Making It · 28 Feb 2025 · 1h 25m
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the complexities of receiving free tools and equipment from manufacturers, highlighting the hidden costs of contracts, lack of support, and broken promises. Jimmy shares stories of being ghosted by Milwaukee and Crescent Tool despite prior agreements, while Bob details his frustration with Thunder Laser's lack of support for a gifted machine. David offers advice on negotiating contracts and using AI to review legal terms, emphasizing that nothing is truly free.
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Hosts Tom McKenna, Mike Pekovich, Matt Kinney, and Ben Streno answer listener questions on sharpening stones, budget vices, and fretsaw blades before welcoming guest Vic Tesolin. Tesolin discusses his 'tool bombs,' specifically a useless compass plane and an unused disc sander, while the hosts debate the utility of tool cabinet doors and recommend books like 'The Book of Shaker Furniture' and 'The Unknown Craftsman.'
Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss various hardware development challenges, including Jones's struggle with a New Haven Display that went out of stock after he designed it into his power supply project. They also cover Jones's frustration with IT Studios providing vague feedback on a PCB Gerber file, leading to production delays. The conversation extends to industry commentary on R&D spending, citing a Booz Allen study, and the ethical implications of buying and modifying knockoff Saleae logic analyzers.
Chris Gammell, a hardware educator and content creator, explains that he won a spot in the Google Glass Explorer Program but must pay $1,500 plus travel costs to receive the device. He and host Dave Jones discuss the business logic of Google using Foxconn for manufacturing in California, debating the merits of outsourcing versus owning production facilities. The conversation shifts to the risks of cloud-based tools, citing the shutdown of Tinkercad and registration walls at EE Times, before concluding with a review of audience survey data.
Dave Jones from EEVblog and Chris Gammell discuss the frustrations of using online component selection tools like WebMentional, which quote high-volume pricing that is inaccessible to prototypers, and the difficulties of sourcing parts directly from manufacturers. They critique the misleading metrics of electronics community platforms like Element14 and Design Spark, arguing that active user counts are vastly inflated compared to actual engagement. The hosts also debate the utility of SPICE simulation for complex analog designs, the historical evolution of capacitor unit notation, and the prevalence of free energy scams.
Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the lack of an online marketplace for custom LCDs, noting that while PCB prototyping is commoditized, custom displays require direct manufacturer engagement and high-volume orders to justify tooling costs. They also cover the discontinuation of Altium's Circuit Maker in favor of Upverter, the impact of 25% tariffs on electronic components and manufacturing equipment, and the release of KiCad 5 and CircuitPython 3. The conversation touches on hardware hacking games like NAND Game and Exapunks, and the challenges of teaching engineering to deaf students via ASL.
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