Ron Forhan
@ronforhan.bsky.social
Inventor.
Sharing pages from old notebooks while I work on something new.
Sharing pages from old notebooks while I work on something new.
Before the mechanics were finished, the identity had to feel right.
December 26, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Before the mechanics were finished, the identity had to feel right.
Taking a pause before the next phase.
Merry Christmas 🎄
Merry Christmas 🎄
December 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Taking a pause before the next phase.
Merry Christmas 🎄
Merry Christmas 🎄
The system needed to run on its own,
but the toy still needed to work anytime.
Detachable wasn’t optional. It was the point.
#Engineering #Design
but the toy still needed to work anytime.
Detachable wasn’t optional. It was the point.
#Engineering #Design
December 23, 2025 at 9:48 PM
The system needed to run on its own,
but the toy still needed to work anytime.
Detachable wasn’t optional. It was the point.
#Engineering #Design
but the toy still needed to work anytime.
Detachable wasn’t optional. It was the point.
#Engineering #Design
This was the point where everything had to line up.
Motor placement isn’t just about fit, it defines load paths, noise, vibration, and long-term reliability.
Once this bracket was right, the rest of the system stopped arguing with itself.
#Engineering #Design
Motor placement isn’t just about fit, it defines load paths, noise, vibration, and long-term reliability.
Once this bracket was right, the rest of the system stopped arguing with itself.
#Engineering #Design
December 22, 2025 at 10:29 PM
This was the point where everything had to line up.
Motor placement isn’t just about fit, it defines load paths, noise, vibration, and long-term reliability.
Once this bracket was right, the rest of the system stopped arguing with itself.
#Engineering #Design
Motor placement isn’t just about fit, it defines load paths, noise, vibration, and long-term reliability.
Once this bracket was right, the rest of the system stopped arguing with itself.
#Engineering #Design
This pivot arm failed quietly at first.
Plastic-on-plastic binding didn’t show up immediately, only after use.
Nylon washers fixed it.
Design teaches patience.
Plastic-on-plastic binding didn’t show up immediately, only after use.
Nylon washers fixed it.
Design teaches patience.
December 21, 2025 at 3:07 PM
This pivot arm failed quietly at first.
Plastic-on-plastic binding didn’t show up immediately, only after use.
Nylon washers fixed it.
Design teaches patience.
Plastic-on-plastic binding didn’t show up immediately, only after use.
Nylon washers fixed it.
Design teaches patience.
This pair solved the motion problem. Everything else simplified after that.
December 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM
This pair solved the motion problem. Everything else simplified after that.
Once the motion was resolved, the enclosure could be simplified.
This was about reducing bulk, supporting the mechanism, and letting the geometry follow the function.
This was about reducing bulk, supporting the mechanism, and letting the geometry follow the function.
December 19, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Once the motion was resolved, the enclosure could be simplified.
This was about reducing bulk, supporting the mechanism, and letting the geometry follow the function.
This was about reducing bulk, supporting the mechanism, and letting the geometry follow the function.
Once the motion worked,
the shape could finally relax.
the shape could finally relax.
December 18, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Once the motion worked,
the shape could finally relax.
the shape could finally relax.
This sketch wasn’t about mechanics.
It was about keeping play optional, personal, and detachable.
Even when the rest of the system evolved.
It was about keeping play optional, personal, and detachable.
Even when the rest of the system evolved.
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This sketch wasn’t about mechanics.
It was about keeping play optional, personal, and detachable.
Even when the rest of the system evolved.
It was about keeping play optional, personal, and detachable.
Even when the rest of the system evolved.
Once the load was gone, everything moved freely.
This direction stuck.
This direction stuck.
December 16, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Once the load was gone, everything moved freely.
This direction stuck.
This direction stuck.
Pop-up → swing / rotation.
Same housing, different behavior.
The “T” cutout let me test both paths without rebuilding everything.
Same housing, different behavior.
The “T” cutout let me test both paths without rebuilding everything.
December 15, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Pop-up → swing / rotation.
Same housing, different behavior.
The “T” cutout let me test both paths without rebuilding everything.
Same housing, different behavior.
The “T” cutout let me test both paths without rebuilding everything.
This is where the design stopped popping up and started swinging.
Removing load at startup changed everything.
Removing load at startup changed everything.
December 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This is where the design stopped popping up and started swinging.
Removing load at startup changed everything.
Removing load at startup changed everything.
The pop-up physics using solar proved very hard to pull off...
It looks simple. It wasn’t.
Tomorrow I’ll show how changing the orientation changed everything.
#prototyping
It looks simple. It wasn’t.
Tomorrow I’ll show how changing the orientation changed everything.
#prototyping
December 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The pop-up physics using solar proved very hard to pull off...
It looks simple. It wasn’t.
Tomorrow I’ll show how changing the orientation changed everything.
#prototyping
It looks simple. It wasn’t.
Tomorrow I’ll show how changing the orientation changed everything.
#prototyping
One of my first real test rigs.
I printed this so I could shift every part by hand - rod height, spring angle, all of it. Yesterday's CAM is visible near the front.
My version of an engineering “breadboard.” No equations. Just trial, error, and observation.
#buildinpublic #prototyping
I printed this so I could shift every part by hand - rod height, spring angle, all of it. Yesterday's CAM is visible near the front.
My version of an engineering “breadboard.” No equations. Just trial, error, and observation.
#buildinpublic #prototyping
December 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM
One of my first real test rigs.
I printed this so I could shift every part by hand - rod height, spring angle, all of it. Yesterday's CAM is visible near the front.
My version of an engineering “breadboard.” No equations. Just trial, error, and observation.
#buildinpublic #prototyping
I printed this so I could shift every part by hand - rod height, spring angle, all of it. Yesterday's CAM is visible near the front.
My version of an engineering “breadboard.” No equations. Just trial, error, and observation.
#buildinpublic #prototyping
Early CAD attempt.
This spiral cam moved beautifully… right up until the sun dipped.
Once the motor stalled under tension, it never restarted.
Failure, but a useful one.
#buildinpublic #engineering
This spiral cam moved beautifully… right up until the sun dipped.
Once the motor stalled under tension, it never restarted.
Failure, but a useful one.
#buildinpublic #engineering
December 11, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Early CAD attempt.
This spiral cam moved beautifully… right up until the sun dipped.
Once the motor stalled under tension, it never restarted.
Failure, but a useful one.
#buildinpublic #engineering
This spiral cam moved beautifully… right up until the sun dipped.
Once the motor stalled under tension, it never restarted.
Failure, but a useful one.
#buildinpublic #engineering
First attempt at turning sunlight into motion.
I tried using a spring-loaded cam to move the rod, but the starting torque was too much. It stalled every time.
Still, this failure pointed me toward the version that eventually worked.
#engineering #buildinpublic
I tried using a spring-loaded cam to move the rod, but the starting torque was too much. It stalled every time.
Still, this failure pointed me toward the version that eventually worked.
#engineering #buildinpublic
December 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
First attempt at turning sunlight into motion.
I tried using a spring-loaded cam to move the rod, but the starting torque was too much. It stalled every time.
Still, this failure pointed me toward the version that eventually worked.
#engineering #buildinpublic
I tried using a spring-loaded cam to move the rod, but the starting torque was too much. It stalled every time.
Still, this failure pointed me toward the version that eventually worked.
#engineering #buildinpublic
Last of the early solarchaser sketches. Trying to figure out distances, tension and how to turn sunlight into motion before I built anything physical.
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #solarchaser
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #solarchaser
December 9, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Last of the early solarchaser sketches. Trying to figure out distances, tension and how to turn sunlight into motion before I built anything physical.
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #solarchaser
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #solarchaser
Digging up the early Solarchaser notes. They were rough, but the core idea was already there. Next posts are the first real builds.
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #inventions
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #inventions
December 8, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Digging up the early Solarchaser notes. They were rough, but the core idea was already there. Next posts are the first real builds.
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #inventions
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic #inventions
Found this one folded up and shoved in the back of the notebook. Just a rough idea about harvesting energy from oxidation.
#sketchbook #engineering
#sketchbook #engineering
December 7, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Found this one folded up and shoved in the back of the notebook. Just a rough idea about harvesting energy from oxidation.
#sketchbook #engineering
#sketchbook #engineering
Mechanical experiments from the notebook. Almost through the sketchbook phase.
#sketchbook #engineering
#sketchbook #engineering
December 6, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Mechanical experiments from the notebook. Almost through the sketchbook phase.
#sketchbook #engineering
#sketchbook #engineering
Old hybrid energy notes. Funny how many of my ideas start as simple geometry experiments.
#sketchbook #engineering #ideas
#sketchbook #engineering #ideas
December 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Old hybrid energy notes. Funny how many of my ideas start as simple geometry experiments.
#sketchbook #engineering #ideas
#sketchbook #engineering #ideas
Working through the last pages of the notebook. Funny how much airflow and circulation problems teach you along the way.
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic
December 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Working through the last pages of the notebook. Funny how much airflow and circulation problems teach you along the way.
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic
#sketchbook #engineering #buildinpublic
Old sketch, I was trying to make small upgrades around the house.
Idea: a doorbell faceplate with a built-in LED light bar powered directly from the existing doorbell wiring.
Just a simple way to get more visibility at night without running new lines or using batteries.
#Maker #IdeaBook #Inventor
Idea: a doorbell faceplate with a built-in LED light bar powered directly from the existing doorbell wiring.
Just a simple way to get more visibility at night without running new lines or using batteries.
#Maker #IdeaBook #Inventor
December 3, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Another random invention from my old sketchbook:
A toilet-powered automatic cleaner.
The idea was a refillable cleaner cartridge + a water wheel that captured a little energy from each flush to trigger a sprayer.
Got the idea from seeing those old automatic shower cleaners.
A toilet-powered automatic cleaner.
The idea was a refillable cleaner cartridge + a water wheel that captured a little energy from each flush to trigger a sprayer.
Got the idea from seeing those old automatic shower cleaners.
December 2, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Another random invention from my old sketchbook:
A toilet-powered automatic cleaner.
The idea was a refillable cleaner cartridge + a water wheel that captured a little energy from each flush to trigger a sprayer.
Got the idea from seeing those old automatic shower cleaners.
A toilet-powered automatic cleaner.
The idea was a refillable cleaner cartridge + a water wheel that captured a little energy from each flush to trigger a sprayer.
Got the idea from seeing those old automatic shower cleaners.
Solar-Heated Door Mat
When I lived in Utah, winter meant constantly kicking snow and ice off the welcome mat.
This was an early idea I sketched out—a solar-heated door mat using the same thin filament tech from car defroster windows. Never built.
#Maker #Inventor #OldSketchbooks
When I lived in Utah, winter meant constantly kicking snow and ice off the welcome mat.
This was an early idea I sketched out—a solar-heated door mat using the same thin filament tech from car defroster windows. Never built.
#Maker #Inventor #OldSketchbooks
December 1, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Solar-Heated Door Mat
When I lived in Utah, winter meant constantly kicking snow and ice off the welcome mat.
This was an early idea I sketched out—a solar-heated door mat using the same thin filament tech from car defroster windows. Never built.
#Maker #Inventor #OldSketchbooks
When I lived in Utah, winter meant constantly kicking snow and ice off the welcome mat.
This was an early idea I sketched out—a solar-heated door mat using the same thin filament tech from car defroster windows. Never built.
#Maker #Inventor #OldSketchbooks