Samwise Makers' News
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Whip-Cracking Machine Reliably Breaks The Sound Barrier
A maker named Craig Turner has built a machine that reliably cracks a whip and breaks the sound barrier on each activation. The device combines an elastic shock cord with a tapered rope whip mounted in a spring-loaded launcher. When triggered, the whip tip accelerates past the speed of sound, producing the sharp sonic crack that earns the manoeuvre its name. In testing, the machine demonstrated precise, repeatable results — slicing leaves, tearing open aluminium cans, extinguishing candle flames, knocking the cap off a bottle, and consistently hitting small targets — no human wrist required.
2026 Retrocomputing Challenge: 16-Bit Homebrew Relay Computer
Builder Peter has entered the 2026 Hackaday Retrocomputing Challenge with a 16-bit computer constructed entirely from electromechanical relays. The machine uses an accumulator-only CPU architecture with 19 instructions, calculates the digits of Pi in approximately eight minutes, and displays output on a 32-by-32 LED matrix panel. The challenge runs until October 27. An earlier version of Peter's relay computer appeared in the 2025 Hackaday One Hertz Challenge, and the current submission represents a refined and expanded iteration. Participants in the Retrocomputing Challenge are tasked with building functional vintage-style computing hardware from scratch.
This Mac Is Open Source Hardware
A maker operating under the handle DosFox1 has released the OSHintosh, an open-source printed circuit board that implements the core hardware of the Apple Macintosh 512k. The two-layer board boots from a ROM-based disk image rather than a floppy or SCSI drive, making it faster to start than the original. There is currently no disk subsystem or SCSI support, which prevents it from fully replacing a functioning vintage Mac. The project's hardware design files are published on GitHub under the name DosFox1/OSHintosh, allowing makers to have the board manufactured independently and explore the design freely.
Supercon Is Nigh!
The 2026 Hackaday Superconference — the tenth annual edition — is coming in November, and Hackaday says this year looks exceptional. The event has moved to a larger venue with expanded courtyard hacking space, two dedicated talk halls, and more room for attendees to collaborate and share work. Talk selection is complete, with a record number of high-quality submissions received this year. The conference badge will be notably larger than in previous years, though specific details have not been disclosed. Tickets are currently available, and Hackaday notes that airfares and hotel availability remain favourable ahead of the November date.
Making An Air-Powered Circular Saw With LEGO
YouTube maker Jamie, of the Jamie's Brick Jams channel, has built a functional air-powered circular saw using LEGO components and a real metal blade. The project evolved from Jamie's ongoing work designing LEGO-compatible air-powered turbines, which use a 3D-printed blade geometry to convert compressed air into rotation. An all-LEGO prototype was built first to establish the mechanical design before the real metal blade was introduced. A dead-man switch automatically cuts the air supply if the operator releases their grip. An auto-feeding guide system was also incorporated to direct material into the blade, though the feature proved unreliable in practice.
Spin FV-1 Emulator Simplifies Sound Pedal Development
Developer adamjvr has released an open-source PC-based emulator for the Spin Semiconductors FV-1, a digital signal processor chip widely used in guitar pedals and audio effects hardware. The emulator eliminates the need to repeatedly flash firmware to a physical board during development — a process that adds friction and consumes a finite number of write cycles in the board's memory. Makers can instead write and test FV-1 programs on their computer, flashing hardware only once a simulation confirms the desired audio effect. The software supports Linux, macOS, and Windows and is published on GitHub under the Mozilla Public License.
Big Infinity Mirror Clock Invites You To Gaze Deeply
Maker Andy Huot has built a 24-inch infinity mirror digital clock that raises the bar on a familiar DIY format. The clock uses a stacked diffuser construction for each seven-segment display element — a design that significantly deepens the characteristic visual effect of an infinity mirror. RGB LED strips with smooth animated transitions provide the illumination, while the top cover is made from acrylic with a 90-percent-reflective film professionally applied to its inside surface rather than relying on DIY car tint. Custom 3D-printed jigs were used to precisely align and solder the LED segments during assembly. Design files for the 3D-printed parts are available on Printables for purchase.
M5Stack Module13.2 LoRa-1262 Expansion Board Integrates Stamp LoRa-1262 Module
M5Stack has launched two Semtech SX1262-based LoRa products targeting the 868 to 923 MHz frequency band. The Stamp LoRa-1262 is a compact 14-by-10-millimetre SMD module for custom PCBs, supporting LoRa, FSK, GFSK, MSK, GMSK, and OOK modulation with up to +22 dBm transmit power and -147 dBm receive sensitivity. The Module13.2 LoRa-1262 integrates the Stamp into a stackable expansion board compatible with M5Stack Core controllers including the CoreS3, Core2, and Core MP135. The Module13.2 adds an RP-SMA antenna connector, an M5IOE1 IO expansion chip for reset and power management, and DIP switches for configurable I2C addressing in multi-module stacking setups.
Sources: CNX Software
Top Crowdfunding
Kickstarter / Indiegogo
nLab Open Lab Notebook — Kickstarter (live)
IFMAKER M5 Multi-Function Board — Indiegogo (live)
HeyGears G1 Resin Printer — Kickstarter (live)
GitHub Trending
Makers & Hardware
None confirmed this week
Upcoming Events
Maker Faire Orange County — Sep 12–13, Pomona CA
Waterloo Mini Maker Faire — Sep 13, Waterloo ON
Hackaday Supercon 2026 — November, Pasadena CA
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency