what are people doing?

[pyrogeek]

Hi, Im new here, was just wondering what people are building or engineering. Me, I make Pyrotechnic Firing Systems, and what ever little things i can think of. Does anyone here make a living writing code? just curiuos.

[Jerson]

Well I make a living out of coding. My full time passion is designing new stuff and coding it. Lots of other folks here do similar. You will also find people with varied professional interests living on this forum.

[Charles Linquis]

If you make "Pyrotechnic Firing Systems" I hope you write bug-free code!

I make a living writing code for military systems.

[sayzer]

If you make "Pyrotechnic Firing Systems" I hope you write bug-free code!

I make a living writing code for military systems.

I hope the same for you Charles.

[Charles Linquis]

*MOST* of my code is bug-free. Unfortunately, when it isn't, I get calls from some pretty powerful people working for organizations that you have definitely heard of.

[HankMcSpank]

I spend most of my evenings trying to get an LED to light up ...the past few months have been a long hard slog, but I'm almost there.

Nobody important ever calls me, though my youngest son once expressed an interest in what I'm trying to do for about 33 seconds....but then he got bored when the LED didn't light up.....pah, kids - they have no vision.

[Dave]

Pyrogeek, Well during the day I design hardware and write code for a major 1st tier electronics supplier to the automotive industry. When I'm not at work for them, I design hardware and write software for a small company of my own. I love to design solar related products and my wife of 30+ years said "thats enough systems in the house". I have just finished an 8 circuit automatic load shed system for the 4000 watt inverter system I have running most of the house. I have also designed a dual axis tracking system for the 3 solar arrays I have in the back yard. I am just finishing up a MicroMaster lookalike for sale to testing labs as the company has been out of business for a few years but there is still a demand for there product. I find electronics keeps me off the streets at night. So.... what do you do for kicks?

[pyrogeek]

thanks for the replies, i think it awesome that some of you guys get to do coding for a living, your definatly more advanced than me, lol. I've mostly only built analog firing systems, with the use of some code to give them some bells and whistles. But i am currently working on a digital system, and trust me i spend more time thinking about the BUGS than writing the code! I would hate for someone to get injured or worse because of something that i could of controlled.

[Archangel]

I find electronics keeps me off the streets at night.
Hey Dave, We KNOW what keeps you off the streets at night . . the XYL ! Electronics just keeps you out of trouble . . :D

image linked from: http://earpull.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cropped-954f.jpg
http://earpull.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cropped-954f.jpg

[mister_e]

My interests changed since couple of months, but electronics(repair/design some coding for fun) and DJ. Really busy on summer, almost 24/7. That's a lot of decibels and music :D

However, DJing in 2011 also mean I can design my own gear... an endless story ...

Oh yeah, I forgot... spend 2-3 minutes/week to help/solve forum user problems :D

[cncmachineguy]

I spend all day running a machine shop and also being an operator. Now I love my job, but it can get REALLY boring at times. So most of the time I spend thinking about how to make something work. Currently I am considering replacing the controls on some of my older machines to use EMC2 instead of the dedicated controllers they came with. Electronics is what I started out intending to do for a career but things changed. Now it is my hobby along with R/C flying.

BTW, big plug for this forum and its people - I have been an active member for just about a year now, about 6 months longer then any other forum. And still enjoy popping in all day.

THANKS EVERYBODY!!!
and THANKS LESTER!!!!!


@Hank - Too funny, at least you got 33 seconds from him. When I'm lucky, I can get my wife to turn her head and glance.

[pyrogeek]

I spend all day running a machine shop and also being an operator. Now I love my job, but it can get REALLY boring at times. So most of the time I spend thinking about how to make something work. Currently I am considering replacing the controls on some of my older machines to use EMC2 instead of the dedicated controllers they came with. Electronics is what I started out intending to do for a career but things changed. Now it is my hobby along with R/C flying.

BTW, big plug for this forum and its people - I have been an active member for just about a year now, about 6 months longer then any other forum. And still enjoy popping in all day.

THANKS EVERYBODY!!!
and THANKS LESTER!!!!!


@Hank - Too funny, at least you got 33 seconds from him. When I'm lucky, I can get my wife to turn her head and glance.

what kind of machines do you have, i purchased a Torchmate 2X4 about a year ago, and have a couple of seats of BobCAD CAM V24.

[cncmachineguy]

I don't have any CAM software, I did at 1 time but never used it much. For the most part my work is not too complex and usually easier to just code by hand. As for the machines, I have 4 VMC's in use and 1 lathe. I have a few more old non-working machines that I just can't bring myself to get rid of. I have always wanted a CNC torch/plasma/Laser, but don't have any need for 1 and doubt I would be able to justify the expense.

I buy all my machines used, I once heard a business model where a guy had 5 or 6 of the same machines. All were outdated but ran just fine. He could run any of his jobs on any of them since they were identical. They were clearly not the fastest things out there, but for what he spent on them, he could have multiple machines to run jobs on and get done just as fast with WAY less overhead. I thought this was a great idea and have been working towards that goal.

[pyrogeek]

i got the mill package, i wish i had the plasma too. i use my to make PCB mounts for my designs. i have prototyped some PCB's with it too.

[cncmachineguy]

Just went and looked at that, wow! That's is really nice, I had no idea.

[pyrogeek]

Just went and looked at that, wow! That's is really nice, I had no idea.

thanks i was thinking of putting some pics in my album area, i'll throw some of my setup in there too.

[sayzer]

Would anyone like to share some interesting, but very really interesting, projects here?

Here is mine:

A "rich" guy found me to have an invitation card with LCD screen and RTC Chip.
Circuit had two lithium ion batteries, 4x16 LCD, DS1302, 16F628A, and a reed switch.
The name & surname of the invited guest is sent by PC software and written to EEPROM.
A message also sent by PC and written to EEPROM.
The date of the wedding is also sent by PC.
Current date & time also sent by PC and DS1302 is set.

When the flap of the invitation letter is opened, the reed switch releases, and PIC wakes up, powers LCD, screens the name, middle name, last name...
then screens the message private to the specific guest.
then counts down the time to the wedding date and time.
(The code for counting down routine between two dates up to the seconds was a pain).

if the flap is open for more then 10minutes, PIC sleeps.

If the date passes, and flap is opened again and there is still enough battery power, it screens the elapsed date & time and a second message.

What is yours?

[rsocor01]

My interests changed since couple of months, but electronics(repair/design some coding for fun) and DJ.

I would have never guessed that one in a thousand years :).

[Archangel]

I would have never guessed that one in a thousand years :).By Mister E's avatar, what do you think, head banger music ? :D

[rsocor01]

By Mister E's avatar, what do you think, head banger music ? :D

Oh, so now we know where the head banging is coming from :D.

[mister_e]

http://www.gifs.net/Animation11/Creatures_and_Cartoons/Cartoon_Characters/Beavis_6.gif

VS


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwK3vFGJp0

Hard to say :D

[Archangel]

I highly recommend http://adblockplus.org/en/ & https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/flashblock/ for firefox.

Esp. if Gifs and flash makes you want to headbang. :D

[mister_e]

and esp. when you run a dsl ISP on an ol' PC

BTW, flash is really on his last days...

http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/858293236/flashSucks_bigger.png

http://s4.hubimg.com/u/4240995_f520.jpg

---==:D==---

[Archangel]

and esp. when you run a dsl ISP on an ol' PC
Funny thing, as BAD as that is, it is faster than cable in my . . . hood . . . I have tried both. USA needs I. T. Upgrade

[mister_e]

weird indeed... time for them to upgrade their cable network, amplifier, repeater and server I guess. A really High priority these days in USA :eek:

[redmobiusv]

I work full time as a GM auto Technician. I have a wierd range of interest but my biggest passion is woodworking. Oddly enough woodworking got me interested in micro electronics because of a desire to build my own CNC router. Even though you can buy everything already made, I think it takes away the. Not only that but it gotta be much cheaper!!!. So that project is one that is on top of my list. Building furniture and cabinets is something I would love to do full time some day.

While in the automotive feild, specifically GM, I came across a need to change the odometer milage in a customer's car after replacing the instrument cluster with a salvaged one. Since the milage wasn't correct, I needed to send the cluster out to a speedomer shop and have them put the correct milage on it. I want to learn how to do the change myself instead of having to send this type of work out to be done. Although I still havent learned how to do it, I am learning alot. I don't have hardly any experience with Microcontrollers other then diagnosising them when they fail or intarigating them with specialized equiptment. So Im really new to this stuff. I can't even write the correct code to blink an led yet. :rolleyes:

Other projects I would like to eventually do is build a Dash Intergration system for my boat. I enjoy wakeboarding and being on the lake with my family. I would like to be able to design a Dash Control System that was all intergrated into one touch screen panel. This would control the lights, audio system, ballast system, electronic hatches, engine, ect.....That seems so far away though.

I am also interested in home automation as well. So as you can see I have a list of projects that I prolly cant even finish by the time Im 100 years old. And they are prolly way out of reach for me, but I enjoy trying. So I shouldn't get bored, and not only that but Im pretty much the coolest geek there ever was...:cool:

Aside from Iron man, But I mean come'on, its Iron man for crying out loud.

[mister_e]

Personnal project is what keeps a lot of people alive in this area. I can't imagine how much I have myself... neither can't or want to remember those I begun... but never finished :eek:

[milestag]

What am I doing with PicBasic Pro? It's in my user name. I design laser tag systems for a few manufacturers. I also sell parts and circuit boards to hobbyists that want to build their own systems.

[pyrogeek]

bumping this back up with another question. I see that many of you are making products not just personal stuff, Where do you get your PCB's? Do you solder the parts yourself? How small of a IC package do you use? I get PCB's from Sunstone, I solder everything myself, and I've been thinking about a design that would use a 64 pin TQFP or maybe the 80 pin version. Do any of you own a reflow oven? lol. I've thought about buying one of those too. Just curious about peoples experiences, Thanks for any replies.

[mister_e]

No need to bump this specific thread for that. There's already lots of those on the forum.

[rsocor01]

Where do you get your PCB's? Do you solder the parts yourself? How small of a IC package do you use? I get PCB's from Sunstone, I solder everything myself, and I've been thinking about a design that would use a 64 pin TQFP or maybe the 80 pin version. Do any of you own a reflow oven? lol. I've thought about buying one of those too. Just curious about peoples experiences, Thanks for any replies.

This thread might help you

http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3416

SparkFun has some good tutorials

http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/category/2