Welcome to Pete Brown's 10rem.net

First time here? If you are a developer or are interested in Microsoft tools and technology, please consider subscribing to the latest posts.

You may also be interested in my blog archives, the articles section, or some of my lab projects such as the C64 emulator written in Silverlight.

(hide this)

Pete Brown's Blog (POKE 53280,0)

Pete Brown writes on a variety of topics from XAML with the Windows Runtime (WinRT), .NET programming using C#, WPF, Microcontroller programming with .NET Microframework, .NET Gadgeteer, Windows on Devices, and even plain old C, to raising two children in the suburbs of Maryland, woodworking, CNC and generally "making physical stuff". Oh, and Pete loves retro technology, especially Commodore (C64 and C128). If the content interests you, please subscribe using the subscription link to the right of every page.

Archive for tag: DIY

  • The brain therapy of making things: Synthesizer Kits

    I like to make things. Scott and I talked about it on a recent podcast. When I was much younger, I used to build model kits (airplanes, tanks, etc.). Later, when living on my own, I built a lot of LEGO kits as well as model railroad stuff. I've played with CNC, and have plans for a 3d printer. Building physical items lets your mind exercise something slightly different from what you use ...

  • MFOS Synth 7: Front Panel Update (Knobs and started wiring)

    Today, I started wiring the front panel. Over the next several months I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, likely all in the same home-made wooden case, side by side. The Ultimate and Expander are together a ...

  • MFOS Synth 6: PCB Complete

    Over Christmas vacation, I completed all the component mounting on my MFOS Ultimate board. Over the next several months I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, likely all in the same home-made wooden case, side ...

  • Living room window bench and bookcase update: cabinet doors!

    In every project, there comes a part you just dread doing. It's always the part you put off until the very end. When programming, maybe it's that exception logging, or security interface. With most house projects, it's painting. With carpentry/cabinetry, well, I hate building cabinet doors. There. I said it. I love woodworking, but BOY do I hate doors. I know the appropriate tricks...

  • MFOS Synth 5: Trimmers and some capacitors in place

    The next step was to solder yet more components to the board. I soldered the trimmer potentiometers as well as a number of the capacitors. Over the next several months I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, lik...

  • MFOS Synth 4: Resistors all soldered

    Phew! The resistors are all soldered. The board has a few hundred of them, so there was quite a bit of soldering. Over the next several months I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, likely all in the same home-m...

  • MFOS Synth 3: Starting the Front Panel

    In this post, I'm starting to build the front panel for my MFOS Sound Lab Ultimate analog synthesizer. Over the next several months I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, likely all in the same home-made wooden...

  • MFOS Synth 2: Some main synthesizer board work

    In this post, I'm starting to populate the main board for my MFOS Sound Lab Ultimate analog synthesizer. Over the next several months I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, likely all in the same home-made wood...

  • MFOS Synth 1: Built the Power Supply

    Over the next several months (3? 6? 10?) I'll be building what is definitely my most complex electronics project to date: the MFOS (Music From Outer Space) Sound Lab Ultimate, Ultimate Expander and (if Santa brings one) Sound Lab Mini-Synth Mark II, likely all in the same home-made wooden case, side by side. The Ultimate and Expander are together a 3 oscillator monophonic true analo...

  • Window Bench Seat Update: Crown and Valence

    Today I made some more progress on the trim around the window bench seat I built. For reference, the wall the window is in was a blank wall when we moved in. We had the bow window installed. I designed and built the trim around the window, the bookcases and the bench seat all from plywood, stock lumber, pine panels (for the seat itself) and a little bit of trim. You can see pictures o...

  • Just completed my Sammich SID Build

    I enjoy playing with synthesizers, and I adore my C64. What could be better than putting them together? Putting them together yourself from a kit :) A while back, I ordered a Sammich SID kit. I didn't have time to complete it at the time, so it sat on the shelf. The stopping point was when I put a transistor in backwards and had to order a replacement and desolder the original. I orde...

  • More on the Mice in my Honda Pilot

    I've had an ongoing battle with mice in my Honda Pilot. It's not that the car is filthy inside (although any little crumb will be enough to keep a mouse happy), it's that I live in the woods with no garage and the car is a nice shelter. Also, since I telecommute and Melissa's Odyssey is the family car, my car often sits a week at a time with no movement. For the most part, the mice we h...

  • The Mouse House in my Car – or Perils of Telecommuting

    Two weeks back, on the way to speak at the .NET Valley user group up in Wilkes-Barre, PA (on Silverlight 3, of course), I realized I had an uninvited guest, or at least what was left of their home, in my 2005 Honda Pilot. (As an aside, the user group up there was just great. Jason is a great lead, It was an absolutely beautiful night, and if I could have projected the content up against a wal...