Tiny Moves, Big Depth: An Open-Source Macro Focus SliderWhen taking macro photographs, you often need just a tiny bit of controlled motion — so little that it’s tough to pull off by hand. To address this, [Salveo] designed a small open-source macro photography slider featuring an anti-backlash handle.
Macro photography gives you an extremely shallow field of view, sometimes under 1 mm of depth, in which subjects stay in focus. To combat this, it’s common to capture multiple images while sliding the camera forward or backward, then combine them for a much larger depth of field than a single shot provides. [Salveo]’s slider gives fine control over this focus-stacking process, with the knob even marked to show every 1 mm of linear travel.
The slider is built around a 150 mm linear rail, though it could easily be lengthened or shortened to suit your needs. A T8 leadscrew, paired with anti-backlash nuts, translates the knob’s rotation into smooth linear motion. The knob itself uses a custom-designed anti-backlash mechanism to ensure the slider works cleanly in either direction.
You can grab all the 3D-printable files as well as the full bill of materials from the project page. Be sure to check out [Salveo]’s build video below. Thanks [Tim L.] for sending in this awesome open-source slider. Be sure to check out some of the other macro photography projects we’ve covered, too.

Polymarket odds of US invading Iran this year reach 63% after Trump's postThe President of the United States continues to give contradictory signals of escalating the war and winding it down within a few weeks.

Polymarket took down wagers tied to rescue of downed Air Force officerA Democratic congressman had harsh criticism for Polymarket for allowing users to bet on the date the U.S. would confirm the rescue of Air Force service members shot down over Iran.

Latest SoundBridge update now live SoundBridge have just announced the launch of a new update that introduces a couple of minor changes to their remote collaboration-focused DAW, as well as tackling all of the known bugs.

Cloudy Samples Pianolifthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjr6-d_mKPE Elevate your sound with Pianolift by Cloudy Samples, a versatile grand piano VST instrument designed to bring organic warmth and modern character to your productions. Whether you are scoring a cinematic masterpiece, producing Lo-Fi beats, or writing a pop anthem, this plugin provides the essential tools to lift your melodies to the next level. Pianolift comes loaded with 32 meticulously crafted presets, spanning a wide emotional range. From elegant, crystal-clear concert grands to intimate, felt-dampened classic pianos, authentic xylophones and marimbas for rhythmic precision and bright, melodic layers. Browse through nostalgic, tape-saturated pianos perfect for Chillout, RnB, and experimental music. Take a full control of your sound with an intuitive interface coming with built-in ADSR Envelope and Parametric EQ. Shape your tone with a suite of high-quality effects, including lush reverbs, vintage delays, and character-filled phases. Elevate your sound. Inspire emotion. Please Note: This plugin is delivered as 64-bit VST3/AU format. Compatible with all DAWs. Features: Pianolift VST Instrument 64-bit VST3/AU Plugin. 32 Factory Presets. 26 Dedicated Controls & Equalizer. Velocity, MIDI Learn & Full Automation Support. Windows & macOS Support. Read More

Telegram x OpenClaw #AI

Unpacking Peter Thiel’s big bet on solar-powered cow collarsWhy did Founders Fund invest $220 million in cattle management startup Halter?

Scrap Vintage Camera Goes Digital with Scanner PartsEvery collector ends up with items that are worthless, usually because they are broken or incomplete. When [Graindead] found a 1920s glass-plate reflex camera for pennies with plenty of missing parts, it was obvious that what he had was a piece of junk. Throw it away? No, he turned it digital with the aid of a small document scanner.
A reflex camera like this one is the ancestor of the 35mm single-lens reflex cameras we may still be familiar with today, in that is has a flip-up mirror inside to bounce the light onto a ground glass screen. The photographer can see what the lens sees to set up the shot, before flipping the mirror out of the way and exposing the glass plate film by pulling out a dark slide. This one was missing the ground glass and the lens, so he has to grind a replacement, and bodge in a similar-age Carl Zeiss Tessar lens.
In the video below you can see the build, and a range of pictures including some trichrome colour shots. It gives an imperfect result even compared to the same camera with its period film, but the point here is the art rather than the clarity. We’d take this one out with us, if it were ours.
For more vintage digital fun, have a look at a similar adaptation that shoots video.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov says Iranian government's ban backfiredThousands of software developers are currently developing virtual private networks to circumvent state control of the internet, Durov said.

Wavsen Wavsenhttps://youtu.be/o49b-njkQ7E Wavsen is a purpose-built platform that simplifies the way music producers and engineers deliver mixes and gather client approvals. Instead of juggling multiple file-sharing services, email chains, and scattered feedback, Wavsen centralizes the entire process in one intuitive workflow: upload your mix, share a secure client link, and get approved. Clients can listen, provide time-stamped feedback, and sign off—all without needing to create an account. Designed with real-world studio workflows in mind, Wavsen offers automatic, non-destructive watermarking, side-by-side version tracking, and download controls that protect your final files until approval or payment. Every project is presented professionally, helping you maintain a polished, client-ready experience. Whether you're a solo producer or running a busy studio, Wavsen speeds up approvals, keeps revisions organized, and ensures your mixes reach clients safely and efficiently. Key Features: • Centralized Mix Delivery – Upload, share, and track client approvals in a single platform. • Secure Client Portals – Watermarked playback protects your raw files. • No Client Accounts Required – Clients can review and approve without signing up. • Time-Stamped Feedback – Keep all comments tied to the correct project version. • Side-by-Side Version Tracking – Easily compare and manage revisions. • Download Control – Final WAV files only available after approval or payment. • Professional Presentation – Client-ready portals that enhance your workflow. • Automatic Watermarking – Non-destructive previews protect your mixes without extra exports. Read More

Yale Law School scholars back UMG in Drake’s ‘Not Like Us’ defamation fight, arguing rapper ‘consented’ to Kendrick Lamar’s lyricsTwo amicus briefs filed on Friday (April 3) in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit have backed UMG Recordings in its defense against Drake’s defamation appeal over Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us. Both briefs support the dismissal of Drake’s lawsuit and urge the appeals court to affirm the October 2025 ruling … Continued
Source

Flock Audio’s latest Patch App DX update Version 1.1.6 of Patch App DX focuses on updating the software’s Active Routing Grid, delivering three new features that provide users with greater control, better organisation and a more streamlined experience.

Ethereum Foundation nearly reaches 70,000 staked ETH goalThe non-profit foundation has staked 69,500 ETH, nearly reaching the goal it unveiled at the end of February, less than two months ago.

Tesla’s Texas factory workforce reportedly shrunk 22% in 2025Tesla's headcount fell from 21,191 workers to 16,506 workers in 2025, according to a report, as it grappled with its second straight year of declining sales.

Burning Wood to Brew Wood to Preserve Wood : Pine TarBefore there was pressure-treated wood, before modern paints, there was pine tar. Everything from tool handles to wagons to ships were made of wood preserved with pine tar, once upon a time, and [woodbrew] wants to show you how to make it, how to use it, and why you might put it on your skin.
It starts with, you guessed it, pine! In the first part of the video, [woodbrew] creates a skin salve with pine resin and food-safe oil. The pine resin–which is the sticky goop that dries around wounds on evergreen trees–is highly antiseptic and has been used in wound salves since the stone age. The process is easy: melt it in a double boiler, then mix with equal parts oil. [woodbrew] also adds a touch of beeswax to firm it up, an a little eucalyptus extract for extra germ-killing power, and a nice smell to boot.
That’ll preserve your hands, but what about preserving wood?  That starts at about 9 minutes in, and for that you’re going to need a lot more resin, so picking it off wounded trees like he does at the start of the video won’t work. [woodbrew] suggests starting with dead-or-dying pines, and harvesting the crooks of their branches for “fatwood” — wood with the highest resin content. He also suggests the center of stumps, again of trees that died or were severely injured before being cut down. Then it’s a matter of cooking those fine organic molecules out. This is where we burn the wood to save the wood. Well, to save other wood. Wood we didn’t burn, obviously.
The distillation process [woodbrew] uses it fairly traditional, and consists of a couple of buckets. One bucket is buried and collects the pine tar; the other, with holes in the bottom to allow the tar to drip out, is filled with fatwood and covered tightly before being surrounded by firewood which is set alight. You could use an alternate source of heat here, but if you just cut down a pine tree for its fatwood, well, you’d have the rest of the tree to work with. Inside the fatwood bucket, the heat of the fire cooks off the volatile compounds that make pine tar, while the lack of oxygen from being closed up keeps it from burning. Burying the collection bucket keeps it from getting so hot the volatiles all boil off.
If this sounds like the process for making charcoal or woodgas, that’s because it is! He’s letting the gas fraction flare off here, but you could probably capture it– though a true gasifier brakes the tar down into gaseous compounds as well. The charcoal of course stays in the bucket as a bonus.
To make it usable as a wood finish, [woodbrew] mixes his homemade pine tar 50:50 with linseed oil, thining it to a spreadable consistency that helps it penetrate deep into the wood. By filling the voids in the wood, this mixture will help keep moisture out, and the antiseptic properties of the organic soup that is pine tar will help keep fungi at bay for potentially decades to come.
Thanks to [Keith Olson] for the tip!