Electrical theory can be intimidating, especially to mechanical engineers like myself. I got stuck in while I was working on my bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, and I’m happy I did. Mechanical and electrical engineering are complementary to each other. That drill you designed is a lot more attractive with battery power than it is when […]
Why you should always hire a pro (and how to recognize them)
I am all about working with, working for and hiring freelancers. Whenever I encounter someone who is a real pro at what they do I am always fascinated. There is a passion and a drive that can only be found when someone is in the zone. I think this quote captures it best: “Whatever you […]
Upgrade my printer – MOSFET mod
In other posts from this series, I’ve shown you how to install Octoprint and how to make your printer more silent and precise. Since these modifications to my own printer, I’ve found an issue with my heated bed. The built-in control circuitry was not up to the task of precisely controlling my heated bed temperature […]
Upgrade my printer – silence and precision
In my previous post I talked about how I was planning to upgrade my printer. I received new drivers and fans, and I can’t believe the difference it makes in noise, the silence is deafening. I can barely hear my printer now. Before it sounded like an MD-11 going into take-off (An MD-11 has 3 […]
Upgrade my printer – firmware and Octoprint
I’ve talked about my printers before, and it’s no secret that I’m a fan of Anycubic printer. This Shenzhen based company produces affordable, good printers. Their printers have a low prince point and you get more than your money’s worth, but there is room for improvement. I decided to upgrade my printer and I found […]
How to modify your 3D models with Meshmixer
Time for another 3D printing tutorial, I’ll teach you a few tricks in Autodesk Meshmixer. Meshmixer is a free program that will allow you very easy sculpting and modification of 3D STL files. Meshmixer is my program of choice for modifying STL models that I get from places like Thingiverse. For this tutorial I’ve used […]
How to set your rate as a freelancer
The question I get asked most by new freelancers and peers is “How do I set my rate?”. This is something that every freelancer struggles with, and no one can give you a single answer because there isn’t one. Every method that you will use to set your initial rate will feel uneasy. You’ll struggle […]
Ask better questions (if you want better answers)
It’s easy to blame an incomplete answer on whoever is answering your question. But have you ever considered it might be your question that is the issue? Some light reading On August 5th 1997, Korean Air flight 801 took off from Seoul-Kimpo International Airport. During the approach there were some issues with some of the […]
Why are you doing it?
Whatever “it” is. If you ask a random person why they do what they do professionally, chances are you’ll get a lot of responses saying “I have to do something” or “I have to make a living”. Responses you’re unlikely to get are “To be able to spend quality time with friends, or family”. If […]
The art of finding your energy
I struggled with finding my energy for a long time. I wasn’t sure what this “energy” was that people where talking about other than: When I started building my career, I was in the mindset of “keep your head down and work”. I was all business, no fun (not at work anyway), and coworkers were […]