Stepper motor & Acrylic gear play

Here at SpikenzieLabs, we’re always on the lookout for interesting and fun components.  We got these in a few weeks ago.  It is a small stepper motor and driver board.  They sell together for $7.95. One of the cool things about this stepper is that it runs at 5v, and the current to drive it is low enough… Read More »

Andy

The DIY acrylic iPhone 5 tripod mount housing

The iPhone 5 takes such awesome HD video, we decided that it’s time to craft our very own tripod mount.  A while back, we found a very technical PDF technical drawing of the iPhone 5.  Stripping the drawing down to a single bare outline in a vector drawing software took a few minutes. Below is what we ended… Read More »

Tripod bolt and mounting plate

Tripod bolt and mounting plate, a photo by SpikenzieLabs on Flickr. Via Flickr: Ordered these up from McMaster-Carr, PN: 98007a029 Going to be used in a custom box for a client who needs to have his project tripod mounted. Robust, and well made. McMaster, that’s why you guys rock!

Andy

How we make it: Floating Captive Buttons

The SpikenzieLabs Calculator Kit, has been one of our most popular DIY kits since it’s debut at MakerFaire Bay Area 2012.  As you can see in photo below, it is fully ‘wrapped’ in a carefully thought-out acrylic housing.  At the outset, we wanted this kit to be fun to solder, and easy to use, and have nice ‘pleasing… Read More »

Andy

Button fall apart

Button fall apart..  Whipped up a quick little batch of 2 part epoxy to set this switch on a piece of acrylic.  Checking to see if it was set, it basically totally fell apart.  I was planning on taking a peek inside the housing anyway, so it wasn’t a total waste of time. Next time, glue gun!

Learn To Solder For A Dollar : Montreal Mini Maker Faire

For Montreal’s first Mini Maker Faire, we hosted the ever popular ‘Learn To Solder For 1$’ tent. Nothing like what we expected.  We have seen photos from other ‘First’ Mini Maker Faires.  Based on that, we were expecting to maybe teach a few dozen people how to solder, and enjoy a relaxing day. The turnout was awesome, nothing… Read More »

Andy

Montreal Mini Maker Faire: Learn To Solder Kit

Montreal Mini Maker Faire is fast approaching.  (Aug 25th & 26th 2012) Every Maker Faire we have been to has had a ‘Learn to Solder For A Dollar’ tent.  This, Montreal’s first Mini Maker Faire, we teaching people how to solder for a dollar. Here is a sneak preview of the ‘learn to solder’ kit we have put… Read More »

Andy

Speech For Arduino

RobotGrrl made this really sweet Mac App.  Listens to serial at 115200 baud, sends that string to the Mac voice synth, and plays out your Mac speaker. Great for monitoring sensors, projects for the visually impaired, etc. Way to go RobotGrrl 🙂 Check out more here: Apps For Arduino.

Andy

Laser Cut Stenciling for SMT PCB DIY Solder Pasting

Through-Hole soldering is fast, fun and easy.  The parts you populate your PCB’s with are the very same ones you can pull from your breadboard once your project is finished, and you are ready to make a permanent version. What if the components end up taking up too much space for the size of your product? What if… Read More »