Kyle Rankin @kyle@librem.one

It's hard to believe it's been a year since I replaced my personal computer with a #Librem5 and laptop dock. In this post I talk about my impressions, the docks I've tried, and using my Librem 5 as a tablet. https://puri.sm/posts/my-first-year-of-librem-5-convergence/

Update: I finished threading the heddles. It took me about 5 hours total. This is why I'm making a set of 8 napkins, not just one at a time--the up front work to "dress the loom" is the same regardless of how long the warp is.

I'm warping the loom to weave a set of patterned cloth napkins. A 20" napkin x 24 ends/in = 480 individual threads. These are threaded through metal heddles in a particular order to make the pattern. Imagine threading 480 needles but which needle you pick next *really* matters.

I wish filing a death certificate automatically added the person to a blocklist for mail solicitations. Years after my dad's death I still get promotional mail addressed to him. You can't escape spam, even in death.

While warping my loom this weekend, I discovered the fabric I'm #weaving is so fine and dense (20" wide, 24 ends per inch) that I don't have enough heddles! You can't find these at your local craft shop, I had to order them from a specialty shop. In the mean time I wait...

This level of tracking of shoppers, even if it's to streamline checkout, is creepy. #privacy https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/technology/whole-foods-amazon-automation.html?smid=tw-share

I just read Beloved for the first time, and what a powerful, wonderfully written book. I suspect there is even deeper symbolism I would pick up with a second reading beyond what is obvious on the surface, which is true of most of my favorite books. Definitely recommended.

All in all this is a nice little adding machine, if a bit limited. The cover and carrying handle is a nice touch. ⁨

The red lever on the side is used to clear the registers. All of the registers are spring-loaded on the inside so resetting them is fast (when they are oiled properly). ⁨

Like other simple adding machines you subtract by the complements method. Use the tiny digits next to the larger digits for the subtrahend. The red buttons along the top prevent the carry mechanism. Here's 1000-1, which you get by adding 9999. ⁨

Adding is similar to on a chain adder like the Gem Pocket machine I featured earlier. In this case instead of a stylus, you put your finger next to the corresponding lever and pull all the way down to add the digit to the register.

Here is what it looks like after restoration and cleaning. There is a hinged lid that can come down to protect (and even lock) the adding machine when it's not in use.

Here is a view of the machine from the front, and a look at the internal mechanisms. A few of the input registers were pretty sticky and as a result wouldn't reset properly so I spent some time oiling and working those mechanisms to loosen things up.

Today I'm restoring a Star Adding Machine made by the Todd Protectograph Company in 1925 or early in 1926. Later in 1926 these machines were redesigned and sold as the Todd Visible.

I just found out that one of my old books, DevOps Troubleshooting, is selling for 10x the cover price on the used market because no new versions. That explains the past few royalty statements...

This weekend I finished the krokbragd pillow I was ⁨#weaving⁩ for my mom. I used a Damascus edge for the fringe and hid the fringe in the fabric. It took three tries to hand stitch the seams in an envelope fold I was happy with. Now I just wait for the pillow form to arrive!