Programming the Attiny using Arduino Uno - step-by-step diy how to guide

This is a step by step guide to program an attiny using an arduino uno

most of it is from highlowtech.org, reformatted to be step by step

some of the auxiliary images are from pighixxx.com http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php/topic,146315.0.html

this guide must be followed carefully and in order.

the pictures/slides seen below describe what I've written in the text here.  Look at them they have some good arrows and are a bit easier to follow.

1) download and install drivers

2) setup circuit 

3) Select board type

4) select programmer type

5) select com port

6) test com port using Blink example

7) open example ArduinoISP and then upload

8) change programmer to arduino-as-ISP

9) change board type to attiny(your version)

10) make sure you have chosen the correct clock speed

11) Install an LED on an empty attiny pin (from pin to ground)

12) open the Blink example again

13) edit Blink to use the correct pin where your LED is on the attiny.  NOTE: the pin number you put in the code is not the same as the pin number on the manufacturer's pinout diagram.  get this right.

14) click upload and it should blink

15) now open your desired code and upload that.  

some useful diagrams about arduino Uno pins and what they do:

Unibladder kite upgrade

I got a new 9 meter inflatable kite recently, for kiteboarding.

I tried it out in the snow a couple of weeks ago and found that the stopper balls weren't working in the outside struts.  Without the stopper balls, the outside struts could not be inflated enough to give the kite decent shape.

The kite was of the type where each strut and bladder has its own valve.  To fix the problem with the outside struts I decided to convert the kite to having only one inflation valve, with a system of tubing (clear plastic vinyl) that runs to each of the other valves.

The kite valves are typically 9mm inner diameter (ID).  for the conversion I used plastic barb fittings with 3/8" outer diameter (OD) (in USA so 3/8" easy to find).  3/8" is 0.375 inches and 9mm is about 0.360 inches so the larger barb had to stretch the 9mm valve at least 0.015 inches and this gave it a good snug fit with no need for a hose clamp.  I used a hair dryer to warm it up before cramming the barb in with my hands (tools might rip or break the kite so I used my hands only).

The tubing I used was 5/16" ID, with 3/32" wall. I tested that tube, and a thicker 1/8 wall tube in the freezer and both survived bite tests at cold temp.  I used the thinner because it weighs less.

Since the 5/16" tube is much smaller than the 3/8" barb, it needed to be warmed with the hair dryer and then really crammed in.

For the outside struts I used right angle barb fittings, for the inside struts, middle, and leading edge bladder I used Tee barb fittings.

On the leading edge I have a Tee with one side pointing up, and to that I connect a special-ordered 9mm ID tube.  I tried 3/8 tube there but it would leak a bit when it moved.  5/16 was too small to fit the 9mm cap into if one were out in the snow and wind with cold hands.  This part is where the pump can be inserted to inflate the entire system.

It works like a charm, and after pulling the pump the entire system stays well inflated while I seal it with the cap.  The kite now has really nice shape.

Pictures to come.
included are some photos of a similar project I did on a 7m C-kite Naish.

Whiteboard alternative

I was looking for large whiteboards I could put into a home office and since they would be meant for a project and not a permanent installation I wanted something somewhat disposable.

I decided to use 24"x36" poster frames and the cost was about $10 each.  They typically include a transparent plastic front, 4 plastic splines for the border, a generic poster image, and a hardboard back.

To use it as a whiteboard I turned the generic poster image around backwards (they are almost always white on the back) and put the frame back together.

The frame with hardboard back was much easier than the frame with corrugated cardboard backing, which was difficult to get the splines on.

pictures to come.

18v portable cordless drill converted to corded

Trying out the blog app.

used a pc power supply to power an old cordless drill with dead nicd batteries

PC power supplies generated 12V and apparently up to 20A.  More amperage if two of the 12V lines (and maybe two of the grounds) are tied together; the spec has a 20A limitation on each wire.

yellow is 12V

black is ground/common

green is the trigger to start.  atx power supplies don't start when switched on, but instead wait for an impulse.  jumper the green to black and it provides that impulse.  

next step is to buy a PC power wire that matches on on the supply and cut one end off, run it into the battery pack, and solder it to the original battery connector tabs.  Also might need to glue the tabs into place because they were originally fixed in place by sitting on top of the battery pack.

I first tried a laptop power supply at 18V, 2 Amps, which ran my cordless drill (no mechanical load) but would not run my cordless sander, which is about 8x the power draw according to the label. The PC power supply had enough power supply to run the sander, and then some.  

Grandfather Clock Repair

Today I fixed a grandfather clock movement, for the second time.  I thought this would be a good place to record it.

The first time I fixed the clock was 5 years ago- the clock had been in storage and was not functional.  The symptom was that the pendulum would slow to a stop some time after being started.  The solution was in the weights- there are two weights for chimes that are each 5 lbs, and a center weight that is 7 lbs.  Once the 7 lb. weight was in the correct position to drive the clock movement, the pendulum and clock began to work properly.

The second instance I fixed the clock had the same symptom: the pendulum would slow to a stop soon after being started (1-5 minutes).  In the second instance the fix was not as simple.  The problem was caused by the 'beat' of the clock.  The beat is the sound of the tic and the tock.  A proper clock should have a tick and a tock spaced equally apart in time.  If not, a 'beat' can be heard- the tick and the tock are too close together followed by a silence that is too long.

To diagnose the beat and repair it, I used these instructions:
http://ticktocktony.com/Clock-Repair-How-To-Articles/how-to-adjust-a-clock.html

In short: put tape behind the pendulum, move it left and put a line on the tape where the tic sound is heard.  then move the pendulum right and put a line where the tock sound is heard.  Finally mark the center hanging position of the pendulum.  The tick and tock marks should be equidistant from the center mark- if not, there is a beat.  This can be adjusted by bending the 'crutch'- the metal rod that runs down from the clock movement gear wheel to the pendulum itself.  However, in the case of this clock, I adjusted the beat by unscrewing a set screw on the escapement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escapement)

I will try and post photos later as I acquire them.

Ridgid 24V flashlight

First: the 24V flashlight actually applies 12V at the bulb (see photo)
The bulb on my Ridgid 24V XLI flashlight broke.  The flashlight was part of a drill, saw, flashlight set.
I wanted to replace it with an LED bulb-- the capacity of the 24V battery applied to an LED would result in a very long light source.  
The type of bulb used is some strange type for halogens and has a flange for ground (in the photo, it is the bulb where the filament is showing but missing the glass, which was broken).

Fortunately, the 9mm BA9S bulb almost fits.  As you can see in the photo, the 9mm BA9S has two nipples at the bottom on opposing sides.  These do not fit into the flashlight.  However, they are soft and file off easy.  I used a metal file once and a sanding wheel on a different occasion.  

With the nipples filed off the bulb fits into the flashlight socket nicely, and a spring loaded tensioner on the side keeps it in place.  

Note that the black ring is the part that screws off of the flashlight.

I found LED BA9S bulbs made with LED on ebay and on superbrightleds.com

make this photo larger to see the filed-off nipples.

Flooded Basement

Basement flooded 2 months ago.  knocked out my water heater and furnace.  Got both working again.  write more later