Lab Work Archives

Lab Work – Perhaps, the best way to show ‘work’ or work in progress; in most cases, the purpose is to highlight the struggle to find a solution, the test effort and the learning that takes place when fixing stuff. Or another way to share various phases of the problem solving process – hypothesize: test, learn and apply.

June 9, 2023September 27, 2024

3d Printer Usage

3d Printer UsageUsage, New and Refurbed

Best 3d Printers On the market ’23

Lab Work – 3d Printers

See 3D Poll Below (closed), participate in the ‘who’s who of 3D Printer Usage Brands and Manufacturers’.

The poll has since closed on 3D Printer Usage. However, what we discovered is interesting. The question was ‘What 3D printers have you used, any success’? We are specifically looking for a TPU thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filament option. Tests with the NEO Max have been inconsistent, mostly unsuccessful, unless we swap out filaments. Interesting right?

We have generally, stuck with Creality for sometime, maybe four years or more. Today, we are looking for the best TPU lite printer. Do you have any suggestions regarding 3D print usage or brand? We have used Dremel for cutting and sanding, typical applications for a Dremel tool. As for Prusa, we have only used their products in theory, as some items we have purchased were made via a Prusa lab or outsourced printer. Anyhow, we are looking for feedback or comments. Please kindly leave your commentary below.

Please note, if you’re looking to swap out resin liners for the CL-89 model, it is advisable to purchase a number of them in advance, as they can be difficult to find when global stock is low.

Let us know what you’re thinking?

June 9, 2023September 27, 2024

New Halot Sky LCD

Creality Halot Sky Resin 8.9″ LCD Change Out

Lab Work – LCD Screen

I know, we started the last post with “Before you start your own 3D printing…”; this post does follow suit. It looks like a bad LCD screen, that needs to be replaced, as well as the film stretched over the resin vat or possibly just some resin damage, for that matter.

We replaced the monochrome LCD screen on the deck of the Halot Sky while we wait for a new FEP resin vat. Please note, if you’re planning to change resin liners (if you manage to find the correct ones for CL-89), it’s a good idea to buy several of them because they can be difficult to find when global stock is low.

Swapped LCD Screen

Swap details: Deconstruct by removing all screws, covers and metal panels. Be careful to disconnect the wires and ribbon cable for the touchscreen. Replace the screen ribbon in the quick connect being careful to reattach the ribbon and black wire for the touchscreen.

Two, clean up any resin residue, pour over, and spillage now. I believe this is where we made a mistake. The spillage got under the screen, as shown in the featured image for the article. Have a bottle of alcohol on hand to make the cleanup process as easy and effortless as possible. It took about 15-20 minutes in total, as I mentioned, due to the large amount of spillage. Finally, remove the ribbon tape surround and a few screws to gain access to the LCD screen.

Ideally, you’ll want to take your time, being careful to not to rip the LCD tape, or misplace a screw. If you do lose any items, you can always find new pieces in the Spare Parts. If not, try the eBay shop. We will provide a link to our wares but it’s taking some time due to logistical issues. We also sell out items on eBay from time to time, so check them out – we currently have some King books available.

For those who only need the FEP release film, or for our future reference – FEP Release Film – (search eBay for FEP Release film). A side note: FEP film can be hard to find, so eBay might be your best source. If i were a betting man, which I’m not, eBay or Amazon might be the only two sites where you can find spare parts and film. Cheers!

Before we move off the Halot updates, I’d like to share other Halot usage, new Creality series, break-fixes, and finally the idea of adding a resin printer to the 3d printer arsenal.

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

May 30, 2023September 27, 2024

My Activity

Rid Yourself Of Search and Location History

Your Google Activity, What You Need To Know

Lab Work – Manage Your Online Activity

I thought I would throw this out there, for those of you who don’t understand internet ‘activity’ and how to quickly review, remove, delete and stop activity in it’s tracks.

Stop Data Collection via MyActivity.Google.com

Quick and easy, get rid of and delete My Activity now. Simply go to myactivity.google.com on your computer, assuming you have a Google account. If you’ve new visited this site before, please take the time to do so and research how to disable your data collection if you want to stop the tracking. Additionally, as part of the My Activity removal process, I recommend removing your current account. Followed by creating a new one with all tracking features turned off.

Listen, more people, than you would think have no idea that these devices are collecting information. Specifically, they are collecting health, location, biometric and search data. My Activity is where the important stuff or tracking can be muted, disable and deleted.. Again, that address again, myactivity.google.com. Have a look, good luck. Same can be done on your mobile devices, for either Android or iOS. I’ll post those items in the next few weeks.

May 2, 2023September 26, 2024

Need A Charge?

In A Pinch – Grab a 9v, a Car charger, electrical tape and a nail

Lab Work – 9v Charger Hack

Before you start criticizing me me about wattages, amperage, safety, or reality etc., I want to clarify that I meant to post this back in December, but didn’t get around to it until now. The scenario is familiar – no power due to a storm outage or a dead car battery, and you find yourself in a bind .You phone is dead, and you need a charge. This hack can be a lifesaver when you’re away from home comforts whether you’re camping, off-grid, or stranded due to breakdown.

I usually avoid cellphone hacks, but this one caught my attention as we enter hurricane season. Having experienced storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and the like, I know that sometimes the simplest things can make a big difference in a power outage. I’m not suggesting you hoard batteries, clicky-pens, nails, and used charger cords, but it might be wise to have a few on hand, just in case.

This hack has been around for sometime. Some people believe that off-grid living and underground living may require alternative power sources, and this hack could be just what you need. In any case, we spliced together a few generic charging cords, added a car charger, and a few 9v batteries, and voila! We have some juice for the cellphone battery. This hack might work even better. This hack might work even better if you can find a different type of battery, such as an RC/Drone battery considering 9v, LiCB or 4s/5s LiPos. Whatever the case, you may have these items lying around your home, office, or shop, depending on your situation. We have these items in our workshop, so you can imagine how handy they might be in serious storm or power outage situation.

Like the quick fix format? Check out other quick fix content here such as this disposal problems fix. Like the learn to descale your coffee equipment – pots and machines, fix a toilet float clean and fix a pool filter housing and filter which is like this cell phone charging hack… Check them out!

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

April 14, 2023September 27, 2024

Halot Sky Break-fix

Halot Troubleshooting Break-fix

Creality Halot Sky – Resin Liner Change Out

Lab Work – Working Out The Bugs, Halot Sky Resin Printer

Before you begin you own 3D printing, journey, including purchasing a 3D printer, we need to discuss break-fix: the Halot Sky Break-fix which follows up on the LCD replacement just a few months ago. It is crucial to understand how to maintain and troubleshoot printers. The same applies to addressing major printing issues, such as breaking down the entire printer to the board level. This also includes dealing with misprints, which can occur frequently. Proper care, cleaning, and resin management are essential tasks, including swapping resin liners and cleaning resin drips meticulously.

Liner Change

Liner Frame

New Liner

Attached are few sneak peek video clips and photos of our latest test prints and demos. We have some ‘real-world’ solutions coming soon. More creations on 3D software and 3D applications such as TinkerCad, Autodesk – AutoCad, Creality (design) software, SolidWorks and more. We have started with TinkerCad and AutoCad so that we can print prototypes and finish products within a few hours. Got any ideas? Need 3d prints? Leave us a comment or drop us a line on the Connect. Please include: file type, filament, sizes etc. Let’s see what we can come up with! As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

February 14, 2023September 27, 2024

New Creality Series

Creality Makers-space

Creality 3d Printing Series – Ender 3 Neo Max & Halot Sky

Lab Work – Creality Settings

3D printing? If you have a need, give us a call. We will be posting a handful of new work in the weeks to come. From testing and prototyping, to 3D model printing and extruding, resin printers versus PLA/TPU filament printers, the the trials and the tribulations i.e. issues we faced while running our 3D printers. Check out the latest Creality Ender series printers, as we will be covering the Max Neo in this article.

I have attached a few sneak peek video clips and photos of the New Creality Series, showcasing our latest test prints and demos. Als have some ‘real-world’ solutions coming out soon. We will also be putting out some polls regarding 3D software/applications – TinkerCad, AutoCad, Creality (design) software, SolidWorks and more. We have started with TinkerCad and AutoCad so that we can print prototypes to finish products within a few hours.

In The Lab

Creality Tablet

Prototypes

In The Lab

Got any ideas? Do you need 3D prints? Leave us a comment, drop us a line on the Connect, please include: file type, filament, sizes, etc. Let’s see what we can come up with!

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

December 15, 2022January 9, 2025

CoC: Legend League Update

CoC: Legend League at 5000+ Trophies

Lab Work – Legends League

Legend League Update – Level 15, Hero Updates… theLegend League trophy push has ended for now, currently sitting at 5095 trophies. There is no need to continue pushing at the moment as I have upgrades to focus on: hero(s), defensive troops/buildings, new pets to upgrade.

Picking up where we left off, the latest post covered the new level 15 Townhall (TH) upgrade, new characters, pets and more… Since then, we’ve been battling it out, making a strong trophy push to see how far we can go without any trouble. The Legend League is different from normal play, with limitations on battles per day and trophy retention. We quickly found out that our clan and TH status are not ready for prime time. The Legend League it self is different, fun, and offers an interesting take on the game. However, it’s no joke. We are able to maintain around 100 trophies without losing or gaining, but this hinders our ability to upgrade. Our TH/clan setup needs some work before we can progress further in the league.

5000+ Trophy Push

This specific profile is different from my others, likely the most frequently used, and definitely has the most troop upgrades. However, anyone can reach the Legend League with some conditions. While any Clash of Clans member can push trophies past the 5000+ mark, the catch is that there are far many more maxed out players waiting to compete. The Cost-to-Benefit (CBA) or Return of Investment ROI) is mild when playing with a non-maxed clan, as no gold is lost.

If you need to upgrade, my suggestion is to focus on dropping out and farming until you can max out your clan. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to earn money, elixir, or dark elixir to upgrade your Town Hall either. By participating in 8 battles a day, you will only receive rewards based on those battles. At the end of the day, the trophies you earn or lose will be added or subtracted from your total, and those who remain above 5000+ threshold will stay in the league. Currently, I am just below 4800 trophies and on my way down, but I am still in the league. This experience has been a good test for my clan and Town Hall, both there is still much work to be done in order to compete in the Legend League. For more COC updates, Supercell changes, details, links, and more, continue to Clash On!

Leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

Legend League Leaders

Opening

Off To War

League

Let’s Battle

Attack

Results

December 6, 2022January 9, 2025

WW3 – Coalition Win

A South American Cohort Win

WW3 – Coalition Win

Lab Work – Conflict Of Nations: WW3

WW3 – Coalition Win – 4th Place. Game over. Ending with a 4th place finish, in this case, the South American Coalition merged victorious, leading me to a 4th place overall finish. JMVH claimed 1st with 3414 provinces and cities conquered. We covered everything from battleship research to destroyers, capturing cities like Aleppo, Kuwait, and Tehran before forming the alliance. Once the alliance was established, we swiftly moved to seize large portions of crucial cities, port cities, and continents. That strategy was clear: dominate the seas, conduct research, and conquer swiftly.

Check out CoN: WWIII online now. We took over the world starting from South America. Alternatively, you can read about our journey in WW3, from the beginning in Take On The World – Conflict of Nations: WW3 to our finish in 4th place. Our first priority was to build a navy, researching better equipment and resources. The game progressed quickly, with conquering happening fast. It was an overwhelming experience for our enemies. We will be back online later this week possibly next, for our next game. Also, look up my username – ‘sudosen’ for more details.

Conquest

Athens

Research

Destroyer

Ankara

Antalya

Aleppo

Karbala

Kuwait

Tehran

Alliance

Iraq

Attack Iraq

Basrah

Turkey

Heraklion

Baghdad

Diyarbakir

Mosul

Infantry

Syria

Intel

Leave a comment, let us know what you’re thinking?

November 23, 2022January 9, 2025

Conflict of Nations: WW3

Take On The World – Conflict of Nations: WW3

Recommendation – CoN: WW3 – Grab a friend, join the game, conquer the world

Download Conflict of Nations

CoN:WWIII – Conflict of Nations: WW3 is the new app in town. Team up with a friend, form a friendly coalition and conquer the US or the world. Games are available in both long and short (4 hour) formats. A friend and I decided to conquer the world starting with the short 4-hour game. This helped us learn the process, develop strategies, and build effective teams.

While games are not always a top priority for me, when they do catch my interest, Conflict of Nations: WW3 definitely did. I teamed up with Ivy to take on the world. This is my second time playing, while Ivy has been going strong for weeks, if not months. More on Clash of Clan shortly, I was just looking for a long term, Stratego or Dune but in a quick and user-friendly war game.

Need more Clash of Clans, Conflict of Nations? Please leave a comment below, please share who how your adventures online are going!

CON

Attack

Find A Game

Navy

Take Bermuda

Battle

On Land

Sub Attack

Take The NE

Force

Take Quebec

Attack Ontario

CA Ours

October 1, 2022January 12, 2025

ADT Wiring

ADT WiringADT Touch

Let’s Rewire the ADT Touch Screen

Lab Work – ADT Control Unit

Archived for Future Reference, ADT Wiring Touch Panel. Need help? Just remember to always take a quick picture for historical backup value.

It’s time to cut, rewire and reinstall. This article will serve as a reference for ADT installations, specifically for the new generation touch panels. Think of it as a guide on how to reinstall touch panel wires post-improvement. Additionally, if this serves as a reference for those who may need help with future wiring or rewiring exercises, a picture can be invaluable. It’s pretty simple: focus on the main wire for power. Since is wireless system, there aren’t really any other wires. First and foremost, we encountered a minor issue with out ADT Touchscreen security system and needed to deactivate the system.

Secondly, we needed to relocate the system from the frontside of the wall to the backside. Sounds easy, right? Ultimately, it didn’t take long to move the screen from the front side to the back, which happened to be the interior actually the backside was the interior of a vented closet. The only note here, don’t forget which one is + (positive) and which one is – (negative), 50/50 shot on this.

Ready to Reinstall

There is no way to fail. Ideally, you’ll just move the unit, pick a new spot and wire up the wireless control panel. The problem comes in a small form, battery on the underside of the unit, and two connections. We have a red, black and white wire connector and the two lead wires are black and red which read (GND) and +9v. There is truly, only one way to push in the connector, while the black and red wires should be easy, Red Hot +, Black Ground -. ADT wiring goes like this find a new spot, screw in the touchpad screws, clean the wires, clip and prep, small screwdriver to push in the wires black for GND and Red for +9v. Push on the control panel.

Hey, before you go, this article is similar to our calculator work… a few screws, a new battery, a solder or two and done. Got to keep these old electronics running as intended. We will keep the quick electronics fixes coming! Check back for more lab work.

Leave us a comment below, cheers.