From 674aea0e547a59ae186f693b4688b86c0650d61c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alex Scerba Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:20:48 -0500 Subject: Fix spelling errors. --- html/blog/2024-03-02+Spring_Break_-_Day_1+break.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- ...-03-04+Spring_Break_-_Day_3+break+roadtrip+cars.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- ...5+Spring_Break_-_Day_4+break+milwaukee+roadtrip.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- .../2024-03-06+Spring_Break_-_Day_5+break+cars+diy.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- ...03-07+Spring_Break_-_Day_6+break+cars+milwaukee.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- ...2024-03-09+Spring_Break_-_Day_8+break+cars+lego.tmpl.html | 8 ++++---- html/blog/2024-03-10+Spring_Break_-_Day_9+break.tmpl.html | 8 ++++---- ...024-08-16+3-2-1..._Backup+diy+computers+homelab.tmpl.html | 10 +++++----- html/blog/2024-09-09+Drawer_From_Scrap+diy.tmpl.html | 10 +++++----- ...uminum_Watercooling_Woes+computers+watercooling.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- ...24-09-23+00s_PC_Watercooling+computers+websites.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- html/blog/2024-10-26+Your_Local_Forum+rant.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- html/blog/2024-10-28+New_Page_Planned.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- .../2024-10-29+Low-Tech_Magazine+websites+tech.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- .../2024-11-09+Custom_SR60_Headphones+diy+audio.tmpl.html | 8 ++++---- html/blog/2024-11-09+Restructure_Part_One_Million.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- html/blog/2024-11-16+Mini_R53_Halloween_Edition.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- .../2024-11-18+My_Mac_Journey+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- .../2024-11-19+I_Was_Wrong+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- ...ful_on_macOS_Monterey:_Missing_Driver+computers.tmpl.html | 2 +- html/blog/2024-12-06+Update_and_Winter_Break_Plans.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- .../2025-02-06+Old_PC_Component_Joy+diy+computers.tmpl.html | 12 ++++++------ html/blog/2025-02-07+GT_630_Fan_Mod+diy+computers.tmpl.html | 4 ++-- .../2025-02-09+Reminder:_Maintain_Your_Hardware.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- html/blog/2025-02-11+Homelab_Map+computers+homelab.tmpl.html | 8 ++++---- ...-02-12+Sequoia_On_My_2015_MacBook_Pro+computers.tmpl.html | 6 +++--- ...-08-04+Motorcycles_New_and_Old+motorcycles+rant.tmpl.html | 2 +- 27 files changed, 80 insertions(+), 80 deletions(-) (limited to 'html') diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-02+Spring_Break_-_Day_1+break.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-02+Spring_Break_-_Day_1+break.tmpl.html index eaea1ba..ca3e1fa 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-02+Spring_Break_-_Day_1+break.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-02+Spring_Break_-_Day_1+break.tmpl.html @@ -2,9 +2,9 @@

{{ .Title }}

It's spring break this week, and seeing as there are lots of things planned, I figured I'd jot down the main points each day.

-

Today is the first day, though technically not. There were still classes, but not for me. It is still winter, so the air is cold, but we gathered a group of people and went to the weekly cars and coffee event. It was expectedly devoid of much life. There were the 6 or 7 die-hard attendies, which was still nice to see. We left an hour later when there were only a couple left.

+

Today is the first day, though technically not. There were still classes, but not for me. It is still winter, so the air is cold, but we gathered a group of people and went to the weekly cars and coffee event. It was expectedly devoid of much life. There were the 6 or 7 die-hard attendees, which was still nice to see. We left an hour later when there were only a couple left.

My dad arrived around noon, and we had a nice lunch after loading up the car with the stuff I no longer needed at school and the remaining car parts.

Autorama is tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-04+Spring_Break_-_Day_3+break+roadtrip+cars.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-04+Spring_Break_-_Day_3+break+roadtrip+cars.tmpl.html index 537ee35..ab22139 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-04+Spring_Break_-_Day_3+break+roadtrip+cars.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-04+Spring_Break_-_Day_3+break+roadtrip+cars.tmpl.html @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ height="750" />
Ben and Rex.
-

Stoping for gas an and errand run, we finally hit the road for real around 11:00am.

+

Stopping for gas an and errand run, we finally hit the road for real around 11:00am.

Volvo from view of the Miata. @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Bridge along I-96.
Bridge, Michigan I-96.
-

We made it to Wisconsin by 5:00pm. Just in time for the huge storm passing through. There were some tornado warnings for towns a bit north of where we were headed, and we got a decent chunck of that storm, with hail, wind, and heavy rain.

+

We made it to Wisconsin by 5:00pm. Just in time for the huge storm passing through. There were some tornado warnings for towns a bit north of where we were headed, and we got a decent chunk of that storm, with hail, wind, and heavy rain.

Rain in Lake Geneva, WI.
Rain.
@@ -51,4 +51,4 @@

Overall, it's been another great day. Lots of plans for tomorrow, including a haircut and picking up Ángel from Milwaukee.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-05+Spring_Break_-_Day_4+break+milwaukee+roadtrip.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-05+Spring_Break_-_Day_4+break+milwaukee+roadtrip.tmpl.html index e735f8a..232d1de 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-05+Spring_Break_-_Day_4+break+milwaukee+roadtrip.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-05+Spring_Break_-_Day_4+break+milwaukee+roadtrip.tmpl.html @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
Jeep sighting.

We had a big adventure planned, pick up Ángel from Milwaukee, and I hoped to take the CJ-7. I've been trying to figure out the ignition, and narrowed it down to the ignition switch, so I picked it up from the parts store and installed it. In typical fashion, it wasn't the problem and didn't solve anything... tomorrow I'll actually break out the continuity tester that I should have done almost a year ago and track down the culprit, but right now, I didn't have the time. We took off as it was with a very janky bypass wire for the ignition coil and my friend in his Miata as a backup car.

-

We kept off the interstate, so the drive took forty minutes longer than normal, but we did make it, albiet with a singed connector.

+

We kept off the interstate, so the drive took forty minutes longer than normal, but we did make it, albeit with a singed connector.

Jeep CJ-7 and Mazda MX-5 in front of the Milwaukee Art Museum. @@ -37,4 +37,4 @@

Tomorrow, we're going to try and swap some suspension components on my dad's truck, so I can actually have something to drive back to Detroit. We'll see how it goes.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-06+Spring_Break_-_Day_5+break+cars+diy.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-06+Spring_Break_-_Day_5+break+cars+diy.tmpl.html index b0abbb1..13b5ad0 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-06+Spring_Break_-_Day_5+break+cars+diy.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-06+Spring_Break_-_Day_5+break+cars+diy.tmpl.html @@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ Side of the truck with new wheels fitted up front and original wheels in back.
Finished(ish).
-

The last thing needed are the nuts that hold the struts to the tower and to swap the rear wheels. The lift spacer makes using the old nuts impossibe, so we'll run to the store in the morning to get new ones. But we were able to test it, and it does mostly clear now, so I should be able to take it back to Detroit. I'm pretty happy about that because being car-less in Detroit is pretty frustrating. Maybe I can also bring the RX50 back if the parts come in before Sunday...

-

With that mostly out of the way, we had dinner and headed back to my mom's for the night. I tried messing with some computer stuff, but it didn't go too well, and I was tired, so I started writting this post. The computer stuff can wait for tomorrow and Friday.

+

The last thing needed are the nuts that hold the struts to the tower and to swap the rear wheels. The lift spacer makes using the old nuts impossible, so we'll run to the store in the morning to get new ones. But we were able to test it, and it does mostly clear now, so I should be able to take it back to Detroit. I'm pretty happy about that because being car-less in Detroit is pretty frustrating. Maybe I can also bring the RX50 back if the parts come in before Sunday...

+

With that mostly out of the way, we had dinner and headed back to my mom's for the night. I tried messing with some computer stuff, but it didn't go too well, and I was tired, so I started writing this post. The computer stuff can wait for tomorrow and Friday.

Our next adventure includes bringing Ángel back to Milwaukee with the truck once it's fixed. We'll see what else happens the rest of the day. There's plenty to do.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-07+Spring_Break_-_Day_6+break+cars+milwaukee.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-07+Spring_Break_-_Day_6+break+cars+milwaukee.tmpl.html index 84d6980..03bbca8 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-07+Spring_Break_-_Day_6+break+cars+milwaukee.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-07+Spring_Break_-_Day_6+break+cars+milwaukee.tmpl.html @@ -21,12 +21,12 @@ Chevrolet Corvair in teal.
Corvair spotting.
-

Afterwards, we stopped by my other friend's appartment and saw his cat, Jack, for a bit before heading back home for the day.

+

Afterwards, we stopped by my other friend's apartment and saw his cat, Jack, for a bit before heading back home for the day.

Jack the cat stalking a lazer pointer.
Jack.
-

When we got back home we broke out the LEGO. I have been wanting to reassemble all of my LEGO sets, but just haven't had the motivation since it's a big task, but being at school and reminicing with friends about which sets we have rekindled my desire to get everything rebuilt. Plus, having two other people makes things go a lot faster, especially when they're just as excited and motivated to see the completed sets.

+

When we got back home we broke out the LEGO. I have been wanting to reassemble all of my LEGO sets, but just haven't had the motivation since it's a big task, but being at school and reminiscing with friends about which sets we have rekindled my desire to get everything rebuilt. Plus, having two other people makes things go a lot faster, especially when they're just as excited and motivated to see the completed sets.

LEGO and action figures spread out across the livingroom floor.
LEGO everywhere.
@@ -35,4 +35,4 @@

It was a very fun time though. Three friends with some music, a box of LEGOs, and motivation to see as many completed sets as possible by the end of the night is a great experience. I'd highly recommend. Might be a fun yearly event, rotating which house everyone goes to.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-09+Spring_Break_-_Day_8+break+cars+lego.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-09+Spring_Break_-_Day_8+break+cars+lego.tmpl.html index 6e030a0..862598a 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-09+Spring_Break_-_Day_8+break+cars+lego.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-09+Spring_Break_-_Day_8+break+cars+lego.tmpl.html @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@

{{ .Title }}

It's spring break this week, and seeing as there are lots of things planned, I figured I'd jot down the main points each day.

-

This morning was spent cleaning up the livingroom and choosing which LEGO sets to bring back to school. It should be fun having more LEGO around in the dorm. My roommates have been aquiring various LEGO sets over the last couple months, so it'll be a good addition to the collection. This is what we settled on:

+

This morning was spent cleaning up the living room and choosing which LEGO sets to bring back to school. It should be fun having more LEGO around in the dorm. My roommates have been acquiring various LEGO sets over the last couple months, so it'll be a good addition to the collection. This is what we settled on:

LEGO CIS tank droid.
Corporate Alliance tank droid.
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ LEGO Boba Fett's Slave 1.
Boba's Slave 1.
-

Once that was done, we headed to my dad's again to change the oil in the truck. Before leaving, I couldn't help but capture our cars accidentally parked in a staredown.

+

Once that was done, we headed to my dad's again to change the oil in the truck. Before leaving, I couldn't help but capture our cars accidentally parked in a stare down.

Mazda Miata and Chevrolet Silverado in a staredown in my driveway. -
Staredown.
+
Stare down.

The last change was 2 years and 7,000 miles ago, so it was time to do so. It hasn't seen much use over that time, so that's why it's been so long. We had our mechanic dog sign off on the job when we were finished.

@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@

After, we had dinner with my dad, hung out with Ángel, and headed back for the night to do some more cleaning up. Tomorrow we have some last minute prep to do before heading back to Detroit for school. It's been a fun break.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-03-10+Spring_Break_-_Day_9+break.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-03-10+Spring_Break_-_Day_9+break.tmpl.html index fa918df..5ed71f6 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-03-10+Spring_Break_-_Day_9+break.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-03-10+Spring_Break_-_Day_9+break.tmpl.html @@ -2,10 +2,10 @@

{{ .Title }}

It's spring break this week, and seeing as there are lots of things planned, I figured I'd jot down the main points each day.

-

This one'll be pretty brief. Sunday was the drive back to Michigan. We got up, finished packing and ran some last minute errands like returning the ignition switch for the CJ-7, re-tourquing the wheel lugs, and visiting with my grandparents one last time.

-

We finally hit the road a little after noon. It was a pleseant enough ride with the expected semi-frequent crazy Chicagoan driver. We had one stop in Kalamazoo to get gas at Costco and continued on from there, and after a while Rex and I split up so I could go see my girlfriend at her grandparents' house for the night. I had dinner, which was great as it always is there, and headed to bed.

+

This one'll be pretty brief. Sunday was the drive back to Michigan. We got up, finished packing and ran some last minute errands like returning the ignition switch for the CJ-7, re-torquing the wheel lugs, and visiting with my grandparents one last time.

+

We finally hit the road a little after noon. It was a pleasant enough ride with the expected semi-frequent crazy Chicagoan driver. We had one stop in Kalamazoo to get gas at Costco and continued on from there, and after a while Rex and I split up so I could go see my girlfriend at her grandparents' house for the night. I had dinner, which was great as it always is there, and headed to bed.

It's been a great break. Maybe not a "break" but fun nonetheless.

-

Check out the others is this series using the included navagation links at the bottom of each post. It should help not having to back-scroll as much.

+

Check out the others is this series using the included navigation links at the bottom of each post. It should help not having to back-scroll as much.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-08-16+3-2-1..._Backup+diy+computers+homelab.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-08-16+3-2-1..._Backup+diy+computers+homelab.tmpl.html index 8394578..670577d 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-08-16+3-2-1..._Backup+diy+computers+homelab.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-08-16+3-2-1..._Backup+diy+computers+homelab.tmpl.html @@ -2,11 +2,11 @@

{{ .Title }}

Ever since I got into computers semi-seriously, the wisdom of keeping multiple backups and the 3-2-1 backup strategy has been in my mind. Easy, right? Just have 3 copies of data on 2 forms of media with at least 1 off-site. This could be as simple as 1. The copy on your machine, 2. A copy on a flash drive, and 3. A copy on your cloud provider (ex. Google Drive). I'm not one to be simple, though my intentions weren't to take over 5 years to deploy a working system that I was happy with. A single drive isn't something I'm comfortable with. I've seen my mom's single drive backup solution give out one day, leaving us with a paper weight and a loss of family photos. So at least one part of the chain needed to be a RAID 5 if not RAID 6.

-

I was happy enough with that. A single server with a few TB of storage utilizing a RAID 5. My other requirement, though, was to have a web inteface where I could easily access and share files to my friends and family. A self-hosted Google Drive. If all you do is live in *NIX land and would rather use rsync and never leave the terminal, that's fine. But that's not my use-case. Looking at you Ángel.

+

I was happy enough with that. A single server with a few TB of storage utilizing a RAID 5. My other requirement, though, was to have a web interface where I could easily access and share files to my friends and family. A self-hosted Google Drive. If all you do is live in *NIX land and would rather use rsync and never leave the terminal, that's fine. But that's not my use-case. Looking at you Ángel.

For a while I used Nextcloud running on TrueNAS. Why I thought that was a good idea I don't know. My poor Athlon X4 910e was very unhappy with the overhead. I suffered along like this for a while. Residential 10Mbps upload speeds were not helping any of the usability either, meaning that for anything other than regular text files took forever to access outside of my home network.

-

Fast forward to today, I now have a semi-competent solution that is much faster and simpler. Enter File Browser and rsync-prelude with rsync. Filebrowser is a web inteface to access your files. It supports upload/download and sharing among a few other things. It's written in Go and has very little overhead. All you do is run it and point it at a directory. For that RAID 5 I mentioned, I moved to FreeBSD with ZFS and set up a RAIDz1 across my three 2TB drives which allows for one drive failure before data loss. None of this solves the upload speed, though. For that, I decided to set up an identical server with a mirror of the data using a spare HP mini computer and an external 2TB drive. This will sit next to my computer at school, and I can use it as though it's the one back home. Each night, the two will sync taking as long as they like and I'll have two copies of my data. This does mean that there will be a full day in which I will not have three copies of the data, but I'm willing to live with that. Syncing the two servers became a bit of an issue, however. Rsync by default has no way of knowing if you've moved files around. See this superuser StackExchange post linking to a hack using hard links. This wasn't working for me, and after spending much too long trying to get another software, Syncthing, to work, I gave up as it was unable to handle the large number and size of the files well given my hardware. Luckily, I found rsync-prelude. Written in Python, it reorders files on the destination server ahead of time so that rsync will not re-transfer them just because they changed folders. Then you run rsync like normal. Easy(er). This will be run as a cronjob every day to sync up the backup server at home.

+

Fast forward to today, I now have a semi-competent solution that is much faster and simpler. Enter File Browser and rsync-prelude with rsync. File Browser is a web interface to access your files. It supports upload/download and sharing among a few other things. It's written in Go and has very little overhead. All you do is run it and point it at a directory. For that RAID 5 I mentioned, I moved to FreeBSD with ZFS and set up a RAIDz1 across my three 2TB drives which allows for one drive failure before data loss. None of this solves the upload speed, though. For that, I decided to set up an identical server with a mirror of the data using a spare HP mini computer and an external 2TB drive. This will sit next to my computer at school, and I can use it as though it's the one back home. Each night, the two will sync taking as long as they like and I'll have two copies of my data. This does mean that there will be a full day in which I will not have three copies of the data, but I'm willing to live with that. Syncing the two servers became a bit of an issue, however. Rsync by default has no way of knowing if you've moved files around. See this superuser StackExchange post linking to a hack using hard links. This wasn't working for me, and after spending much too long trying to get another software, Syncthing, to work, I gave up as it was unable to handle the large number and size of the files well given my hardware. Luckily, I found rsync-prelude. Written in Python, it reorders files on the destination server ahead of time so that rsync will not re-transfer them just because they changed folders. Then you run rsync like normal. Easy(er). This will be run as a cronjob every day to sync up the backup server at home.

I'm very happy with this setup. The rsync process has yet to be vetted, but even if something goes awry, the single backup solution paired with File Browser is so much better than before. I'm able to play video out of the 10Mbps network where on Nextcloud it would stutter and hang (presumably because of system overhead). PDFs load and preview properly, where as on Nextcloud it just would error out. A great step up.

-

For anyone currious, here are the system specs:

+

For anyone curious, here are the system specs:

 -- Home Server --
 CPU: AMD Athlon X4 910e
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ SSD: Samsung 850 Pro 256GB (boot)
 HDD: WD MyPassport 2TB 5400RPM (storage)
 OS: FreeBSD 14.1 (ZFS)
-

I'm about to move into a new appartment, and I'm crossing my fingers for higher upload speeds given that it's a fiber connection and I'm in the city. This will make accessing my server much more useable when I'm away from the appartment. If you have any questions about setting up a system yourself, feel free to send an email to alex@scerba.org.

+

I'm about to move into a new apartment, and I'm crossing my fingers for higher upload speeds given that it's a fiber connection and I'm in the city. This will make accessing my server much more useable when I'm away from the apartment. If you have any questions about setting up a system yourself, feel free to send an email to alex@scerba.org.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-09-09+Drawer_From_Scrap+diy.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-09-09+Drawer_From_Scrap+diy.tmpl.html index 80ac758..927e3cf 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-09-09+Drawer_From_Scrap+diy.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-09-09+Drawer_From_Scrap+diy.tmpl.html @@ -1,20 +1,20 @@ {{ define "article" }}

{{ .Title }}

-

One of the nice things about my new appartment is that it came furnished, so there was no need to bring in things like a couch. The downside, however, is that I'm at the whim of the pre-supplied furniture in terms of storage. I can't get rid of the prefurnished items for obvious reasons, and the items have already been selected to fill the space. This makes it difficult to add new storage furniture. At my desk, I'm using one of the side tables as a stand for my computer and 4U wood rack I built for it. As part of the structure of the side tables, there is a set of cross beams forming an H about five inches down from the base of the top. Currently, I have a carboard box that's exactly the right height resting in there, and another larger one at the bottom. This works, but it's not very convenient to open the box each time. The box also doesn't take full advantage of the footprint of the table, so there isn't as much fit into the space as there could be. A system of deviders would be nice at some point as well, and if I'm going to spend a significant amount of time creating an organization system, then it better be higher quality than on layer of couregated cardboard. So, I set off to build a drawer.

+

One of the nice things about my new apartment is that it came furnished, so there was no need to bring in things like a couch. The downside, however, is that I'm at the whim of the pre-supplied furniture in terms of storage. I can't get rid of the pre-furnished items for obvious reasons, and the items have already been selected to fill the space. This makes it difficult to add new storage furniture. At my desk, I'm using one of the side tables as a stand for my computer and 4U wood rack I built for it. As part of the structure of the side tables, there is a set of cross beams forming an H about five inches down from the base of the top. Currently, I have a cardboard box that's exactly the right height resting in there, and another larger one at the bottom. This works, but it's not very convenient to open the box each time. The box also doesn't take full advantage of the footprint of the table, so there isn't as much fit into the space as there could be. A system of dividers would be nice at some point as well, and if I'm going to spend a significant amount of time creating an organization system, then it better be higher quality than on layer of corrugated cardboard. So, I set off to build a drawer.

I'm cheap. That's how I have what I have, and usually I'm better for it. There's a story behind a lot of the objects I have that isn't "I got it from <insert big box store>." I also like the feeling of making things, even if they aren't that pretty, and I have a long shift in the wood shop today, so might as well do something with it.

Drawer made from scrap plywood, MDF, and melamine laminated board. Front is made from black finish melamine. The handle is centered towards the top made from bent sheet metal.
Drawer made from scrap materials.
-

Luckily, there were some good pieces in the scrap pile today, and my manager and another co-worker had a couple things I could use as well. The melamine board, MDF and masonite were found in the scrap pile, and the plywood for the side and piece of sheet metal for the handle came from my manager and co-worker respectively. I got a list of measurements for the box the night before, which made it pretty easy to build out the drawer. My manager suggested pocket screws for assembly, since I wanted to be able to pull it apart again if needed. I cut all the pieces to size, drilled the pockets, and screwed it together.

+

Luckily, there were some good pieces in the scrap pile today, and my manager and another co-worker had a couple things I could use as well. The melamine board, MDF and Masonite were found in the scrap pile, and the plywood for the side and piece of sheet metal for the handle came from my manager and co-worker respectively. I got a list of measurements for the box the night before, which made it pretty easy to build out the drawer. My manager suggested pocket screws for assembly, since I wanted to be able to pull it apart again if needed. I cut all the pieces to size, drilled the pockets, and screwed it together.

Bent sheet metal handle with sandblasted finish attached to face of drawer. Bent sheet metal handle with sandblasted finish attached to face of drawer. Inside shot.
Handle up close.
-

My last bit to figure out was the handle. I originally envisioned a slot cut into the face, but that was before I knew the front was melamine board. It can chip easily if the bits aren't sharp, and while the shop is in good condition, I didn't really want to mess around too much. I settled on the idea of a handle screwed onto the face. The rest of the box was looking kind of modern industrial with the exposed plywood with screw pockets faced with black melamine, so I thought a minimal sheet metal handle would look nice and be easy to fab and attach. While bumbling about seeing if there were any scrap sheet metal pieces, my co-worker offered up a pice that was pretty much the exact size I was looking for and at sixteen guage thikness. It also already had rounded corners, which was even better. I cleaned it up, layed out six holes to put the screws through, marked my bend points, and brought it to the metal shop to drill and bend. It was pretty straghtforward, but I did make a mistake in the order I made the bends. Always remember to think about what the part will look like after a bend. In my case, it needed to be bent in a certain order so that the part wouldn't interfere with the machine on the next bend. I did it backwards, so it undid my first bend and required me to re-bend that bend. Aside from that hiccup, it went well and was time for sandblasting. I really like the surface finish on the sandblasted part. Unfortunately, it will rust as it sits, so I'll need to coat it with something. I tried some stuff we had at the shop, but it just globbed on, probably due to age, so I'll buy a new can of clear later this week.

-

For now, it's complete. I'll use it like this for a week or so and add organizational features as I discover what would be beneficial. Also, I wouldn't recommend MDF if you can avoid it. I knew it was a weak material, but I figured it would hold up to the light duty it'll see as my drawer. I was not quite right, as it started to split when the screws were inserted. This was after pre-drilling to the recomended size. Some also stripped out quite quickly. I'll probably replace this with a sheet of something stronger, but for now, it'll be alright.

+

My last bit to figure out was the handle. I originally envisioned a slot cut into the face, but that was before I knew the front was melamine board. It can chip easily if the bits aren't sharp, and while the shop is in good condition, I didn't really want to mess around too much. I settled on the idea of a handle screwed onto the face. The rest of the box was looking kind of modern industrial with the exposed plywood with screw pockets faced with black melamine, so I thought a minimal sheet metal handle would look nice and be easy to fab and attach. While bumbling about seeing if there were any scrap sheet metal pieces, my co-worker offered up a piece that was pretty much the exact size I was looking for and at sixteen gauge thickness. It also already had rounded corners, which was even better. I cleaned it up, laid out six holes to put the screws through, marked my bend points, and brought it to the metal shop to drill and bend. It was pretty straightforward, but I did make a mistake in the order I made the bends. Always remember to think about what the part will look like after a bend. In my case, it needed to be bent in a certain order so that the part wouldn't interfere with the machine on the next bend. I did it backwards, so it undid my first bend and required me to re-bend that bend. Aside from that hiccup, it went well and was time for sandblasting. I really like the surface finish on the sandblasted part. Unfortunately, it will rust as it sits, so I'll need to coat it with something. I tried some stuff we had at the shop, but it just globbed on, probably due to age, so I'll buy a new can of clear later this week.

+

For now, it's complete. I'll use it like this for a week or so and add organizational features as I discover what would be beneficial. Also, I wouldn't recommend MDF if you can avoid it. I knew it was a weak material, but I figured it would hold up to the light duty it'll see as my drawer. I was not quite right, as it started to split when the screws were inserted. This was after pre-drilling to the recommended size. Some also stripped out quite quickly. I'll probably replace this with a sheet of something stronger, but for now, it'll be alright.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-09-22+Aluminum_Watercooling_Woes+computers+watercooling.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-09-22+Aluminum_Watercooling_Woes+computers+watercooling.tmpl.html index f1805fd..ef0b2a3 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-09-22+Aluminum_Watercooling_Woes+computers+watercooling.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-09-22+Aluminum_Watercooling_Woes+computers+watercooling.tmpl.html @@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ Tight shot on custom watercooling loop. EK Fluid Gaming components on GTX Titan Xp (2017) and Ryzen 5 3600. Build has an overall black parts theme with an amber light scheme. Parts are tightly framed by three brightly lit Corsair LL120 fans. Two are above on a radiator, the other is on the exhaust.
Last form of the build in Phanteks Evolv ITX case.
-

Some issues remained, however. Draining the loop was an extreme pain made no easier by the case. I also upgraded to a Ryzen 9 5950X, so I wanted another radiator for the heat load. Unfortunately, by this point EK had discontinued selling Fluid Gaming kits and their spare parts. If I wanted any new parts, they would have to be second hand or from some other source. Worse yet, the aftermarket aluminum watercooling scene is basically non-existant. You can get radiators w/built in barb fittings and that's about it. After a lot of searching, I caved and bought a Chinese 240mm radiator with built-in barb fittings. There's nothing really wrong with this functionally, but having got into watercooling from an aesthetic point of view, it irked me. This still did not solve my drain issues though. EK used to sell an aluminum 3-way junction fitting, but it required extra compression fittings to join to it. Even then, there was no aluminum plugs or valves that I could find, so even if I had purchased the junction, I wouldn't have been able to have an easy drain tube. I thought about this over the course of my build iterations, and by the time I decided to just buy a few, they were no longer sold...

-

That's really the life lesson here. Don't buy into platforms supported by only one company if there's a whole other ecosystem of functionally identical products with much greaty support. Of course, for me, cost was a large factor in making my decision, but had I done some more reasearch I would have found there are cheap copper parts available that are still good quality. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my aluminum loop. The only thing I can really do is give it away, as I wouldn't want someone else to buy into a dead-end platform. My other option is to machine custom parts for it. I could do this if I had reliable equimpent and endless time, but it's to the point now where I don't want to be doing stuff like that for my computer.

+

Some issues remained, however. Draining the loop was an extreme pain made no easier by the case. I also upgraded to a Ryzen 9 5950X, so I wanted another radiator for the heat load. Unfortunately, by this point EK had discontinued selling Fluid Gaming kits and their spare parts. If I wanted any new parts, they would have to be second hand or from some other source. Worse yet, the aftermarket aluminum watercooling scene is basically non-existent. You can get radiators w/built in barb fittings and that's about it. After a lot of searching, I caved and bought a Chinese 240mm radiator with built-in barb fittings. There's nothing really wrong with this functionally, but having got into watercooling from an aesthetic point of view, it irked me. This still did not solve my drain issues though. EK used to sell an aluminum 3-way junction fitting, but it required extra compression fittings to join to it. Even then, there was no aluminum plugs or valves that I could find, so even if I had purchased the junction, I wouldn't have been able to have an easy drain tube. I thought about this over the course of my build iterations, and by the time I decided to just buy a few, they were no longer sold...

+

That's really the life lesson here. Don't buy into platforms supported by only one company if there's a whole other ecosystem of functionally identical products with much greater support. Of course, for me, cost was a large factor in making my decision, but had I done some more research I would have found there are cheap copper parts available that are still good quality. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my aluminum loop. The only thing I can really do is give it away, as I wouldn't want someone else to buy into a dead-end platform. My other option is to machine custom parts for it. I could do this if I had reliable equipment and endless time, but it's to the point now where I don't want to be doing stuff like that for my computer.

Maybe it'll end up in a second PC with my old R5. That's probably it's fate. Now to get that X58 machine together...

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-09-23+00s_PC_Watercooling+computers+websites.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-09-23+00s_PC_Watercooling+computers+websites.tmpl.html index a878ba1..665a8f4 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-09-23+00s_PC_Watercooling+computers+websites.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-09-23+00s_PC_Watercooling+computers+websites.tmpl.html @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@ {{ define "article" }}

{{ .Title }}

-

I'm clearly in a watercooling phase. I was going to do a writeup about 00s watercooling, but I don't really know what I'm talking about.

+

I'm clearly in a watercooling phase. I was going to do a write-up about 00s watercooling, but I don't really know what I'm talking about.

Go check out million-dollar-pc.com if you have any interest whatsoever in custom computers and/or sculpture. Most of the builds are from 2008 to 2011 which is even more impressive. I'm trying to get inspired for my own X58 watercooled PC build.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-10-26+Your_Local_Forum+rant.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-10-26+Your_Local_Forum+rant.tmpl.html index d8936d4..8fb8dcf 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-10-26+Your_Local_Forum+rant.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-10-26+Your_Local_Forum+rant.tmpl.html @@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ Reddit warning message stating that users must log in to view the full comments section.
Reddit being modern.
-

Luckily, it's just a scare tactic for the time being. Clicking the "X" closes the prompt without furthur issues, but I'm sure that won't be the case for long. This is the norm now. There were plenty of reasons to stay off of Reddit for a long time, but this is definitely the nail in the coffin for a casual browser. Gone the way of paywalled content. So be it.

-

If you want to keep the old internet alive, go find an oldschool forum that's still hanging on and make an account. Get to know the community. There's so much more specialized knowlegde out there and archived content with much more useful information. Car help? There's probably a forum dedicated to you make with people who have experience with your exact model. Old computer hardware? There's people that'll crawl out of the woodwork to help newbies make use of old tech.

+

Luckily, it's just a scare tactic for the time being. Clicking the "X" closes the prompt without further issues, but I'm sure that won't be the case for long. This is the norm now. There were plenty of reasons to stay off of Reddit for a long time, but this is definitely the nail in the coffin for a casual browser. Gone the way of paywalled content. So be it.

+

If you want to keep the old internet alive, go find an old-school forum that's still hanging on and make an account. Get to know the community. There's so much more specialized knowledge out there and archived content with much more useful information. Car help? There's probably a forum dedicated to you make with people who have experience with your exact model. Old computer hardware? There's people that'll crawl out of the woodwork to help newbies make use of old tech.

Stay off of Reddit. Don't feel the need to make your own website. Help keep old-school forums alive.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-10-28+New_Page_Planned.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-10-28+New_Page_Planned.tmpl.html index 1e91af8..1e3e084 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-10-28+New_Page_Planned.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-10-28+New_Page_Planned.tmpl.html @@ -1,10 +1,10 @@ {{ define "article" }}

{{ .Title }}

-

Ever since I've created the templated version of this site, something has felt off. Missing. I've realized what it is. The old alexscerba.com, or old.scerba.org as it's now called, had a lot more content than just the blog. My thought with this new site is that most of the old, extra content is covered under the "Blog" page anyways which makes the other content redundant. I still feel that way, but I want some other use for this site. The "Gallery" page is supposed to give some of that, but I don't really have a good setup for that yet. Originally it was going to be a collection of every image on the blog, but I think a better goal is something more currated. Maybe there can be a toggle for showing all images or something with the default being currated. The gallery is a start for sure, but still not what I'm looking for.

+

Ever since I've created the templated version of this site, something has felt off. Missing. I've realized what it is. The old alexscerba.com, or old.scerba.org as it's now called, had a lot more content than just the blog. My thought with this new site is that most of the old, extra content is covered under the "Blog" page anyways which makes the other content redundant. I still feel that way, but I want some other use for this site. The "Gallery" page is supposed to give some of that, but I don't really have a good setup for that yet. Originally it was going to be a collection of every image on the blog, but I think a better goal is something more curated. Maybe there can be a toggle for showing all images or something with the default being curated. The gallery is a start for sure, but still not what I'm looking for.

Looking at some other's websites, like Ángel's website has some fun pages like "library" and "friends." While cool, these in particular didn't feel like they fit for me. I don't read many books, and I don't have more than a couple friends with websites. Also, broadcasting websites isn't my favorite thing. I'd rather they be discovered organically through reading blog posts and other content. This was in the back of my mind for a few days as I thought up new pages. This morning, it hit me.

-

It's not a novel idea in the slightest. It's Ángel's library page but instead of books, it's internet links. Plenty of people do this, but I think this is something I should add. I often bookmark webpages I want to save only for them to disapear into the folder structure abyss. Also, without context, it's hard to remember why they were saved in the first place. I'll want to add descriptions and a way to sort them and have some high level categories, but these are some reasonable challenges I can tackle in my spare time.

+

It's not a novel idea in the slightest. It's Ángel's library page but instead of books, it's internet links. Plenty of people do this, but I think this is something I should add. I often bookmark webpages I want to save only for them to disappear into the folder structure abyss. Also, without context, it's hard to remember why they were saved in the first place. I'll want to add descriptions and a way to sort them and have some high level categories, but these are some reasonable challenges I can tackle in my spare time.

For now, it will be called "Links." If there's a better name that comes up in the future, I'll have to set up a redirect. ETA is probably well into next year. There's a lot of gradual sifting and sorting that needs to happen. The base page should be up pretty soon though.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-10-29+Low-Tech_Magazine+websites+tech.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-10-29+Low-Tech_Magazine+websites+tech.tmpl.html index f36098b..7c30e15 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-10-29+Low-Tech_Magazine+websites+tech.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-10-29+Low-Tech_Magazine+websites+tech.tmpl.html @@ -1,9 +1,9 @@ {{ define "article" }}

{{ .Title }}

-

I came across this website while reaserching Linux setups on old ThinkPads. My X60 has been waiting patiently for me to finally use it for school, and the time is now. Low-Tech Magazine is a magazine website run completely on solar power with a minimal battery backup. Their content pertains to sustainability. I won't speak to the trustworthiness of the journalism or content, though it seems interesting, I'm mostly focused on their web design aspects.

-

Almost every aspect of the website pertains to its function, to be as energy efficient as it can be and inform the user of the likelyhood of an outage. This website is intentionally built to not stay running 24/7 as we are accustomed to. I find this facinating because while taking a minimal approach, they landed on a unique aesthetic. Everything from the font, to the dithered images, and the static files served through the server all help reduce its energy consumption while contributing to the site's style. The background banner, which at times looks as though it's a glitch, actually represents the percentage of battery remaining as a function of how far down the screen it is. This is supplemented by a battery icon with a percentage on the right side of the page. This alerts the user as to whether or not the site is about to go down. In addition, they provide the local weather and short-terp projections at the bottom left of the site to inform the user if they should expect it to be running the next day. It's solar after all.

+

I came across this website while researching Linux setups on old ThinkPads. My X60 has been waiting patiently for me to finally use it for school, and the time is now. Low-Tech Magazine is a magazine website run completely on solar power with a minimal battery backup. Their content pertains to sustainability. I won't speak to the trustworthiness of the journalism or content, though it seems interesting, I'm mostly focused on their web design aspects.

+

Almost every aspect of the website pertains to its function, to be as energy efficient as it can be and inform the user of the likelihood of an outage. This website is intentionally built to not stay running 24/7 as we are accustomed to. I find this fascinating because while taking a minimal approach, they landed on a unique aesthetic. Everything from the font, to the dithered images, and the static files served through the server all help reduce its energy consumption while contributing to the site's style. The background banner, which at times looks as though it's a glitch, actually represents the percentage of battery remaining as a function of how far down the screen it is. This is supplemented by a battery icon with a percentage on the right side of the page. This alerts the user as to whether or not the site is about to go down. In addition, they provide the local weather and short-term projections at the bottom left of the site to inform the user if they should expect it to be running the next day. It's solar after all.

I would urge anybody interested in web development or the internet in general take a look at this website and its articles about their infrastructure. It's novel, and speaks more to design than any other website I've come across.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-11-09+Custom_SR60_Headphones+diy+audio.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-11-09+Custom_SR60_Headphones+diy+audio.tmpl.html index 2a011d9..9de11e0 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-11-09+Custom_SR60_Headphones+diy+audio.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-11-09+Custom_SR60_Headphones+diy+audio.tmpl.html @@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ 40mm aftermarket driver installed into custom 3D printed housing.
Driver installed in new housing.
-

The process was relatively smooth. I had to make a few revisions to the original file to accomodate for the solder ball that forms on the 2.5mm jack ground pin and the wire that wraps from the voice coil around the front to the rear of the driver. When modeling, I built to exact dimensions which did not account for plastic shrinkage. I found that scaling up the model by 1% in the slicer was enough to hit the target dimensions. Since shrinkage rates are different between plastics, I am debating whether to incorporate this scale change into the original model or just enlarge the file at the slicer level.

+

The process was relatively smooth. I had to make a few revisions to the original file to accommodate for the solder ball that forms on the 2.5mm jack ground pin and the wire that wraps from the voice coil around the front to the rear of the driver. When modeling, I built to exact dimensions which did not account for plastic shrinkage. I found that scaling up the model by 1% in the slicer was enough to hit the target dimensions. Since shrinkage rates are different between plastics, I am debating whether to incorporate this scale change into the original model or just enlarge the file at the slicer level.

3D printed custom housing mated to original Grado ear cup. Bottom of custom housing featuring the original hole pattern from the original SR60.
Final driver assembly.
-

I was lucky that the 2.5mm jack fit perfectly into the existing cable hole , so no extra modifcation was needed other than separating the original cup and housing, and it sit almost perfectly flush with the outer surface.

+

I was lucky that the 2.5mm jack fit perfectly into the existing cable hole , so no extra modification was needed other than separating the original cup and housing, and it sit almost perfectly flush with the outer surface.

Listening Impressions

Bad. Very bad... at first.

The 1-2kHz frequencies were very pronounced, muddying the sound (I don't actually know proper audio terms, so bear with me if I misuse a word). Luckily, after some EQ I was able to get it closer to something that was relatively enjoyable to listen to.

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@

After the EQ, they sound much better. Pretty pleasant actually. Enough that it's gotten my back into listening to music, which is good because that was the point of the project. I was trying to mimic the sound of my SR60is with their own EQ profile. I don't think this matches it. I have to do some more back-to-back, but these have their own sound. If anyone ends up trying this and aren't trying to mimic the Grado house style, definitely feel free to ignore the sharp raise of the high frequencies. Lowering the 1-2kHz frequencies significantly is the main thing that needs to happen to make these drivers listenable.

My next steps are to figure out some hardware mods I can do to get them sounding closer to my EQ. EQ is cool, but when you want to cycle through different headphones with their own EQs, remembering where the sliders are and changing them each time is a bit annoying. Also, the cheap split 2.5mm cable I got starts to short when you touch the connectors at the headphones, so I'll need to get or make a new cable, or modify the existing one.

-

For now, though, I'm pretty happy with the results, and these are gonig to be my main pair of headphones away from my desktop and on the go.

+

For now, though, I'm pretty happy with the results, and these are going to be my main pair of headphones away from my desktop and on the go.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-11-09+Restructure_Part_One_Million.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-11-09+Restructure_Part_One_Million.tmpl.html index b86fc3d..7d32401 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-11-09+Restructure_Part_One_Million.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-11-09+Restructure_Part_One_Million.tmpl.html @@ -1,9 +1,9 @@ {{ define "article" }}

{{ .Title }}

-

Well... here we are once again. I'm back again with a dynamic site, not just a template engine, at the request of my friend. The single page blog format is tedious to skim and requires a significant ammount of scrolling. With this, you can skim the headlines a lot faster.

-

Tagging is the next feature in development. I've got the URLs set up in a pretty scuffed way... the date, title, and tags are all in the file name and appear in the URL bar. This is pretty scary if you look at stuff like this post title. I'll probably have to figure something out, but for now, it does seem to work with these weird characters at the expense of an evil URL. The tags at the end of the url should be easily searchable once I develop a function. There will be a details element on the main blog that allows for filtering based on a tag.

+

Well... here we are once again. I'm back again with a dynamic site, not just a template engine, at the request of my friend. The single page blog format is tedious to skim and requires a significant amount of scrolling. With this, you can skim the headlines a lot faster.

+

Tagging is the next feature in development. I've got the URLs set up in a pretty scuffed way... the date, title, and tags are all in the file name and appear in the URL bar. This is pretty scary if you look at stuff like this post title. I'll probably have to figure something out, but for now, it does seem to work with these weird characters at the expense of an evil URL. The tags at the end of the URL should be easily searchable once I develop a function. There will be a details element on the main blog that allows for filtering based on a tag.

I also want to get previous and next working for posts. It shouldn't be too hard.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-11-16+Mini_R53_Halloween_Edition.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-11-16+Mini_R53_Halloween_Edition.tmpl.html index 11dd35e..bb74de1 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-11-16+Mini_R53_Halloween_Edition.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-11-16+Mini_R53_Halloween_Edition.tmpl.html @@ -1,11 +1,11 @@ {{ define "article" }}

{{ .Title }}

-

Forgot to post this a while back. My friend put some eyes and teeth from his miata on my car.

+

Forgot to post this a while back. My friend put some eyes and teeth from his Miata on my car.

Mini Cooper S R53 with large google eyes on headlights and two cardboard triangle teeth sticking out the bottom of the grill. Hood clamshell is open looking like a mouth about to chomp.
Halloween teeth.

Created: {{ .Date }}

-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-11-18+My_Mac_Journey+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-11-18+My_Mac_Journey+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html index 66669ee..aba4677 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-11-18+My_Mac_Journey+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-11-18+My_Mac_Journey+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@

And like the devotion to a God in religion, I was steadfast in my thinking and position regarding computer hardware and operating systems.

Passage of Time

As the old phrase goes, time heals all wounds. And in the case of relentless consumerism, time makes the old worthless. And this worthlessness is good news for people like me who look back on "the good old days" of tech and try to recreate them by collecting various bits of hardware. I was able to purchase a 2008 MacBook for under $100, and it was my first venture into macOS. Of course, it was old, pretty slow, and did not run the latest version of the operating system. What it did, though, was bring me closer to the reason Mac users are devoted to their machines. The hardware experience, even on that "low-end" model, was superb. No touchpad felt as good, and only a pre-chicklet ThinkPad keyboard could top the typing experience. Its precision and density gave the plastic product the feel of a PC double its cost, and that was just their low-end model. It only got better as you move up to the aluminum MacBook Pro models.

-

Of course, I still envied my mentors' MacBook Pros with their Retina Display and slim chassis. My whithering MacBook couldn't be used for much more than web-browsing with its measly 4GB of RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo, and bastard Nvidia GPU (I don't mean this as an insult. The Nvidia and Apple history is a storied one). Apple has been incredibly effective at winning the consumerism model, though. Products that are no longer supported and actively kicked into the past by Apple's software development strategies are still sought after by end-users, keeping prices high years after a product's EOL. Good news for Apple. Bad news for people like me looking for extremely cheap, yester-year systems. I reverted to Hackintoshing, the act of installing macOS on unsupported hardware and EOL Macs. This wasn't quite as seamless as a true Mac, but even handicapped like my T460s with a custom reverse-engineered Intel WiFi driver (not by me of course) and hackitosh quirks, it was still a better experience than Windows.

+

Of course, I still envied my mentors' MacBook Pros with their Retina Display and slim chassis. My withering MacBook couldn't be used for much more than web-browsing with its measly 4GB of RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo, and bastard Nvidia GPU (I don't mean this as an insult. The Nvidia and Apple history is a storied one). Apple has been incredibly effective at winning the consumerism model, though. Products that are no longer supported and actively kicked into the past by Apple's software development strategies are still sought after by end-users, keeping prices high years after a product's EOL. Good news for Apple. Bad news for people like me looking for extremely cheap, yester-year systems. I reverted to Hackintoshing, the act of installing macOS on unsupported hardware and EOL Macs. This wasn't quite as seamless as a true Mac, but even handicapped like my T460s with a custom reverse-engineered Intel WiFi driver (not by me of course) and hackitosh quirks, it was still a better experience than Windows.

Finally on Useful Hardware

Fast forward a couple of years, and I was no longer using macOS on anything, including Hackintoshed computers. My design classes require stable, fast computers, and anything I owned that was Mac or Mac-adjacent wasn't that. I doubled down on the use of Windows to be able to use Autodesk Alias which can't be run on Linux. At the same time, however, this is an art school, and Mac is an industry standard for some disciplines, so there is an abundance of hardware around campus. If you know me, you know where I'm going with this. At an IT infrastructure sale, there were many retired 2012-2015 era Macs for sale, mostly under $200. I went and picked up my MacBook Pro for $100 and a 2012 Mac Pro tower for $10 because they thought it was broken (all it needed was an OS re-install). Finally, I owned a competent Mac, if not right on the edge of dropped support. Still, an i7-4980HQ, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a decent IGP (Intel Iris Pro 5200) is nothing to scoff at for light digital modeling in Blender or Photoshop work.

I used the Mac tower as a supplemental PC for a while but quickly found it needed a more modern version of macOS. The MacBook ended up as the Liberal Arts computer, as I still needed certain applications on Windows and the GPU power for the project I was working on. The year ended, and the tower stayed home for the Fall 2024 semester.

@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ Intel Iris Pro 5200 1536 MB VRAM

All that said, this is still an impressive device for its age, and I'll report back when I retire it from daily use in about a week.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-11-19+I_Was_Wrong+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-11-19+I_Was_Wrong+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html index 6b62e17..006f05c 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-11-19+I_Was_Wrong+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-11-19+I_Was_Wrong+computers+lifestyle.tmpl.html @@ -2,8 +2,8 @@

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In my last post, I talked about using my Mid 2015 MacBook Pro 15-inch as a substitute for my Windows machines. More specifically, I mentioned Blender performance, and that it was usable. I was wrong...

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Well, not entirely wrong. It is technically usable, but it stutters frequently and can't handle many modifiers at once. This wouldn't be a big deal if I had infinite time, but I don't, and the stutters, pauses, and extremely slow Cycles performance make this a poor choice for crunch time on a school project. So, for this projet, I'll probably move back to my desktop. This is an unfortunate time to lose my Windows laptop, as I'll need it for Autodesk Alias when in class. That's the other reason I need to move to my desktop. Alias support. If I were on a modern Mac, I might be able to handle some kind of VM, but this will struggle. I could Bootcamp, but it defeats the purpose, and sharing files between OSs is not a fun task.

+

Well, not entirely wrong. It is technically usable, but it stutters frequently and can't handle many modifiers at once. This wouldn't be a big deal if I had infinite time, but I don't, and the stutters, pauses, and extremely slow Cycles performance make this a poor choice for crunch time on a school project. So, for this project, I'll probably move back to my desktop. This is an unfortunate time to lose my Windows laptop, as I'll need it for Autodesk Alias when in class. That's the other reason I need to move to my desktop. Alias support. If I were on a modern Mac, I might be able to handle some kind of VM, but this will struggle. I could Bootcamp, but it defeats the purpose, and sharing files between OSs is not a fun task.

That's about it. It's more about coming to the realization that there isn't much time left to complete this project, and there's a lot left to do than anything else. Tools that make your life easier are important.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-11-23+BootCamp_Unsuccessful_on_macOS_Monterey:_Missing_Driver+computers.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-11-23+BootCamp_Unsuccessful_on_macOS_Monterey:_Missing_Driver+computers.tmpl.html index 070edef..344e208 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-11-23+BootCamp_Unsuccessful_on_macOS_Monterey:_Missing_Driver+computers.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-11-23+BootCamp_Unsuccessful_on_macOS_Monterey:_Missing_Driver+computers.tmpl.html @@ -6,4 +6,4 @@

If you're looking to BootCamp Windows 10 and are running into driver errors, try installing version 1909 instead. I haven't trying upgrading to 22H2 post-install, but that might be an option.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2024-12-06+Update_and_Winter_Break_Plans.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2024-12-06+Update_and_Winter_Break_Plans.tmpl.html index 76384d4..c8fa075 100644 --- a/html/blog/2024-12-06+Update_and_Winter_Break_Plans.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2024-12-06+Update_and_Winter_Break_Plans.tmpl.html @@ -2,11 +2,11 @@

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The semester at school is coming to a close. I was running though my camera roll and realized how much I forgot to post here. That'll be one of many projects I have over winter break. This is more of a "note to self" about what I should write about in the coming weeks.

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I've had many strides in the personal computing sector of my life. My main desktop got upgraded to Noctua fans. My Dell Precision came back from repair and I've been using it as my main computer, both docked and on the go. It's been as amazing as expected. Ángel has been looking into homelab equipment, which of course means I dive back in as well. My setup from the 3-2-1... Backup post isn't fully opperational anymore, and I need to do an update there. My mini server is running, and it's great. So is the one back home techinically, but I'm not sending backups. So that's an issue. The reason for the holdup is that rsyncing is very inefficent, which is an issue. File renames aren't handled by default, so rearanging large files means complete retransmission of data. This takes forever. There are several solutions that run in front of rsync that check for things like moved or renamed files and update the remote first before rsyncing. This is great, but I had some issues where it was taking a while to run, and I stopped trying to troubleshoot because I ran out of time. Break will be a good time to get things sorted, though.

+

I've had many strides in the personal computing sector of my life. My main desktop got upgraded to Noctua fans. My Dell Precision came back from repair and I've been using it as my main computer, both docked and on the go. It's been as amazing as expected. Ángel has been looking into homelab equipment, which of course means I dive back in as well. My setup from the 3-2-1... Backup post isn't fully operational anymore, and I need to do an update there. My mini server is running, and it's great. So is the one back home technically, but I'm not sending backups. So that's an issue. The reason for the holdup is that rsyncing is very inefficient, which is an issue. File renames aren't handled by default, so rearranging large files means complete retransmission of data. This takes forever. There are several solutions that run in front of rsync that check for things like moved or renamed files and update the remote first before rsyncing. This is great, but I had some issues where it was taking a while to run, and I stopped trying to troubleshoot because I ran out of time. Break will be a good time to get things sorted, though.

I've got some work planned for the Mini. Righting wrongs that were made over the summer and some new things that are popping up. Mostly sensor and electronics related (lovely, I know). I also plan to reassemble the XS650 that's sitting in the garage. The issue was a chewed up main crank bearing. One new crank assembly later, and I have pretty much everything to reassemble. I started the process before I left for school, but I somehow misplaced a crankcase stud. I don't know how it even came loose, but it's a semi-specialty part, so I need to scrounge the web and find one to order. I won't say anything too hopeful, though, in case it hears me. This project has dragged on for years and started when I was in high school.

Cleaning and organizing my room before I graduate is one of the other big items on the list. There's so much junk to sift through. I'm definitely a tech hoarder.

Lastly, I'll be reconditioning my ski equipment and getting out on the hill. I need to see if my old friend is around to come with. We used to go all the time, and it was a blast.

I can't wait for the break to start.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2025-02-06+Old_PC_Component_Joy+diy+computers.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-02-06+Old_PC_Component_Joy+diy+computers.tmpl.html index 23d1296..d1e92a5 100644 --- a/html/blog/2025-02-06+Old_PC_Component_Joy+diy+computers.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2025-02-06+Old_PC_Component_Joy+diy+computers.tmpl.html @@ -1,20 +1,20 @@ {{ define "article" }}

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While getting my X58 SLI build together (more on that soon), I needed to diagnose a beeping from my power supply. It's an old model Enermax 1000W, but packs some usefull features including overcurrent protection and fan abnormality notifications by means of a speaker inside the PSU. I could tell something wasn't quite right on the first boot. There would be an occasional scraping sound and the PSU would frantically beep loudly in short succession. I quickly deduced it was the fan.

+

While getting my X58 SLI build together (more on that soon), I needed to diagnose a beeping from my power supply. It's an old model Enermax 1000W, but packs some useful features including overcurrent protection and fan abnormality notifications by means of a speaker inside the PSU. I could tell something wasn't quite right on the first boot. There would be an occasional scraping sound and the PSU would frantically beep loudly in short succession. I quickly deduced it was the fan.

Enermax Galaxy EGA1000EWL power supply overview shot of cables and housing.
Enermax Galaxy EGA1000EWL PSU. Photo credit Extreme Outer Vision
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As it's an older model, finding support can be difficult. Luckily I found a PC Persective review of my exact model which included a teardown and look at the fans.

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As it's an older model, finding support can be difficult. Luckily I found a PC Persective review of my exact model which included a tear down and look at the fans.

Silence 135mm chassis fan mounted to power supply shroud.
Silence 135mm fan. Photo credit PC Perspective
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Sourcing an exact replacement was looking to be a difficult task, and I'd read other reports of people replacing power supply fans only to have the supply trip its protection measures due to the new fan not performing identically to the original. Seeing as this particular model may be even more tempremental than a more modern unit, I wanted as exact a replacement as I could get. Unfortunately, finding a fan that had the same connector was proving to be futile. I decided to open it up to see if I could tell what kind of damage there was.

-

I expected some kind of bearing failure due to dust, and upon disassembly, I noticed that the blade assembly had a lot of vertical play. Figuring I couldn't do any more damage, I pulled the assembly straight off the hub. To my suprise, a standard roller bearing and spring popped out... further down the hub, I could see a second. Peeling off the rear sticker revealed the real issue. The circlip attached to the fan blade shaft was too weak to hold the force of the spring. I was lucky and had some flat washers on hand that were nearly the perfect size. After cutting one side to resemble a lock washer, it installed perfectly onto the shaft with great retention force. I reassembled everything and it spun perfectly.

-

I was beyond impressed. I'm sure the motor efficiency is poor, the fan is hard to come by, and the fact that the clip failed was disapointing, but the fact that I was able to cobble it back together with a washer and some inginuity makes up for it in my book. No need to replace what you can fix.

+

Sourcing an exact replacement was looking to be a difficult task, and I'd read other reports of people replacing power supply fans only to have the supply trip its protection measures due to the new fan not performing identically to the original. Seeing as this particular model may be even more temperamental than a more modern unit, I wanted as exact a replacement as I could get. Unfortunately, finding a fan that had the same connector was proving to be futile. I decided to open it up to see if I could tell what kind of damage there was.

+

I expected some kind of bearing failure due to dust, and upon disassembly, I noticed that the blade assembly had a lot of vertical play. Figuring I couldn't do any more damage, I pulled the assembly straight off the hub. To my surprise, a standard roller bearing and spring popped out... further down the hub, I could see a second. Peeling off the rear sticker revealed the real issue. The circlip attached to the fan blade shaft was too weak to hold the force of the spring. I was lucky and had some flat washers on hand that were nearly the perfect size. After cutting one side to resemble a lock washer, it installed perfectly onto the shaft with great retention force. I reassembled everything and it spun perfectly.

+

I was beyond impressed. I'm sure the motor efficiency is poor, the fan is hard to come by, and the fact that the clip failed was disappointing, but the fact that I was able to cobble it back together with a washer and some ingenuity makes up for it in my book. No need to replace what you can fix.

Just another reason old is good.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2025-02-07+GT_630_Fan_Mod+diy+computers.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-02-07+GT_630_Fan_Mod+diy+computers.tmpl.html index 2c5ee92..9b5cbff 100644 --- a/html/blog/2025-02-07+GT_630_Fan_Mod+diy+computers.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2025-02-07+GT_630_Fan_Mod+diy+computers.tmpl.html @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@

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While working on my main X58 SLI build, I wanted to test some RAM in a known good motherboard. I had enough spare parts minus a PSU and GPU to assemble another working system, so I picked up an old EVGA GT 630 and Fractal Design Define R5 Window. The case will be another entry, as I have a lot to say about it. Unfortunately, the GPU runs its fan at almost 100% at all times which is extremely annoying. While fine for testing, my end goal with this system was to be a media center PC since my DVD player is pretty bad and I didn't want the main SLI system to run just for video playback.

-

I tried re-pasting the GPU die, and that didn't do anything. Temps reported 39°C, not that warm... stopping the fan with my hand for a minute only brought the temp up a few degrees, definitely within reasonable opperating temp. Some further reading has lead me to believe that manufactures of these low end cards only baked in two speeds, low and high.

+

I tried re-pasting the GPU die, and that didn't do anything. Temps reported 39°C, not that warm... stopping the fan with my hand for a minute only brought the temp up a few degrees, definitely within reasonable operating temp. Some further reading has lead me to believe that manufactures of these low end cards only baked in two speeds, low and high.

I found a video where someone soldered in a fan control potentiometer. Since it was run at full resistance, it could be replaced with a single resistor, but I have a spare controller on hand.I thought about soldering but didn't want to modify the card or the controller, so I just forced the fan connector into the controller... Not ideal, but the pins sort of fit.

EVGA GT 630 video card with external fan controller connected to its cooling fan. @@ -16,4 +16,4 @@

At the lowest setting, the fan is about equal to the sound of the case fans, which is perfect. After playing back a DVD and streaming YouTube for an hour, the temps stayed at 45°C even with the significantly lower fan speed. It should work out quite well.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2025-02-09+Reminder:_Maintain_Your_Hardware.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-02-09+Reminder:_Maintain_Your_Hardware.tmpl.html index 562d857..c3b42f5 100644 --- a/html/blog/2025-02-09+Reminder:_Maintain_Your_Hardware.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2025-02-09+Reminder:_Maintain_Your_Hardware.tmpl.html @@ -7,16 +7,16 @@ Insides of a mid 2015 A1398 MacBook Pro filled with dust, dirt, and a swollen battery.
Dirty MacBook.
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Aside from the grime, the first thing I really paid attention to was the swollen battery. There cells were puffed enough to push open the bottem cover when just one of the screws was removed. Not good.

+

Aside from the grime, the first thing I really paid attention to was the swollen battery. There cells were puffed enough to push open the bottom cover when just one of the screws was removed. Not good.

Profile shot of the battery highlighting the swollen cells.
Swollen cells.

I found a replacement battery on Amazon for just under $70, so I wrangled my pride and bought it. After removing the bomb, I could now focus my attention on the fan noise. This turned out to be a few things, but it seemed like the fans were ramping up for pretty basic web tasks and especially YouTube videos. The first two things to check are blocked fans/cooling fins and thermal paste application.

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The fans were able to spin, but not too freely, stoping shortly after "flicking" them. The left side fan was worse than the right.Aside from that, there wasn't too much dust blockage, just sediment coating the fan fins. Regardless, I pulled the heatsink, blew out the fins, and repasted the CPU & iGPU.

+

The fans were able to spin, but not too freely, stopping shortly after "flicking" them. The left side fan was worse than the right.Aside from that, there wasn't too much dust blockage, just sediment coating the fan fins. Regardless, I pulled the heat sink, blew out the fins, and re-pasted the CPU & iGPU.

After booting back into macOS, I noticed slightly better temps, but the fans still kept ramping up while watching YouTube. After some searching, I found the main culprit. Ambient mode. This feature is supposed to make the letterboxing less noticeable by bleeding colors from the video into the black bars. While interesting, it's very compute intensive especially on old hardware that was already thermally challenged to begin with. Toggling that off brought the fans down immediately.

And that's about it. A reminder to maintain your hardware, especially when it comes to lithium batteries. Don't let things get to the point of disaster, which this well could have.

Happy computing.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2025-02-11+Homelab_Map+computers+homelab.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-02-11+Homelab_Map+computers+homelab.tmpl.html index 3afcd02..d793322 100644 --- a/html/blog/2025-02-11+Homelab_Map+computers+homelab.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2025-02-11+Homelab_Map+computers+homelab.tmpl.html @@ -1,13 +1,13 @@ {{ define "article" }}

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In preparation for a homelab restructure, I created this hardware diagram maping out my current settup:

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In preparation for a homelab restructure, I created this hardware diagram mapping out my current setup:

Diagram of my homelab setup.
My homelab layout.
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I'm missing a few key pices of sidelined tech, but overall it's accurate to what's mainly in use. Some missing pieces include two X58 desktop systems with 12-16GB RAM and plenty of storage expansion capability, my Precision 5540 and MacBook Pro 15-inch Mid 2015 laptops, an HP mini pc much like the EliteDesk 800 G3 with an i5-6500T, 16GB RAM, and small capacity SSD, various ThinkPads from 2010-2013, a spare Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, and various second and third gen i3/i5 systems.

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I'm mostly looking at two things: having the Minecraft server to be local on the 800 G3 so I can move the OptiPlex to NAS duty and moving my webhost to a Pi cluster or similar. This diagram serves as a starting point for me to make changes, so I can better understand what's happening visually.

+

I'm missing a few key pieces of sidelined tech, but overall it's accurate to what's mainly in use. Some missing pieces include two X58 desktop systems with 12-16GB RAM and plenty of storage expansion capability, my Precision 5540 and MacBook Pro 15-inch Mid 2015 laptops, an HP mini pc much like the EliteDesk 800 G3 with an i5-6500T, 16GB RAM, and small capacity SSD, various ThinkPads from 2010-2013, a spare Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, and various second and third gen i3/i5 systems.

+

I'm mostly looking at two things: having the Minecraft server to be local on the 800 G3 so I can move the OptiPlex to NAS duty and moving my web host to a Pi cluster or similar. This diagram serves as a starting point for me to make changes, so I can better understand what's happening visually.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2025-02-12+Sequoia_On_My_2015_MacBook_Pro+computers.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-02-12+Sequoia_On_My_2015_MacBook_Pro+computers.tmpl.html index dba0223..91e66a4 100644 --- a/html/blog/2025-02-12+Sequoia_On_My_2015_MacBook_Pro+computers.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2025-02-12+Sequoia_On_My_2015_MacBook_Pro+computers.tmpl.html @@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ Screenshot of 'About This Mac' window on macOS Sequoia.
Sequoia on 2015 hardware.
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After tackling my battery and cooling problem, I finally decided to install macOS Sequoia. As this is not a supported opperation by Apple, I looked to OpenCore Legacy Patcher for their tools and guidance. Luckily for me, people put a lot of time and effort getting things to work smoothly, so the install proccess was relatively straightforward: Create a bootable USB with patched macOS, install via USB, install bootloader onto main drive post-install, done. What was even better is the fact that you can install in place without any hastle.

+

After tackling my battery and cooling problem, I finally decided to install macOS Sequoia. As this is not a supported operation by Apple, I looked to OpenCore Legacy Patcher for their tools and guidance. Luckily for me, people put a lot of time and effort getting things to work smoothly, so the install process was relatively straightforward: Create a bootable USB with patched macOS, install via USB, install bootloader onto main drive post-install, done. What was even better is the fact that you can install in place without any hassle.

As insurance, I made a Time Machine backup on an external SSD. Unfortunately, Time Machine backups are reported broken on the latest versions of macOS with OCLP, but it would allow me to restore a Mojave install in case something went south. Luckily, though, the install went though with no problems and all my files were still present.

-

Some things I noticed were increased power consumption due to some background processes. Some forums suggested reseting the SMC, so I did. That seemed to help. I am noticing Sequoia uses a bit more power that Mojave. The fans tend to spin up sooner and the system runs a bit hotter overall. Other than that, and some noted broken features due to the lack of Apple Silicon, it's working well. I can install the latest apps without trouble, and the system still feels snappy.

+

Some things I noticed were increased power consumption due to some background processes. Some forums suggested resetting the SMC, so I did. That seemed to help. I am noticing Sequoia uses a bit more power that Mojave. The fans tend to spin up sooner and the system runs a bit hotter overall. Other than that, and some noted broken features due to the lack of Apple Silicon, it's working well. I can install the latest apps without trouble, and the system still feels snappy.

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-{{ end }} \ No newline at end of file +{{ end }} diff --git a/html/blog/2025-08-04+Motorcycles_New_and_Old+motorcycles+rant.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-08-04+Motorcycles_New_and_Old+motorcycles+rant.tmpl.html index 00282f0..e6b56b2 100644 --- a/html/blog/2025-08-04+Motorcycles_New_and_Old+motorcycles+rant.tmpl.html +++ b/html/blog/2025-08-04+Motorcycles_New_and_Old+motorcycles+rant.tmpl.html @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ {{ define "article" }}

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I've spent a long time hating on parallel twin motorcycles for unfounded reasons. I think the over-exposure to Harley-Davidsons and singles pushed me to want a higher reving, smoother inline four. After riding my uncle's 1975 Norton Commando 850 and 2023 RS 660, though, I can confidently say two things: Twins are cool and 100HP+ street bikes should require extra certification to ride in the US. This will be a bit of a review of each bike and a reflection on the state of the motorcycle industry.

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I've spent a long time hating on parallel twin motorcycles for unfounded reasons. I think the over-exposure to Harley-Davidsons and singles pushed me to want a higher revving, smoother inline four. After riding my uncle's 1975 Norton Commando 850 and 2023 RS 660, though, I can confidently say two things: Twins are cool and 100HP+ street bikes should require extra certification to ride in the US. This will be a bit of a review of each bike and a reflection on the state of the motorcycle industry.

Commando 850

I listen a lot to the Cycle World podcast, and it's informed me of the sorry state of reliability prior to the Japanese arrival. This Commando 850 would be a contemporary of my XS 650, and without doubt, the Commando exemplifies everything I've heard about British motorcycles of the time period.

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