Mᴀʀᴋ VᴀɴᴅᴇWᴇᴛᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ
@brainwagon.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
He/Him. Formerly Senior Technical Director, Pixar Animation Studios. K6HX. Telescope Maker. Tinkerer. Woodworker. Programmer. Open source afficionado. Enthusiast […]
🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://mastodon.social/@brainwagon, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://mastodon.social/@brainwagon, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
This morning "CAD before breakfast" was a request to draft up a set of split rings that can be used to bolt a small Orion refractor to a little equatorial mount, requested by John (a member of the Chabot Telescope Maker's workshop). This should be more secure […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
December 20, 2025 at 5:43 PM
This morning "CAD before breakfast" was a request to draft up a set of split rings that can be used to bolt a small Orion refractor to a little equatorial mount, requested by John (a member of the Chabot Telescope Maker's workshop). This should be more secure […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
My "findr" project continues to drag along. I've learned a bunch about using onshape to design more complex housings. The physical version lacks the power button that I still need to source, but overall it's ready to sit on a tripod and do some more testing […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
December 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
My "findr" project continues to drag along. I've learned a bunch about using onshape to design more complex housings. The physical version lacks the power button that I still need to source, but overall it's ready to sit on a tripod and do some more testing […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
Making some headway on my #raspberrypi based star finder scope using #onshape to design the housing. It should have most of the functionality that I need, but I think the front end will still get some love, as will the grating that fits over the exhaust fan.
December 14, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Making some headway on my #raspberrypi based star finder scope using #onshape to design the housing. It should have most of the functionality that I need, but I think the front end will still get some love, as will the grating that fits over the exhaust fan.
Playing with nano banana to add some elements to a photo I took several years ago. #merrychristmas all.
December 8, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Playing with nano banana to add some elements to a photo I took several years ago. #merrychristmas all.
Used #3dprinting to make a keyfob that contains an NFC RFID tag that stores my vcard. Now, if I want someone to have my phone/email, they can just tap this fob and get it added to their contact list.
December 6, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Used #3dprinting to make a keyfob that contains an NFC RFID tag that stores my vcard. Now, if I want someone to have my phone/email, they can just tap this fob and get it added to their contact list.
Not everything is better as a live action remake.
December 3, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Not everything is better as a live action remake.
More laughs from evil technology: myself as Grand Toff Markin.
December 2, 2025 at 3:54 AM
More laughs from evil technology: myself as Grand Toff Markin.
Quick rendering of the first rough case for my "findr" project. Lots more clean up and stylization to do.
December 1, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Quick rendering of the first rough case for my "findr" project. Lots more clean up and stylization to do.
I should let my beard grow out. #happyholidays
November 29, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I should let my beard grow out. #happyholidays
One of the first things I printed on the new 3D printer was a "poop chute". When you do multicolor prints, there is a lot of waste blobs as the extruder flushes out the wrong color filament, and these get ejected out a port in the back. So, you need a little […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
November 21, 2025 at 10:52 PM
One of the first things I printed on the new 3D printer was a "poop chute". When you do multicolor prints, there is a lot of waste blobs as the extruder flushes out the wrong color filament, and these get ejected out a port in the back. So, you need a little […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
A new era in #3dprinting for me: a basic nametag as a test, using the random PLA colors I had loaded. Success! New printer is an #anycubic Korba S1 Combo, which I got a pretty good deal on. Software is a bit quirky, but it seems pretty functional.
November 21, 2025 at 5:52 PM
A new era in #3dprinting for me: a basic nametag as a test, using the random PLA colors I had loaded. Success! New printer is an #anycubic Korba S1 Combo, which I got a pretty good deal on. Software is a bit quirky, but it seems pretty functional.
Used my lowrider CNC to test cut a foam insert for my toolbox from some scrap harbor freight anti-fatigue mat. https://brainwagon.org/blog/2025_11_19_foam_insert_test/
November 19, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Used my lowrider CNC to test cut a foam insert for my toolbox from some scrap harbor freight anti-fatigue mat. https://brainwagon.org/blog/2025_11_19_foam_insert_test/
First live test of my "findr" project: i set it out on the back patio aimed at the north east sky, and started acquiring images. When I flip from "live" mode to "solve" mode, it captures images, extracts star positions, and then uses the tetra3 library to do […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
November 19, 2025 at 2:12 AM
First live test of my "findr" project: i set it out on the back patio aimed at the north east sky, and started acquiring images. When I flip from "live" mode to "solve" mode, it captures images, extracts star positions, and then uses the tetra3 library to do […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
Added some additional space for my new (and yet not arrived) 3D printer, as well as a new electrical junction box for additional power outlets. https://brainwagon.org/blog/2025_11_18_space_for_new_printer/
November 19, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Added some additional space for my new (and yet not arrived) 3D printer, as well as a new electrical junction box for additional power outlets. https://brainwagon.org/blog/2025_11_18_space_for_new_printer/
Added a stand in for the camera model in my onshape housing design.
November 17, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Added a stand in for the camera model in my onshape housing design.
Decided to go with a Waveshare UPS Hat for my "findr" scope project: a Raspberry Pi 5 powered camera. I started roughing in some models to stand in for the internal parts so I could make a design for a 3D printed case.
November 16, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Decided to go with a Waveshare UPS Hat for my "findr" scope project: a Raspberry Pi 5 powered camera. I started roughing in some models to stand in for the internal parts so I could make a design for a 3D printed case.
Making headway on "findr", my Raspberry Pi based plate solving camera.
November 13, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Making headway on "findr", my Raspberry Pi based plate solving camera.
Now the computed image will include slightly better IDs than just the Hipparcos catalog number, including greek letters as appropriate.
November 12, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Now the computed image will include slightly better IDs than just the Hipparcos catalog number, including greek letters as appropriate.
It's cloudy tonight, so I can't test this for real under the stars, but I have some data I acquired from a couple of nights ago. The tetra3 plate solver is really awesome and fast: so much so the other processing is the bottleneck. Stars are currently labeled […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
November 12, 2025 at 6:24 AM
It's cloudy tonight, so I can't test this for real under the stars, but I have some data I acquired from a couple of nights ago. The tetra3 plate solver is really awesome and fast: so much so the other processing is the bottleneck. Stars are currently labeled […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
Prototype computerized finder scope is more or less complete/functional, on a baby camera tripod. It has a 3D printed Vixen style dovetail, which should make it easy to mount on a telescope when I get it working better. If it is clear tonight, I am going to […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
November 11, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Prototype computerized finder scope is more or less complete/functional, on a baby camera tripod. It has a 3D printed Vixen style dovetail, which should make it easy to mount on a telescope when I get it working better. If it is clear tonight, I am going to […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
Prototype #astronomy / #telescopemaking project: a basic Raspberry Pi 5 based camera, with an IMX296 based camera and a 25mm lens. It can acquire images which can be used with a plate solver, and figure out what stars are visible in the field. The acquisition […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
November 11, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Prototype #astronomy / #telescopemaking project: a basic Raspberry Pi 5 based camera, with an IMX296 based camera and a 25mm lens. It can acquire images which can be used with a plate solver, and figure out what stars are visible in the field. The acquisition […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
I had a device that had a mangled M2 thread, so I thought it would be good to get a small, cheap tap set from Amazon. And wow, is the tap wrench cheap and terrible. But it does the job. I designed and printed this little holder: the same magnet that fastens […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
November 10, 2025 at 7:39 PM
I had a device that had a mangled M2 thread, so I thought it would be good to get a small, cheap tap set from Amazon. And wow, is the tap wrench cheap and terrible. But it does the job. I designed and printed this little holder: the same magnet that fastens […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
[Original post on mastodon.social]