Ep 385: 3D Printers with Lasers, Wicked RAM Prices, and Reverse Polish Notation

Hackaday Podcast · 4 Sept 2026 · 1h 08m · Episode 385

What this episode covers

Hosts Elliot Williams and Jenny List discuss a variety of hardware hacks, including a 3D printer modified with blue lasers to smooth FDM prints by remelting layers, and an air conditioning unit tricked into cooling more effectively by heating its external temperature sensor. They also cover the impact of high RAM prices on single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi, leading some manufacturers to stop shipping devices, and explore alternative operating systems such as Haiku, ReactOS, and AROS. The episode concludes with a deep dive into PETG filament properties and an overview of Reverse Polish Notation calculators, including a teardown of a Sinclair Cambridge.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Electromaker Show · 23m

    Raspberry Pi 500, Robot Roadies, Huge 3d Printers and Car Hacking!

    Host Ian discusses Christopher Barnett's 'Raspberry Pi 500' build, which repurposes an Atari 500 case for a Raspberry Pi 5, and announces Cooper Rox2 as the winner of the Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense Rev 2 competition. The episode covers Dexterity Robotics' automation of truck loading, the WiSer wireless serial project on Crowd Supply, and Elegoo's massive OrangeStorm Giga 3D printer. Finally, Ian reviews a car CAN bus hacking project using Blues Wireless Note Carrier F and an Adafruit M4 CAN board.

  • The Electromaker Show · 34m

    Incredible LoRa and 3d Printing Breakthroughs, Best SBCs for AI, and more!

    Host Ian discusses two breakthrough maker projects: Charles Law's (CNLohr) 'Lalra' LoRa transmission without a dedicated radio chip, and Green Boy 3D's affordable pellet extruder retrofit for 3D printers. He also reviews Robin Mitchell's guide to the best Single Board Computers (SBCs) for AI, covering boards like the Raspberry Pi 5, Nvidia Jetson Orin, and Arduino Portenta X8.

  • The Electromaker Show · 30m

    New Arduino Board, No More Pi Shortages, Absurdly Tiny Resin Printers, and More!

    The host discusses the end of Raspberry Pi supply chain shortages, noting that single-unit sales are returning but prices for the Pi 0 and Compute Module 4 have increased. He highlights December's Electromaker of the Month winners, including a soft body robotics hand by Blight 3D28 and a LoRaWAN soil sensor by Maker Fabs 01. The episode also covers new hardware such as the Lite 3DP Gen 2 resin printer, an Adafruit RP2040 Neopixel driver board, and the Arduino Nicla Voice edge AI module.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 03m

    83: The First Time I Was Electrocuted

    Mark Johnson, the anonymous creator of the open-source Raman Pi spectrometer, discusses building a low-cost Raman spectroscopy device using a Raspberry Pi, 3D printed parts, and off-the-shelf components. He details the technical challenges of aligning optics, selecting a linear CCD over the Raspberry Pi camera module, and managing the intense documentation and video production required for the Hackaday Prize. Johnson also shares his background in electronics surplus and his fascination with high-voltage hobbyist projects like fusors.

  • The Electromaker Show · 29m

    Hacked E-Paper Price Tags, Raspberry Pi MCU Dev HAT, Arduino Robot Arm, and More!

    The host reviews several maker projects and products, including a hack of e-ink price tags from Maker's Fun Duck and a low-cost flex sensor alternative using an LDR created by a student at Gord Payne's High School. He announces the November Electromaker of the Month winners, highlighting Liminus Reductor's modular robot dog, a plant-identifying wrist device by 'donuts or else', and a hexabit-based distance meter. The episode also covers new hardware releases such as the Inkplate 2 e-paper kit, a Raspberry Pi prototyping breakout kit on Kickstarter, Elephant Robotics' Arduino-based Ultra Arm P340, and the Raspberry Pi Camera Module v3.

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.