Getting started with your 3D Printer

Getting started with your 3D Printer

Your new 3D printer has arrived and I bet you’re excited to print something. I know I was when I got mine. Following the advice of Reddit, I printed a Benchy, but that might not have been the right move (print failed). To explain why and help you get started,...
Automating Velux Blinds with Home Assistant

Automating Velux Blinds with Home Assistant

I have two Velux windows in my roof, each with a battery-powered blind, charged by a built-in solar panel. Each blind has its own Velux KL312 remote which has three buttons: blind up, blind down and stop. The remotes can’t be included in Home Assistant without...
Upgrade Raspberry Pi 4 with an SSD drive

Upgrade Raspberry Pi 4 with an SSD drive

SD cards can fail when used in a Raspberry Pi. Failure isn’t an option for me, since I use my Raspberry Pi 4 to run my smart home. In my older Raspberry Pi 2, the SD card failed and my whole smart home went offline. That was painful. To avoid making the same...
How I built new habits: The 66 Day Habit Challenge

How I built new habits: The 66 Day Habit Challenge

Building a new habit is hard. I usually stumble into habits, both good and bad. When I’m deliberate about a habit, it sticks for several days, but if I stumble off track – because of work, travel or life in general – I usually stay off track. Travel...