This is just scratching the surface of some of my projects. Most involve 3D design, 3D printing, laser cutting, electronics, microcontrolllers, woodworking or other skills I've acquired or continuing to learn.
In addition to my projects below, Feel free to check out some of my photographs flickr.com/photos/cclontz/albums
This is an IOT device I created to monitor the data returned from two other IOT water monitors. It shows at-a-glance health of the monitors, poll cycles and latest data.
This is an update to the display for a test tool I built for DS18B20 temperature sensors. It doubles as a test tool for my custom circuit boards showing all 4 temperatures along with the addresses of each sensor
I created a Retro TV for a Christmas ornament exchange. The 1.8" display plays crystal clear miniature Rudolph, Frosty and Grinch.
A 3D printed coffin I designed and built. It uses 2 servos to lift the lid and Dracula and an MP3 player for the sound effects. It's powered by a rechargeable LiPo battery and is all controlled by a Pi Pico running Python. It's about 6" long and a couple of inches wide.
A Lamp I designed and 3D printed. It uses 3v flexible filament LED.
The CAD files for a lamp I designed and 3D printed
A silencer I designed and printed for a cheap airsoft gun. Drops the sound by 6+ decibels
The CAD files for a lamp I designed and 3D printed
This is a rechargeable flare that can be used as a flashlight, walking light, hazard light or just cool prop. It's an aluminum tube with 3D printed parts, 18650 battery and 2 COB flexible filament LEDs
This is the CAD design I made for the flare
Alien in a jar. I captured this little guy in the yard. His right appendage was ripped off in the struggle and his green blood is visible.
Alien POD I created to capture and disect aliens
A prototype display with GC9A01 round TFT display and an ESP-32 in the base
A prototype display with GC9A01 round TFT display mounted horizontally and and an acrylic shield that displays a mock hologram.
The initial case I made for my cellular development board. It was cut from 6mm acrylic.
An ambient light I made from 64 hot glue sticks, WS2812b LEDs, an ESP32 and WLED as well as 3D printed and laser cut parts
A device I created to allow Seadoo Jetskis to "pee" like Yamaha. Mockery is the fondest form of...
Just a simple XIAO ESP-32C device that hourly grabs all new IOT data from multiple Thingspeak channels and uploads it to Google Sheets for analysis
A 3D printed case that allows me to take my development board on the road and use it anywhere.
This is a bespoke camera / lens carry handle I made for a 600mm lens. It's made from old tripod parts, bits of hardware and a 3D printed grip.
A custom tester that plugs into one of the PCB's I designed. It reads and displays all attached DS18B20 temperature sensors and then displays their temperatures to verify functionality
Our entry into the Christmas Parade was a Carolina Skiff towing a sled with Rudolf behind the wheel. The prop spun on the Yamaha engine and 300 Neopixel LEDs were in sync between the boat and the sleigh using a wifi hoptspot created with a Pi Pico W. and WLED
3D printed beer and brats for Bratfest made into earrings and a lapel pin. The Beer is a 2 color print (gold and white) slipped into a clear PETG stein
Custom PCBs created for the IOT Water monitoring project using KCAD
Version II of the IOT Water Monitor. This one uses Cellular for uploads.
Version II of the IOT Water Monitor. This one uses Cellular for uploads.
A prototype IOT air / water temperature probe that measures hourly uploads outside air temperature and the water temperatures at 1' , 5' and 10' depths to both Goggle Sheets and ThinkSpeak for both long term storage and 60 day graphing and analysis.
A 3D printed travel case for my Pinecil Soldering iron and 3 soldering tips. The can is based on the Rugged Box (Parametric) by https://www.printables.com/@Whity. I customized the box and then designed and printed an insert that uses some 4mm titanium rods I had lying around for stand-offs.
3D printed and laser cut acrylic earring holder to go in a heart shaped jewlery case for a 10 year old.
An automatic coil winding machine I've designed, 3D printed and assembled. Still working on the touchscreen input but it works great.
A Lightning Detector Circuit based on the AS3935 and a Pi Pico W
Animatronic eyes
A retro style "tube amp". It's nothing more than a display built on WLED. The base is 3D printed and rusted iron filament and the front label is laser engraved birch. It lights with thousands of color/effects chosen by a button on back or through the phone app. The tubes are 3D printed clear PETG printed in vase mode.
A custom display with 8 laser cut acrylic tiles engraved with a rotating triangle. Lit by two sets of 8 WS2812 LEDs and driven by custom code on an ESP8266. The case is 3D printed.
An edge-lit "flip-clock" prototype - WIP
An ESP32 e-ink weather display. It's updated every 30 minutes and contains everything I might want to know about the weather.
Completed 3D print with brass rods for rails.
A more specific version of the Carolina Skiff known as T1. This is he 3D model of the boat
Based on Tony G.'s https://www.printables.com/model/561389-heltec-v3-case-for-meshtastic
This is a Pi Pico multi-tool I'm designing.
The multi-tool has a Pi Pico, Wifi, BT, GPS, Rotary rncoder, Audio Input, external SPI, i2c , analog and digital interface.
This is an adapter I designed to allow N20 motors to mount in a 9G Servo mounting
The current Prototype of a weather display I'm designing and building.
The current Prototype of a weather display I'm designing and building.
The 3D printed N20 to 9G dapter
RC outboard motor - Work in progress
Initial RC Outboard tests
A trailer mule. Working but still very much a work in progress
This is a model of the Carolina Skiff used by
T-Bart boater response
This is a model of the Carolina Skiff used by T-Bart boater response after 3D printing and painting.
My take on fireflies in a jar. Utilizes ws2812b LEDs and an arduino microcontroller. Runs from a salvaged lipo battery pack.
A keychain I designed with an NFC disc in the 3D printed center that contains all emergency contacts, blood type and other vital info
A floating keychain I designed to use old wine corks and 3D printed parts.
I built this custom spice rack from poplar and utilizing Blum under cabinet slow-close rail system.
An ode to the CRT using an old BW TV as a raspberry pi monitor built into a custom acrylic case. The raspberry is a Pi Zero W but will be replaced by a Zero w 2 as soon as they are more readily available.
The case was cut from 5.31mm cast acrylic and threaded inserts were heat set into the edges to capture the 3mm cap head screws.
A single WS2812b LED was used to illuminate the interior and the light can be set to any color or can cycle through any custom sequence. It may also be used to reflect the internal temperature. The fan is controlled thermostatically.
A Tennessee flag painted on a raised circle.
An edge-lit sign I created for a friend. It's laser cut acrylic in a CNC milled black walnut base. It's using an ATTiny85 to control the 8 WS2812 LEDs. A single button on the back allows you to choose from 12 colors/effects .
An Edge-Lit display that lights automatically as the gear turns to illuminate each of eight skills laser-etched in Acrylic.
An Edge-Lit display that lights automatically as the gear turns to illuminate each of eight skills laser-etched in Acrylic.
Photos of the finished product coming soon.
Coming Soon - A hand-held zoetrope
My hand-held, hand-cranked, stroboscopic zoetrope. When you crank it the bevel gears spin the outside while the main body stays put. An LED strobes perfectly timed with any speed to illuminate the laser-etched galloping horse on the acrylic tiles.
My hand-held, hand-cranked, stroboscopic zoetrope. When you crank it the bevel gears spin the outside while the main body stays put. An LED strobes perfectly timed with any speed to illuminate the laser-etched galloping horse on the acrylic tiles.
An old Swiss Army knife I ground down into a lock pick with a rake pick and tension lever that fit where the toothpick and teasers used to. The scissors have been ground also to make a back up tension wrench and I removed the scales and CNC'd new ones from black walnut.
The first paddle rack I built for dragon boat paddles. It is made from pine and the posts on the end are made to resemble a paddle.
I designed, built and programed a Bluetooth Brake and turn signal for my golf cart. The remote and brake are paired and the brake light has 64 addressable LEDs. The remote is handheld when needed.
This mounts on the wall and the gears are hand-cranked.
There are three custom herring bone gears that are 3D printed. I designed everything except the elephants which were provided by 3Dimka on Thingiverse. The elephants I simply 3D printed and painted.
The 10 LED strobe is triggered by a magnet as each elephant passes and the timing is managed by an ATTiny85 microcontroller.
Designed, 3D printed and painted a Dragon boat and all characters
Designed and built a cat microchip scanner and designed and printed a custom enclosure
Designed and built a cat microchip scanner and designed and printed a custom enclosure
A handheld flare based loosely on a prop from the game "Star Citizen". I designed it to be far more functional with 8 lighting modes including flames, rechargeable and using a microcontroller.
My competed flare prop
Our 4'x8' animated Christmas display. It's driven by one motor, 11 bearings, 6 3D printed bearing flanges, a ton bolts and nuts, 3D printed pulleys and one 12 foot piece of surgical tubing joined to itself to form a belt drive. The sign has 134 3D printed parts I designed and has it's own network hotspot and webserver. It plays a playlist of effects but can also be controlled through a web page to do thousands of effects/color combinations.
A simple yet EXTREMELY useful pocket screwdriver with knurled handle/sleeve
I did not design this model but simply scaled it up and added electronics to create a wireless Christmas bulb with countless colors/effects.
I did not design this model but simply scaled it up and added electronics to create a wireless Christmas bulb with countless colors/effects.
I did not design this model but simply scaled it up and added electronics to create a wireless Christmas bulb with countless colors/effects.
The 3rd gen microchip scanner I designed and built. Donated to a local cat shelter
The 3rd gen microchip scanner I designed and built. Donated to a local cat shelter
An RC airboat I designed and built
I designed and laser cut and engraved this clean burning tent-heater to last 5+ hours inside the tent.
I designed and built this bridge to go between our yard and a neighbor so we could pass shared dishes or produce.
One of two paddle racks I designed and built for the Tellico Lake /Tennessee Heat Dragon Boat Club
I'm still working one this one. I'm trying to design my own custom cams for my 1969 Kenmore sewing machine.
A custom LED lamp using WLED and printed in copper PLA and clear PETG with 25 WS2812b LED's . Web enabled.
Since Gibson is the classic mandolin, my bespoke mandolin is a "Gibbon"
A bespoke mandolin I designed and built. It's non electric / non acoustic.
A custom 3D mountain view topo plaque to locate the peaks. It's made from a hand painted pewter casting of a 3D printed STL that is inset into black walnut with a laser engraved and cut acrylic top plate to label the mountain peaks.
A custom 3D mountain view topo plaque to locate the peaks. It's made from a hand painted pewter casting of a 3D printed STL that is inset into black walnut with a laser engraved and cut acrylic top plate to label the mountain peaks.
A custom 3D mountain view topo plaque to locate the peaks. It's made from a hand painted pewter casting of a 3D printed STL that is inset into black walnut with a laser engraved and cut acrylic top plate to label the mountain peaks.
An overhead projector I made from a winebox after salvaging lenses of a rat-infested projector.
Made from lenses salvaged from a dead overhead, this new version sports 12V instead of the old 82V bulbs. Its cooler and less expensive to operate.
I one-off LED runner's light I designed and built. It has several lighting modes/colors, is rechargeable and uses an ATtiny85
The completed runner's light. That's a lot of electronics to pack in a tiny space. Inside are 8 NeoPixel LEDs, a lipo battery, boost converter, charger, Microcontroller and 2 switches.
A flickering campfire that will be part of my Christmas display. It's laser engraved and cut 6mm acrylic. It's lit irradicably by 9 WS2812 LEDs and an ATtiny85 Microcontroller.
A custom T-shirt I designed and made using Cricut vinyl cutter
One of two shot glass trays I made. This one has six holes so the glasses stay put
My cross cut sled
An LED / WLED lamp I designed and built. I laser cut all acrylic and wood that slot into and cover a 3D printed tower. The lamp also contains a lipo for cordless use and is rechargeable.
A Core-XY Pen plotter that I designed, 3D printed and built.
A custom case I designed and built for my Ukulele bass
A 5x7 shadow box I designed and laser cut.
One of my many DIY Halloween props
I built these faux columns and gates for Halloween
The Buzz saw of death I designed and built for Halloween
I 3D printed and painted the elephants from existing models for this zoetrope but I designed all other parts. I chose to embed magnets under each elephant to trigger a hall effect sensor to provide timing for the strobe light that completes the effect. Youtube Video
On the outside it's an original Atari Joystick but with an added microcontroller it now sends keyboard shortcuts to Youtube for rewind, full-screen, restart, pause, play or fast-forward. Its useful when playing along with songs on the upright bass and not having to be at the computer to perform these functions.
A mist system I designed and built. It draws from a 5 gallon bucket and blows mist over 15 feet for cooling in the summer. It uses a 12V battery and an RV water pump so it can be used where there is no AC power. Youtube Video
A mist system I designed and built. It draws from a 5 gallon bucket and blows mist over 15 feet for cooling in the summer. It uses a 12V battery and an RV water pump so it can be used where there is no AC power.
It has a timer and also fan speed control. Youtube Video
My first attempt at a 2x4 upright bass
My 4 kayak hauler I designed and built.
Not designed by me but I 3D printed in metallic iron filament and then rusted the part heavily
Not designed by me but I 3D printed in metallic iron filament and then rusted the part heavily
This is a custom bird feeder with raspberry pi camera that can be adjusted for focus. It can take motion activated photos, videos or time lapse.
A music stand I designed and CNC milled.
This is an off-the-shelf box but with laser cut Rolex logo and laser cut foam for a flash drive filled with photos from the event.
These visors are not my design but part of the thousands of PPE printed by a friend and me and delivered to first responders in several nearby cities and counties during the initial Covid outbreak.
This was a huge build. With realistic mouth movement, this fortune teller had 18 fortunes. The coin acceptor was functional and everything was run from a laptop in the base.
Contact me cclontz@gmail.com