# The Tandy Train

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2025-02-12
- Length: 1h 10m
- Episode: 688
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/688-the-tandy-train/

## Summary

Dave Jones of EEVblog and Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics discuss the cash flow challenges of running a hardware business, specifically Jones's experience buying multimeters in bulk while the Australian dollar is weak. They explore the use of AI tools for generating OpenSCAD CAD files and solving circuit diagrams, noting the current limitations in precision. The conversation also covers the revival of the Pebble watch through the RePebble project and Google's open-sourcing of Pebble OS, alongside practical PCB manufacturing updates from JLCPCB regarding via capping and UV silk screen options.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=0) Introduction: Dave Jones and Chris Gammell
- [5:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=343) EEVblog Cash Flow and Multimeter Inventory
- [12:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=720) Vintage Test Equipment Collection and Curation
- [18:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=1110) Solar Installation and Energy Trading with Amber Energy
- [26:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=1566) AI-Generated OpenSCAD CAD and Circuit Solving
- [37:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=2278) The Return of Pebble and RePebble Project
- [43:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=2601) Tandy 200 Repair and Capacitor Forming
- [1:03:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train#t=3822) PCB Manufacturing: Via Capping and UV Silk Screen

## Topics

- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- EEVblog (company)
- Contextual Electronics (company)
- OpenSCAD (tool)
- OpenAI (company)
- Grok (tool)
- Pebble (product)
- RePebble (product)
- Google (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- Tandy 200 (product)
- Amber Energy (company)
- JLCPCB (company)
- PCBWay (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [062 - Keymap Rain Dance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2022-12-30-062-keymap-rain-dance) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [EP014: Keeping Raspberry's SD Card Alive, We Love MRRF, and How Hot Are Flip Chips?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-04-12-ep014-keeping-raspberrys-sd-card-alive-we-love-mrrf-and-how-hot-are-flip-chips) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [92: Everybody Behave, Please](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-03-11-92-everybody-behave-please) (Embedded.fm)
- [123: Banished from Running Linux](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-10-28-123-banished-from-running-linux) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-02-12-the-tandy-train. 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 The Amp Hour.