My first Post.........cap

Today I stoped procrastinating and got down to Blueprint (the maker space) at the Library. It was the last day they were open for 2020, before the Christmas break. 

As far as I know the metal post at my drive way gate has never had a cap. I used to have some duct tape to stop the rain water getting in, but this looked tacky and was only a temporary fix. So I designed a plastic cap using Shaper 3D (free iPad app). I actually completed the design months ago but never got around to printing it until today.

This is the first 3D print design I have created. The staff at Blueprint assisted me to import my .stl file to check dimensions, transfer to an SD card and setup the printer. Then I had 5 hours and 20 mins to wait for the finished product. 

The cap fit in tightly with just enough overhang. No sanding was required. Next I will need to paint the post black to match the gate and the cap. 

You never know how well something will turn out when using software and hardware for the first time and taking digital shapes and turning them into physical objects. I’m really impressed with how well it turned out. Now I’m looking forward to my next creation in the new year. 

                      

Apple Calendar Bugs

Matt Parker highlights some bugs in the Apple iPhone Calendar

I checked my phone's calendar and it has the bug between the years 200 and 1910

Wrong number of days in most months and where is October 1910?

Two Februarys in 200

1 BC was apparently a leap year (also 5, 9, 13 BC)

1 AD follows 1 BC

In MacOS calendar, you cannot jump to a date before 01.01.1000. To get to a year before then you will need to scroll.

DIY selfie-stick-tripod adaptor for phones

I had a pocket tripod and a selfie-stick and so I created an adaptor to join the selfie-stick's phone mount to the tripod.


Using recycled ice cream sticks that I cut, glued, drilled, shaped and painted, the adaptor gives me a stable semi-adjustable phone tripod for shooting video.

Selfie-stick-tripod

Selfie-stick-tripod selfie.

Ankara Natural History Museum

On a recent trip to Anakara, we visited the Natural History Museum (MTA Genel Müdürlüğü Tabiat Tarihi Müzesi).

We were greeted by dinosaurs at the entrance

Guarding an egg or playing ball?

Inside are plenty of fossils, models and taxidermy exhibits of all sorts of creatures

Pseudofusulina fossil, a type of marine creature

Also a large collection of different rocks and minerals

Purple Jade

METU (ODTÜ) Science and Technology Museum, Ankara

On a recent trip to Ankara, Turkey, we visited the Middle East Technical University (Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi) Science and Technology Museum.

This museum is located on the university campus and the security guard was kind of confused as to why we were visiting. 

Steam Engine

Outside is a steam engine and several aircraft and several buildings that appear to be cover-ups for alien landings. The large saucer-shaped building is entered via an automatic door that makes a wooshing sound when opening.

Satellite map view courtesy Apple Maps.

The same satellite map via Google. What are they hiding?

Inside are two floors of exhibits of science and technology from prehistoric to modern times.

Hittite era guitar

With Gallipoli located in Turkey, there were items from World War I, including a medical tent and devices for carrying the wounded soldiers.

Army hospital tent from 1914-1922

The system to carry a wounded soldier on a horse

The system to carry wounded soldiers on a donkey

There were several variations of typewriters. 

QWERTZ (German/Polish) keyboard

AZERTY, (French/Belgium) keyboard

Turkish-F keyboard

Video cameras

Helicopter

I think my parents had a cassette deck and headphones similar to this in the 1970s.

Tape deck, headphones, cassette player

Home movie cameras

Movie projector

Oric Atmos Computer made by Tangerine Computer Systems

In another building are vehicles - mostly cars.

Yellow Desoto

Yellow Pontiac

Yellow and Black Chevrolet

Anadol Böcek, (Anatolian Bug), a Turkish made car from 1975