Kyle Rankin @kyle@librem.one

Knitting clock update: I discovered the bottom case was a bit too tall so I took advantage of the fact that I needed to print it again to do a few other refinements.

I also took advantage of needing to transfer all of the components from the old case to the new to take a *lot* of pictures documenting the step-by-step process of assembling this.

The next step is to finish refining the lid that will cover the bottom case.

#3dprinting #knitting #electronics

@draane A full-size corny keg kit w/ large CO2 tank might be better for carbonating the beer, and then can think about serving beer (maybe with mini-keg) later.

For a typical 5g batch you would need multiple of these mini-kegs, and at least one CO2 tank/keg to force carb (or you could seal keg and use yeast, like it was a large bottle) over 2-3 weeks, and another CO2 to serve. Cost adds up compared to regular corny keg setup + 1 mini-keg.

@draane Are you bottling directly from finished beer and carbonating in bottle, or do you already have a larger keg you carbonate in?

In my case I have the latter, and was filling bottles under pressure from a picnic tap attached to a larger corny keg in a fridge in my garage. Filling one min-keg is much easier.

The main inconvenience with this mini-keg is the need to re-pressurize the keg via the regulator and CO2 cartridge after each pour. But it only takes a second.

@raymondpost Unfortunately filling this mini-keg with carbonated beer from a larger keg isn't an exact science. Due to the need to regulate pressure to reduce foaming, but release pressure to allow it to fill, it doesn't get consistently full to the brim, instead I stop filling it once foam gets to the top.

I recently invested in an 128oz mini-keg that fits in my fridge door. This lets me serve my homebrewed beer more conveniently than filling individual bottles. The downside is you can't tell at a glance how many more servings are in the keg.

The solution? I weighed the keg empty (~ 4 pounds) and now I can weigh the keg, subtract 4, and since a pint's a pound the world around, the number of pounds is approximately the number of pints left (in this case 5 pints).

#brewing #beer #homebrew

I'm halfway through the second doubleweave overshot towel, and so far things are going smoothly and mistake-free! I probably won't do another update on this project until they are off the loom and hemmed, unless a fun disaster strikes.

#weaving

@z3r0fox @purism Thank you for your support!

In both The Happening, and California, wind creates this unsettling feeling like something bad is about to happen.

@jzb I don't personally understand it, but I also:

1. Don't suffer from screen-induced insomnia.
2. If I did, I'd likely do some other activity instead of being on my computer right before bed.

I guess if I were someone who had to use their computer right before bed and it caused them insomnia, I'd want that sort of feature.

@apples_and_pears Thank you! This has been really fun to work on. It combines so many of my side interests and hobbies into a single project, plus I've learned a lot of new skills such as how to control stepper motors with a Raspberry Pi and a crash course in 3D modeling.

More progress on my @hackaday -inspired knitting machine clock (code name Tempus Nectit)!

The bottom case printed successfully and I have mounted all of the major components: the Sentro 22-hook knitting machine, the stepper motor, power and the Raspberry Pi + Motor Hat.

I also wired two push buttons to what will be the bottom of the case that let you manually advance the knitting machine in each direction.

Next I design the front cover.

#3dprinting #knitting #electronics

My son completed his first weaving project (he's 10). This white and red striped wool scarf was woven on a rigid heddle loom.

#weaving

@apples_and_pears Thanks!

One towel down, two to go! From this angle you can see both sides and the reversible nature of this doubleweave pattern.

#weaving

@apples_and_pears It's a good point. It has worked up to this point based on the projects I've worked on. I can imagine it wouldn't map well to more complicated or non-repeating weaving projects (such as draw loom weaving).

@Kymberly I *count* by 10/12 but most of my books suggest *crossing* single threads and I do. I use a warping paddle to save time when measuring hundreds of threads, and in that case I cross after however many threads are in the paddle. If you look closely at my picture of the lease sticks, you will see I'm crossing every 2 threads because I measured the yellow and brown threads on the warping board at the same time.

10. Don't Be Afraid to Talk to Yourself

OK so for the most part I am talking to myself only in my head, or an inaudible whisper, but even when I only am remembering a four-number sequence for treadling or threading I still repeat it like a mantra while I'm doing it. I've caught many mistakes by noticing what I'm saying and doing don't match.

I think a "top 10 list" is a good place to stop. If you made it this far, thanks!

#weaving

9. Always Stop at a Stopping Point

You can't always predict how long it will be between weaving sessions. The worst is to sit back down, wonder where you were, and guess wrong. I never stop weaving in the middle of a pattern, I always go all the way to the end (whatever that means for a repeating pattern). If I have to get up briefly, I weave at least to the end of a logical block and move my magnet.

#weaving