Month: June 2012

Headphone Audio Setup

First of all, I’ll be honest – I’m the type of person who is happy with the headphones that came with my iPhone. I just planned on getting a more comfortable pair of headphones to use in my office, but ended up getting sucked into a whole different world.

After browsing around for a few weeks and trying, but failing in finding a local store that sold higher quality headphones I choose to go with Grado SR325is without being able to try them out first. I liked their look and the reviews were good (being made in NY helped too).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXHML59-CPk

While I was looking at different headphones, started to feel I should get an Amp. Immediately after that decided to go with something tube based. The Little Dot MKIII seemed perfect for what I wanted, and so far I’m more than impressed with how it preforms and love how it looks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U1KgXNO2Uk

I was planning on using the Amp with my iPhone/iPad’s line out connection so I ordered the FiiO L9 to provide line out audio to the Amp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZBS7rIF22k

Got a bit cumbersome using it this way so I started looking for a DAC that has an Optical input to connect to my Laptop. Opted for the then newly released Audioengine D1 as I found a return which marked down quite a bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1qx87ZY94k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_fROhEw5t0

This worked great with my laptop, but while it wasnt as much a hassle as connecting the FiiO and an adapter to fit my iPhone’s case it took up a lot more space on my desk having to have the laptop there.

Then while looking for a small travel router I saw that the Apple Airport Express worked with iTunes AND had an Optical Output. Seemed to be the perfect match so I ordered one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBtjK3bnnco

So now I have all my CD’s ripped into Apple Lossless Format in iTunes on my main desktop, then using either that computer or any of my iOS devices as a remote I can start music and have it sent from iTunes wirelessly to the Airport Express, which sends it via a Toslink Optical Cable to the Audio Engine D1, which in turn has RCA output to the Little Dot MkIII which goes to my Headphones.

Here’s a video that likely explains it a lot better than the above paragraph. (the Power strip and Airport Express go under the desk so the setup looks clean)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55z98RXTKKU

I’ve been using this for a few months now and it’s fantastic. Have also made a small headphone stand to keep my desk tidy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT1Rz3DHYtI

Redline Monocog 29’er

After converting an old bike I had over to Single Speed I set out to find a dedicated Single Speed 29’er

Almost went with the Nashbar 29er, but after reading a few reviews saw the ‘Cog referenced a few times as being a more sensible choice for someone planning to upgrade parts.

Went to the local dealer who didn’t have any in store, but would order one and sell it to me for MSRP. I opted to look around, found another dealer’s online blog with a new 2010 left over that they had upgraded to Tektro Disk brakes on sale. I called, reserved it and drove down the next day.

I’d already figured on the following upgrades/changes

  • Avid BB7 Disks and FR7 Levers
  • Jagwire cables
  • Framesaver
  • Niner 32T Chainring
  • Shimano BB

Also ended up swapping out the crankset with one by FSA I’d originally bought for another bike.

Dissassembly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfLSlX8dyG4

Framesaver Application

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTmxkcWn-_I

Switching Chainrings on the new Crankset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz-2D8btW5o

Installing new Disc Rotors and Cog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Iyky13gAPY

Assembly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmubjzuaquE

Jagwire Cable Install

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuVseVBrRM4

Finished Bike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXnaFmV4pBw

Bike turned out great. Even with the upgrades it cost less than a new stock bike. I’m now sold on Single Speed and 29’er wheels.

Video of me riding it on some local trails

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_GTDBuh-h4

And more video, this time I was also messing around with different helmet mount locations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp_bhAFpSpU

The Bike stand I’m using is by RAD Cycle Products.

Single Speed Indoctrination

I had an old 2001 Specialized Rockhopper FS, my wife bought it for me and based on bad advise from a (now out of business) Local Bike Shop got a 21″ frame and urban tires. Back then I was only interested in riding trails so this wasn’t the best for that. I ended up buying another mountain bike and this one sat for a while until it was briefly reborn as a Motorized bicycle with a poor black repaint.

I got rid of the 2 stroke engine when I got a Motoped and had been reading about single speeds, did some browsing on eBay and got a used singleater chain tensioner, rear sprocket and spacer set and a niner chainring for $30…. Cheap enough to give it a try.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv7Rebp64bE

First time I rode it I knew I was going to buy more single speeds, third time out was a 33 mile ride along the Cape Cod Rail trail and it did great for a mountain bike with 1.75″ tires and off road gearing (32/18)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRxREXVr9Nw

Ended up selling this, but only because it got me wanting a dedicated Single Speed mountain bike more my size and after the rail trail I decided a road bike would be a good idea too.

Perception Sports Pescador 12 Kayak

I have a Tandem Kayak but had been looking around for a single person Sit on Top (SOT) fishing Kayak for a while. While researching which to get the Pescador came up quite often on forums as a good option.

Its apparently the older (2008) model Tarpon 120 from Wilderness Systems, but priced a lot less (it lacks the rail system, lever locking hatches and little storage areas in cockpit of the new Tarpon 120).

I ordered it from Amazon and it arrived the next day (thanks Prime).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ForT7qY94

It’s a short walk from my house to the river. I was going to buy a Malone Kayak Cart, but found a cheap knockoff at a local discount store.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfJwsvX62Sc

Using a Surf mount/GoPro HERO2 on the front to get rear shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OpKOMW0mkc

Cart worked well, as did the Kayak. Strong current by the bridge was not much of a problem (its pretty tough with two in the Tandem). Pretty stable – will lean quite a bit and then stop unless you really push it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_K7ZmRHgn0

CNC & the Harbor Freight Mini-Mill

I wanted a small Mill and ended up settling on the Seig X2 / Harbor Freight Mini Mill. I already owned a Cummings Tool Mini Lathe so it matched the capabilities of that.

I alredy knew I was going to convert it to CNC so I’d purchased the Stirling Steele plans before the Mill arrived. Installation went easily enough, I was new to machining so it was a good learning experience and I picked up some tooling along the way too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a37Gqjg6GgA

I used it like that for a few months, then started looking at converting the X and Y to ballscrews. I could have altered the Stirlinge Steele over, but instead opted to go with a CNC Fusion Kit #3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf1awhU2UOc

The Ballscrews are so much faster than the Acme screws and the CNC Fusion kit is excellent.

I dont make anything fancy, and I’m still on the steep part of the learning curve.

Mach3 CNC Controller software has an option for using a webcam as an edge finder so that was one of my first projects and worked out quite well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIBJMOKUS0w

Contour ShuttlePro as an inexpensive Pendant makes jogging the mill easy and lets me use the mill as a “manual” mill with the benefit of a Digital Read Out (DRO) for quick jobs that dont need any CAM work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09HiUnPDeTY

Here’s an example of a simple part I made using CamBam+ CAM Software – I could have done it manually, but then there wouldnt be a video here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olcOdBj4CGE

 

Motoped Intro

The Motoped is a motorized bicycle that has a modified pit bike frame. Downhill Mountain bike parts, Honda CRF50 body panels and an XR50 or clone engine  finish it off.

I bought an $80 2 stroke engine and mounted it to an old mountain bike as a “what the heck, why not” type thing, then I saw a Motoped on a motorized bike forum and it was all the best (to me) parts of a mountain bike, motorcycle and moped combined. It was expensive,  I could have bought a used Dual Sport for less, but –

  • $20 moped registration a year, no insurance required
  • Light enough to carry up/down stairs
  • Easy/Cheap repairs I can do myself

I got my frame kit from motopeds in Fall of 2010 and built it up over the Winter making good use of eBay.

Slideshow of bike being assembled

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0STHFC7-nkA

Here is a quickparts list – Purchased from ebay unless noted.

  • Motoped DX Frame – www.motopeds.com
  • RST Sigma 8″ Travel DH Fork
  • Lifan Engine + included Misc Parts
  • Avid BB7 203mm Disk Brakes
  • XR50 Gas Tank/Cap/Petcock
  • XR50 Fender Kit
  • Syncros 1 1/8″ Headset
  • Syncros Riser Handlebar
  • Syncros DH Stem
  • Shimano XTR Brake Cables
  • Syncros Rim Tape
  • Slime Tire Liner
  • Front Mavic Wheelset
  • Rear SUN BFR Rim (48 hole, new ones are 36 hole easier to find)
  • Front Tire and Front/Rear Tubes
  • Arrow Racing LT Rear DH Tire
  • XR50 Skid Plate
  • XR50 Seat
  • Throttle, Cable, Grips & Killswitch
  • Motorbike Chain (#420)
  • Bicycle Chain
  • Z50 Frame/Engine Bolt set
  • BMX 14T Freewheel
  • Chainring Bolts/Washers/Nuts – Uneccessary if you buy a crank, I re-used
  • Curved Kickstarter
  • Carbon Stem Spacer
  • Kore RIM Tape
  • DT Swiss Spokes and Nipples
  • Gas Tank Vent Tube

And the bike a little later running

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9nMiaIx5aE