Samwise Makers' News
Monday, July 6, 2026
Microdistillery For Microchemistry
Chemists have long followed the rule of using minimal reagents for safety and economy. [Marb’s lab] applied this principle to distillation, building a custom miniature still for microscale chemistry experiments. The heating component uses custom aluminum parts fitted with 3D-printer heater cartridges, wrapped in insulation, and accommodates a 25 mL round-bottom flask. A DIN-rail-mounted temperature controller fed by a 24 V supply governs the heating mantle, with a separate probe measuring distillate temperature. A polycarbonate condenser sits above. A test run with water showed the unit evaporating efficiently at small scale — proof that effective lab equipment doesn’t require bulk materials.
Building A Wireless Fingerprint Authorization Device
Repeated sudo and login prompts interrupt the flow of terminal work, so [superdog] built immurok — a wireless fingerprint authorization key for Linux and Mac users. The device centers on a WCH CH592F microcontroller with built-in Bluetooth, advertising as a standard BLE HID keyboard. An R559S capacitive sensor handles fingerprint matching entirely on-device, meaning biometric data never leaves the hardware. On Linux, a PAM module integrates with system login and sudo; on macOS, a menu bar app covers admin prompts and the lock screen. The project is hosted on Hackaday.io, though the firmware repository link is currently returning a 404.
The Coolest Hat At The Hacker Camp
A Europe-wide June heatwave gave [Making Stuff With Mike] the motivation to hack a hard hat into a personal cooling device ahead of Denmark’s BornHack hacker camp. The modification mounts a Noctua fan inside a 3D-printed chimney atop the helmet, drawing warm air up and out. The chimney-to-hat interface was designed in CAD by 3D scanning the helmet first, achieving a precise fit secured with four bolts. Large airflow holes were cut in the crown for intake. Testing proved the concept works; Mike is already planning refinements. BornHack is an outdoor maker/hacker camp that Hackaday has attended several times.
US Navy Testing 3D Printed Fighter Jet Parts
The U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division is flight-testing 3D-printed composite repair parts for operational F/A-18 Super Hornets, using forward-deployed printers to fabricate components on-site rather than shipping them through a global logistics chain. The program aims to cut repair times by approximately 50%, reducing aircraft downtime during deployments far from home ports. NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. Todd Evans stated the goal is to put capability directly into the hands of the Fleet. The parts are produced at forward operating bases and will undergo actual flight testing on active Super Hornets, marking a significant step toward battlefield-ready additive manufacturing for military aviation.
Sources: Tom’s Hardware Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
This KVM Runs A P4 Instead Of A Pi
[JonathanRowny] built a functional IP-KVM using Espressif’s ESP32-P4, challenging the assumption that such projects require a Linux SBC like a Raspberry Pi. The build gets 1080p capture by routing HDMI through a commercial adapter board that converts the signal to a camera (CSI) input, exploiting a convenient shared ribbon-cable pinout with the RPi. Writing a custom driver was the hardest part. The code is published on GitHub under the Apache license as a proof-of-concept. Current limitations: no audio, wired-only networking, and no security. The project raises broader questions about how many traditionally Pi-bound builds could run on ESP32-P4 microcontrollers instead.
Five Solar Air Heating Methods Tested
Solar PV panels capture 20–30% of incident sunlight, but solar thermal collectors can do far better — and much more cheaply. [Greenhill Forge] built five approximately 2 m² air-heating panels to compare approaches: one unglazed control and four with polycarbonate glazing, varying how air flows across black corrugated steel absorbers. Thermocouple data collected during simultaneous outdoor testing revealed the best performer: a panel using black fiberglass screen mesh (transpired-collector style) rather than corrugated steel. At roughly $100 per panel, the winning design offers fuel-free supplemental heating with no grid electricity. The builder notes that panel configuration is highly sensitive and results may vary.
Bondtech INDX Development Kit Orders Open Friday
Bondtech’s INDX system — an inductive nozzle-swapping mechanism that eliminates manual hotend changes — isn’t exclusively for Prusa machines. The company has announced a Development Kit for DIY printer builders who want to integrate INDX into custom or third-party hardware. Orders opened Friday, July 3, at 9 AM CEST (3 AM Eastern / 12 AM Pacific), with limited stock available. Pricing has not been disclosed, but Bondtech says it will be higher than the limited Founder’s Edition. Interested builders are advised to log in to the Bondtech website ahead of launch and be ready at the listed time, as stock is expected to move quickly.
Startup Unveils 3D-Printed Nuclear Reactor Module
Nuclear startup Ampera has unveiled a full-scale 3D-printed reactor module it describes as the world’s first subcritical, solid-state, factory-built thorium nuclear reactor. Thorium’s natural abundance makes it cheaper to source than uranium, and its non-fissile nature adds an inherent safety layer. The complete system targets 30 MWe output via a closed-loop supercritical CO2 Brayton-cycle turbine — an attractive proposition for AI data centers straining existing power infrastructure. The reactor has not yet been turned on. Competitor Valar Atomics has already demonstrated live electricity generation. Ampera’s announcement reflects growing nuclear investment from tech giants including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia.
Sources: Tom’s Hardware Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Top Crowdfunding
Kickstarter / Indiegogo
1. RootBoard — open-hardware RPi Zero terminal, ~$115 (Kickstarter)
2. Hacknect — ESP32-S3 Wi-Fi hacking & automation cable (Kickstarter)
3. None this week
GitHub Trending
Makers & Hardware
1. openscad/openscad-radii-fillets — 668★
2. optocam/optocam-zero — 602★
3. hdl/il-hw-accelerators — 460★
Upcoming Events
Intl. Hackathon: Electronics, Robotics & Embedded — Jul 11–13, Online
BornHack 2026 — Active now, Funen, Denmark
IEEE TCAD Hackathon Results — Aug 4, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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