August 31, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: August 31, 2025, rather painful.
Five years ago today: August 31, 2021, a stronger connection.
Nine years ago today: August 31, 2017, 23 years later.
Random years ago today: August 31, 2007, remember CD-RW?

           Okay, twist my arm, here is the DIY doorbell. The one that kind of clunks, but there is ring there if you listen really hard. I’ve all day, so let’s examine this contraption a bit, what the hell. This would have stumped me not that long ago, so let’s have a quick lesson. There are three working parts, if you count the clapper as one. They are the clapper, the bell, and the small black plastic microswitch. When electricity arrives, the solenoid draws the clapped upward. That movement causes a small rod (not shown) to release the microswitch, cutting off the power. At that point the clapper falls and reactivates the electricity.

           Sounds easy? Nope, a hundred things went wrong. Edison said it right. Theory and practice only reinforce each other when you study music. Curious what went wrong? Here’s a few. The wooden stand had to be cut and recut five times and it is still not quite right. The metal was cut twice to make it fit. The clapper did not line up with the bell. The metal had to be highly polished before it would work. There were no “normally closed” switches, so I had to wire the switch “backwards” The clapper has to be drilled to get the metal pushrod to stay in place and the assembly is made from a metal that will not take solder.

           More thinking is needed for the A.I. LED concept. Even the ancient Apple ][e had capabilities that outshine the latest microcontrollers. One in particular was a feature whereby the code could “look ahead” at the next pixel to see what color it was. The Arduino has not such luxury, so what I’m pondering is an array. I can’t look for color, only a binary off/on condition. I could get around that by using two or more arrays, but it is already complicated enough. I could store color “values” in the array, but reading ascii values is not the Arduino’s strong point.

           I’m also thinking since the array needs numbered addresses, the practical limit is a 15x15 grid, (using a single 8-bit variable) or matrix if you would, as that is the biggest square that will fit, and allowing for a margin, that means only a 13x13 working space. However, since the margin is always “on”, it could be separately powered, and a full 16x16 grid might work. That is, if I leave one pixel always on at startup, leaving 255 free for working space.
           It’s a challenge, but demonstrates why the crap you see out there today is not real A.I. It is pattern matching and that means for all it displays, every pattern or combination thereof must already have existed in some form. It cannot truly create anything new. The sprite on my device would have nothing but a set of rules, there is no pre-determined pattern. Mind you, when I read the original article, it described how many a time the code would find a path that worked and repeat it, one was called the “Cheshire cat.” By the way, I did that work and programming in 1981.

           Here’s my “laser tray” invention at work. It’s so nice it is hard to see, ha-ha. You’ll recognize the Wainlux laser. The orange safety cover is open to reveal two wooden blocks getting the club name “branded”, This would normally be a problem because the blocks are too large to fit under the laser beam focus range.
           So look closer and see the laser is sitting on an exact matching stand. The blocks are actually resting on, if you can see it, a sliding red tray insert. It is adjustable to three positions that allow items up to 3” “deep” to be zapped. That has so far handled 100% of anything I care to put under the hood. Technically if the target fit the cavity and provided a stable surface (the laser will wobble if not supported right), the tray could be removed and just use the stand, but at that point, you need a bigger laser, pal.
           Yes, I found my favorite pancake bowl and the mystery is solved. I have a small work tray and on it a box of handy tools. The lid can flip wide open for ready tool access. And, if that lid is left flipped open, it is exactly the fight size to cover you-guess-what. More coffee. Please.

           I’m taking another day off, but first, downtown to pick up pickets, small ones, as I want to build some small “project boxes.” better suited for my small electronic parts. After I play bass for ten minutes first, for I just heard the neighbor say hello to his lawn mower.

Picture of the day.
Burger posing.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           I shaved my L’il Texas planter back to a foot high, don’t worry, if it is real Texas grass, it will be back to six feet in no time. Incidentally, breakfast today was boiled cabbage and sausage on toast, coffee, and muffins. I’m out of everything except coffee. Here’s an unsual pic for you. I left the bell (the doorbell) in the shed over the years (knowing I’d find a use for it) and upon placing it on the desk, out fell this shell of a long dead spider. Remember folks, spiders are your friends.

           I glanced at it under the microscope and this is what glanced back at me. Is this why they call it the wolf spider? Anyway, I’m at a loss to explain the 5,000 “extra” hits on this blog every day. That’s 150,000 per month and I know I am not that popular. Yet, if I post anything I know to be popular, my views double, so I know it isn’t totally a bot. My conclusion, for now, is that I’ve always left the posts to the mercy of the Internet and this is just another phase. And if it influences anything, good. This blog isn’t some creepy fringe occult left-wing rant. In fact, if you read it long enough, most people will learn something. Try that with other blogs.

           Then I receive some absolutely stunning news. The details are withheld for now, but I signed a contract with a “plus expenses” clause. The people called to okay it, they must attend a $500 per plate dinner to gain access to what I need. I thought it over and decided yes. I have never in my life had a $500 dinner or taken a lady to one. Sure, it is a benefit, but I come from a different era, where a promise was a contract. I say if you get into a jam, you should keep the promise even if it means you lose money on the deal. Of course I mean in circumstances you could reasonably have foreseen. So much for America’s high-trust society. Yes, I have everybody’s information on file, but it is one of those situations where I cannot move now. Is this fun, or what?
           Seeing ahead that September will be a repeat of this month, I appropriated fifteen bucks and got some extra small fence panels. There now exist around six fairly standard box designs, all of which I find very enjoyable to make and it is a productive activity that is super-easy to match to that day’s energy. Here is a view of the hinge mortises, the cutouts that recess the hinge so it has minimal reveal. There’s lingo for you. It is the hardest step for me, so I’m studying it on-line this evening.

           These are called, unsurprisingly, “box hinges” or butt hinges, and don’t overlook any that are old and tarnished. They can often be buffed up to a new shine and I don’t really have to be as precise with the cuts. These are done by hand with a chisel, but my sights are set on a router. They make it look so easy. I studied enough to conclude installing hinges is kind of up to you. Nobody has a foolproof method.
           That’s today: home-made doorbells, laser printers, and dead spiders. Be honest, what other blog delivers the really important news of the day?

Last Laugh