Colin O'Flynn
@oflynn.com
Colin is a huge nerd. Hardware hacking, open-source hardware, electronics design, academic stuff, dog stuff in some order. Assistant Prof @ Dalhousie Uni, advisor/co-founder NewAE Technology Inc.
Thankfully I had this random 5V power brick I refused to throw out! Needed 5V at >2A, this worked and system is back online!
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Thankfully I had this random 5V power brick I refused to throw out! Needed 5V at >2A, this worked and system is back online!
Seemed happy enough to mount it back up! I'm not even going to bother putting the cover on probably, as well get better cooling, and this is hidden in a closet anyway.
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Seemed happy enough to mount it back up! I'm not even going to bother putting the cover on probably, as well get better cooling, and this is hidden in a closet anyway.
Oops typo city... Music smoke = magic, raised = realized. But continuing... Conveniently those go to pads on top side, so can convert my AP to wall plug instead of POE, and be back online.
December 2, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Oops typo city... Music smoke = magic, raised = realized. But continuing... Conveniently those go to pads on top side, so can convert my AP to wall plug instead of POE, and be back online.
From the datasheet of the controller, raised I could probably feed 5V into where it comes, and AP seemed to boot!
December 2, 2025 at 2:25 AM
From the datasheet of the controller, raised I could probably feed 5V into where it comes, and AP seemed to boot!
My UNIFI AP died, opened it up and pin 3 melted off fully from the POE controller chip... Plus telltale music smoke hole & the TVS diode had split (other side of PCB). Guess it was a bad power surge, oops!
December 1, 2025 at 8:54 PM
My UNIFI AP died, opened it up and pin 3 melted off fully from the POE controller chip... Plus telltale music smoke hole & the TVS diode had split (other side of PCB). Guess it was a bad power surge, oops!
Very east coast problems include unexpected lobster being dropped off and the resulting changing dinner plans.
November 28, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Very east coast problems include unexpected lobster being dropped off and the resulting changing dinner plans.
Also I never thought about it, but for some reason I find it funny the inside of the cans just looks like a "normal" (e.g., E core) transformer just in a can.
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Also I never thought about it, but for some reason I find it funny the inside of the cans just looks like a "normal" (e.g., E core) transformer just in a can.
And I did check, despite it's 1969 date code the small amonut of remaining oil (it was pumped out at some point) is *not* PCB based. Not sure if another was used or it was just filled more recently (this was being disposed of by university as used to show students, so it may not be original oil)
November 23, 2025 at 12:54 AM
And I did check, despite it's 1969 date code the small amonut of remaining oil (it was pumped out at some point) is *not* PCB based. Not sure if another was used or it was just filled more recently (this was being disposed of by university as used to show students, so it may not be original oil)
Men want only one thing and it's disgusting.
November 23, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Men want only one thing and it's disgusting.
A few years ago I started making butter chicken from scratch, and it honestly blew my mind in a way to learn that years of "tomato sauces = Italian" is a boldface Western lie. Even if you use olive oil out of laziness (like I do) it still tastes like a great butter chicken.
November 20, 2025 at 10:29 PM
A few years ago I started making butter chicken from scratch, and it honestly blew my mind in a way to learn that years of "tomato sauces = Italian" is a boldface Western lie. Even if you use olive oil out of laziness (like I do) it still tastes like a great butter chicken.
I wasn't in the market, but you know after seeing the ad for a $672K tunnel boring machine maybe I just will be.
November 19, 2025 at 1:18 PM
I wasn't in the market, but you know after seeing the ad for a $672K tunnel boring machine maybe I just will be.
Magnet wire should be a restricted hacking tool based on the metric of how many attacks it enables.
November 14, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Magnet wire should be a restricted hacking tool based on the metric of how many attacks it enables.
Made a very simple python-based simulator for working on LCDs using u8g2 (embedded graphics lib). Not well tested & half vibe coded, but so far has been useful and saved a lot of time when it comes to playing around with fonts, spacing, etc. github.com/colinoflynn/... #embeddedguis #u8g2
October 29, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Made a very simple python-based simulator for working on LCDs using u8g2 (embedded graphics lib). Not well tested & half vibe coded, but so far has been useful and saved a lot of time when it comes to playing around with fonts, spacing, etc. github.com/colinoflynn/... #embeddedguis #u8g2
A little friend swam by me to feed on a floating whale carcass while I'm down by #brierisland volunteering on a lighthouse restoration project. #greatwhite #shark
September 5, 2025 at 10:06 AM
A little friend swam by me to feed on a floating whale carcass while I'm down by #brierisland volunteering on a lighthouse restoration project. #greatwhite #shark
LPT: Put your dog's face on PCB silkscreens and it might end up in official marketing material for other companies (source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXI6...).
August 29, 2025 at 12:39 AM
LPT: Put your dog's face on PCB silkscreens and it might end up in official marketing material for other companies (source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXI6...).
Currently *not* at BH/DC... While I miss catching up, happily doing things like taking videos of my dog unsuccessfully trying to dry themselves instead of walking around in 42C weather.
August 6, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Currently *not* at BH/DC... While I miss catching up, happily doing things like taking videos of my dog unsuccessfully trying to dry themselves instead of walking around in 42C weather.
Not tech, but have taken a few trips out to a place here in #novascotia that has #puffins lately - here were a couple recent shots
June 15, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Not tech, but have taken a few trips out to a place here in #novascotia that has #puffins lately - here were a couple recent shots
Here are the broken bits of the tap that I can then knock out of the hole. Didn't even have to clean it up - bolt threaded in (I broke the tap at the end!). Now to get another tap tomorrow and finish it....
June 9, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Here are the broken bits of the tap that I can then knock out of the hole. Didn't even have to clean it up - bolt threaded in (I broke the tap at the end!). Now to get another tap tomorrow and finish it....
Here is my former M4 tap, now with a hole down the center.
June 9, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Here is my former M4 tap, now with a hole down the center.
It uses a brass electrode that has a very very simple control system to dump current into it (I did a teardown video is the unit a while ago).
June 9, 2025 at 12:14 AM
It uses a brass electrode that has a very very simple control system to dump current into it (I did a teardown video is the unit a while ago).
Oops! Broke a tap in a part, a while ago I bought that low cost EDM machine to try out, it works surprisingly well:
June 9, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Oops! Broke a tap in a part, a while ago I bought that low cost EDM machine to try out, it works surprisingly well:
The other half of the triple deck smash burger. This will be the last photo in the thread as after a few more good treats we said goodbye to her. We're never ready but the best we could do is give her these last few days of everything she loved. ❤️
May 16, 2025 at 8:54 PM
The other half of the triple deck smash burger. This will be the last photo in the thread as after a few more good treats we said goodbye to her. We're never ready but the best we could do is give her these last few days of everything she loved. ❤️
Beef Jerky Nugget: yes please!
May 16, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Beef Jerky Nugget: yes please!
Reese Peanut Butter cup: yes please!
May 16, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Reese Peanut Butter cup: yes please!
