The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Author: Ed

  • Monthly Science: Time-release Pills

    I left a time-release melatonin pill in water for a day:

    Time-release melatonin - 24h water
    Time-release melatonin – 24h water

    Perhaps an acidic environment would be more to its taste?

    Here’s another pill after a day in vinegar:

    Time-release melatonin - 24h vinegar
    Time-release melatonin – 24h vinegar

    In both cases, poking the somewhat dissolved pill separated it into gummy chunks, so it’s probably working as designed. I suppose the usual stomach churning would help.

    This being a quack nostrum, there’s no way to tell what’s inside or how much you’re getting, but I didn’t expect to get way more B6 than you’d expect from the large print on the label. Lesson: always read the fine print, no matter how well it’s concealed.

    0/10 – would not buy again.

    As before, the results do not differ significantly from placebo, so this is a triumph of hope over experience.

  • Bulk-renaming Video Snapshots

    For reasons that should be obvious by now, I review the helmet camera video from (some of) our bike rides and extract snapshots of interesting events. VLC auto-names the snapshots along these lines:

    -rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  4.0M 2016-09-16 16:15 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-16h15m43s49.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.2M 2016-09-16 16:15 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-16h15m59s181.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  2.7M 2016-09-16 16:18 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-16h18m58s125.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.7M 2016-09-16 18:40 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h40m22s7.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.5M 2016-09-16 18:40 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h40m58s132.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.5M 2016-09-16 18:41 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h41m29s181.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.9M 2016-09-16 18:41 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h41m42s60.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.8M 2016-09-16 18:41 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h41m54s146.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.8M 2016-09-16 18:42 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h42m22s206.png
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed  3.7M 2016-09-16 18:42 vlcsnap-2016-09-16-18h42m38s58.png

    The gap in the timestamp after the first three files reveals a random errand.

    First, convert to JPG format, place the results in another directory and, en passant, mash them to a reasonable size:

    mkdir /some-useful-directory/Road\ Repair/"Rt 82 and CR 29"
for f in  vlcsnap-2016-09-16* ; do convert $f -density 300 -define jpeg:extent=200KB /some-useful-directory/Road\ Repair/"Rt 82 and CR 29"/${f%%.*}.jpg ; done
cd /some-useful-directory/Road\ Repair/"Rt 82 and CR 29"

    Replace the first part of the VLC-generated names with relevant identification:

    rename 's/vlcsnap-/Rt 82 - /' vlcsnap-2016-09-16-16*
rename 's/vlcsnap-/CR 29 - /' vlcsnap*

    The directory now contains these files:

    -rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 193K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h40m22s7.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 192K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h40m58s132.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 193K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h41m29s181.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 193K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h41m42s60.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 194K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h41m54s146.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 196K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h42m22s206.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 196K 2016-09-19 11:36 CR 29 - 2016-09-16-18h42m38s58.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 195K 2016-09-19 11:36 Rt 82 - 2016-09-16-16h15m43s49.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 194K 2016-09-19 11:36 Rt 82 - 2016-09-16-16h15m59s181.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 194K 2016-09-19 11:36 Rt 82 - 2016-09-16-16h18m58s125.jpg

    These bursts of Perl regex line noise replace the snapshot timestamp on those files with an ascending sequence number, with separate sequences for each group:

    i=1 ; for f in CR* ; do rename -v "s/-1[68]h..m..s\d{1,3}/ - $(( i++ ))/" "$f" ; done
i=1 ; for f in Rt* ; do rename -v "s/-1[68]h..m..s\d{1,3}/ - $(( i++ ))/" "$f" ; done

    And then the files make sense:

    -rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 193K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 1.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 192K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 2.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 193K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 3.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 193K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 4.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 194K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 5.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 196K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 6.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 196K 2016-09-19 13:51 CR 29 - 2016-09-16 - 7.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 195K 2016-09-19 13:51 Rt 82 - 2016-09-16 - 1.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 194K 2016-09-19 13:51 Rt 82 - 2016-09-16 - 2.jpg
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 194K 2016-09-19 13:51 Rt 82 - 2016-09-16 - 3.jpg

    The hard part, this time around, involved figuring a regex for the timestamp. The trick was to specify a single digit for the milliseconds part, with a repetition count allowing for one-to-three digits.

    The Perl regex cheat sheet helped.

    The double quotes around the rename search parameter allows the shell to expand the $(( i++ )) gibberish. The double quotes around the file name keep the blank-separated parts together.

    At some point I must figure out how to produce leading-zero-filled sequence numbers, which will probably involve a printf.

    The ride covered some roads with “2 to 4 foot” shoulders, which seems overly optimistic:

    Rt 82 - 2016-09-16 - 3
    Rt 82 – 2016-09-16 – 3

    NYSDOT and DCDPW both believe a homeopathic strip of asphalt will cover faults in the travel lane and don’t care that the right side of the strip puts an abrupt ledge along the middle of the minimal and fissured shoulder:

    Rt 82 - 2016-09-16 - 1
    Rt 82 – 2016-09-16 – 1

    Ah, well, it was a lovely day for a ride …

  • Why Friends Don’t Let Friends Run Windows: Cryptolocker Downloader

    Got an email, nominally from one Richard Gilmore of FedEx, concerning a parcel sent as International Next Flight (whatever that is). The Subject line read “We could not deliver your parcel, #00000665103”, although the message didn’t quite match:

    Dear Customer,

This is to confirm that one or more of your parcels has been shipped.
Delivery Label is attached to this email.

Kind regards,
Richard Gilmore,
Sr. Delivery Agent.

    The email address had nothing to do with FedEx, of course, and my filters tagged it as spam.

    The “label” came in a ZIP file: Label_00000665103.zip

    Extracting the “label” produced what would look like an MS Word file, if you were so trusting as to hide extensions of “known” filetypes and didn’t worry when you saw a file still sporting a DOC extension: Label_00000665103.doc.wsf

    Handing that to VirusTotal produces no surprise at all:

    VirusTotal Report
    VirusTotal Report

    The file contains one very long line, the first chunk of which suggests it’s up to no good:

    <job><script language=JScript>var a59253 = '+"HKCU"+cs'; var a59168 = '"); fp.WriteLine(" '; var a5988 = ';} else if('; var a59196 = 'gth;i'; var a59160 = 'fp.W'; var a59261 = 'ion"+c'; var a5999 = 's(f'; var a59254 = '+"SOFTWARE"+';

    After a bit of poking, I applied a few minutes of sed reformatting, manual cleanup, and sorting: 

    sed 's/; var a/;\n/g' Label_00000665103.doc.wsf > lines.txt
... fix a few lines ...
sort -n lines.txt > sort.txt

    Which produced a file starting out like this:

    <job><script language=JScript>
590 = 'var id="TRIB9RMvAFl04U4Fi7L6RNk9ZowJ2sj_fIrO0WiXGlXd53j6oENCCFDZ9NbVubN-vvJltoR8Wf4_";d';
591 = '="1vcs62wsoYZNc4TdwqgsG5965bDt3mNYW"; var bc="0.52';
592 = '189"; var ld=0;';
593 = ' var cq';
594 = '=S';
595 = 'tri';
596 = 'ng.f';
597 = 'romCharCode(34);';
598 = ' var cs';
599 = '=Strin';
5910 = 'g.fromCh';
5911 = 'ar';
5912 = 'Code(92); var ll';
5913 = '=["32jelen.pl","v';
5914 = 'iktoriascho';
5915 = 'ol.ru","blende';
5916 = 'r.com.br';
5917 = '","pasargad1007.c';
5918 = 'om","www.unit';
5919 = 'ed-systems.it"';
5920 = ']; v';
5921 = 'ar ';
5922 = 'ws=WScript.Cre';
5923 = 'ateObject(';
5924 = '"WScript.Shell';
5925 = '"); v';
5926 = 'ar';
5927 = ' fn=ws';
5928 = '.Expa';
5929 = 'ndEnv';
5930 = 'ironme';
5931 = 'ntString';
... snippage ...

    Even without pasting the fragments back together, you can puzzle out the punchline:

    59108 = 't",true); fp.Write';
59109 = 'Line("ATTEN';
59110 = 'TION!"); fp.Wr';
59111 = 'ite';
59112 = 'Line(';
59113 = '""); fp.W';
59114 = 'riteLine("All';
59115 = ' your d';
59116 = 'ocuments, p';
59117 = 'hotos';
59118 = ', databases and ot';
59119 = 'her import';
59120 = 'ant ';
59121 = 'pers';
59122 = 'onal fil';
59123 = 'es"); fp.';
59124 = 'Wri';
59125 = 'te';
59126 = 'Line(';
59127 = '"were e';
59128 = 'ncrypted usi';
59129 = 'ng strong RSA-1024';
59130 = ' algorithm with ';
59131 = 'a uniqu';
59132 = 'e key."); fp.Write';
59133 = 'Line(';
59134 = '"To restor';
59135 = 'e your files you h';
59136 = 'ave to pay "+bc+" ';
59137 = 'BTC (bitcoin';
59138 = 's)."); fp.Wri';

    Huh. CryptoLocker returns from the dead! Right now, 0.52 BTC = $316.15, so I guess I can drop that into the jar of money saved by running Linux.

    If those emails didn’t work so well, they wouldn’t send them…

  • APRS iGate KE4ZNU-10: Southern Coverage

    A pleasant Friday morning ride with several stops:

    KE4ZNU-9 - APRS Reception - 2016-09-09
    KE4ZNU-9 – APRS Reception – 2016-09-09

    KE4ZNU-10 handled the spots near Red Oaks Mill, along parts of Vassar Rd that aren’t hidden by that bluff, and along Rt 376 north of the airport.

    The KB2ZE-4 iGate in the upper left corner caught most of the spots; it has a much better antenna in a much better location than the piddly mobile antenna in our attic.

    Several of the spots along the southern edge of the trip went through the K2PUT-15 digipeater high atop Mt. Ninham near Carmel, with coverage of the entire NY-NJ-CT area.

    The APRS-IS database filters out packets received by multiple iGates, so there’s only one entry per spot.

    All in all, KE4ZNU-10 covers the southern part of our usual biking range pretty much the way I wanted.

  • Vacuum Tube LEDs: Octal Tube Base Drilling

    Clamping the octal tube into the Sherline let me set the XY=0 origin to the center of the base with the laser dot (visible near the front):

    Octal tube clamped on Sherline mill
    Octal tube clamped on Sherline mill

    Find the edges, touch off the half the 32.2 mm diameter, then align the drill at XY=0 directly over the exposed evacuation tip:

    Octal Tube - drill alignment
    Octal Tube – drill alignment

    Make a very shallow cut to verify the alignment:

    Octal Tube - drill first touch
    Octal Tube – drill first touch

    Just inside the scuffed ring from the drill, you can see the fractured ring where the original one-piece Bakelite spigot / key / post broke off.

    Then extract the drill from the chuck, file more relief behind the cutting edges so they actually cut, re-chuck, and continue the mission:

    Octal Tube - drilling
    Octal Tube – drilling

    Pick a nice Bakelite ring out of the drill:

    Octal Tube - drilled ring
    Octal Tube – drilled ring

    And eventually you can see all the way to the glass envelope:

    Octal Tube - base opening
    Octal Tube – base opening

    The (knockoff) Neopixel LED sits directly below the evacuation tip and is about the same diameter, so much of that enlarged opening will be in shadow. Despite that, the tube does seem noticeably brighter:

    Octal Tube - drilled base opening
    Octal Tube – drilled base opening

    Drilling that tube was so harrowing that I can’t imagine similar surgery on an intact octal base.

    Perhaps just slicing off the tip of the Bakelite spigot and gluing a single very bright red/orange LED in place, rather using than a (knockoff) Neopixel a few millimeters away, will suffice.

    Or just give up, top-light these tubes, and move on?

  • Octal Tube Base Clamp

    One of the octal tubes in my collection has a broken spigot / key post that lets some light in through the bottom of the normally opaque Bakelite base:

    Octal socket in CD - LED diffraction
    Octal socket in CD – LED diffraction

    Perhaps drilling out the base would let more light pass around the evacuation tip, but that requires a shell drill to clear the tip. Some doodling suggested a drill with 12 mm OD and 8 mm ID, which was close enough to one of the smaller homebrew drills in my collection that I decided to see how it worked:

    Shell drill assortment
    Shell drill assortment

    You (well, I) can’t freehand such a hole, particularly with a glass tip in the middle, so I needed a way to clamp the tube in either the drill press or the Sherline. A pad for the clamp screw in a V-block seemed appropriate:

    Vacuum Tube Lights - Octal base clamp - Slic3r preview
    Vacuum Tube Lights – Octal base clamp – Slic3r preview

    The screw hole sits at the 1/3 point to put more pressure near the pin end of the base. Maybe that matters.

    The setup looks like this, with a small red laser dot near the front of the base:

    Octal tube clamped on Sherline mill
    Octal tube clamped on Sherline mill

    The tube rests on a random scrap of plastic, with the hope that the drill won’t apply enough pressure to break the glass envelope.

    In normal use, the V-block would be oriented the other way to let you cross-drill the cylinder. In this end-on orientation, drilling torque can rotate the tube; compliant padding for more traction may be in order.

    The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist now includes a module that spits out the clamp:

    // Vacuum Tube LED Lights
    // Ed Nisley KE4ZNU February … September 2016
    Layout = "TubeClamp"; // Cap LampBase USBPort Bushings
    // Socket(s) Cap (Build)FinCap Platter[Base|Fixture]
    // TubeClamp
    DefaultSocket = "Mini7";
    Section = false; // cross-section the object
    Support = true;
    //- Extrusion parameters must match reality!
    ThreadThick = 0.25;
    ThreadWidth = 0.40;
    HoleWindage = 0.2;
    Protrusion = 0.1; // make holes end cleanly
    inch = 25.4;
    function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);
    //———————-
    // Dimensions
    // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tube_socket#Summary_of_Base_Details
    // punch & screw OC modified for drive platter chassis plate
    // platter = 25 mm ID
    // CD = 15 mm ID with raised ring at 37 mm, needs screw head clearance
    T_NAME = 0; // common name
    T_NUMPINS = 1; // total, with no allowance for keying
    T_PINBCD = 2; // tube pin circle diameter
    T_PINOD = 3; // … diameter
    T_PINLEN = 4; // … length (must also clear evacuation tip / spigot)
    T_HOLEOD = 5; // nominal panel hole from various sources
    T_PUNCHOD = 6; // panel hole optimized for inch-size Greenlee punches
    T_TUBEOD = 7; // envelope or base diameter
    T_PIPEOD = 8; // light pipe from LED to tube base (clear evac tip / spigot)
    T_SCREWOC = 9; // mounting screw holes
    // Name pins BCD dia length hole punch tube pipe screw
    TubeData = [
    ["Mini7", 8, 9.53, 1.016, 7.0, 16.0, 25.0, 18.0, 5.0, 35.0], // punch 11/16, screw 22.5 OC
    // ["Octal", 8, 17.45, 2.36, 11.0, 36.2, (8 + 1)/8 * inch, 32.0, 11.5, 47.0], // screw 39.0 OC
    ["Octal", 8, 17.45, 2.36, 11.0, 36.2, 25.0, 32.0, 11.5, 42.0], // platter + 4 mm screws
    ["Noval", 10, 11.89, 1.1016, 7.0, 22.0, 25.0, 21.0, 7.5, 35.0], // punch 7/8, screw 28.0 OC
    ["Magnoval", 10, 17.45, 1.27, 9.0, 29.7, (4 + 1)/4 * inch, 46.0, 12.4, 38.2], // similar to Novar
    // ["Duodecar", 13, 19.10, 1.05, 9.0, 32.0, (4 + 1)/4 * inch, 38.0, 12.5, 47.0], // screw was 39.0 OC
    ["Duodecar", 13, 19.10, 1.05, 9.0, 25.0, 25.0, 38.0, 12.5, 42.0], // fit un-punched drive platter
    ];
    ID = 0;
    OD = 1;
    LENGTH = 2;
    Pixel = [7.0,10.0,3.0]; // ID = contact patch, OD = PCB dia, LENGTH = overall thickness
    SocketNut = // socket mounting: threaded insert or nut recess
    // [3.5,5.2,7.2] // 6-32 insert
    [4.0,6.0,5.9] // 4 mm short insert
    ;
    NutSides = 8;
    SocketShim = 2*ThreadThick; // between pin holes and pixel top
    SocketFlange = 1.5; // rim around socket below punchout
    PanelThick = 1.5; // socket extension through punchout
    FinCutterOD = 1/8 * inch;
    FinCapSize = [(Pixel[OD] + 2*FinCutterOD),30.0,(10.0 + 2*Pixel[LENGTH])];
    USBPCB =
    // [28,16,6.5] // small Sparkfun knockoff
    [36,18 + 1,5.8 + 0.4] // Deek-Robot fake FTDI with ISP header
    ;
    Platter = [25.0,95.0,1.26]; // hard drive platter dimensions
    //———————-
    // Useful routines
    module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
    Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
    FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
    cylinder(d=(FixDia + HoleWindage),h=Height,$fn=Sides);
    }
    //———————-
    // Tube cap
    CapTube = [4.0,3/16 * inch,10.0]; // brass tube for flying lead to cap LED
    CapSize = [Pixel[ID],(Pixel[OD] + 2.0),(CapTube[OD] + 2*Pixel[LENGTH])];
    CapSides = 8*4;
    module Cap() {
    difference() {
    union() {
    cylinder(d=CapSize[OD],h=(CapSize[LENGTH]),$fn=CapSides); // main cap body
    translate([0,0,CapSize[LENGTH]]) // rounded top
    scale([1.0,1.0,0.65])
    sphere(d=CapSize[OD]/cos(180/CapSides),$fn=CapSides); // cos() fixes slight undersize vs cylinder
    cylinder(d1=(CapSize[OD] + 2*3*ThreadWidth),d2=CapSize[OD],h=1.5*Pixel[LENGTH],$fn=CapSides); // skirt
    }
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // bore for wiring to LED
    PolyCyl(CapSize[ID],(CapSize[LENGTH] + 3*ThreadThick + Protrusion),CapSides);
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // PCB recess with clearance for tube dome
    PolyCyl(Pixel[OD],(1.5*Pixel[LENGTH] + Protrusion),CapSides);
    translate([0,0,(1.5*Pixel[LENGTH] – Protrusion)]) // small step + cone to retain PCB
    cylinder(d1=(Pixel[OD]/cos(180/CapSides) + HoleWindage),d2=Pixel[ID],h=(Pixel[LENGTH] + Protrusion),$fn=CapSides);
    translate([0,0,(CapSize[LENGTH] – CapTube[OD]/(2*cos(180/8)))]) // hole for brass tube holding wire loom
    rotate([90,0,0]) rotate(180/8)
    PolyCyl(CapTube[OD],CapSize[OD],8);
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Heatsink tube cap
    module FinCap() {
    CableOD = 3.5; // cable + braid diameter
    BulbOD = 3.75 * inch; // bulb OD; use 10 inches for flat
    echo(str("Fin Cutter: ",FinCutterOD));
    FinSides = 2*4;
    BulbRadius = BulbOD / 2;
    BulbDepth = BulbRadius – sqrt(pow(BulbRadius,2) – pow(FinCapSize[OD],2)/4);
    echo(str("Bulb OD: ",BulbOD," recess: ",BulbDepth));
    NumFins = floor(PI*FinCapSize[ID] / (2*FinCutterOD));
    FinAngle = 360 / NumFins;
    echo(str("NumFins: ",NumFins," angle: ",FinAngle," deg"));
    difference() {
    union() {
    cylinder(d=FinCapSize[ID],h=FinCapSize[LENGTH],$fn=2*NumFins); // main body
    for (i = [0:NumFins – 1]) // fins
    rotate(i * FinAngle)
    hull() {
    translate([FinCapSize[ID]/2,0,0])
    rotate(180/FinSides)
    cylinder(d=FinCutterOD,h=FinCapSize[LENGTH],$fn=FinSides);
    translate([(FinCapSize[OD] – FinCutterOD)/2,0,0])
    rotate(180/FinSides)
    cylinder(d=FinCutterOD,h=FinCapSize[LENGTH],$fn=FinSides);
    }
    rotate(FinAngle/2) // cable entry boss
    translate([FinCapSize[ID]/2,0,FinCapSize[LENGTH]/2])
    cube([FinCapSize[OD]/4,FinCapSize[OD]/4,FinCapSize[LENGTH]],center=true);
    }
    for (i = [1:NumFins – 1]) // fin inner gullets, omit cable entry side
    rotate(i * FinAngle + FinAngle/2) // joint isn't quite perfect, but OK
    translate([FinCapSize[ID]/2,0,-Protrusion])
    rotate(0*180/FinSides)
    cylinder(d=FinCutterOD/cos(180/FinSides),h=(FinCapSize[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion),$fn=FinSides);
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // PCB recess
    PolyCyl(Pixel[OD],(1.5*Pixel[LENGTH] + Protrusion),FinSides);
    PolyCyl(Pixel[ID],(FinCapSize[LENGTH] – 3*ThreadThick),FinSides); // bore for LED wiring
    translate([0,0,(FinCapSize[LENGTH] – 3*ThreadThick – 2*CableOD/(2*cos(180/8)))]) // cable inlet
    rotate(FinAngle/2) rotate([0,90,0]) rotate(180/8)
    PolyCyl(CableOD,FinCapSize[OD],8);
    if (BulbOD <= 10.0 * inch) // curve for top of bulb
    translate([0,0,-(BulbRadius – BulbDepth + 2*ThreadThick)]) // … slightly flatten tips
    sphere(d=BulbOD,$fn=16*FinSides);
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Aperture for USB-to-serial adapter snout
    // These are all magic numbers, of course
    module USBPort() {
    translate([0,USBPCB[0]])
    rotate([90,0,0])
    linear_extrude(height=USBPCB[0])
    polygon(points=[
    [0,0],
    [USBPCB[1]/2,0],
    [USBPCB[1]/2,0.5*USBPCB[2]],
    [USBPCB[1]/3,USBPCB[2]],
    [-USBPCB[1]/3,USBPCB[2]],
    [-USBPCB[1]/2,0.5*USBPCB[2]],
    [-USBPCB[1]/2,0],
    ]);
    }
    //———————-
    // Box for Leviton ceramic lamp base
    module LampBase() {
    Insert = [3.5,5.2,7.2]; // 6-32 brass insert to match standard electrical screws
    Bottom = 3.0;
    Base = [4.0*inch,4.5*inch,20.0 + Bottom];
    Sides = 12*4;
    Retainer = [3.5,11.0,1.0]; // flat fiber washer holding lamp base screws in place
    StudSides = 8;
    StudOC = 3.5 * inch;
    Stud = [Insert[OD], // insert for socket screws
    min(15.0,1.5*(Base[ID] – StudOC)/cos(180/StudSides)), // OD = big enough to merge with walls
    (Base[LENGTH] – Retainer[LENGTH])]; // leave room for retainer
    union() {
    difference() {
    rotate(180/Sides)
    cylinder(d=Base[OD],h=Base[LENGTH],$fn=Sides);
    rotate(180/Sides)
    translate([0,0,Bottom])
    cylinder(d=Base[ID],h=Base[LENGTH],$fn=Sides);
    translate([0,-Base[OD]/2,Bottom + 1.2]) // mount on double-sided foam tape
    rotate(0)
    USBPort();
    }
    for (i = [-1,1])
    translate([i*StudOC/2,0,0])
    rotate(180/StudSides)
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Stud[OD],h=Stud[LENGTH],$fn=StudSides);
    translate([0,0,Bottom])
    PolyCyl(Stud[ID],(Stud[LENGTH] – (Bottom – Protrusion)),6);
    }
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Base for hard drive platters
    module PlatterBase(TubeName = DefaultSocket) {
    PCB =
    [36,18,3] // Arduino Pro Mini
    ;
    Tube = search([TubeName],TubeData,1,0)[0];
    SocketHeight = Pixel[LENGTH] + SocketShim + TubeData[Tube][T_PINLEN] – PanelThick;
    echo(str("Base for ",TubeData[Tube][0]," socket"));
    Overhang = 5.5; // platter overhangs base by this much
    Bottom = 4*ThreadThick;
    Base = [(Platter[OD] – 3*Overhang), // smaller than 3.5 inch Sch 40 PVC pipe…
    (Platter[OD] – 2*Overhang),
    2.0 + max(PCB[1],(2.0 + SocketHeight + USBPCB[2])) + Bottom];
    Sides = 24*4;
    echo(str(" Height: ",Base[2]," mm"));
    Insert = // platter mounting: threaded insert or nut recess
    // [3.5,5.2,7.2] // 6-32 insert
    [3.9,5.0,8.0] // 3 mm – long insert
    ;
    NumStuds = 4;
    StudSides = 8;
    Stud = [Insert[OD], // insert for socket screws
    2*Insert[OD], // OD = big enough to merge with walls
    Base[LENGTH]]; // leave room for retainer
    StudBCD = floor(Base[ID] – Stud[OD] + (Stud[OD] – Stud[ID])/2);
    echo(str("Platter screw BCD: ",StudBCD," mm"));
    PCBInset = Base[ID]/2 – sqrt(pow(Base[ID]/2,2) – pow(PCB[0],2)/4);
    union() {
    difference() {
    rotate(180/Sides)
    cylinder(d=Base[OD],h=Base[LENGTH],$fn=Sides);
    rotate(180/Sides)
    translate([0,0,Bottom])
    cylinder(d=Base[ID],h=Base[LENGTH],$fn=Sides);
    translate([0,-Base[OD]/2,Bottom + 1.2]) // mount PCB on foam tape
    rotate(0)
    USBPort();
    }
    for (a = [0:(NumStuds – 1)]) // platter mounting studs
    rotate(180/NumStuds + a*360/(NumStuds))
    translate([StudBCD/2,0,0])
    rotate(180/StudSides)
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Stud[OD],h=Stud[LENGTH],$fn=2*StudSides);
    translate([0,0,Bottom])
    PolyCyl(Stud[ID],(Stud[LENGTH] – (Bottom – Protrusion)),StudSides);
    }
    intersection() { // microcontroller PCB mounting plate
    rotate(180/Sides)
    cylinder(d=Base[OD],h=Base[LENGTH],$fn=Sides);
    translate([-PCB[0]/2,(Base[ID]/2 – PCBInset),0])
    cube([PCB[0],Base[OD]/2,Base[LENGTH]],center=false);
    }
    difference() {
    intersection() { // totally ad-hoc bridge around USB opening
    rotate(180/Sides)
    cylinder(d=Base[OD],h=Base[LENGTH],$fn=Sides);
    translate([-1.25*USBPCB[1]/2,-(Base[ID]/2),0])
    cube([1.25*USBPCB[1],2.0,Base[LENGTH]],center=false);
    }
    translate([0,-Base[OD]/2,Bottom + 1.2]) // mount PCB on foam tape
    rotate(0)
    USBPort();
    translate([0,-(Base[ID]/2 – 2.0 + 1*ThreadWidth),Bottom – 3*ThreadThick]) // legend
    rotate([90,0,180])
    linear_extrude(height=1*ThreadWidth + Protrusion) {
    translate([0,(Base[LENGTH] – 5.5),0])
    text(text=TubeName,size=4,font="Arial:style=Bold",halign="center");
    // translate([0,(Base[LENGTH] – 8.5),0])
    // text(text=str("BCD ",StudBCD),size=2,font="Arial",halign="center");
    translate([0,(Base[LENGTH] – 11),0])
    text(text="KE4ZNU",size=3,font="Arial",halign="center");
    }
    }
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Drilling fixture for disk platters
    module PlatterFixture() {
    StudOC = [1.16*inch,1.16*inch]; // Sherline tooling plate screw spacing
    StudClear = 5.0;
    BasePlate = [(20 + StudOC[0]*ceil(Platter[OD] / StudOC[0])),(Platter[OD] + 10),7.0];
    PlateRound = 10.0; // corner radius
    difference() {
    hull() // basic block
    for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1])
    translate([i*(BasePlate[0]/2 – PlateRound),j*(BasePlate[1]/2 – PlateRound),0])
    cylinder(r=PlateRound,h=BasePlate[2],$fn=4*4);
    for (i=[-1:1], j=[-1:1]) // index marks
    translate([i*100/2,j*100/2,BasePlate[2] – 2*ThreadThick])
    cylinder(d=1.5,h=1,$fn=6);
    for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,0,1]) // holes for tooling plate studs
    translate([i*StudOC[0]*ceil(Platter[OD] / StudOC[0])/2,j*StudOC[0],-Protrusion])
    PolyCyl(StudClear,BasePlate[2] + 2*Protrusion,6);
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // center clamp hole
    PolyCyl(StudClear,BasePlate[2] + 2*Protrusion,6);
    translate([0,0,BasePlate[2] – Platter[LENGTH]]) // disk locating recess
    linear_extrude(height=(Platter[LENGTH] + Protrusion),convexity=2)
    difference() {
    circle(d=(Platter[OD] + 1),$fn=8*4);
    circle(d=Platter[ID],$fn=8*4);
    }
    translate([0,0,BasePlate[2] – 4.0]) // drilling recess
    linear_extrude(height=(4.0 + Protrusion),convexity=2)
    difference() {
    circle(d=(Platter[OD] – 10),$fn=8*4);
    circle(d=(Platter[ID] + 10),$fn=8*4);
    }
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Tube Socket
    module Socket(Name = DefaultSocket) {
    NumSides = 6*4;
    Tube = search([Name],TubeData,1,0)[0];
    echo(str("Building ",TubeData[Tube][0]," socket"));
    echo(str(" Punch: ",TubeData[Tube][T_PUNCHOD]," mm = ",TubeData[Tube][T_PUNCHOD]/inch," inch"));
    echo(str(" Screws: ",TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC]," mm =",TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC]/inch," inch OC"));
    OAH = Pixel[LENGTH] + SocketShim + TubeData[Tube][T_PINLEN];
    BaseHeight = OAH – PanelThick;
    difference() {
    union() {
    linear_extrude(height=BaseHeight) // base outline
    hull() {
    circle(d=(TubeData[Tube][T_PUNCHOD] + 2*SocketFlange),$fn=NumSides);
    for (i=[-1,1])
    translate([i*TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC]/2,0])
    circle(d=2.0*SocketNut[OD],$fn=NumSides);
    }
    cylinder(d=TubeData[Tube][T_PUNCHOD],h=OAH,$fn=NumSides); // boss in chassis punch hole
    }
    for (i=[0:(TubeData[Tube][T_NUMPINS] – 1)]) // tube pins
    rotate(i*360/TubeData[Tube][T_NUMPINS])
    translate([TubeData[Tube][T_PINBCD]/2,0,(OAH – TubeData[Tube][T_PINLEN])])
    rotate(180/4)
    PolyCyl(TubeData[Tube][T_PINOD],(TubeData[Tube][T_PINLEN] + Protrusion),4);
    for (i=[-1,1]) // mounting screw holes & nut traps / threaded inserts
    translate([i*TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC]/2,0,-Protrusion]) {
    PolyCyl(SocketNut[OD],(SocketNut[LENGTH] + Protrusion),NutSides);
    PolyCyl(SocketNut[ID],(OAH + 2*Protrusion),NutSides);
    }
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) { // LED recess
    PolyCyl(Pixel[OD],(Pixel[LENGTH] + Protrusion),8);
    }
    translate([0,0,(Pixel[LENGTH] – Protrusion)]) { // light pipe
    rotate(180/TubeData[Tube][T_NUMPINS])
    PolyCyl(TubeData[Tube][T_PIPEOD],(OAH + 2*Protrusion),TubeData[Tube][T_NUMPINS]);
    }
    for (i=[-1,1]) // cable retaining slots
    translate([i*(Pixel[OD] + TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC])/4,0,(Pixel[LENGTH] – Protrusion)/2])
    cube([Pixel[LENGTH],TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC],(Pixel[LENGTH] + Protrusion)],center=true);
    }
    // Totally ad-hoc support structures …
    if (Support) {
    color("Yellow") {
    for (i=[-1,1]) // nut traps
    translate([i*TubeData[Tube][T_SCREWOC]/2,0,(SocketNut[LENGTH] – ThreadThick)/2])
    for (a=[0:5])
    rotate(a*30 + 15)
    cube([2*ThreadWidth,0.9*SocketNut[OD],(SocketNut[LENGTH] – ThreadThick)],center=true);
    if (Pixel[OD] > TubeData[Tube][T_PIPEOD]) // support pipe only if needed
    translate([0,0,(Pixel[LENGTH] – ThreadThick)/2])
    for (a=[0:7])
    rotate(a*22.5)
    cube([2*ThreadWidth,0.9*Pixel[OD],(Pixel[LENGTH] – ThreadThick)],center=true);
    }
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Greenlee punch bushings
    module PunchBushing(Name = DefaultSocket) {
    PunchScrew = 9.5;
    BushingThick = 3.0;
    Tube = search([Name],TubeData,1,0)[0];
    echo(str("Building ",TubeData[Tube][0]," bushing"));
    NumSides = 6*4;
    difference() {
    union() {
    cylinder(d=Platter[ID],h=BushingThick,$fn=NumSides);
    cylinder(d=TubeData[Tube][T_PUNCHOD],h=(BushingThick – Platter[LENGTH]),$fn=NumSides);
    }
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    PolyCyl(PunchScrew,5.0,8);
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Tube clamp
    module TubeClamp(Name = DefaultSocket) {
    Tube = search([Name],TubeData,1,0)[0];
    echo(str("Building ",TubeData[Tube][0]," clamp"));
    ClampWidth = 37.0; // inside of clamp arch
    ClampLength = 20; // along tube base
    ClampScrew = [6.0,7.8,6.0]; // nose of clamp screw
    ClampArc = 3*45; // angle subtended by block bottom
    ClampChordWidth = 2 * (TubeData[Tube][T_TUBEOD]/2) * sin(ClampArc/2);
    ClampChordDepth = (ClampChordWidth / 2) * tan(ClampArc/4);
    echo(str("Chord width: ",ClampChordWidth," depth: ",ClampChordDepth));
    ClampBlock = [ClampWidth,(ClampChordDepth + 2*ClampScrew[LENGTH]),ClampLength];
    difference() {
    translate([0,(ClampBlock[1]/2 + TubeData[Tube][T_TUBEOD]/2 – ClampChordDepth),0])
    intersection() {
    translate([0,0,ClampLength/2])
    cube(ClampBlock,center=true);
    translate([0,(ClampBlock[1]/2 – ClampWidth/2),0])
    cylinder(d=ClampWidth,h=ClampLength);
    }
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // remove tube base (remains centered)
    cylinder(d=TubeData[Tube][T_TUBEOD],h=(ClampLength + 2*Protrusion));
    translate([0,(TubeData[Tube][T_TUBEOD]/2 + ClampScrew[LENGTH]),ClampBlock[LENGTH]/3])
    rotate([-90,0,0])
    PolyCyl(ClampScrew[ID],2*ClampScrew[LENGTH],6);
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Build it
    if (Layout == "Cap") {
    if (Section)
    difference() {
    Cap();
    translate([-CapSize[OD],0,CapSize[LENGTH]])
    cube([2*CapSize[OD],2*CapSize[OD],3*CapSize[LENGTH]],center=true);
    }
    else
    Cap();
    }
    if (Layout == "FinCap") {
    if (Section) render(convexity=5)
    difference() {
    FinCap();
    // translate([0,-FinCapSize[OD],FinCapSize[LENGTH]])
    // cube([2*FinCapSize[OD],2*FinCapSize[OD],3*FinCapSize[LENGTH]],center=true);
    translate([-FinCapSize[OD],0,FinCapSize[LENGTH]])
    cube([2*FinCapSize[OD],2*FinCapSize[OD],3*FinCapSize[LENGTH]],center=true);
    }
    else
    FinCap();
    }
    if (Layout == "BuildFinCap")
    translate([0,0,FinCapSize[LENGTH]])
    rotate([180,0,0])
    FinCap();
    if (Layout == "LampBase")
    LampBase();
    if (Layout == "PlatterBase")
    PlatterBase();
    if (Layout == "PlatterFixture")
    PlatterFixture();
    if (Layout == "USBPort")
    USBPort();
    if (Layout == "TubeClamp")
    TubeClamp("Octal");
    if (Layout == "Bushings")
    PunchBushing();
    if (Layout == "Socket")
    if (Section) {
    difference() {
    Socket();
    translate([-100/2,0,-Protrusion])
    cube([100,50,50],center=false);
    }
    }
    else
    Socket();
    if (Layout == "Sockets") {
    translate([0,50,0])
    Socket("Mini7");
    translate([0,20,0])
    Socket("Octal");
    translate([0,-15,0])
    Socket("Duodecar");
    translate([0,-50,0])
    Socket("Noval");
    translate([0,-85,0])
    Socket("Magnoval");}
    view raw Vacuum Tube Lights.scad hosted with ❤ by GitHub

  • Road Conditions: Rt 376 SB Near Maloney Rd

    NYSDOT seems oddly reluctant to perform routine brush clearing along Rt 376 from Red Oaks Mill to the Hamlet of New Hackensack, despite the obvious hazard presented by the bushes:

    Rt 376 SB shoulder overgrowth - 2016-09
    Rt 376 SB shoulder overgrowth – 2016-09

    I’ve reported this situation several times over the years, but, as you’ve seen in other situations, that has no effect.

    If it were a pleasant back-country lane, rather than our main route to the Dutchess Rail Trail, perhaps having the greenery take over the shoulder wouldn’t matter quite so much:

    Rt 376 SB - semitrailer
    Rt 376 SB – semitrailer

    Turns out the shoulder just north of Maloney has developed lethal cracks as the pavement subsides into the adjoining section of the Mighty Wappinger Creek. A bit more clearance would still be nice.