Harbor Freight (company)
- Low Tech Magazine (company)
- Chaos Communication Congress (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [058 - Technically Met the Specs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2022-06-15-058-technically-met-the-specs) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [004 - 0x0FF the Rails](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2017-10-13-004-0x0ff-the-rails) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [74: All of Us Came in Sixth](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-10-29-74-all-of-us-came-in-sixth) (Embedded.fm)
- [077 - The Beatbox Diversion](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2026-01-09-077-the-beatbox-diversion) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [053 - It's Hammer Time!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2021-12-16-053-its-hammer-time) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-21-ep-346-melting-metal-in-the-microwave-unlocking-car-brakes-and-washing-machines. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Hackaday Podcast.