Even when the boss is away, the show must go on, so Dan slid back behind the guest mic and teamed up with Tom to hunt down the freshest of this week’s hacks. It was a bit of a chore, with a couple of computer crashes and some side-quests down a few weird rabbit holes, but we managed to get things together in the end.

Tune in and you’ll hear us bemoan HOAs and celebrate one ham’s endless battle to outwit them, no matter what the golf cart people say about his antennas. Are you ready to say goodbye to the magnetic stripe on your credit card? We sure are, but we’re not holding our breath yet. Would you 3D print a 55-gallon drum? Probably not, but you almost can with a unique Cartesian-polar hybrid printer. And, if you think running MS-DOS on a modern laptop is hard, guess again — or, maybe you just have to get really lucky.

We also took a look at a digital watch with a beautiful display, a hacked multimeter, modern wardriving tools, switchable magnets, and debate the eternal question of v-slot wheels versus linear bearings. And finally, you won’t want to miss our look at what’s new with 3D scanning, and the first installment of Kristina’s new “Boss Byproducts” series, which delves into the beauty of Fordite.

Download the DRM-free MP3.

Episode 286 Show Notes:

News:

• Supercon 2024: May The Best Badge Add-ons Win

What’s that Sound?

• Congratulations to bmgxyz for guessing a hand-crank generator.

Interesting Hacks of the Week:

• Nice Retro Displays Set This Watch On Edge
  • Supercon 2024: Show Off Your Unique Display Tech
  • Motorola MicroTAC – Wikipedia
• Fast 3D Printing With A Polar, Four Quadrant Custom Machine
• 3D Printed Electronics Breadboard
  • Hackaday Prize 2023: Jumperless, The Jumperless Jumperboard
  • The Mind-Blowing Machines that Stamp Millions of Metal Parts – Smarter Every Day 288
• Farewell Magnetic Stripe
  • Barcodes Enter The Matrix In 2027
  • The Barcode Revolution: Welcome To Our Automated World
• Running Stock MS-DOS On A Modern ThinkPad
• Hidden Gutter Antenna Keeps HOA Happy

Quick Hacks:

• Elliot’s Picks
  • Using A 2D Scanner To Make 3D Things
  • V-Slot Wheels Or Linear Rails?
  • Wardriving Tools In The Modern Era
• Dan’s Picks:
  • Backlight Switch For A Better Multimeter
  • It Turns Out, A PCB Makes A Nice Watch Dial
  • You Can 3D Print Yourself Some Simple Magnetic Switches
    • Shop-Built Fixtures Reveal The Magic Of Switchable Permanent Magnets

Can’t-Miss Articles:

• What’s New In 3D Scanning? All-In-One Scanning Is Nice
• Boss Byproducts: Fordites Are Pieces Of American History
  • Dan’s prized fordite key fob