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Welcome, Zach “Hoeken” Smith!
- Thanks to our sponsor, Club Jameco. Be sure to check out ClubJameco.com/TheAmpHour to check out the featured kit and to support the show.
- Zach is currently living in Shenzhen, “the factory of the world”.
- After a college education in software, he got interested in electronics as part of the RepRap Project.
- The RRRF was developed to help purchase components in bulk.
- This eventually became MakerBot, along with Bre and Adam.
- Zach has since departed with the company. While he cannot discuss detail, he has written about a little about MakerBot since his departure.
- These days, he’s working with the HAXLR8R program, helping develop connections at the factories in the area and at the SEG market.
- Dangerous Prototype’s video of the SEG market
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBtRJc-z05k[/tube] - He’s also developing test rigs for stepper motor drivers, brilliantly discussed on the Hoektronics site.
- The CNC drilling of PCBs was also very impressive. As is Zach’s SMT tutorial.
- The first round of HAXLR8R went well, including a very successful kickstarter project for the Nomiku
- Zach’s choice for Chip Of The Week is the TB6564, similar to this TB6560, but with more step resolution (1/64)
- One of Zach’s other projects is to network hundreds or thousands of 3D printers together with BotQueue.
- In the midst of learning Mandarin, Zach has captured some of the funnier signs he has seen on his Tumblr blog, Engr.sh.
- A good tip for sourcing parts (even from the states) is to go on TaoBao with Google Translate.
- Are you interested in applying for the HAXLR8R program? There’s still time, though not much! Apply here now!
Ni hao Zach
Another great guest.
Man, I would love to move to Shenzhen. Playing with newest hardware, all the manufacturing around you, helping people out, learning Mandarin. Sounds like perfect place for a geek.
Well, almost perfect. From what I heard from people visiting China motorcycles are banned?!?!?! W T F. Just across small body of water in Taiwan everyone and their dog (literally, check out Mordeth13) rides a bike. Hell, you cant even ride E-Bikes in Shenzhen …
ebikes are totally legal in Shenzhen, although they have toyed with banning them. I’m obsessed with ebikes and I ride mine EVERYWHERE.
“Shenzhen has restricted the use of electric bikes on major roads, downtown areas and terminals since July 2011.
According to that restriction, electric-bike riders who enter restricted areas or roads, or carry passengers, will have their vehicles confiscated and police will impose fines ranging from 200 yuan (US$32) to 2,000 yuan, depending on the violation”
not to mention potential jail time for motorcycle
Hello Zach,
you mentioned these »Pigtails«. Serching for them is a »visual« pleasure (try it with safe search off) but does unfortunately not lead to the stuff you described at around 21:00 or so.
Can you post a link those »Pigtails«?
Martin
sure thing. its basically just a cable with nicely trimmed bare wires on the other end. here’s a lovely assortment of SFW pigtails:
https://twitter.com/hoeken/status/268364465249075200/photo/1
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About the name Hoeken.
This is a Belgian name. When I was at school, my teacher had that name.
A very friendly man.
He was a carpenter.
Translated it means “angles” or “corners” (plural).
A common name in Balgium.
Oh, that is cool! I guess you learn something new every day. 🙂
Zach, nice that you replied.
How to pronounce it correctly?
“oe” is the same sound as in “book” or “use”, and “en” is like in “golden”, so that is correct.
(I meant Belgium in de 1st post)
You have made a very nice blog. Your texts is extremely good connett. It would be super with a widget like Facebook like buttom. I have integrated it on my blog and it attracts attention. The more comments the more motivated you will become in designing your next piece.,.