How Big Is Your Junk Bin?

Surely, there's a limit. But how much is too much? [3602421454791242043.png] Wednesday, December 6, 2023 [3D-Printed Difference Engine Is Fully Functional »]( A Delightful Dilemma If you're a wishful-thinking person in the northern hemisphere, you might imagine that spring is right around the corner. And what goes with spring better than cleaning? Well, quite a lot, actually, but trust us, spring cleaning is good for the soul. However, it's barely December, and there still a few months of winter to get through. If anything, December feels like the time to hold on to and acquire more things. But how big should your junk bin really be? [Join today's Hack Chat]( all about the hoarder's dilemma as Gabe Emerson of the [saveitforparts YouTube channel]( aims to address that very issue. You never know when the next contest will roll around, so keep those soldering irons hot and those junk bins full. In the meantime, here's some inspiration in the form of the coolest new hacks on IO this week. Highlights from the IO POPULAR BITS [project thumbnail]( [BrailleBot Is Your Braille Personal Trainer]( BrailleBot is a low-cost, open-source Braille training device. It provides tactile as well as audio feedback so you can feel and hear each letter at the same time. BrailleBot uses one 9g servo to move each dot up and down, and there are touch sensors on the sides to move between letters of the alphabet. [project thumbnail]( [NASA VAB Little Free Library Is A-OK]( Little Free Libraries have been around for a while now, but this is by far the coolest one we've ever seen. It's modeled on NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building, where the Saturn V and the Space Shuttle were constructed. Come for the books, and stay to watch the rocket exit the VAB and "launch". [project thumbnail]( [Swatch Time Clock Doesn't Miss a .Beat]( Sometimes, two or more people conceive of the same idea around the same time. Such is the case with Swatch's Internet time, which is measured in beats, with 1,000 beats to the day. This clock pays homage to Internet Time as well as an Argentinian drummer who also thought it up. Hack Chat LIVE CHAT WITH LEADING EXPERTS EVERY WEDNESDAY [Today: Hoarder's Dilemma Hack Chat]( Gabe Emerson will host [this week's Hack Chat](. For most of us, hoarding is a good thing. After all, how are you going to effect that quick repair or finish that "just one more part" project without a deep junk bin? But what's the limit? When is too much of a good thing a bad thing? We're not exactly sure that Gabe Emerson, from the "saveitforparts" channel on YouTube, has a handle on that, but he sure has an impressive stash of stuff. We figure that qualifies him to talk about "The Hoarder's Dilemma," and besides, he's a cool guy doing cool stuff, which is exactly what the Hack Chat is all about. Featured Projects POPULAR BITS [Making the Casio FX-7700 Glow Blue Once More]( [Industrial Network Playground Runs On Raspi 4]( [Third Time May Be the Charm For This Nitinol Motor]( [PlasMa Is a Mainframe Simulator For Your Desk]( Live Events MEETUPS, CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS [VCF SoCal - February 17-18]( The Vintage Computer Festival comes to Southern California! The call is still open for exhibitors, vendors, and speakers, so get your applications in while you still can. [Trenton Computer Festival - March 16]( The longest-running computer festival in the world will return for its 48th year in 2024. We don't have a schedule this far out, but expect a full-day of talks and workshops, with a streaming component for those who can't make the trip to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in person. [VCF East - April 5-7]( While we don't have much information yet, the The Vintage Computer Festival East is an absolute must-see event for anyone with a love of vintage hardware. [Los Angeles Maker Faire - April 6]( The Los Angeles Maker Faire is back at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. Mark your calendars and fire up your soldering irons now. Don't you want to have something to show off? [OSHWA 2024 - April 26-27]( This year's summit will be held in Montreal, Quebec, both remotely and in person. Want to give a talk or workshop? You have until December 17th to submit your proposal. [twitter]( [facebook]( [instagram]( [Terms of Use]( [Privacy Policy]( [Hackaday.io]( [Hackaday.com]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Hackaday · 61 South Fair Oaks Avenue · Suite 200 · Pasadena, CA 91105 · USA