January 01, 2025
Basketball backboard camera gives real-time workout cues
ai training coach, basketball camera, backboard mounted camera, real-time coaching, airpods coaching, shot tracking, hits and misses tracking, fisheye lens, player tracking, ball tracking, dribbling feedback, spin move, left wing shooting stats, bank shots drill, phone in pocket or on floor, sports technology, computer vision, training app controls, multi-player on court, attach detach camera, conflict with music, workout moves, basketball practice, skill development, coaching cues
January 02, 2025
Measurements for a 3D-printed guitar mount
dodge ram headrest bracket, headrest bracket, ram 3500, 2024 ram 3500, 3d printed mount, 3d printing, guitar mount, car seat headrest, driver-side headrest, measurements, 130mm, 48mm, 65mm, 11.93mm, clearance, seat back angle, bracket design, mounting bracket, vehicle accessory, sketch dimensions, highlighted face
January 03, 2025
A shirt that awkwardly finishes your sentences
interruptor shirt, interrupter shirt, shirt microphone speaker, awkward interruption, finish sentences, talking over people, wearable device, wearable tech, concept gadget, power button, shirt clip, microphone, speaker, social satire, comedy sketch, Ricky Gervais, The Office, British accent joke, headache, migraines, coffee, caffeine addiction, trails off, philosophical pause, conversation interruption
January 04, 2025
Chess-programming game where the queen updates piece code
queen of ai, chess programming game, programmable chess pieces, piece code updates, queen sphere of influence, 64x64 board, 7x7 influence square, 7-square movement limit, turn order queen moves then updates, all pieces move at once, army advances as a unit, custom chess rules, pawns move any direction, no castling, no en passant, bishop limited move, rook limited move, knight same as chess, game design sketch, pawnTakeTurn, gameState, moveDirection
January 05, 2025
A dual-bowl food system that forces a choice
dog bowl, dual-bowl, pet feeding system, choice mechanism, choose wisely, cheddar, beef, Moose, scale detects removal, locking mechanism, food preference test, power button, training behavior, dog training, pet product concept, prototype sketch, interactive feeder, humorous invention, Jan 5 sketch
January 06, 2025
Workout board with light-up buttons and weight sensors
balance buddy, workout board, balance training, light-up buttons, weight sensors, foot placement, hand tap buttons, speaker cues, rhythm, scoring, instructions, leg muscles, jump muscles, slow strength, calf raise, rock back onto heels, toe balance, squat, jump training, knee tucks, joules, energy measurement, fitness device concept, interactive exercise platform
January 07, 2025
Robot measures hair length and maintains it
haircut robot, robot barber, hair length measurement, automatic hair trimming, tape measure, hair saw, maintain hairstyle, recut hair ends weekly, mapping hair lengths, crawls around your head, at-home grooming robot, lice killer, personal grooming tech, robotic haircut, hair maintenance, sketch, concept design, jan 7
January 08, 2025
A way of playing 3v3 quickly in the barn
barn-ball, rules, 3v3, basketball, barn, outlet wall, cross court, full-court, pass in, clock does not stop, hoop toggles colors, blue side, green side, flip when ball hits wall, self pass, long passes, change of possession, whistle, swap sides, issues and questions, turning at high speed, shot clock, game design
January 09, 2025
Fictional pickup-truck mod for killing zombies, not getting stuck
crowd killer truck, pickup truck modification, zombie, blade, swivel, support cylinder, tension, 1000 pounds of tension, spring back, barricade, parked vehicle, tree, front-mounted blades, vehicle design sketch, fictional book, movie concept, weaponized truck, truck trap prevention, concept art, diagram, handwritten notes
January 10, 2025
A chess-like screensaver with reproduction, food, and queens
primordial chess life, chess simulation, screensaver concept, evolutionary game, piece reproduction, queens, genes language, conditional rules, food pellets, energy level, rook orientation, attack rules, movement cost, killing queen, adoption mechanic, random function, agent behavior, grid board, cellular automaton, genetic algorithm, rule-based AI, game design notes, programming pseudocode, reproduction constraints, twin creation, followers, addendum 2025-01-12
January 11, 2025
Exploration into keeping an object moving
perpetual motion ramp, ramp concept, electromagnet, hidden electromagnet, magnet, tech deck, fingerboard, button magnet, speed sensor, position sensor, keeping an object moving, pulled by electromagnet, repelled to ollie, motion control, sketch, concept design, physics experiment
January 12, 2025
Workout device that lowers tennis balls from ceiling
whack-a-ball, tennis balls, ceiling device, workout device, jumping exercise, punching, hanging balls, battery motor, exercise tracking, measurable exercise, coordination, relative positions, tangles, easy to break, battery changes, app idea, reward for jumping, striking object, concept sketch, product design, deeply flawed
January 13, 2025
A way to connect one’s screen to others’
distributed web, interface design, teleportation zone, screen sharing, peer connection, connect to strangers, manual connection settings, host and join, partner code, url bar, time until next teleport, primordial life, web experiment, networked interaction, collaboration UI, Malgorithms, daily sketch, Jan 13
January 14, 2025
A box jump that detects speed and safe landings
bj buddy, box jump, pressure detection, safe landing, jump training, step-down, left-right alternation, rhythm game, clicking rhythm, beep tone, happy click, buzzes when failing, fitness device, workout feedback, sensor box, training aid, speed detection, landing detection, balance, coordination, start here
January 15, 2025
Vests and balls for a fun game of tag
ball-tag vests, tag game, wearable tech, vest, shirt, tennis ball, mesh-like metal, metal mesh, sensing, sensor, battery, lights, light-up, reset button, 5 seconds, game equipment, interactive clothing, wearable game, electronics, concept sketch
January 16, 2025
Progressive survivor-like game with programmable upgrades
high seas survivor, survivor-like game, programmable upgrades, killer seagulls, javascript editor, game design, custom behavior, default behavior, upgrade system, gulls swarm nearest enemy, scout mode, cannons, waves, boat game, wind info, enemy targeting, target coordinates, target object, program your own seagulls, progressive game, roguelite mechanics
January 17, 2025
A movable roof for the Gator + 3046R
shed on wheels, movable roof, gator, 3046r, mobile shed, wheeled frame, cross bracing, bracing, ramp floor, board snaps into place, snap in out board, trailer alternative, structural strength, design sketch, utility vehicle cover, portable shelter
January 18, 2025
3D-printable Gridfinity-compatible marble run blocks with magnets
modular marble run, gridfinity, 3d printable, marble run parts, snap-in ramps, button magnets, magnetic inserts, alternating magnetic fields, gridfinity base plates, 42mm, 7mm, block multiples, elbow tunnel, groove block, snapped together, magnetic connection, modular blocks, 3d printing design, toy design, mechanical design
January 19, 2025
Art installation: iron ball drops to a heartbeat cadence
heart of stone, art installation, iron ball, stone block, heartbeat cadence, remote data source, kinetic sculpture, motor and computer, belt mechanism, dropping mechanism, sound impact, physical computing, interactive art, data-driven art, concept sketch, installation design, Jan 19
January 20, 2025
An electronic art piece
triple magnetic pendulum, magnetic pendulum, electronic art piece, electromagnets, electro-magnets, pendulum design, kinetic sculpture, magnetic weight, holes and bearings, peg and washers, swing clearance, vertical clearance, arms not to scale, 12 inch arms, activity lights, mechanical linkage, art installation, kinetic art, electronics, design notes
January 21, 2025
4v4/3v3 half-court basketball rules to encourage spacing and fitness
halfcourt blitz, basketball game, half-court, 4v4, 3v3, game rules, court spacing, clearing the ball, change of possession, steals, two passes, three players, outside 3-point line, defense burpee, burpees, pushups penalty, missed three-pointer, offensive rebound, game to 11, win by 1, losers outs, fitness, speed, exercise, shooting strategy, pickup basketball, training drill
January 22, 2025
Robotic man throws a tantrum and complains
check me out im weird, robotic man, tantrum, lying on the floor, pounds his fists, complains about nonsense, i can still smell the perfume, perfume, coney island, no one laughed, 3 min later, jan 22, wed, sketch, cartoon, weird humor, robot humor, daily drawing, handwritten note, comic caption
January 23, 2025
House rules board that changes every 5 mins
barn ball board, house rules board, changing rules, rules locked in, only, swishes, banks, weak hand, no dribbles, game design, sports game, basketball rules, interactive board, wooden board, oak, lenses recessed, protection, different stain separator, battery pack, switch, electronics integration, product design
January 24, 2025
A grooved loop track with sensor-activated electromagnets
perpetual motion, ramp, grooved loop track, sensor-activated electromagnets, electromagnets, proximity sensors, magnets, magnet track, loop track, battery, computer, concept sketch, mechanism design, kinetic device, energy
January 25, 2025
3D-printable pegs and holes for modular structures
construction toolkit, brainstorm, 3d printing, 3d-printed connectors, modular construction, pegs and holes, cylinders, edges in 3d space, fit together, easy to print, no supports, supportless printing, labeled holes and pegs, arbitrary angle, print in one piece, 45 degree holes, test programs, cube, tetrahedron, dodecahedron, sphere from random connections, christmas tree, multiple colors, print flat on a plate, large art projects
January 26, 2025
A silly JavaScript in 2D playground
programmable mites, javascript, 2d playground, code blocks, run block, execute string, visual programming, tile-based programming, block language, game mechanic, code flow, attack, move, copy, rotate, is-empty, conditional if, curly braces, dot operator, variable name, literal, string length limit, 25 chars, error handling, agents, mites, grid world, diagram, arrows, flow east
January 27, 2025
A really killer stupid idea (razor-blade frisbee)
ultimate deathbee, razor blades, frisbee, aerobie, 3d printed, dangerous idea, blade slots, blades pointed out, off-the-shelf, concept sketch, weapon joke, dark humor, ring disc, projectile, design note, jan 27, monday
January 28, 2025
A data collecting system for skiing
ski proximity sensors, skiing data collection, proximity sensors, distance measurement, multi-axis accelerometer, sensor tabs, ski position tracking, 2D position solving, 3D position solving, triangulation, skis geometry, motion tracking, wearable sensors, sports technology, inertial measurement, IMU, sensor network
January 29, 2025
Push-button booth that generates and selects AI roasts
boldspeech 2025, ai roasts, push this button, free roast, computer takes a pic, ai comedians, ai judges, voting panel, revise and vote again, speaker roasts, interactive kiosk, photo capture, button interface, roast generator, comedy writing, human speaker output, design concept, jan 29, wed
January 30, 2025
Auto-tuning string instrument for freestyle rhythm playing
music matrix, auto-tuning instrument, string instrument, auto-winder, harmonize, freestyle rhythm, rhythm playing, string tightening, peg tightens, adaptive tuning, vibrating strings, plucks a note, bend a single string, make a beat, instrument design, concept sketch, musical interface, experimental music tech, sound cool, jan 30
January 31, 2025
A single self-plucking string
single note, self-plucking string, pick flicker, servo tightens loosens, change note, microphone hears note, vibration Hz sensor, daisy chaining power, snapping boards, different length boards, mute a note, bend note, pluck speed, string instrument, modular instrument, physical computing, sound synthesis, mechanical music, robotic instrument, music device concept, Jan 31, Friday
February 01, 2025
A traditional spin wheel for deciding basketball rules
basketball prize wheel, spin wheel, basketball rules, removable placards, magnetic backs, magnets on back, support board mountable anywhere, aluminum peg, wheel segments, bank shots, weak shots, shot rules, game modifier wheel, DIY game prop, basketball training game, pegs, 32 magnets, 24 magnets, placards, wheel design, rule selector
February 02, 2025
A sound-driven jumping workout
jumpzilla, sound-driven workout, jumping workout, pressure sensors, sensor mat, force over time, hangtime, calibration to weight, crouch jump, landing smoothness, audio feedback, force to frequency, left right speakers, difficulty selection, duration selection, tap right foot, tap left foot, target jump sounds, accuracy score, workout summary, interactive fitness, gameified exercise, platform speakers, real-time sound conversion
February 03, 2025
Printable plate layout for ESP32, battery, and converter
esp32, 12v layout, 12v to 5v converter, battery pack, printable plate, mounting plate, electronics enclosure, terminals, wiring diagram, qwiic hub, oled screen, 8 channel relay module, elegoo, esp32 thing plus, LY-KT846, power distribution, ground, 5v rail, 12v rail, mechanical layout, dimensions, hole diameter, phi 4.25mm
February 04, 2025
Platform where steel balls roll but never hit walls
perpetual motion ramp, perpetual motion, ramp, steel balls, electromagnets, lidar, platform, balls rolling, avoid walls, magnetic control, motion control, top-down view, from above, diagram, concept sketch, physics idea, kinetic motion, magnet array, lidar puck, Feb 4
February 05, 2025
Wearable fighting game shirts that taunt and react
battleshirts, wearable tech, interactive clothing, smart shirt, esp32, touch sensors, speaker, taunts, fighting game, battle shirts, haptic poke, strike detection, screaming shirt, team fights, brawl, collect them all, rad design, fabric friendly wiring, power button, light, computer module, do not launder, game concept, prototype, electronic textile, e-textiles
February 06, 2025
A tapping chopstick with adjustable length/frequency
drummin fingers, drumming fingers, tapping chopstick, chopstick tapper, variable length, frequency control, higher frequency, lower frequency, rubber wheel, motor, two motors, independent motors, mechanism sketch, table tapping, rhythm machine, percussion, BPM, syncing multiple, mechanical music, robotic percussion, kinetic design
February 07, 2025
Airtag in epoxy, buoyant; x10 idea
helium balloon, airtag, mission, buoyant, epoxy, tracker, floating, experiment, prototype, design idea, x10, balloon tether
February 08, 2025
Extending Game of Life with long-range oscillatory effects
conways infinite life, conway's game of life, cellular automaton, game of life, long-range interaction, speed of light, c equals infinity, neighbor effects, E(A), influence function, oscillatory kernel, cos(d f), inverse square, distance d(A,B), sqrt(13), stability, survival threshold, birth threshold, gliders, machines, global coupling, local stability, information propagation, wave frequency f, effect vs distance graph, infinite-range game of life
February 09, 2025
A reaction time tester
react board, reaction time tester, reaction time, touch sensor, tap, left hand, right hand, lights red, turns green, best last median tries, median, best score, tries counter, 100ms delay, reset values, double tap, user interface, interaction design, hardware concept, game device, reflex training
February 10, 2025
A cube that flips itself upright when left alone
self-righting cube, this side up, this end up, cube flips upright, motorized weight, accelerometer, ESP, battery, internal mechanism, spins on axis, jerk the weight, self-righting object, orientation control, inertial actuation, robotics concept, embedded electronics, kinematics, torque, balance, design sketch, prototype idea
February 11, 2025
Recursive 3D-printed tree with rotating joints and fruit
3d tree, 3d printed tree, recursive tree, procedural generation, modular pieces, L type piece, Y type piece, fruit type piece, rotating joints, no print supports, powers of f, scaling factor, f = 0.99, integer piece names, branching structure, tree diagram, assembly before gluing, thorny abstract fruit, parametric design, 3d printing design
February 12, 2025
Concept sketch with e-ink display showing jump score and weight
smart weighted vest, weighted vest, e-ink display, jump score, auto detected weights, metal weight rods, 1 kg weights, kilograms, fitness wearable, wearable technology, training vest, display mockup, concept sketch, smart fitness gear, Feb 12
February 13, 2025
Concept for a wheel-mounted drum sequencer with LEDs
drum kit steering wheel, wheel-mounted controller, drum sequencer, LED ring, instrument buttons, BPM control, volume control, 4 channels, 64 LEDs, 4 measures, 4 beats, time and note, snap-on shell, iso view showing fit, interface design, music technology, rhythm controller, steering wheel attachment, sequencing layout, hardware concept, drum machine controller
February 14, 2025
A grammar-driven, context-sensitive cellular life
primordial cells, cellular life, context-sensitive grammar, grammar-driven, cellular automata, non-determinism, directionality, conflicting rules, energy, cell types, green cells, red cells, energy leak, neighbor cells, rotation, move rules, empty cell, energy cell, rule matching, grid board, x-axis y-axis, indistinguishable directions, simultaneous updates, cluster selection, energy cost, area of input, area of output, code samples
February 15, 2025
Wood joinery ideas as reference for 3D-printed joinery
joinery exploration, wood joinery, castle joint, traditional joints, crossbar joint, 3d printed joinery, 3d printing, interlocking joints, joint design, seamless joinery, gap removal, weak points, max piece length, top view representation, 4-way joint, orthographic view, connection pattern, tiling pattern, woodworking, fabrication design
February 16, 2025
An HTML5 interface for rendering electric field lines
electrocanvas, electric field lines, HTML5, interface, rendering, electric fields, positive particle, negative particle, infinite line charge, controls, drag to move, right-click to delete, anchor points, repaint(), timeout(), snappy interface, canvas, simulation, physics visualization
February 17, 2025
Drone attachment makes fake animal prints in snow
track monster, drone attachment, fake animal prints, bear tracks, snow prints, drone program, tracking prank, footprint generator, robotics concept, outdoors prank, misdirection, animal trail, wilderness, humor sketch, design idea, Feb 17, mon
February 18, 2025
Sounds like nature but also suspiciously like farts
brown noise machine, brown noise, white noise machine, nature sounds, ocean, rain, wind, ambient sound, sound generator, humor, farts joke, audio device, speaker, noise machine, Feb 18, daily sketch
February 19, 2025
Camera collar that snaps photos when the dog barks
auto dog cam, camera collar, dog bark trigger, automatic photo, wearable camera, distance sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, microSD, obstruction detection, head not in way, score threshold, take photo iff, barked in last 10 seconds, running jumping detection, sensor fusion, pet tech, dog monitoring, event-triggered camera, design sketch
February 20, 2025
A 3‑D printed lockbox that shows tampering
death box, 3d printed lockbox, tamper evidence, physical evidence, sealed enclosure, cannot be opened without evidence, 3d printing, print paused note inserted, embedded note, entirely enclosed, 1mm thick, break or melt to open, anti-duplication, hard to duplicate, random combo, three color filament, moire effects, jagged faces, if i die text, model complexity, reprint artifacts, discarded model after print, security object, tamper-proof container
February 21, 2025
A clock made of wooden tiles and hidden electromagnets
binary clock, magnetic clock, electromagnet, wooden tiles, hinge mechanism, flip tiles, embedded magnet, button magnet, scrabble-sized pieces, time display, 13:09:57, mechanical design, physical computing, kinetic display, magnetically actuated, tile clock, binary time, electronics, prototype concept, alternative to binary
February 22, 2025
Toy that snaps a motor 90° on a button-set beat; synchronizes with neighbors
modular beatmaker, beatmaking toy, synchronization, neighbor modules, motor snaps forward, 90 degree motor rotation, button set beat, timing array, power/data connector, modular instrument, percussion, bell, clapper, wooden clapper, spoons, whistle when swung, accessory slot, accessory hole, connected modules, rhythm device, electromechanical toy, music gadget, product concept, industrial design sketch
February 23, 2025
3x3 basketball backboard requiring a pass to clear
outlet passer, 3x3 basketball, backboard, clearing pass, tap off the board, training device, basketball drill, hinge mechanism, adjustable angle, 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, design sketch, sports equipment concept, court diagram, passing practice
February 24, 2025
Variables for printing prize wheel placards
basketball prize wheel, prize wheel template, placards, printing template, variables, radius, inner radius, outer radius, drill circle, inner drill circle, outer drill circle, angles, theta, placard angle, drill insert, aluminum tube, tube drill insert, diameter, outer diameter, ID0, OD0, geometry, layout, template design
February 25, 2025
An algorithmically generated cube pack of human bones
bone cube, algorithmically generated, packing algorithm, 3D print, human bones, recursive fill, backtracking, bone packing, cube pack, femurs, hypotenize, skull front center, sort bones by size, max dimension, 20cm cube, increase size by 1cm, 50cm cube, man-brick, sphere alternative, procedural generation, computational design, concept sketch, dark humor, skeleton, geometry, spatial packing
February 26, 2025
Newton’s cradle with relay-controlled electromagnet balls
newtons electric cradle, newtons cradle, electromagnets, relay-controlled wires, controlled relays, magnetized steel balls, electric cradle, kinetic toy, physics experiment, electricity, magnetism, circuit control, hot wire, concept sketch, weird experiment, feb 26, wednesday
February 27, 2025
A clock idea using moving digit modules
time conveyor, clock idea, conveyor clock, moving digits, digit modules, backlit digit, current digit backlit, motor, bulb, mechanical display, time display concept, kinetic clock, rotating modules, conveyor mechanism, industrial design sketch, prototype concept, Feb 27, Thursday Feb 27
February 28, 2025
Simple system for hanging tools under 5 lbs
garage wall organizer, tool hanging system, 3d print, 3d printed hooks, wall mount, modular organizer, custom tool holder, under 5 lbs, countersunk screw hole, two slots, 45 degree angle, simple hook, heavy duty hook, multi purpose plate, accessories base, prints on back, prints easily on face, garage storage, workshop organization, mounting bracket, 12 inch, 4 inch
March 01, 2025
A simple game of luck & strategy for $2.48
248, board game, dice game, luck and strategy, change coins, pennies nickels quarters, chessboard, capture opponent change, stacking coins, pull move split, legal moves, turn-based game, movement rules, example turn, roll a die, 1-6 moves, grid board, coin stack, game design, strategy game
March 02, 2025
Competitive word game using Scrabble pieces (no board)
jumble, word game, scrabble tiles, no board, challenge mechanic, rules, setup, rack of letters, clockwise play, append or prepend, acquire example, bs call, surviving the challenge, failing the challenge, scoring scrabble-style, time limit 60 seconds, minimum 3 letters, first to 250 points, multiplayer 2-4 players, head-to-head game design
March 03, 2025
3D-printed bracket mounting for an 80kg load cell
load cell support, 80kg load cell, 3D printed bracket, mounting bracket, M6 bolts, countersunk bolt, washers, nut, cantilevered mount, bolt to floor, weighing support, AliExpress load cell, weight sensor mounting, scale build, mechanical design, hardware stackup, force sensor, bracket design, fasteners, installation notes
March 04, 2025
Robotic magnet slowly stretches epoxy while it cures
magnetic epoxy sculpture, epoxy curing, robotically stretched sculpture, magnet control, steel ball, iron filings, slow-curing epoxy, proximity sensor, sonic proximity sensor, motor-driven spool, CPU controller, feedback control, target height, target time, phase in function, sqrt ramp, min magnet distance, max magnet distance, string mechanism, planter mold, translucent epoxy, kinetic sculpture, generative art process, 72 hours, control variables, notes
March 05, 2025
A wooden frame support with cantilevered aluminum braces
platform support, wooden frame, cantilevered aluminum braces, frame support, brace bracket, bolt washer nut, hardware stack, outer frame boards length, distance determines length, 3 foot by 2 foot opening, 3', 2', 6 inch offset, support structure, construction sketch, mounting detail, aluminum brace, wood platform frame, mechanical design, build plan
March 06, 2025
Kinetic sculpture concept using hidden electromagnets
perpetual motion, kinetic sculpture, hidden electromagnets, rolling ball, circular track, steel ball, wood base, magnet and sensors combo, sensors, electromagnet, cpu, battery, embedded electronics, interactive art, motion illusion, perpetual motion machine, track loop, kinetic art installation, mechanical design, electronics layout, below view diagram
March 07, 2025
Website to pack consecutive primes into a 20×20 grid
primepack, consecutive primes, prime numbers, 20x20 grid, 400 digits, grid puzzle, prime packing, boggle-style, number path, front-end JS, javascript evaluator, textarea input, shareable link, anchor tag, competition, first 503 primes, 503, tap any prime, missing prime, 7919, highlighted number, 50,847,103
March 08, 2025
Gear-driven art idea with pinned, oddly shaped gears
non-circular gears, gear-driven art, oddly shaped gears, constrained motion, no slip gears, gear train, kinematics, mechanism design, pinned gears, fixed powered, fixed unpowered, clockwise, counter-clockwise, free to move no center, mechanical linkage, mechanical art, motion constraints
March 09, 2025
Prize wheel part to support scoring needle arm
4 screw bracket, prize wheel, scoring needle arm, bracket design, mount, side view with prizewheel, shaft 45mm, 50mm spacing, 1.5x3 board, flange bearing assembly, 89mm, 120mm, mechanical sketch, hardware, mounting bracket, wood board support
March 10, 2025
Simple cabling technique to keep constant height
motor-driven height maintainer, height control, cabling technique, suspended object, constant height, proximity sensor, sensor bundle, load cable, non-stretchy cable, Dyneema, motor driven, gravity acceleration, cord stretchiness, responsiveness, wiring, sensor wiring, mechanical design, robotics mechanism
March 11, 2025
Solar-powered boat that always heads east, returns home
eastboundwardho, solar-powered boat, autonomous vessel, eastbound navigation, returns home, airtag, messages for friends, bottles removed, GPS, computer onboard, motors driving props, propellers, differential thrust, no internet, offline maps, sea currents prediction, safe landing zones, protected beaches, landing safely, one year goal, two year return, sealed electronics, self-navigating raft, robot boat, marine robotics
March 12, 2025
Some ideas to get started
placard, initial placard thoughts, sign design, mockup, basketball, weak, swishes, hand shots only, bank swishes ok, only, sports sign, graphic design, lettering, sketch, ideas to get started, mar 12
March 13, 2025
Bank — all shots
another placard, placard, bank, all shots, sign design, hand lettering, typography, sketch, mar 13, cartoon sign, graphic design, minimal drawing
March 14, 2025
Suspending a ring magnet and measuring distance with modular layers
time-of-flight sensor, magnet assembly, ring magnet, modular layers, sensor alignment, distance measurement, ToF, cable attachment, wiring channel, bottom layer, middle layer, top layer, M6 corner holes, bolting together, magnet inserted, suspension, stacked enclosure, mechanical design, fixture design, prototype
March 15, 2025
Pin mapping notes for step/dir, enable, and alarm
esp32, esp32-wroom, step, direction, stepper, stepper driver, step-dir, wiring, pinout, gpio25, gpio26, gpio27, gpio33, enable, alarm, status out, sda, scl, i2c, tx, rx, gnd, 3v3, vusb, en, vbat, led, rst, microcontroller, electronics
March 16, 2025
Disc magnet + hook concept (thickness exaggerated)
sunglass hook, Hyundai board, quick print, 3D print, magnet mount, disc magnet, hook, car accessory, prototype, concept sketch, exaggerated thickness, mounting idea
March 17, 2025
An exploration of compartments
stair shelves, living room shelves, shelving unit, stairs compartment design, compartments, modular shelving, furniture sketch, cabinet design, storage design, interior design, wood shelving, built-in shelves, concept drawing, hand-drawn design, sketchbook, yellow marker fill, shelf layout, bookcase design
March 18, 2025
Clock swings a weight into hourly slots
one-arm clock, clock mechanism, swinging weight, hourly slots, retract cable, whip and release, clearpath motor, highly accurate motor, timekeeping concept, kinetic design, mechanical timing, slot indicators, pendulum-like motion, motion control, actuator, motor control, industrial design, physical clock display, daily sketch, mar 18
March 19, 2025
Wooden ramp illusion with hidden electromagnets and sensors
newton's ramp, perpetual motion illusion, wooden ramp, rolling balls, electromagnet, hidden electromagnet, inductive sensor, inductive sensor pair, ball velocity sensing, sensor timing, magnet-actuated mechanism, kinetic motion demo, physics toy, mechanical illusion, newton's cradle concept, ball collision, ramp design, embedded electronics, interactive exhibit, mar 19, wed
March 20, 2025
Time spent at SPHS '95 reunions with a keg (2025)
venn diagram, reunion, time spent, SPHS '95, reunions, with a keg, 2025, March 20, overlap, set diagram, humor, personal sketch, infographic, diagram, three-circle venn
March 21, 2025
Rotating cylinder displays different shadow images
shadow cylinder, rotating cylinder, shadow projection, light and shadow, cylinder rotation, multiple images, N images, z-axis rotation, mechanical display, single-motor construction, gearing, 6:1 gearing, 10:1 gearing, hour wheel, tens wheel, ones wheel, time display, 5:43, motor, kinetic sculpture, optical illusion, projection design, mechanism, clock concept, mechanical clock
March 22, 2025
Three illustrated sign/placard concepts
more placards, placards, sign design, illustration, basketball, no look passes, dribble goggles, keep those eyes up, sports humor, poster concept, handwritten text, character drawing, Sat Mar 22, sketchbook, daily sketch
March 23, 2025
How to fill a boggle board with desired words
primepack, boggle board, word packing, word list, recursive search, recursion, pruning, backtracking, heuristic, one square addition, placement search, 18x26 placements, dictionary, maximize words, grid letters, algorithm, constraint satisfaction, word game, board filling, scoring candidates
March 24, 2025
A stepper-motor powered drumming machine
n-motor drumkit, stepper-motor, drumming machine, robot drumkit, percussion automation, motorized drumsticks, relative velocity, strike together, sound variation, stick selection, mechanical percussion, music tech, kinetic instrument, electromechanical design, sketch, concept diagram
March 25, 2025
Dimensioned spool sketch with thread feed hole
shaft and spool, 0.5 inch shaft, spool design, clear path, thread feed hole, dimensioned sketch, 46mm, 50mm, 12.7mm, 15mm, 3mm, 18mm, 45 degree chamfer, mechanical part, fabrication, lathe part, bobbin, thread spool
March 26, 2025
Method for generating an unusual 3‑D printed cube
cube sculpture, 3d printed cube, 3d printing, circle packing, layering, shrink circle, moving center, fill gaps, conical structures, hollow circles, straws, procedural design, generative sculpture, geometry, stacked layers, packing circles in square, sculpture concept, design sketch, march 26, wed
March 27, 2025
Mar 27 sketch of a linked-name diagram
cameron rose coyne, cameron, name diagram, linked blocks, chain, loop, typography blocks, handwritten title, mar 27, sketch, visual wordplay, design doodle, letters in boxes, connection lines, and back again, initials
March 28, 2025
Wind direction and wind strength mechanics (prevailing winds)
sailing game, movement die, wind direction, wind strength, prevailing winds, game mechanics, dice mechanics, hurricane, storm, calm, compass rose, wind change, NE storm, E hurricane, tabletop game design, randomization, weather system
March 29, 2025
Quick attach clacking items to motor in 12 positions
quick release, drumkit hub, n-motor, motor drumkit, button magnet, magnetic attachment, clacking items, bells, 12 positions, divisible by 12, hub attachments, neighboring hub, trapezoidal profile, extrusion profile, 3d printing, print this side down, motor mount, rotating wheel, percussion mechanism, rpm, modular percussion, mechanical music, design sketch
March 30, 2025
Easily printable upside down; variable thickness for balance
3d printed paper airplane, 3d printing, printable upside down, no supports, variable thickness, balance, paper airplane design, parametric design, thickness function t(y), airplane sketch, dimensions, handle, rear width X, length Y, handle height Z, angle theta, y fraction front to back, engineering concept, prototype, aerodynamics, diagram
March 31, 2025
Dedicated ESP32 as a middleman to reduce blocking calls
clearcore, esp32, comms, communication, microcontroller, arduino, blocking calls, sensors, screen, middleware, middleman, architecture, system design, embedded, embedded systems, serial communication, i2c, spi, uart, latency, non-blocking, lightweight, dedicated controller
April 01, 2025
Calculating tooth angles for a flip image display
flip picture, image flipper, lenticular-like display, tooth angles, variable angled teeth, view distance, desired view distance, view length, geometry, trigonometry, tan inverse, angle calculation, optical illusion, walk-by flip, perspective, viewer position, N teeth, theta n, math derivation, diagram, April 1 sketch
April 02, 2025
3D-printed sphere with epoxy-locked notes and swirls
in the event of my death, 3d printing, epoxy, sphere, hollow sphere, notes inside object, time capsule, sealed message, tamper evident, unique swirls, filament, opaque filament, translucent filament, inner sphere, outer sphere, pegs, two-layer shell, pour epoxy, lock epoxy in, rolled patterns, family members, filmed, cannot be repaired, anti-counterfeit, final envelope, object design, manufacturing process, concept sketch
April 03, 2025
Quick hack to lower an object with a stepper motor
string and gravity linear actuator, linear actuator, stepper motor, lowering mechanism, gravity assisted actuator, string winch, spool, 3d printed structure, 3d printed spool, 3d printed shaft, motor mount, orientation control, mechanism sketch, hardware hack, prototype design, actuation, robotics
April 04, 2025
A dish in case they leak oil on my shelves
chainsaw, polesaw, oil dish, oil leak, drip tray, shelf protection, storage, workshop, tool maintenance, tray design, dimensions, 21 inches, 19 inches, 1 5/8 inches, top down view, rim width, 1 inch border, sketch, april 4
April 05, 2025
for attaching string + object
hook, attaching string, object attachment, S-hook, spiral hook, metal hook design, geometry, dimensions, thickness, width, radius, r1a, r1b, r2a, r2b, theta1, theta2, angle greater than 360 degrees, sketch, diagram, mechanical design, hardware, fastener, connector, apr 5, sat
April 06, 2025
A special hoop for practicing form shooting
streak machine, basketball hoop, practice rim, smaller rim, swish only, form shooting, shooting practice, current score, streak counter, world record, W.R., rim touch resets, airball warm-up, inner rim, standard 10 feet, scoreboard, backboard, basketball training aid, shooting drill, Cameron
April 07, 2025
Helix-like structure made of uniformly spaced ribbons
ribbon n-helix, ribbon helix, helix-like structure, 45 degree climb, 90 degree vertical start stop, uniform spacing, multiple ribbons, spiral ribbon, structural support, 5mm spacing, base ring, top support, concept sketch, mechanical design, geometry
April 08, 2025
Ping-pong-like game with small oval table and dual paddles
zing zong, ping pong, table tennis, game concept, 3d printed, paddles, alternate hands, two paddles, oval table, small table, side shots, net design, TPU, thick thin paddles, sound effect, zing, zong, 4mm thick, 6mm thick, no grips, no customization, point cuts, 2ft, 3ft, 10cm, 0.5cm, compact game
April 09, 2025
A Meshtastic + solar box lowered via drone
meshtastic, dropkit, solar, drone, mesh network, radio, antenna, hook attachment, plastic hook rod, epoxy seal, embedded wires, bottom-heavy design, stability, QR code, deployment, FODAR, off-grid communications, field device, remote node, solar panels, prop box, hardware design, outdoor deployment
April 10, 2025
Concept for storing ring magnets in a clear case
magnet holder, ring magnets, transparent case, pegs, peg holes, cover, easy to print, prints easily upside down, 3d print, storage, container, organizer, prototype, product design, april 10
April 11, 2025
A plastic lady who lives in the witch's grove
wicked witch, witch, plastic lady, witch's grove, april 11, fri, sketch, drawing, character, costume, black hat, broom, green face, orange hair, humor
April 12, 2025
Two-piece screw-on model for SD-class NEMA 34 motor
clearpath coupler, coupler, clearpath, nema 34, sd-class, motor, two-piece, screw-on, 3d print, print orientation, supports, internal accuracy, shaft, dimensions, 20mm, 15mm, 1/2 inch, 6mm, face-to-face screws, mechanical design, robotics hardware, motor coupling
April 13, 2025
Make a hollow sphere in a rotating mold
hollow epoxy ball, epoxy sphere, rotating mold, motor, 1 rpm, hollow sphere, casting, resin, epoxy casting, mold design, slow rotation, tablespoon of epoxy, over a few days, DIY, fabrication, process sketch
April 14, 2025
A bi-directional R.C. car track to race from the mezzanine
rc barn track, rc car track, bi-directional track, mezzanine, race track layout, cones, start line, dashed track outline, indoor track, barn, rc racing, track design, course layout, april 14, sketch
April 15, 2025
A building block for a large 3-D hanging sculpture
mobile component, hanging sculpture, balance, center of mass, C.O.M., 3D printing, printing profile, mass measurement, glue, prototype pieces, variables x y v h w, not drawn to scale, component design, kinetic sculpture, mobile sculpture, weight distribution
April 16, 2025
Constructing a circular triangle mesh with holes
circles-in-circle mesh, circular triangle mesh, triangulation, mesh generation, polygonal circles, non-overlapping holes, constrained triangulation, planar graph, valid segments, edge crossing avoidance, inner circle constraints, vertex connectivity, algorithm, heuristic, quality metric, minimize worst angle, angle acuteness, segment scoring, iterative construction, termination question, revised algorithm, vertex-segment combinations, edge length
April 17, 2025
Technique for printing spiky ball-like sculptures (45° limit)
3d printing, supportless prints, 45 degree rule, spiky ball sculpture, porcupine cross section, cross section, geometry, mapping, arc length, spline, stronger base, midpoint, radius R, angles 45 degrees, angles 90 degrees, x y coordinates, parametric design, generative design, printing technique, spikes
April 18, 2025
Replacement lid pin holding my recycling bin together
bin pin, recycling bin, lid pin, replacement pin, zip tie, pinhole for ziptie, dimensions, 151 mm, 6 mm diameter, 12 mm, 20.5 mm, 22 mm, 0.75 mm, DIY repair, hardware fix, sketch, diagram
April 19, 2025
A small model to test 3-D printing in 2 colors
2-color print test, two-color printing, 3-D printing, 3D printer calibration, multicolor print, test model, calibration cube, vertical lines, horizontal layer changes, diagonals, thin lines, curves, various depths, text, print quality, tolerance test, surface detail, dual extrusion, color change, design sketch, april 19, sat
April 20, 2025
Kitchen-sink clip to keep nozzle hose off handle
nozzle gozzle, kitchen sink, dishwashing nozzle, sprayer hose, flexible hose, valve handle, hose catching, pipe clip, under sink, plumbing, problem handle, device design, home improvement, prototype sketch, 16mm, damnit
April 21, 2025
Battery base with placeable glowing bulbs
bedside quicklamp, battery powered base, placeable bulbs, terminal rails, modular lamp, portable lighting, resin encased bulb, flat contacts, polarity orientation, flip over does not emit, brightness levels, color variants, lighting concept, product design, electronics sketch
April 22, 2025
A better interface for scoring cribbage on mobile
cribbage, scoring app, mobile interface, UI design, scorekeeper, cribbage board, number pad, undo, reset, animated board, zoom, finish line, score tracking, 72, 66, +13, wireframe, mockup, app concept, game scoring, UX
April 23, 2025
Travel cribbage board without pegs; easier to see
e-ink cribbage board, cribbage, travel board, pegless cribbage, electronic scoreboard, e-ink display, USB-C charging, 5mm thin, score knob, plus one button, reset score, button lock, power switch, speaker clicks, accessibility, large readable scores, portable game, traditional cribbage size comparison, industrial design, product concept, board game accessory
April 24, 2025
A view to help brainstorm how we’ll use it
barn mezzanine, mezzanine, barn, view, brainstorm, how we'll use it, space planning, layout sketch, interior design, renovation idea, platform, upper level
April 25, 2025
A break-down stand for target shooting
bb gun target stand, target stand, target shooting, breakdown stand, portable stand, 3d printed brackets, top brackets, table underside, board grooves, hooks, wood, 1x1 stakes, parts list, DIY build, design sketch, April 25
April 26, 2025
a warm window
barn glass, stained glass, window, warm window, color blocks, geometric shapes, abstract, pattern, mosaic, illustration, daily sketch, april 26, SAT, yellow highlight, red, blue, green, orange, panel design, glass art, composition
April 27, 2025
Thinking more about the prize wheel
placard, prize wheel, more placard, sign design, heavy vest, five passes per shot, game booth, carnival game, reward rules, shot attempts, passes, layout mockup, handwritten notes, apr 27, sketch
April 28, 2025
Initial RAID deployment of UniFi NAS
UNAS Pro, UniFi NAS, RAID deployment, RAID 10, RAID 6, NAS volumes, Vol 1, Vol 2, 10 Gbps, drive layout, storage plan, HDD, SSD, 2x20TB, 5x4TB, Seagate, Western Digital, WD Red, WD Blue, Samsung 870 EVO, Dropbox, Windows machine, file syncing, network attached storage
April 29, 2025
A sword game about striking the correct spot
slashbuckler, sword game, light-up sword, segmented blade, touch sensitive, scoring system, hit detection, dueling, fencing-like game, strike opponent sword, use this protect this, red and yellow sections, rules, every five seconds, after a point, no grabbing, no hitting, pushing allowed, game design, interactive toy weapon, april 29
April 30, 2025
A family tree generator for odd microbial life
chat gpt darwin, setup prompt, evolution simulation, microbial life, pond scum, artificial selection, family tree generator, procedural generation, mutation, reproduction, kill 2 let 1 live let 2 reproduce, population 100, groups of 5, html page, clickable family tree, 1980s biology textbook cartoon, comical names, dingus minimus, speciation, generative art
May 01, 2025
Sketch of the Levrack 12' system for an island cabin
island shack food system, food storage system, pantry rotation, shelf labeling, expiration dates, Levrack 12, island cabin, quarterly inventory, nonperishable storage, foodbank donation, shopping list, shelf stats, storage cabinet, organization system, preparedness, ammo parts storage, first aid, communications, perimeter defence, books, cubic feet per shelf, 7.875 ft3, dated shelves, Mar 1 Jun 1 Sep 1 Dec 31, 2030 2027 2028 2029 2031
May 02, 2025
Game concept: throw colored balls into Connect 4 board
pong 4, connect 4 type board, throwing balls game, colored balls, opponents take turns, bounce-off game, kids game, tabletop game concept, game design, sketch, may 2
May 03, 2025
Organizer for paints with brush and marker storage
paint storage, paint organizer, brush holder, marker storage, studio organization, art supplies, stackable organizer, removable stacker risers, paint rack, shelf risers, modular storage, craft storage, desk organizer, paint bottles, art studio, workshop organization, storage design, concept sketch, product design sketch, container organization
May 04, 2025
Template for labeling pantry boxes with calories/expiry
pantry label, food system, island shack, inventory label, expiration date, calorie tracking, emergency food, pantry organization, first aid, template, label design, stockpile, food storage, spaghetti, rice, crushed tomatoes, neosporin, vitamin c, count, total calories
May 05, 2025
An alarm clock that insults you, escalating each minute
burning wakeup, alarm clock, insulting alarm, wake up, escalating insults, aggressive alarm, meaner each minute, louder each minute, morning routine, motivation by insults, comedy sketch, product idea, concept design, 7:00 am, 7:05 am, 7:20 am, you are worthless, psst time to wake, fat and lazy, asshole
May 06, 2025
A spinning play surface for the zany zongers among us
zing zong, zany zone, z4, spinning table, circular table, net stationary, moving target, random direction, changes direction, changes speed, bouncy zone, odd bounce, server rules, serve timing, game mechanics, tabletop game concept, ping pong variant, sports game idea, play surface design, sketch May 6
May 07, 2025
Survivor-like school game: avoid teaching kids
packets yo, video game concept, survivor-like, teacher, school, avoid teaching, kids swarms, classroom, open world movement, upgrades, learning packets, wand, bad breath, verb assault, teacher's pet, detention slip, touching, teachers lounge, gym, library, nurse's office, game design, humor sketch, daily sketch, may 7
May 08, 2025
How to plug a LiftMaster 850LM into my existing setup
garage door rewiring, LiftMaster 850LM, LiftMaster, garage door opener wiring, overhead door, ceiling opener, N.O., COM, relay terminals, wiring diagram, AC power, control module, home automation, electrical wiring, garage door setup, colors here are arbitrary
May 09, 2025
A system for continuous 400ft broadcasting
meshtastic, drone swarm, continuous broadcasting, 400ft, mesh network, meshtastic node, charging through feet, charging platform, autonomous landing, battery management, relay drone, rotation schedule, wireless communication, wind, mechanical failures, rain, reliable charging contacts, accurate landing, balloon alternative, system concept, hardware design, field deployment
May 10, 2025
Open-world space survivor game concept with asteroids
the hunt for planet 9, planet 9, space game, open world, survivor-like, game concept, spaceship upgrades, materials, alien tech, raw materials, asteroids controls, gravitational pull, friction, autonomous comrades, dmitrik beam, planetary objects, dont get too close, space exploration, resource collection, UFOs, sketch, May 10
May 11, 2025
a wall mounted lateral jump challenge that doubles as a pull-up bar
blazepod, 9-footer, wall mounted, lateral jump challenge, pull-up bar, workout device, fitness training, reaction lights, agility drill, home gym, exercise equipment, wall setup, jumping, pullups, sketch diagram, dimensions, 9 feet, 3 feet, 2 feet
May 12, 2025
How to mark 100 ml measuring lines
graduated bowl, volume calculation, measuring lines, 100 ml, frustum, tapered bowl, radius r1, radius r2, depth y, height h, r_avg, cubic equation, solve for y, volume at depth, geometry, container calibration, π, derivation, k equals (r2-r1)/(2h), measurement marks, liquid level, math sketch, May 12
May 13, 2025
A little something to deal with the grill next winter
bait chunx disposable trap, bait chunx, mouse trap, disposable trap, trap design, translucent, glue lid in place, entrance or exit, mouse sized hole, smaller than bait, print this end down, grill next winter, 2x1x1 bait dimensions, bait block, pest control, rodent trap concept, sketch diagram, May 13
May 14, 2025
A ribbon system for chasing RC cars
rc tag, rc cars, ribbon system, ping-pong ball, hooks to clip on car, 12 inch ribbon, tag game, chasing game, severing ball, scoring a point, oval track, rc racing, game design, toy car attachment, physical game mechanics, colored ribbons, painted ping pong ball
May 15, 2025
A flying disc with corner flaps to stabilize itself
frisbox, frisbee, flying disc, stabilization, flaps, corner flaps, rpm detection, spin rate, wobble correction, tilt stabilization, control system, accelerometers, compass, inertial sensors, real-time control, flight stability, disc design, throwing game, feedback control, aerodynamics
May 16, 2025
Alignment block for in-feed table, fence measuring tape, and angle
kapex, laser block, alignment block, in-feed table, fence alignment, measuring tape calibration, fence angle, laser for angle, 13 inch, stop calibration, Woodpeckers StealthStop, miter saw, jig, workshop tool, woodworking, calibration block, setup aid, table saw fence
May 17, 2025
Long rigid countertop with recessed adjustable support
kapex table v2, kapex, festool, miter saw, kapex base, workbench design, countertop, recessed support, adjustable support, saw station, woodworking, shop furniture, table build, bench legs, jig, tool support table, work surface, diagram, sketch, may 17
May 18, 2025
Quick attach a striper rod to the Light Bee X
sur-rod, Light Bee X, striper rod, quick attach, strap system, velcro, underside of seat, reel, fishing rod mount, motorcycle attachment, seat mount, straps fit through body, sketch, May 18, SUN
May 19, 2025
Wheeled metal detector towed by a robotic mower
metal detekta, metal detector, robotic mower, towed detector, wheeled metal detector, computer-controlled spray can, spray paint marking, candidate spots, area coverage, combing an area, low power, no location tracking, dot marking, treasure hunting, computer in back, pulled behind vehicle, pulled behind rc car, detection system, autonomous search, outdoor scanning
May 20, 2025
Reaction-time game comparing taps to green vs blue flashes
color react, reaction time, reaction-time game, green vs blue, button tapping, light flashes, human response time, timing test, latency, milliseconds, tries remain, best time, average time, results screen, prototype, UI mockup, game design, experiment, shuffle trials, 10 tries each color
May 21, 2025
Wooden frame for my workbench pour (not to scale)
epoxy pour, countertop, 1 inch, workbench, wooden frame, mold, formwork, dimensions, 72 inches, 46 inches, DIY, shop project, resin, casting, not drawn to scale, sketch, plan, build
May 22, 2025
Find the square’s area when octagon side length is 1
area of square, regular octagon, inscribed square, octagon side length 1, geometry, pythagorean theorem, triangle T1, triangle T2, a b x variables, square inside octagon, 2 + sqrt2, math puzzle, May 22 sketch, handwritten solution, area calculation
May 23, 2025
A grammar-like language to grow physically connected components
physgram, grammar-like language, procedural generation, connected components, syntax, explicit names, implicit numbering, distance joint, constraints, grid problem, naming scheme, hierarchical references, shape definitions, square, circle, component graph, modular design, physical simulation, robotics structures, generative design
May 24, 2025
A sensor that detects whether a dog pooped in the field
poop diddy, dog poop detection, accelerometers, sensor idea, clips, fur, back posture, distinct shape, mostly unmoving, field, pet monitoring, wearable sensor, animal behavior, sketch, may 24, humor tech
May 25, 2025
Diagram of how collisions worked in the original game (circa 2013)
nodewar, collision, ship collisions, triangle ships, vertex edge collision, ramming, teams, colors represent teams, no guns, game mechanics, diagram, circa 2013, stabbing ship, broken apart, shards, upload code, team code, convert shard, too small dies, too sharp dies, parent code, random collision, breaks it, evaporates, area really small, poof
May 26, 2025
Sketching how to support a truss-centered hoop
basketball bracket, hoop support, backboard mount, truss, bracket design, structural support, pine-clad steel, steel frame, mounting concept, basketball hoop, backboard, rim, net, concept sketch, brainstorming, engineering design, construction detail
May 27, 2025
A simple construction for a concave ramp surface
4-triangle bike jump, bike jump ramp, ramp construction, triangulated structure, four triangles, concave curve, one surface, geometry, angles alpha b, 60 degrees, structural design, diagram, sketch notes, May 27
May 28, 2025
A wall-mounted reminder to exercise
percent of yogon, yogon, wall-mounted reminder, exercise reminder, goal 80 percent, tonal strength, yogon tonal strength, gauge, thermometer chart, progress meter, fitness motivation, handwritten sketch, May 28, WED, infographic
May 29, 2025
A 3-D printable bracket to temporarily hold a board at 90°
t-intersection, board stabilizer, 3d printable, 3d printed bracket, right angle, 90 degrees, temporary hold, woodworking jig, fixture, clamp alternative, tines, flex under gravity, bottom tine bend, snap-on end cap, three tines, print without overhangs, parametric dimensions, A thickness, B thickness, max width, prototype, mechanical design, tooling aid
May 30, 2025
An apple that glows whenever your teacher is wrong
fruit of knowledge, apple that glows, teacher is wrong, classroom humor, pythagoras, pythagorean theorem, a2 b2 c2, chalkboard, math class, educator, glowing apple, microphone recognizes adult voices, translucent surface, LEDs inside, battery powered, desk gadget, novelty product, satire, school
May 31, 2025
Battery-powered mute button for the Valentine One radar detector
v1 wireless buddy, valentine one, radar detector, wireless mute button, push to mute, button transmitter, phone jack transmitter, phone cord, v1 power, button battery, battery powered, remote mute, car electronics, accessory design, existing products, how it works, diagram, sketch, prototype idea
June 01, 2025
Interface concept for scheduling games and tracking attendance
whos playing, scheduling interface, event scheduling, attendance tracking, rsvp, admin interface, target attendees, late arrivals, availability, sports scheduling, poker night, game night, 3-v-3, in the barn, can you come, yes no yes late, extras open up, time-based unlocking, capacity management, inviting friends, bring a guest, ui mockup, wireframe, product idea, checklist, rsvp buttons
June 02, 2025
Initial thoughts on an underwater autonomous drone
detachable underwater prop, underwater propeller, motor, magnet plate, magnetic coupling, watertight enclosure, underwater autonomous drone, AUV, ROV, propulsion module, sealed electronics, battery, external props, underwater robotics, marine technology, modular design
June 03, 2025
Another rule for basketball
prize wheel placard, basketball rule, they can, hack your arms, placard design, sign lettering, wheel prize, sports humor, cartoon illustration, handwritten sketch, jun 3, tuesday, basketball drawing, stick figures
June 04, 2025
Satirical 8-ball giving harsh modern advice
magic hateball, magic 8 ball parody, satire, insults, modern advice, resilient man, hidden mic, OLED screen, ask any question, hateball answers, dating advice joke, Axe body spray, Drakkar Noir, big date tonight, promotion question, office promotion, boss insult, web comic, illustration, handwritten sketch, Jun 4
June 05, 2025
Boggle-style prime-packing challenge site mockup
primepack, interface, mockup, ui design, programmers, challenge, primes, boggle-style, board, slider, leaderboard, records, submitted by, score, edit, random, share, world-wide challenge, six pack prize, prime packing, puzzle game, web app concept, daily sketch, Jun 5
June 06, 2025
Persistent, power-off display segment using a rotating cylinder
physical segment display, 3-color display, rotating cylinder, persistent display, no power display, bistable display, flip display, train station flip-displays, e-ink comparison, mechanical display, segment module, three colors, intermediate color, translucent cylinder, back-lit, backlit display, electromechanical display, low power, display building block, cylinder rotation
June 07, 2025
A scale estimating how many atoms are in your body
atomic scale, atoms in your body, scale, estimate, precision, stupid precision, number display, large number, body atoms, science joke, humor, muscle, stick figure, weighing scale, atomic
June 08, 2025
Exposed rock could secure a boat, but tides reach it
previously submerged, eye-bolt, boulder, rock, exposed rock, tides, high tides, boat, secure a small boat, anchoring point, shoreline, beach, coast, water level, sea, sketch, jun 8, observation, note, drawing
June 09, 2025
How an octahedron complements the cube
embedded octahedron, octahedron in a cube, cube face centers, platonic solid, dual polyhedra, cube and octahedron, geometry, 3d geometry, polyhedron, vertices and edges, neighbors, connecting face centers, spatial diagram, sketch, June 9
June 10, 2025
A robot that gets you a lobster
rawk lobster, lobster robot, lobster trap, robotics, autonomous boat, navigation, battery, finding lobster spot, avoiding boats, returning home, trapping mechanism, lowering trap, raising trap, measuring catch, compliance, releasing bad catches, undersized lobster, pregnant females, bycatch, bait, folding mechanism, terrain not flat, too complicated, text me, sketch, jun 10
June 11, 2025
Notes on a spiritual successor to Fantastic Contraption
mechanized contraption, fantastic contraption, physics game, contraption design, wheels, right wheel, left wheel, neutral wheel, powered wheel, torque, clockwise, counterclockwise, anchors, distance joint, rigid bar, wire, signals, positive signal, actuators, solenoid, proximity sensor, compression sensor, detection zone, terrain collision, game mechanics, mechanical parts, robotics components, puzzle game
June 12, 2025
Level/challenge layout: build a machine to move a ball
mechanized contraption level, level design, contraption puzzle, move the ball, build in this box, challenge layout, mechanics, physics puzzle, machine building, game prototype, puzzle game, sandbox area, goal area, ball movement, diagram, sketch, Thu Jun 12
June 13, 2025
A marble-flicking tabletop strategy game concept
flick war, marble-flicking game, tabletop game, strategy game, game design, board layout, rear trench, graves, grunts, LT, charge lines, flicking marbles, knock into trench, knock into grave, off the board, instant loss, warcrime rule, players begin with, win condition, capture/elimination, bimbo inspiration, field lip, keeps players on the field, sketch concept, prototype rules
June 14, 2025
Hidden magnet + battery project for a rim-riding ball
neverending rim job, rim-riding ball, ball continuously rides the rim, hidden magnet project, battery and cpu, sensors and magnets, magnetic levitation, orbit stability, ball position detection, 3-d velocity vector, feedback control, closed-loop control, kinematics, motion tracking, embedded electronics, mechatronics, magnet control, rim bowl track, stabilizing orbit, June 14, sat
June 15, 2025
Streaming music box without genre or artist selections
radio interface, streaming music box, music selector, knob interface, physical controls, button labels, skip button, volume knob, organic, melancholy, dancefloor, instrumental, mainstream, energetic, no genre selection, no artist selection, music discovery, hardware UI, product design, interface sketch
June 16, 2025
Keeping them from blocking my robotic vacuum
e-scooter, parking ramp, robotic vacuum, robot vacuum, blocking, home organization, storage solution, design sketch, dock, charging, power, ramp platform, keeping clear, floor space, scooter parking, household hack, layout, tidy up, daily sketch, Jun 16
June 17, 2025
A way to fly a lure further than we can cast
drone lure, fishing, drone fishing, lure delivery, casting distance, target visible schools, schools of fish, quadrotor, line and hook, pier fishing, concept sketch, remote lure drop, water, angling technique, Jun 17
June 18, 2025
Wooden plank FFT display with 1000 addressable LEDs
kilopixel sound analyzer, FFT display, addressable LEDs, 1000 LEDs, FastLED, Arduino, sound spectrum analyzer, realtime audio visualization, wooden plank display, LED strip matrix, left right mic, stereo microphone, 50 Hz to 20000 Hz, frequency spectrum, high amp power supply, CNC carving, 4x8 CNC, engraving frequency labels, LED fade trail-off, 3 rows center channel, LED spacing 5mm, design sketch, construction software notes
June 19, 2025
a ramp that could be assembled quickly
pwc ramp, ramp, quick assembly, portable ramp, accessibility, mobility aid, construction concept, folding structure, modular design, sketch, product design, handrails, side supports, stairs/steps, prototype idea, daily sketch, Jun 19, Thu
June 20, 2025
Snap-together grid for drilling hole patterns length-wise
general grid template, snap-together grid, drilling template, hole pattern, drill points, kilopixel, jigsaw knobs, modular template, grid design, 2x12, 5ft x 2in, parametric design, diameter of hole, vertical spacing, margins, rows, columns, total length, spacing, layout jig, workshop tool
June 21, 2025
A couple month program using tightening bands on a step
calf raise chart, calf muscles, training program, resistance bands, band length, step exercise, minutes, neutral stance, toes in, toes out, workout plan, progression, DOP, modulo, schedule, exercise chart, strength training, lower leg, calves, fitness tracking
June 22, 2025
Cellular automaton with extra “wire” connections
conways conn ways, cellular automaton, conway, game of life variant, wires, neighbor rules, connected cells, 16 neighbors, 18 neighbors, 13 neighbors, 5x5 distance, 2..6 neighbors, 3..4 birth rule, 3..5 survival rule, pretty animations, sliding wires, pattern matching, grid simulation, emergent behavior, automata rules, sketch notes
June 23, 2025
A wooden clock with steel balls telling the time
ball block wall clock, wooden clock, steel balls, magnetic clock, magnets, clock hands, behind the clock face, timekeeping, wall clock design, industrial design, product concept, woodworking, magnet mechanism, kinetic display, concept sketch
June 24, 2025
A puzzle I saw online; no trig allowed
18 degree puzzle, 18°, geometry puzzle, no trig allowed, triangle, right triangle, angle 18, golden ratio, (-1+sqrt5)/2, x value, similar triangles, rectangle construction, pythagoras, circle 1/10, 36 degrees, construct a rectangle, w and y, algebraic solution, factorization, x^2 + x - 1
June 25, 2025
Assuming stable velocity, ignoring suspension effects
bike jump calculation, projectile motion, ramp jump, kinematics, energy conservation, potential energy, velocity components, time of flight, horizontal distance, quadratic formula, launch angle, gravity g, v0, v1, v1x, v1y, ramp height, landing target, physics sketch, June 25
June 26, 2025
Some measurements for simple wall clips
precision clock mk4, wall clips, measurements, dimensions, mounting, spacing from wall, rear extrusions, clock thickness, clip width, rear pins, soldered pins spacing, 8.5mm, 12.2mm, 11mm, 24mm, hardware design, mounting bracket, wall mount, mechanical sketch, technical drawing
June 27, 2025
A way to store scooters in the garage without floor space
scooter winch, garage storage, vertical storage, winch, handlebars, scooter hoist, space saving, auto recoil power cable, retractable cable, protective sleeve, wall mount, pulley, hanging scooter, workshop organization, storage idea, DIY, garage organization
June 28, 2025
a poor man's robotic arm
motor motor connection, robotic arm, poor mans robotic arm, motor coupling, actuator linkage, mechanical joint, DIY robotics, robot arm sketch, motor mount, wiring, prototype design, electromechanical, hardware
June 29, 2025
Update to June 22's wire system for recursive following
conway, conn ways, wire system, cellular automata, game of life, recursive following, wires, dead cells, wire jumps, neighbor calculation, most surrounded, tie rule, edge dies, graph connectivity, connected components, recursion, neighbors, cluster size, 22 neighbors, system update, June 22, rule design, simulation, grid cells, connections, diagram, proposal
June 30, 2025
Notes on tiling, connectors, and edge pieces
hexagon jigsaw, hexagon puzzle, tiling, tessellation, parallelogram construction, edge pieces, corner pieces, connector types, double female, double male, interlocking pieces, jigsaw tile, hexagonal grid, pattern design, modular tiles, puzzle design, geometry, hexagon tiling, sketchbook notes, June 30
July 01, 2025
A web interface for analyzing elevation changes over time
erosion explorer, elevation change, terrain analysis, web interface, map tab, rules settings, output results, export pdf, region polygon, beach2, time series, elev delta by position, resolution, date range, point classifications, data attribution, standalone images, public facing html page, project higgins, may 2023, jun 2026
July 02, 2025
The big black clock (clock-face design iterations)
big black clock, BBC, clock, clock face, watch face, time, dial design, minimalist design, black clock, typography, hour markers, hands, iteration, sketch, product design, wall clock, scale, 12 feet, Jul 2, WED
July 03, 2025
Modular paint reservoirs for robot arms, one brush per color
robot paint tray, robot arms, paint reservoirs, one brush per color, modular tray, magnetic connectors, button magnets, snap together trays, automated painting, paint dripping, remove excess paint, outer lip, brush holder, color wells, T1000, master piece, industrial design, robotics design, art tools, painting setup
July 04, 2025
Pellet-gun turn game to knock down a weighted cube
green dingus, pellet gun game, target cube, weighted cube, steel green cube, knock over target, shooting turns, pine blocks, pine boards consumables, setup changes each game, strategies shattering blocks, hitting the cube, hitting the weight, 1 kg weight, backyard game, homemade game design, table setup, loser sets up next game, shoots second, physical game concept
July 05, 2025
Primordial soup screensaver with particle attraction fields
ball field screensaver, particle field, bouncy balls, attraction and repulsion, field code, direction and strength, hue field, angular velocity, rotation theta, dx dy r theta, non-newtonian interaction, asymmetric forces, torque, spin formation, color interaction, blue particle field, green ball field, yellow opposite blue, visualization, procedural animation, physics simulation, screensaver concept, friction, no conservation of energy, example field code, inverse distance strength 1/r, field rotates with particle, primordial soup simulation
July 06, 2025
A bracket to hang lids (Yeti-style opening)
yeti lid rod, lid hanger, under cabinet bracket, bracket design, yeti opening, unusual shape opening, dimensions 24mm 15mm, command strip mounting, screwed under cabinet, rod hanger, lid storage, kitchen organization, 3d print idea, towers of hanoi, angle 85 degrees, tighten note
July 07, 2025
Ramp game for rolling two coins simultaneously
kangaroo race, coin race, ramp, two coins, rolling coins, simultaneously, orbiting, bump, push the blue button, traps fall, horse race, which coin stops moving first loses, game design, physics, mechanical game, race game, coin ramp, button mechanism
July 08, 2025
A review of today on the PS5
brotato, scotch, ps5, review, skill, alcohol, time, gaming, progress chart, drinking, performance, jun 8, sketch, daily log
July 09, 2025
A robot arm that will collaborate with just about any one.
vincent van gobot, robot arm, collaboration, art robot, painting robot, camera, artists only, museum, gallery, interactive art, robotics sketch, creative robotics, human robot collaboration, installation, july 9, wed
July 10, 2025
Constructing a proper polyhedron from tapered sweeping cylinders
tree branch manifold, polyhedron construction, tapered sweeping cylinders, spine curve, branching surface, seam point, tangent divergence, proper polyhedron, triangulation, mesh generation, vertex points, n-sided polygon, peanut polygon, circle intersections, cross-connect faces, stub and limbs, crotch junction, guided spines, equally spaced points, geometric modeling, computational geometry, surface meshing, manifold surface, branch junction topology, sketch notes
July 11, 2025
Thinking of how better to draw tree manifold calculation
peanut cross section, cross section drawing, tree manifold, manifold calculation, partial circles, not coplanar, tangent plane, spine curve, circle perimeters intersection, vertices, geometry sketch, surface intersection, 3D form, diagram, jul 11, green and blue circles, purple points, tilt away, grow apart, base circle
July 12, 2025
Measured sketch after lawnmower broke the original
replacement stake, solar uplight, garden light, stake dimensions, measurement sketch, lawnmower broke, 24mm, 21mm, 12.5mm, 15mm, 150mm, 55mm, top view, cross shape, outdoor lighting, DIY repair, hardware part, plastic stake, design drawing, handwritten notes
July 13, 2025
Zero-glue, zero-support cylinder joints that snap together
tree snap joint, snap joint, 3d printing, zero glue, zero support, cylinders, snap together, end-to-end chain, tapered dowels, dowel joint, no supports printing, steep taper, small radius, glueing, 2d representation, joint design, mechanical connection, lateral give, delicate design, hard to model, program modeling, parametric modeling
July 14, 2025
A unique tag to mark along a boundary
tree marker, boundary marker, unique tag, tree tag, pre-printed tag, screw hole, slightly beveled, 2-color print, viewer, hitfrommytree.org, property boundary, marking trees, outdoor signage, identifier plate, labeling
July 15, 2025
A spiral construction of triangles, for fun
sphere spiral construction, spiral on sphere, parametric curve, triangulation, triangles, mesh generation, longitude nearest neighbor, level connections, polygons to triangles, recursive split, choose N points uniformly, spherical spiral, x cos(kt), y sin(kt), z sin((t-a)/2), surface meshing, geometry, graph edges used twice, connect above and below, daily sketch, jul 15
July 16, 2025
JavaScript library for generative art with syntactic sugar
context sensitive, generative art, javascript library, CFDG, context-free design grammar, syntactic sugar, spiral, replacement rules, context in replacements, collision detection, context-sensitive collisions, procedural drawing, shapes, square, circle, rotation, scale, script function, foo bar collision, custom collision function
July 17, 2025
Frame, framed items, and a framed path types
mesh building blocks, frame, FRAME class, FRAMED<T>, FRAMED_PATH<T>, v3 vector, center point, unit vector, tangent to path, perpendicular vector, path frames, polygon, generics, data structures, 3D geometry, mesh generation, normals, entry normal, exit normal, convenience functions, type design, API design
July 18, 2025
Wall-mounted two-button system for in-game substitutions
barn-ball, sub button, substitution, wall-mounted, two-button system, simultaneously, entering player, exiting player, in-game substitution, gameplay does not stop, light turns blue, light flashes green, happy buzz, red light, nasty buzz, 2 seconds, machine resets, button interface, sports game, team play
July 19, 2025
More thoughts on meshes; one way to spiral a cube
cube decomposition, cube decomp, spiral a cube, mesh, meshes, quadrilaterals, starting with a triangle, ribbon, ribbons, thickness, 4x thick, geometry, 3D geometry, polyhedral surface, unfolding, surface strip, parameter x, x must divide evenly, cube side length, tiling, diagram, sketch, July 19, cube drawing
July 20, 2025
Simplified view of how altitude above tree line affects signal strength
drone tree interference, signal strength, line of sight, obstruction, tree line, altitude, radio interference, similar triangles, geometry, distance formula, horizontal distance, drone height, trees height, obstructed distance, Do, D, sample values, wireless link, RF propagation, terrain masking, UAV communication
July 21, 2025
A summer sign upgrade
tourism sign extension, keep right except to pass, hey masshole, seasonal sign upgrade, road sign, traffic sign, sign add-on, extension panel, VHB tape, quick to attach, aluminum sign, 1/8 inch thick aluminum, 36x48 sign, 36 inch width, 24 inch height, massachusetts humor, tourist season, educational sign, burst of color, handwritten sketch, street signage, sign mounting, adhesive tape, design concept
July 22, 2025
Plastic drill-on rail for mounting lighting strips
btf-lighting drill rail, lighting strip mount, plastic rail, drill-on rail, wood backing, led strip, joinery slots, tolerance, end of strip extra thickness, countersunk holes, top-down view, 12mm, 3mm, 1000mm, 144 lights, 6.94mm spacing, hardware design, mounting system, rail profile, sketch, prototype
July 23, 2025
How to fit this one electronics project in a single case
wood fft enclosure, enclosure design, electronics project case, arduino giga, power supply lrs-50-5, microphone module, light strip holder, 3d print holder, component dimensions, layout planning, wood case, electronics packaging, 1000mm light strip, mechanical design, project housing, measurements mm, internal arrangement, power supply dimensions, arduino dimensions, microphone dimensions, 1100mm enclosure length, 105mm height, 100mm depth
July 24, 2025
2-color print with recessed slit for epoxy fill
curved led strip holder, led strip, 3d printing, two-color print, transparent, recessed slit, epoxy pour, diffuser, light bar, curved mount, holder design, theta 20 degrees, 1000mm, 5mm, lighting, electronics enclosure
July 25, 2025
Mod to Jul 22 rail for multiple rows
btf lighting, multi-row, rail, multiple rows, connections, connector types, updated design, previous drawings, 3d printing, print multiple rows, modification, jul 22 rail, lighting rail, mechanical design, assembly, joining rails, row connectors, prototype, conclusion
July 26, 2025
How to index LEDs wired in a wrapping pattern
zig zag index, serpentine wiring, LED matrix, wrapping pattern, index calculation, row column mapping, grid indexing, addressable LEDs, LED strip, serpentine layout, coordinate to index, I(i,j), modulo parity, j%2, numCols, C code, function index, mapping formula, rows and columns, R=4, C=12, examples, July 26, sketch notes
July 27, 2025
Glass beads + epoxy lens to combine four LEDs
light sliver lens, lens, glass beads, epoxy, leds, four LEDs, light mixing, diffuser, optics, mold remover, plug, cavity, print hollow, 3d print, meniscus, bubbly meniscus, rectangle light, led strip, prototype, fabrication, casting, resin
July 28, 2025
One puck per country for cleaner board play
risk, electronic armies, board game, puck, one piece per country, touch oled display, tap zones, army size, change color, army increment, army decrement, stackable charging, charge ring, game design, prototype concept, yellow defeats green, board state update, conclusion idea is bad, charging complexity, lack of fun army movement
July 29, 2025
Something I found online (angle-chasing triangle puzzle)
triangle problem, geometry puzzle, angle chasing, triangle, isosceles triangle, x angle, y angle, AC=DC, AB=BC, isosceles everywhere, redraw, Jul 29, 100 degrees, 70 degrees, 60 degrees, 20 degrees, 40 degrees, 80 degrees, 13 degrees, 50 degrees, 130 degrees, 2 degrees, 150-x, 140-y, A B C D
July 30, 2025
Forstner-bit circle pattern to hollow a rectangle safely
drill press, routing pattern, forstner bit, woodworking, hollowing out wood, circle packing, hexagonal packing, overlapping centers, stability constraint, drilling pattern, carve rectangle, hole layout, bit center point, proposed pattern, r, r sqrt 3, 3r over 2, r sqrt 3 over 2
July 31, 2025
Measurements and plan for power and mic
back plate, wood block, measurements, power, mic, microphone, power hole, drilling, dimensions, 12.5 inches, 8 inches, 317.5mm, 203mm, 3mm, 9.5mm, view from the inside, mounting, computer screws, screw dimensions, 15mm deep, 5.25mm, 12.6mm, 5.8mm, 6.5mm, hardware, fabrication, enclosure
August 01, 2025
Not to scale floor plan sketch
workshop layout, brainstorming template, floor plan, not to scale, studio space, room layout, workspace design, electrical, bathroom, lift, approx 4 feet, 5 feet, measurements, architecture sketch, space planning, Aug 1
August 02, 2025
Adding sine waves along their tangents
parametric, trig, stacking, sine waves, tangent, adding sine waves, vertical line test, function vs parametric, remap to parametric, sin(bθ+c), wave superposition, curves, axes transformation, coordinate frame, f0, f1, f2, iterative composition, along its x-axis, sketch, Aug 2
August 03, 2025
Upcoming conditions presented abstractly
apple watch, ski face, watch face, weather conditions, upcoming conditions, abstract presentation, 4-axes measure, radar chart, recent snow, wind, temperature, current precipitation, blizzard, windy, -20°F, interface design, information visualization, weather visualization, skiing, conditions rating, perfect, ok, shitty, sketch, aug 3
August 04, 2025
Some basement thoughts on shop power layout
barn 240v considerations, 240v power, shop electrical layout, subpanel planning, circuit planning, 240-60a car circuit, 240-30a general, 240-20a lift, lift power, welding 240-50a, planer 240-30a, avid cnc, cnc spindle 240-30a, cnc controller 120v, laser accessories, dust collection 240-20a, air compressor 120v, bundle along ceiling, power from ceiling, basement shop, garage barn wiring, electrical notes, floor plan sketch
August 05, 2025
Clamp for drill press table to hold 2.5" vacuum hose
nova clamp, clamp, drill press table, vacuum hose holder, dewalt, 2.5 inch hose, shop dust collection, workshop tool, fixture, jig, mechanical design, dimensions, 61mm radius, 25.2mm, 76.6mm, sketch, concept drawing
August 06, 2025
Clearpath attachment to sand a ball by tumbling
dumbler, tumbler, clearpath, attachment, sanding, sandpaper liner, cylinder, motor, end cap, wooden marble, rock, ball, tumbling, inner diameter, l over pi, paper length, standard paper, easy insertion, spin speed, chaotic, rolling patterns, mechanical design, prototype concept, tooling
August 07, 2025
Low-plastic 3D-printable razor-blade glue scraper holder
cheap scrape, 3d printable holder, razor blade, glue scraping, scraper, low-plastic, blade dimensions, ergonomic design, snap fit, top snaps on, bottom, assembled with blade, theta 15 degrees, 60.9mm, 32mm, 19mm, tool design, 3d printing, prototype, hand tool, scraping tool
August 08, 2025
An update to July 5th sketch
ball field, code editor, field editor, UI mockup, generative art, direction function, theta, sine function, sin(theta.4), hue, color, time variable, color as function of time, no strength function, variations, update button, saving, reproduction, mutation, open questions, July 5th sketch, Aug 8
August 09, 2025
Added missing locking hole for secure assembly
improved blade sketch, locking hole, secure assembly, toughbuilt, blade, measurements, dimensions, mm, technical sketch, hardware, part design, mechanical drawing, A B C D E measurements, 60.9mm, 19mm, 32mm, 3.5, 4.35, tapered shape, rounded measurement, prototype, revision
August 10, 2025
Bedside speaker that simulates chaotic college dorm noise
college prep speaker, bedside speaker, college dorm, loud roommates, sleep chaos, randomly turns on and off, no power switch, no volume control, phone sounds, strobe, angry typing, door slamming, arguments, beer cans crushing, beer vapor, smells bad, slurping, kisses, repeated verbal consent, high school seniors, dorm noise simulation, prank device, humorous product idea, sketch, Aug 10
August 11, 2025
Deriving escape velocity from gravitational potential energy
escape velocity, escape velocity calculation, derivation, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, work energy principle, universal gravitation, gravitational force, integral of 1 over r squared, Fg = GmM/r^2, v = sqrt(2GM/R), planet radius, planet mass, object mass, physics notes, calculus, energy to infinity, orbital mechanics, classical mechanics, Aug 11 sketch
August 12, 2025
Chess-like game with ramps and marbles
marble radness, chess variant, board game, ramps, marbles, rolling mechanic, toppling pieces, capture by toppling, ramp pieces, dowel hole board, rotatable ramps, move or roll turn, initial board setup, outer pawns replaced by ramps, rule changes, curvature, fillet around holes, long distance shots, piece placement off-center, prototype concept, game design sketch
August 13, 2025
A rail for LEDs plus diffusing glass beads
btf lighting, bead rail, led rail, glass beads, diffuser, diffusing beads, petg, lens, support, endcap, lighting design, led strip, rail assembly, glue steps, beads glued down, cross section, dimensions, 19mm, 12.5, 5mm, prototype, fabrication, light diffusion
August 14, 2025
Iterative sliding + quad refinement on an octahedron
surface of constant width, constant thickness, algorithm, polyhedron, regular octahedron, convex shape, vertex complement, opposite vertices, pairwise internal segments, center c, slide step, random slide, parallel vector a, distance d constraint, convexity constraint, resolution refinement, quad the resolution, subdivision, quadruples faces, triangle faces, complement triangle, new vertices, higher resolution polyhedron, geometric construction, computational geometry
August 15, 2025
Two pieces that snap together and are held by tension
cylinder snap, snap fit, tension fit, press fit, two-piece connector, cylindrical ring, mechanical design, radius change, pinched on insertion, circumference, constant r, r plus x, linear over theta, expanded state, pulled inward, tolerance, interference fit, joint design, mechanical connection, prototype sketch, Aug 15
August 16, 2025
Wiring diagram for multiple ESP32s driving LED strings
esp32, esp32 array, array hookup, wiring diagram, rs485, rs485 transceiver, single twisted pair, leds, led strings, 5v power, power distribution, master controller, microcontroller network, daisy chain, bus wiring, serial communication, electronics sketch, hardware hookup
August 17, 2025
A page with this pattern repeated; showing ½ and ⅓ slopes
insane graph paper, graph paper pattern, repeating pattern, slopes, one-half slope, one-third slope, 1/2 slope, 1/3 slope, grid design, line lattice, geometric pattern, tiling, mathematical drawing, sketchbook, August 17
August 18, 2025
A sneaker insert that buzzes feedback for sporting stance
weight-forward, tennis, buzzer, sneaker insert, insole, sporting stance, feedback, weight on toes, weight in heels, electric shock, shock pad, battery, wearable tech, training aid, posture, balance, gag device, behavior feedback, sports equipment, prototype sketch
August 19, 2025
Pong game against a laser-encoded target
mini wall ball, wall ball, pong game, laser-encoded target, moving target, hit detection, miss detection, buzz, color flash, countdown, boop boop beep, target shifts, shape change, size change, location change, hue change, timing shots, opponents returns, interactive game, game concept, arcade mechanics
August 20, 2025
An improvement on yesterday’s idea
mini wall ball, wall ball, ping pong table, table tennis, game design, targets, two spots, wall spot, table spot, shot must hit wall and table, increasing complexity, solitaire mode, practice game, skill challenge, rule variation, Aug 20, Wednesday
August 21, 2025
Initial thoughts on a circle tangent to curves
circle fit, tangent circle, circle tangent to curves, parabola, y=x^2, y=x^2/4, y=2, radius r, geometry, calculus, derivative, slope perpendicular, tangent point, distance to circle center, (a,b) center, system of equations, optimization, sketch notes, Aug 21
August 22, 2025
Machine increases and displays torque by motor position
arm wrestling machine, torque display, motor position, locking hinge, robot arm, mechanism, torque measurement, force feedback, actuator, control system, electromechanical device, prototype sketch, arm wrestling trainer, tabletop device, 277
August 23, 2025
Parody of Logo turtle graphics using birds pooping
turd-l graphics, logo turtle graphics, parody, generative art, bird programming, pooping, logo language, turtle graphics, pseudocode, while true loop, repeat 36, forward fwd, right turn rt, left turn lt, collision avoidance, nearest_bird.is_left, color #ff0000, red-bird, 80s computing, algorithmic drawing, sketch, sat aug 23
August 24, 2025
A jar for rock/glass tumbling with removable sandpaper tubes
sandpaper tumbler, rotational profile, rock tumbling, glass tumbling, removable sandpaper tubes, jar design, axis of rotation, cross section, sandpaper, tumbler drum, rotational axis, prototype sketch, mechanical design, abrasive lining
August 25, 2025
Quick attachment to run cords and park anywhere
starlink gator roof mount, starlink v2, roof mount, suction straps, quick attachment, cable routing, run cords into the gator, park anywhere, pole mount, mounting concept, vehicle roof attachment, sketch, aug 25, mon
August 26, 2025
Knob-based controller for motor speed and torque
clearpath, control knobs, motor control, rpm, torque, max n.m, knob interface, velocity sensitive knobs, dial catches at zero, reverse direction, front panel, back panel, usb-c power, arduino, output for clearpath, controller box, industrial design, human interface, motor spinning, display readout
August 27, 2025
A robotic arm that points at whoever is talking
the hand of truth, robotic arm, points at whoever is talking, white collar arm, bullshit, call out, truth detector, conversation, party gag, friends, comedy sketch, satire, social dynamics, pointing hand, robotics concept, automatic pointing, room tracking, speaker tracking, humorous invention, aug 27, wed
August 28, 2025
A multi-year plan for keeping fields wild without overgrowth
mow plan, field maintenance, multi-year plan, keeping fields wild, overgrowth prevention, mowing schedule, odd years, even years, all years, October, November, December, forestry saw, trimming, pruner, invasives, woodpile, land management, property map, seasonal chores
August 29, 2025
Continuous encoder indicates position via pixel arc
led encoder knob, encoder, rotary encoder, knob, pixel arc, led ring, position indicator, continuous encoder, detents, clockwise rotation, display orientation, recalculate up, highlight yellow, turn green, user interface, hardware UI, interaction design, embedded hardware, pixel perfect, value display, aug 29, fri
August 30, 2025
For dogs who get snacks and rubs on demand
serviced dog vest, service dog parody, dog vest, humor, snacks and rubs on demand, pet joke, cartoon dog, handwritten sketch, Aug 30, serviced dog
August 31, 2025
A simple wall mount for the shop; my very old Alienware m15 R3
alien wall, wall mount, Alienware m15 R3, laptop mount, shop project, bracket design, mounting bracket, wall, dimensions, measurements, 7 1/2 inches, 3 1/4 inches, 7.5mm, 6.7mm, 12 degrees, hardware, DIY, workshop, sketch, diagram, construction
September 01, 2025
Turntable variation with removable pedestals for quick scans
3d scan, turntable, 3d scanning, turntable cube, removable pedestals, pedestal, under-object scans, reflectors, 4 inch reflectors, markers, global markers file, calibration markers, photogrammetry, structured light scanning, scan rig, jig design, fixture design, dowels, steel dowels, steel holes, alignment, repeatability
September 02, 2025
One-button secure keychain for choosing a trusted winner
one-button keychain, secure random selection, trusted winner, vaginism pod, BLE, bluetooth low energy, participant count, hold the button, confirmation phrase, random color, chosen securely, device screen, anti-cheating, display liar problem, losers list, cycle through, unique ID, winner ID, secure flip, group selection device, nearby participants
September 03, 2025
Modular 1000×1000 cellular automata grid that snaps together
conway's grid, cellular automata, 1000x1000 grid, modular grid, snap together, physical interface, different rules, magnet connectors, data and power, tileable display, conway, grid interface, hardware modules, connected panels, system design
September 04, 2025
Background wall with global markers; motorized slow spin
3d scan, half shell, 3d scanning setup, scan target, global markers, background wall, polygon faces, dots markers, motorized spinner, slow rotation, turntable alternative, mounting holes, larger plate, 24 inches, photogrammetry rig, scanning fixture, prototype design, hardware concept, rotation platform
September 05, 2025
Notes on confusing tennis score displays and small UI tweaks
tennis, scoreboard, on-screen graphics, broadcast UI, sports UI, tennis scoring, new viewers, confusing display, sets and games, match format, columns, active columns, highlighting, animation, serve indicator, ball for serve, Alice, Bob, 30-15, 30-30, winning game, small improvements, readability
September 06, 2025
A geometry problem I saw on Reddit
radius of circle, square touching circle, geometry problem, circle-square intersection, inscribed circle, circumcircle, r = 5x/8, coordinate geometry, pythagorean theorem, solve for r, side length x, right triangle, y expression, reddit geometry problem, diagram
September 07, 2025
A sculpture to hold my pocket knives
infected hand, hand sculpture, pocket knives, knife holder, sculpture concept, hand illustration, injured thumb, bandage, sketchbook, daily sketch, sep 7, design idea, object stand, storage display, humor sketch
September 08, 2025
the world's most beautiful clock
cuckoo clock, clock design, bird circles every 60 seconds, eyes show time, face shows beauty, tongue lowers on the hour, whimsical clock, character face clock, concept sketch, illustration, timekeeping, mechanical idea, daily sketch, Sep 8, humor design
September 09, 2025
Clip-on shifter sensor for gear/time, RPM, speed, audio
gear sensor, shifter sensor, manual transmission, gear detection, heel-toe, engine rpm, microphone, fft, accelerometer, gps, bluetooth, usb-c, cockpit noise recording, quarter mile timing, vehicle telemetry, clip-on device, magnetic snap together, fit inserts, speed measurement, data logging, on-board sensors, lo-batt indicator, output videos
September 10, 2025
A tag game where players throw colored discs
disc tag, tag game, frisbee, colored discs, gameplay rules, equipment needed, colored mats, enclosed area, hunter, it, throwing discs, matching color, jumping off mat, outdoor game, playground game, 3-point arc, team game, physical game, sports idea, rule design
September 11, 2025
A spider sculpture with overlapping human heads
pennywier, spider sculpture, spider, sculpture, overlapping human heads, human heads, clown hair, clown noses, spiky legs, creature design, character design, concept art, monster, weird art, daily sketch, sep 11
September 12, 2025
Opponents place each other’s pieces; you don’t know your army
reverse stratego, stratego variant, placement rules, opponents place pieces, hidden information, board game design, game rules, flag placement, bombs surrounded rule, miner, miners diffuse bombs, tap a piece, announce the number, commit to move, bomb cannot move, bomb detonated twice, soldier defuse own bomb, mutiny rule, rule changes, sketch, sep 12
September 13, 2025
A bumper buddy with barbs
porcupark, bumper buddy, barbs, steel, compresses, protect bumper, mag-detach, magnetic detach, replaceable, bumper protection, vehicle, car bumper, impact absorption, collision protection, mechanical design, product concept, sketch, diagram
September 14, 2025
An adversarial metronome that counters your tempo changes
metrono-no, adversarial metronome, metronome, tempo, timing, practice, music practice, rhythm, speed up when you slow down, vice versa, listens to you playing, adaptive metronome, anti-metronome, joke invention, comedy, musician problem, tempo drift, beat, synchronization, audio feedback
September 15, 2025
A rebounding game for 3 players
re-re-rebound, rebounding game, 3 players, basketball drill, basketball game, arc movement, lower semi circle, back to hoop, lower paint, scoring rules, +1 for P3, swap positions, P1 P2 swap, rebounder swap, if ball goes in, if miss, court diagram, practice game, training drill, pickup game rules
September 16, 2025
Consecutive squares and a pythagorean triple
3-4-5, pythagorean triple, consecutive squares, 3² 4² 5², date pun, September 16, sep 16, 9 16 25, squares, Pythagorean theorem, right triangle squares, math sketch, number pattern, geometry, 25 16 9
September 17, 2025
Robot arm repeats an apple firecracker routine every 90 minutes
young faithful, robot arm, every 90 minutes, apple, firecracker, fuse, lighter, routine, automation, robotics sketch, throwing apple, mechanical arm, dark humor, sequence steps, wed sep 17
September 18, 2025
A butane micro torch designed for robo grippers
robo-torch, butane micro torch, robot grippers, torch design, red button, safety interlock, accelerometer, orientation detection, lifted above resting place, not pointed down, flame emitter, upside down resting, easy pickup, robot arm, end effector tool, ignition conditions, squeeze extra hard, butane torch, robotics tool, hardware safety
September 19, 2025
How often to repeat early cancer screening tests
cancer early detection, early cancer screening, test frequency, repeat testing interval, probability of detection, probability of survival, detecting and surviving, screening sensitivity, time since cancer acquired, age of cancer, Galleri test, Prenuvo test, false negatives, negative test history, aggressiveness, probability curves, integration under curve, risk over time, screening model, patient life saved, Delta t, detection without noticing, symptoms onset, screening strategy, pancreatic cancer risk, year-to-year odds
September 20, 2025
A piece for the gutters
rain chain hook, rain chain, gutter hook, gutters, downspout, drilled hole, SDS plus, rotary hammer drill, rock anchor, eye bolt, cemented in, copper wire, DIY hardware, home improvement, installation sketch, anchoring, drainage, roof runoff
September 21, 2025
My own variation of a puzzle I saw online
puzzle glass, unit square, radius, red circle, geometry puzzle, circle in square, tangent circle, variation, online puzzle, diagram, colored regions, sketch, Sep 21
September 22, 2025
A 3-D printing challenge
bridge challenge, 3d printing challenge, bridge design, span base, single piece print, no supports, lightest bridge, load bearing, 1kg steel ball, structural test, mechanical design, prototype, bridge span, stand yellow region, constraint design, 3d printed bridge, engineering competition, dimensions 300mm, weight test, printability
September 23, 2025
My understanding of a Tesla solar/backup wiring layout
solar hookup, Tesla Gateway, Powerwall, PV panels, automatic transfer switch, ATS, backup power, generator, propane generator, 400 amp main, 200 amp panel, CMP, electrical diagram, wiring layout, home energy system, load panel, solar installation, power distribution, expansion batteries, my understanding
September 24, 2025
Combining Pascal’s triangle with the Collatz function
pascatz triangle, pascal triangle, collatz function, 3x+1, x/2 if even, modified pascal triangle, integer triangle, number patterns, recurrence relation, row sums, inner lines, diagonals, sequence extraction, mathematical exploration, conjecture, whole numbers in triangle, n-th row, combinatorics, collatz conjecture
September 25, 2025
For filming utilities during construction
indoor drone, photogrammetry, flight pattern, construction site, utilities filming, mapping, scan path, coverage pattern, floor plan, waypoints, navigation, route planning, inspection, as-built documentation, storage, electrical, bath, lift, approx, sep 25
September 26, 2025
Inflator-style nozzle for blasting “canned air”
dewalt, air duster, attachment, nozzle, inflator attachment, canned air, aperture radius, 1mm, fillet, chamfer, dimensions, mechanical design, tool accessory, compressed air, sketch, prototype
September 27, 2025
Briefcase divider measurements for poker chips
poker chip case, briefcase dividers, usable area, measurements, dimensions, chip thickness, 3.45mm, 40mm diameter, case insert, divider design, layout, 565mm, 191mm, sketch notes
September 28, 2025
How far apart on the floor are tilted dominos?
domino tip calculation, domino spacing, tilted dominos, dominoes, trigonometry, sine rule, sin(theta), angle theta, distance d, x over d, geometry, floor spacing, domino chain, toppling dominos, math sketch, physics of dominos, Sep 28, answer formula
September 29, 2025
Print-buffer tolerances and angled faces for sliding joints
lateral joinery, joinery construction, sliding joint, tolerances, print buffer tolerances, b0, b1, 3d printing, offset buffers, angled faces, sloped vertical faces, Fusion, Fusion 360, CAD construction, construct lines, slice blocks apart, middle section, join middle sections, Bouter, Binner, Bside, du upper, dl lower
September 30, 2025
Yet another geometry puzzle found online
circles in a square, geometry puzzle, radius of circles, pithagoras, pythagoras theorem, inscribed circles, tangent circles, square, diagonals, 30-60-90 triangle, quadratic equation, solve for r, solve for x, relationship between x and r, handwritten math notes, diagram, circle packing, tangency, unit square, triangle geometry
October 01, 2025
Two platforms that keep 3 balls bouncing
juggle boards, juggling platform, bouncing balls, two platforms, linear actuators, actuator legs, board angle control, bump dampen, energy control, camera tracking, ball position, ball velocity, feedback control, robotics concept, dynamic system, control system, machine vision, mechatronics, interactive installation
October 02, 2025
Notes on programmatically generating gears
gear generation, programmatically generating gears, gear teeth, tooth angle, outer angle, inner angle, radii, number of teeth, parametric design, procedural geometry, gear print, 2pi over n, theta_o, theta_i, tooth length, trough entry, trough valley, fit two gears, square teeth, k fraction, outer radius, inner radius, hole radius, geometry, mechanical design
October 03, 2025
Prelim thoughts on data flow for a report site
erosion tracking, data management, database schema, data flow, report site, project, scan, users, roles, project-roles, drawn polygons, polygon exclusion, analysis polygons, alignment points, aligned points, scan assets, raw point cloud, DEM TIFF, JPEG tiles, post processing, renders, report generator, reports, report inclusions, project page, scan page, report page, bounding box, data points, ctime, mtime, use_all_scans
October 04, 2025
A test block for gears
gear design test, test block, gears, mechanical design, prototype, dimensioned sketch, 50mm, 10mm, gear size, hole pattern, block with holes, engineering drawing, fabrication, robotics parts, hardware design
October 05, 2025
A fact I didn't know about right triangles
right triangle, incircle, inradius, geometry, triangle formula, r=(A+B-c)/2, legs A and B, hypotenuse c, tangent lengths, Euclidean geometry, proof, diagram, October 5, sketch, math note
October 06, 2025
Generating z-address transactions is slow; verification is fast
zcash, z-cash, z-address, z-addr, t-address, t-addr, transparent transactions, zero knowledge, zk proof, zk-snarks, transaction verification, sender cost, generate slow verify fast, privacy coin, cryptography, wallet tracking, funding verification, blockchain, crypto transactions, processing speed, proof verification
October 07, 2025
A DM42 calculator holder for my workbench, millimeters
swiss micros, holder, dm42, calculator holder, workbench, millimeters, dimensions, measurement, CAD sketch, 3d print, tool organization, bench accessory, layout, thickness, profile, 83 mm, 77 mm, 144 mm, ~113.5 mm, 12.5 mm, 13.1 mm, 8.6 mm, 6.5 mm, 9.25 mm
October 08, 2025
A box that listens for negativity and fires tissues
disyou dispenser, negative commentary, listens for negativity, fires tissues, tissue dispenser, whiners, complaining, snarky invention, gadget concept, humor sketch, boom, taylor swift
October 09, 2025
A Risk-like game on a chessboard
kingslayer, risk-like, chessboard game, board game design, attack dice, defense dice, silk road, trade route, replenish army, recruits, children units, queen, king, d20, d6, fortify, setup rules, goal kill opponent king, attack mechanics, troop migration, territory control
October 10, 2025
Interactive polygon-based elevation stats over drone scans
elevation vs time, elevation statistics, drone scans, polygon selection, interactive map, time series chart, IQR, mean, median, standard deviation, 3 std dev, erosion calculation, volume change, area 4019 m2, mean elevation -3.01 mm, 12.1 m3 erosion, rendered chart, heatmap, volatile areas, increase decrease, geospatial analytics, terrain change, DEM analysis
October 11, 2025
4 tires stacked with table on top
tire stacker work table, tires stacked, work table design, steel pipes, pipe height formula, tire height times 4, 3 inch buffer, vac clearance 1-2 inches, shop furniture, DIY workbench, table on top of tires, stacked tire stand, rolling cart table, casters, workshop design, build notes, Oct 11 sketch
October 12, 2025
Edge/hinge geometry to fold a cube from one piece
cube folding, cube net, folding geometry, hinge design, edge geometry, living hinge, bend stretching, shared material 1mm, V-notch, kerf, notch width, x hole, material thickness, prototype test, parameter sweep, h dimension, x values, y values, one-piece fold, fabrication design, mechanical design
October 13, 2025
An odd way to see h:mm in 23×7
vesta time, 23x7, time encoding, h:mm, visual calendar, grid diagram, A B C D E F G, weekday rows, FRI, MAR, JB, square grid, color coded squares, math formula, square root, sqrt(A-B)+C, minutes calculation, 10*(D-E)+(F-G), 4:16, Oct 13, handwritten notes, data visualization, pattern recognition, calendar math
October 14, 2025
Describe a vase-like object as a collection of tubes
trig vase, vase-like object, collection of tubes, parametric tube, h(t), r(t), diam(t), height function, radius from center, tube diameter, 0<t<1, start theta, START_θ, tube definition, TUBE_DEFN, TUBE_COLLECTION, NUM_TUBES, procedural modeling, generative design, geometry, parametric design, 3D form description, sketch notes, October 14
October 15, 2025
Representing a mesh’s intentions with another mesh
meta mesh, mesh representation, 3D modeling, geometry, vertices, edges, faces, spheres, cylinders, prisms, converted mesh, solid connected solid, face prisms, extruded cylinder, initial mesh, napkin math, triangle count, polygon count, 300 triangles, 90000 triangles, metamesh, polyhedral structure, wireframe to solid, procedural modeling, computational geometry, 3D design
October 16, 2025
Soundbar could be a few inches higher
sonos arc stand, sonos arc, soundbar stand, television setup, published dims, dimensions, 1142 mm, 87 mm, 116 mm, height adjustment, tv console, home theater, audio equipment, product sketch, furniture design, stand design
October 17, 2025
Let people edit tips after service is delivered
tip adjust, apple pay, google wallet, tip editing, tipping after service, credit card processors, merchant tagging, price and tip separately, payment UX, point of sale, POS, gratuity, tip screen, custom tip, no tip, service industry, coffee shop, customer experience, wallet app, refund tip, edit tip within 24 hours, payment design, digital payments, checkout flow, humor comic, apologies, milk and sugar
October 18, 2025
Parametric curve on a vase surface that returns to start
parametric vase curve, parametric curve, vase surface, cylindrical coordinates, radius as function of time, theta as function of time, height function z(t), closed curve, periodic functions, sinusoid, wobble term w(t), shape function f(h(t)), retrograde movement, circle plus circle, constraints z(0)=z(1), constraints x(0)=x(1), constraints y(0)=y(1), t in [0,1], x(t)=r(t)cos(theta(t)), y(t)=r(t)sin(theta(t)), generative design, procedural geometry, vase shell, 3D curve
October 19, 2025
Oct 19 sketch of a pumpkin with π carving
jack o lantern, pumpkin, pi, π symbol, oct 19, halloween, carving, math pun, gourd, autumn, sketch, illustration, seasonal, spooky
October 20, 2025
Black-and-white column pairs creating grayscale illusion
standing waves, columns, black and white, grayscale illusion, optical illusion, value, contrast, perception, sculpture, installation, circular arrangement, top-down profile, pairs, pattern, tone, shading, visual effect, distance viewing, monochrome, Oct 20
October 21, 2025
Coloring a torus map with wraparound edges
7-color map theorem, torus, map coloring, graph coloring, four color theorem, wraparound edges, east-west wrapping, north-south wrapping, toroidal map, doughnut, topology, surface, Asteroids game, screen wrap, planar vs toroidal maps, requires 7 colors, colored regions, diagram, sketch, October 21
October 22, 2025
An idea for 3-D printable springs
parallelogram spring, 3d printable springs, 3d printing, spring design, rectangular coil profile, angled support, overhangs, compression, plastic damage, bump stop, mechanism, parametric design, coil inner radius, base cylinder thickness, CR, BT, cspace, rise, geometry, mechanical design, additive manufacturing, prototype sketch, Oct 22
October 23, 2025
A 2D representation and step-by-step mold algorithm
casting mold calculation, mold design, algorithm, cutting plane choice, split top bottom, convex hull, boolean subtract, bolting lip, bolt holes, perimeter calculation, pour hole, vertical cylinder, 3d printing, print plate, supports, pre-oriented, xy plane, top and bottom mold, ct cb, center of mass, extrude 10mm, expand 10mm, expand 50mm, final boolean, 2d representation, mold making workflow
October 24, 2025
A guess at how meshing software might do it
concave triangulation, triangulation, polygon triangulation, meshing software, triangle mesh, ear clipping, concave polygon, convex polygon, vertex selection, inward angle, 180 degrees, overlap problem, self-intersection, uncontained edge, prev point, next point, algorithm, computational geometry, mesh generation, start vertex, proof question, repeat until done
October 25, 2025
Some parts to winterize
grill plugs, winterize, winterization, plug dimensions, major plug, rect plug, back plug, front small plug, measurements, millimeters, 3mm, 203mm, 227mm, 69mm, 39mm, 22.3, 20mm, 15mm, 10 degrees, lip, parts list, sketch, design notes, template, fabrication
October 26, 2025
A convex stopper construction
boolean plug, convex stopper, stopper construction, B0, B1, B2, B3, B4, convex hull, union, intersection, cutting planes, overlap 5%, shell, hole cutting, boolean operations, CAD modeling, solid geometry, constructive solid geometry, CSG, convex geometry
October 27, 2025
Knob/handle addition prevents over-insertion
boolean plug handle, over-insertion prevention, stopper design, boolean operations, 3d modeling, CAD, shell, handle cylinder, convex hull, convexhull, set difference, union, intersection, planes z1 z2, slice, original shell s0, cut shell, final stopper, B0 B1 B2 B3, H0 H1, inner surface continuity, mechanical design, geometry
October 28, 2025
Diagrammed method for finding safe plug depth
boolean, plug depth, depth calculation, tapered cylinder, cylinder intersection, axis of cut, taper angle, diameter d, P0, P1, P2, zTop, zBottom, zM plane, non-vertex lowest point, geometric reasoning, CAD, mesh faces, shell, boolean operation, tapered plug, clearance 1mm, diagram, sketch notes
October 29, 2025
For solidifying inside mold
rpm chart, solidifying inside mold, mold solidification, rotation speed, curing schedule, spin casting, casting process, time vs rpm, deceleration curve, 1 per hour until solid, process chart, manufacturing notes, Oct 29, WED
October 30, 2025
Thoughts on a footprinted surface between two levels
mid mesh, midmesh, footprint, mesh, 2-d profile, surface inside solid, extrude up, extrude down, boolean operations, union, vertical line test, shortest path, disconnected regions, tree worst case, intersection of mesh and footprint, highest available path, midmesh_top, midmesh_bottom, stay as high as possible, solid modeling, computational geometry, geometry processing, CAD, path finding
October 31, 2025
A motor triggered by light changes
rat spool, halloween, motor triggered, light changes, light sensor, dark activated, sensitivity dial, usb-c charging, usb-c power, features, rat toy, spool mechanism, triggered by light, activated by dark, prototype sketch, concept design, electronics, device, motorized, interactive prop
November 01, 2025
A clock that flings the ball to show the time
center bounce, clock concept, ball flinging clock, kinetic clock, time display, mechanical design, clock face, hour markers, concept sketch, industrial design, nov 1, saturday
November 02, 2025
A 90° axis shift
twist belt, 90 degree axis shift, belt drive, twisted belt, mechanical linkage, power transmission, pulley, right angle drive, rotation transfer, mechanism sketch, engineering concept, machine design, diagram, nov 2, sun
November 03, 2025
Two dodecahedrons with 12 disc magnets, N side out
magnet question, dodecahedron, dodecahedrons, disc magnets, 12 magnets, north side out, magnetic interaction, repulsion, attraction, magnetic field diagram, field lines, polyhedron, dodecahedral arrangement, geometry, magnet configuration, physics, magnetism, two objects interaction, magnetic model, sketch, Nov 3
November 04, 2025
Thoughts on construction in Fusion 360
tetrapod, Fusion 360, construction, CAD, 3D modeling, cube, alternating vertices, taper cylinder, chamfer, mirror across plane, mirror, plane, repeat, boolean join, boolean operation, solid modeling, parametric design, sketch notes, 3D geometry, modeling workflow
November 05, 2025
A handlebar-released pepper spray for cyclists
mongoose spray, pepper spray, handlebar-released, bicycle safety, cyclist protection, protective cloud, button pushed, cycling risks, self-defense, bike handlebar button, spray device concept, dog attack deterrent, south, convo with MK, sketch, daily sketch, Nov 5, rawr
November 06, 2025
Vibe-coded website for parents to support no phones in school
no phone petition, no phones in school, school phone ban, petition website, vibe coded, website mockup, ui design, signup form, email verification, anonymous signing, parents, students, teachers, signature list, most recent signatures, pie chart breakdown, cape schools, cape email, verify button, list sign why navigation, prototype sketch, wireframe
November 07, 2025
Notes on editing a mesh so each vertical ray enters and exits once
vertimesh, mesh editing, vertical ray, enter and exit once, 2D version, cast vertical line, vertex sampling, highest and lowest points, top bottom connect, extra connection, improve it, vertical sample lines, grid resolution, UI resolution, 0.5mm, remove superfluous vertices, coplanar faces, geometry processing, mesh cleanup, computational geometry, polygon processing, ray casting
November 08, 2025
Fixing issues with yesterday’s idea (torus holes)
vertimesh v2, mesh processing, 3D geometry, torus hole, preserve holes, cross section, triangulate faces, vertical rays, ray casting, add vertex, split face, resolution refinement, vertex dissolve, vert line test, edge case, vertical wall, overhangs, empty space rays, interior passing, coplanar faces, simplify mesh, remove superfluous vertices, topology, computational geometry, polygon mesh, algorithm sketch, Nov 8, Saturday
November 09, 2025
Display that detects a shot ball and reports info
shotistics, ball spin, rpm, shot angle, fisheye camera, tripod mount, shot detection, sports analytics, display device, camera sensor, measurement, tracking, gadget design, prototype, basketball shot
November 10, 2025
Torus shadow area from side vs above
shadow dimensions, torus, shadow area, projection, torus from the side, torus from above, area calculation, r1, r2, annulus area, pi, geometry, cross-section, top view, side view, formula derivation, 4πr1r2, π(r1+r2)^2, π(r1-r2)^2, example r1=5 r2=2
November 11, 2025
a re-elevating technique
normal elevations, re-elevating technique, height function, normalization, min max scaling, curve function, mapping, range normalization, function f, h(y), H0, H1, final height, min final height, max final height, y-min over max-min, x^2, square root, sqrt(x), curves, remapping values, elevation, terrain profile, shape transformation, scaling
November 12, 2025
Converting a ring-defined polygon to triangles for a mesh
triangulation, polygon with holes, ring-defined polygon, exterior point list, interior hole lists, CCW, mesh generation, triangle mesh, elevation mesh, extrude triangles, vertex elevation, subdivision, recursive subdivision, manifold mesh, triangular manifold, subdivide edges, long triangles, geometry processing, computational geometry, polygon to triangles, tessellation
November 13, 2025
Modeling ball-and-tube paths, constraints, and energy loss
procedural marble run, marble run, procedural generation, tube path, ball radius, track radius, rails, supports, path constraints, self intersection, energy loss, framed path, normal vector, cannot flip, features, ball speed, normal force, elevation, marble fountain, Will Morrison, Hacker News, M3 library, cap steepness, snaking tube, track modeling
November 14, 2025
Thoughts on rail placement
marble run, cross section, rail placement, banked corner, banked turn, normal force, centripetal force, turn radius, track geometry, incline angle, theta, tan inverse, v squared over rg, physics, mechanics, forces diagram, flat section, track angle alpha, ball radius, rail radius, coordinate geometry, Cx Cy, ax ay bx by, r_b, r_t, sketch notes
November 15, 2025
Deriving speed from potential + rotational energy
speed of a ball on rails, rolling ball, rotational energy, solid sphere, moment of inertia, angular velocity, potential energy to kinetic energy, energy conservation, rolling without slipping, track height h, v sqrt(2gh), derivation, friction losses, kinetic energy fraction, rotation vs translation, geometry of contact, radius r, x displacement, omega in terms of v, physics sketch, mechanics
November 16, 2025
A possible simple shop experiment for an inefficient motor idea
counter-coil motor, coil motor, electric motor idea, non-touching coils, opposite directions coils, contact mechanism, copper plates, insulator, plastic cylinder contact, shop experiment, commutator concept, motor efficiency, electromagnetism sketch, contact points, DIY motor
November 17, 2025
Train an LLM to predict a bit from SHA-256 input
llm sha checker, sha-256, llm model trainer, predict first bit, random string generation, hashing, cryptography, machine learning experiment, bit prediction, training loop, repeat 10^12, input string, statistical test, ai security, hash function
November 18, 2025
Process for making a 2-sided mold with ~85° faces
bi-directional mold fitter, two-sided mold, mold design, draft angle, 85 degrees, faces from horizontal, silhouette, extrude silhouette, thin prism, boolean join, manifold, split top bottom, z=d/2, z=-d/2, overlap solids, angle cleanup, vertimesh, rejoin solids, CAD workflow, 3D geometry, x-y plane polygon, mold release, pop out of mold, manufacturing
November 19, 2025
Solving too many 90° angles in the mesh
vertimesh, mesh, 90 degree angles, right angles, vertices, inner vertices, bisect angle, angle bisection, flat faces, walls, brim, drop faces, symmetrical, geometry, 3D corrections, 3D mesh, topology, vertex connections, merge solids, solid modeling, procedural modeling, 0.25x
November 20, 2025
A way to place objects in a very large perfect circle using two lasers
crop circle, laser, two lasers, circle, circumference, diameter, field, posts, laser pointers, right angle, 90 degrees, 3D print, cube mount, monopod, circle construction, geometry, surveying, layout, staking, markers, rocks, Stonehenge, columns, ceremonies, ritual, nov 20
November 21, 2025
A simple BLE controlled spray can controller
spray bot, BLE, bluetooth low energy, spray can controller, ESP32, servo, battery, robotics, actuator, remote control, hardware project, prototype, spray paint, mechanism, electronics
November 22, 2025
Magnetic bluetooth lidar/ToF cubes for distance and clearance measurement
clearance cubes, lidar, ToF sensor, bluetooth, magnetic mounting, laser pointer, distance measurement, clearance measurement, dashboard display, current distance mm, USB-C, VHB tape, receiving bracket, snap-on sensor, vehicle clearance, parking aid, modular sensor cube, magnets, pairing contacts, charging contacts, 5 directions, mounting bracket, temporary mounting, 90 degree angle
November 23, 2025
Distinguishing free fall from acceleration using a spring
elevator relativity, equivalence principle, free fall, accelerating frame, gravity, general relativity, thought experiment, spring length, tidal forces, distinguish acceleration from gravity, orbit vs crash, reference frame, falling toward a planet, zero acceleration, space elevator scenario
November 24, 2025
Minimizing vibrations transferred to the room
tabletop concrete vibrator, vibration isolation, minimizing vibrations, rubber spacers, upper and lower shelves, PETG feet, rubber mat, mold borders, countersunk screw holes, vibrating table, concrete mold, DIY build, noise reduction, amazon parts, shelf spacers, vibration damping, workbench setup, 3d printed feet, dimensions, nov 24 sketch
November 25, 2025
Geometry angle-sum puzzle with three squares
3 squares and triangles, angle sum, geometry puzzle, a b c angles, 45-45-90 triangle, three squares, triangles in squares, construct shared point, b+c, a+b+c, right angle, 45 degrees, diagram, problem I saw online, Nov 25
November 26, 2025
Mini chalkboard rank ladder with win/loss arrow
magnetic ladder, ladder ranking, challenge ladder, mini chalkboards, win loss arrow, W/L indicator, ranking system, match results, rules, challenge up, move up one, move down one, accept any challenge, magnetic back, chalk nameplate, Marauders, example rules, 9 beats 7, sports ladder, game ladder board
November 27, 2025
USB‑C boxes that turn rotary phones into secure batphones
batbox, rotary phone, secure phone, batphone, end-to-end encrypted, E2E encryption, USB-C powered, pairing, bluetooth, phone app, public key, private key, key generation, partner phones, assign phone numbers, 2-digit dialing, rotary dial numbers, call routing, multiple boxes paired, Wi‑Fi configuration, firmware updates, hardware box, secure communications, telephone adapter, retro tech, ringing phone
November 28, 2025
Wondering about 3D version of marble switch
3 ball switch, marble switch, 3D version, rotational symmetry, 120 degree rotation, 90 degree CCW, consecutive balls swap directions, tilting direction, exit points, ball strike point, blue dotted line, red X, mechanism concept, kinematic design, gravity switch, marble run, mechanical design sketch
November 29, 2025
Quick notes on common circuit symbols and conventions
circuit diagram, circuit symbols, electronics, resistor, inductor, capacitor, diode, led, switch, battery, dc source, ac source, current direction, anode, cathode, electrical convention, magnetic field, electric field, capacitance, farads, coulombs per volt, international symbol, schematic, basic electronics notes
November 30, 2025
A 1‑meter stick where a ball marks the date
jahrstick, 1 meter stick, date indicator, ball marker, calendar device, internal mechanism, magnet, linear rail, out of the box linear rail, mechanical design, product concept, timekeeping, daily date display, nov 30, sketch
December 01, 2025
Flexible mirror surface bent by motors around a curved center
flex mirror, flexible mirror, deformable mirror, motorized mirror, mirror surface, bending mechanism, curved center, actuators, motors, neutral position, one side pulled in, both sides pulled in, flexing, mechanical design, kinematics, prototype concept, dynamic surface, shape control, reflection distortion, sketch, dec 1, monday
December 02, 2025
A rail-less banking marble run elevation function
ball bowl, marble run, banked track, rail-less, elevation function, z(x,y), circular path, side profile, revolved surface, Hmax, Rmax, radius r, initial velocity v0, friction fric(v), energy loss, rolling ball, bowl shape, track design, physics, geometry, parametric surface, non-circular shape
December 03, 2025
Tracking driving distance on a golf simulator over visits
golf simulator, driving distance, percentiles, 90th percentile, 10th percentile, median, chart, tracking progress, visit number, 25 balls, recording shots, warm-up shots, range, practice session, performance improvement, statistics, data visualization, golf driving
December 04, 2025
Millwork measurements for a toy part
string ball bracket, millwork measurements, toy part, existing corner woodwork, woodwork, bracket, measurements, dimensions, sketch, design notes, hardware, corner piece, construction, woodworking, layout
December 05, 2025
a tray for presenting five 1L solids
platonic solids, platonic tray, 1L solids, volume 1 liter, tray design, scale mm, unverified scales, cube, tetrahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron, diameter above, x axis, geometric formula, root expressions, golden ratio, sqrt 5, presentation tray, cutouts, template
December 06, 2025
A dirt-simple way to hang my knife
spyderco mount, knife mount, knife wall hanger, hang my knife, knife stand, wall mount, pin, bottom pin, stand sticks out from wall, back straight on, top view, back view, DIY mount, storage solution, everyday carry, EDC knife, sketch, diagram
December 07, 2025
A device to save 9 precious seconds
fatwood dentata, fatwood, fire starter, kindling, ignite, lighter, splintered end, teeth feed, wood shredder, device concept, time saving, 9 precious seconds, box mechanism, gears, ejecting shredded remains, combustion, outdoor survival, camping, sketch, invention idea, humor design
December 08, 2025
A box to store index cards
flash box, index cards, 3x5 cards, card holder, storage box, lid, button magnets, magnets, dimensions, 76.2, 127, container design, box sketch, prototype, dec 8
December 09, 2025
Separate Z(t) from XY to simplify generation
marble run, path generation, path gen, procedural generation, 3D path, trajectory, constraints, bounds, start position, end position, direction, z(t), x(t), y(t), separate z from xy, collision detection, self-collision, 3D collisions, algorithm, xy path, z path, curvature constraint, top-down view, parametric path, t=0, t=1, sketch notes
December 10, 2025
Generate bounded curves with start/end tangents
marble run generator, xy only, path generation, curve generation, start and end tangents, anchors, perimeter anchors, bounded curve, smooth curve, low curvature, stays inside bounds, intermediate anchors, turn angle constraint, no 180 turns, vertex replacement, tangent circle, circular arc smoothing, bezier, bezier curves, trajectory design, procedural generation, game level generation, 2d path planning, velocity projection, start velocity, end velocity, t=0, t=1, anchor points, inside vertices
December 11, 2025
A doughnut segment that repels similar pieces on a circle
torus arc, doughnut segment, magnetic repulsion, north-north, n-n, s-s, hollow torus, repel similar pieces, constrained to a circle, stay separate, why not, fidget doughnuts, alternating poles, ring arrangement, donut shape, magnet design
December 12, 2025
Technique for growing a vase or sculpture
branch-fill, branch fill, procedural modeling, generative design, vase sculpture, growing shape, manifold mesh, grow region, branching tube, non-deterministic rules, recursive rules, growth algorithm, procedural geometry, mesh intersection, candidate paths, path growth, final radius, shrink along path, branch angle radians, children rules, parametric sculpture, computational design, 3d modeling, algorithmic art
December 13, 2025
Initial thoughts on processing weekly PDFs into daily outputs
year of sketches, ingestion plan, 2025 sketches, weekly pdfs, Apple Freeform, processing pipeline, folder structure, daily pdfs, OCR summaries, daily html, static site, pdf book, dependencies, index calculation, export as pdf, workflow, file organization, content pipeline
December 14, 2025
Online infinite slime volleyball on a sloped cosine hill
king of the hill, infinite slime, slime volleyball, game design, online multiplayer, cosine hill, sloped hill, nets slide, gravity down, elimination rules, rank shifting, zones, dampened spring, compression, distortion, players joining at bottom, 8 nets, 2 walls, 9 players, point scoring, curve not perpendicular
December 15, 2025
Battery-powered sensor + receiver for motion-triggered pranks
prank solenoid, solenoid, motion-triggered prank, sensor, receiver, battery powered, BLE connection, bluetooth low energy, trigger mechanism, actuator, push objects, prank device, spider prank, door prank, victim approach, remote trigger, electronics, embedded device, gadget design, two-piece system
December 16, 2025
An old-school screensaver made of worms + bugs
flock clock, screensaver, clock made of worms, bugs, swarm simulation, flocking behavior, emergent behavior, time projection, agent-based model, trails, attraction, repulsion, proximity, worms, insects, species interactions, predation, eat each other, hatching eggs, eggs, simulation art, generative art, procedural animation, digital clock, behavior rules, up close, 100 worms, sketch, concept
December 17, 2025
A true circular arc that eliminates the baseline jumper
nba, 3-point line, three-point arc, basketball court, true circular arc, baseline jumper, corner three, free throw line extension, sideline, uniform distance, r = 28'6", court geometry, mid-range jumpers, paint as pointer, shot selection, rule change proposal, basketball design, diagram, goals, why this works
December 18, 2025
Tetris + Sokoban puzzle game concept and controls
tetroban, tetris, sokoban, puzzle game, game design, game mechanics, push blocks, rotate block, vertex rotation, d-pad controls, cover red dots, tetris pieces, grid puzzle, drop mechanic, falling pieces, cw ccw rotation, player movement, obstructions, level design, indie game concept, dec 18, thu
December 19, 2025
How to compute draft angle from a surface normal
draft angle, angle calculation, surface normal, unit normal, vector components, xy component, z component, atan2, theta, 3D geometry, CAD, manufacturing, geometry, vector projection, normal vector, orientation, tilt angle, 90 degrees, -90 degrees, 20 degrees, -20 degrees
December 20, 2025
Autonomous drones race from neighboring blankets, return under 28 minutes
drone distance challenge, autonomous drones, drone race, distance competition, return under 28 minutes, furthest distance wins, entries rules, assigned spec batteries, mass under 200g, downward camera recording, GPS recording, single go button, safety rules, climb to 50m, 20m radius launch circle, descend below 50m on return, launch blankets, flight altitude restriction, drone challenge game, drone regulations
December 21, 2025
A geometric question about when polar curves are convex
polar coordinates, convexity, polar curves, r = 1 + a sin k theta, concavity, right turn, left turns, geometric question, closed polar shape, sin 2theta, sin 5theta, curvature test, convex region, concave region, parameter k, amplitude a, convex from polar, r(theta), walking CCW, discrete turn test, epsilon step
December 22, 2025
Odds of a solo winner and expected games
rock paper scissors, three player, 3 player, solo winner, probability, expected number of games, expected value, geometric series, odds, tie redo, non elimination, combinatorics, game theory, sum n r^n, r over 1 minus r squared, 1/3 chance of winner, average 3 games
December 23, 2025
Cross stacking with horizontal rails
wood stacking, cross stacking, horizontal rails, stack alternating, alternating orientation, thin base layer, common height, firewood stack, wood pile, stacking method, storage, rack design, problem statement, alternate layers
December 24, 2025
A chaotic iron ball machine concept
ball cradle, chaotic machine, iron ball, dish wobble, electromagnet, BLE accelerometer, tilt sensing, velocity of tilt, activation function, spin the dish, rolling ball, second ball, nested dish, stand radius, dish radius, side profile, kinetic toy, interactive device, control system, sensor feedback, mechanical design, physics sketch, concept drawing, Dec 24, wednesday
December 25, 2025
Pool-table croquet inserts and house rules
billiard croquet, pool table croquet, billiards game variant, croquet hoops, wickets, house rules, scratches rules, two balls per player, solid and striped, numbered wicket, 4-player game, pool table inserts, felt protection, heavy steel hoop, machined smooth, game design, tabletop game, DIY pool accessory, christmas
December 26, 2025
A desktop interface for 2025 sketches
sketch site, desktop interface, 2025 sketches, UI mockup, website design, full list, search results, individual page, navigation, next prev arrows, random dice, download PDF, share link, keywords section, links section, GitHub, about page, thumbnail, wireframe
December 27, 2025
A visualization of the asymptote (pre-pre-calculus)
x^2-y^2=1, hyperbola, asymptote, visualization, difference of squares, distance to y=x, y=x, x-y, 1/x approaches 0, precalculus, geometry of area, striped area, quadrants, limits, approaches zero
December 28, 2025
Quick way to select and activate house scenes
nes controller, lutron, smart home, house scenes, scene select, lighting control, wireless, battery powered, speaker, movie night, bedtime, dim last action, 10% increments, controller mapping, home automation, select button, undo, house on, house off, left right, up down
December 29, 2025
An opinionated DFA-style parser for decimal numbers
state machine, DFA, deterministic finite automaton, rationals, decimal numbers, number parsing, finite automata, regex alternative, lexer, parser, trailing zeros, input validation, automaton diagram, q0, q1, q2, q3, q4, q5, transitions, decimal point, digits 0-9, college notes, formal languages
December 30, 2025
How long would it take to grow?
one mile fingernail, fingernail growth rate, how long would it take, unit conversion, 3.5 mm per day, 1 mile, 1300 years, length estimation, back-of-the-envelope, dimensional analysis, hand drawing, body growth, horror, disgusting, ugly-ass hand, dec 30 sketch, measurement math, miles to feet, mm to inches, years calculation, optimistically
December 31, 2025
One for each sketch I drew this year
three hundred sixty-five hand-drawn cubes, 365 cubes, daily sketch, year-long art project, Dec 31, wrist hurts, hand drawn cubes, cube drawing, repetition, daily drawing, sketchbook, end of year, practice, art design, pen and ink, grid of cubes, consistency, 365 days, daily art challenge, drawing exercise