Project Binky

[duncs500]

I can't believe people are still giving them money. Even at half their peak, that's still a lot of people relative to the content they produce. I guess it's like that gym membership, people are too lazy to cancel stuff even if they're not getting anything out of it.

I just consume the free stuff, but I'd be giving it to Jonny Smith if I was going to give it to anyone. He's consistently turning out good stuff.

[mik]

I’ve just noticed that Mr Brunning is going into politics

Wasn’t successful. BOM patreons may be happy.

[Explosive Newt]

I’ve just noticed that Mr Brunning is going into politics

Wasn’t successful. BOM patreons may be happy.

0.3% of the vote, so that’s a deposit lost. One of the few seats to return a Tory.

[mik]

that’s a deposit lost

Patreon donations will cover that in just a few days though.

[RobYob]

Nicked from r/cars that nicked it from Patreon

"
If we didn't have bad luck...

We'd have no luck at all.

Sincere apologies for the radio silence recently, we've both been working through some issues externally as well as a boat load of issues in the shed. I'm not going to pretend that those shed bound issues are not almost wholly self inflicted but that's as maybe.

In exciting and somewhat unexpected news, the bulk of the instruments are now finished and working. We (Nik) decided it would be fun and useful to explode the expensive new Link CAN gauge and try to incorporate it into the rev-counter. Can you imagine the arse that entailed? No, you can't. Two broken screens and a short-sharp lesson in SPI and ribbon cabling and a boat load of design, trial and mostly error - it's only bloody working! We had to swap the expensive REV counter for an expensive speedo, (which works in a similar way so can be used as a rev-counter) in order to give us the window to see the CAN display. The speedo uses the window to display the mileage and trip information.

Thanks to Ian Katz for the assistance in Arduino programming we have communication between the two and they do what's expected of them. It's very cool.

Only today we realised that we're not the same people as we were a year ago and a lot of the design that's baked into the board would be different if we started again now - but we're absolutely NOT doing that.

It's been a horrible experience at times as well as embarrassing and hugely costly. On the plus side - we're now nearly done - I know I've said that before and I've genuinely believed it every time only for the universe to decide otherwise and throw us under the bus. For our own sanity, this exercise in futility has to come to a successful conclusion, it HAS to.

Binky will be back, we refuse to submit to the universe's desire for us to pack it all in and if we do our job right, I think the result will be pretty bloody amazing.

Thanks to all of you who are still with us - you clearly have the patience of saints and it's impossible to overstate our appreciation.

Next time you hear from us will be Binky Episode 39; it's closer than you might think.

Cheers,

Nik and Richard."

[Simon]

I don't care anymore.

[Rich B]

I don't care anymore.

yep, this.

my prediction for Ep 39 - november 2024.

[Simon]

I don't care anymore.

yep, this.

my prediction for Ep 39 - november 2024.

I think November is generous TBH. I predict some time in 2025. And as for the other projects - the car transporter thingy, the MG SVR. I honestly don't think we'll ever hear about them again.

[Beany]

@Rich B not far off the mark - video out soon, according to facebook, which I rolled my eyes at and unliked, because it's been so long since they updated anything that I forgot they existed.

www.facebook.com/badobsessionmotorsport ... 5AAMRGwAfl

A reminder that the last Binky video was April.

2023.

Some fag packet maths, based on 2500 patrons (current number - down from ~3500 when they last released a Binky video...) suggests they've made an absolute minimum of £65k ($2/month x 2500 for 17 months = $85,000, convert to GBP) since the last Binky vid came out. I'm sure that'll be very obvious from the video content they'll show. It'll be incredible. It'll all be on the screen. I'm definitely not being sarcastic.

Given that the premise of the channel was to advertise their fabrication and project management skills, I'd argue they've, er, not done well at that.

[Simon]

[Beany]

Good to see that sixty five grand wasn't spent on checking the first result on Google for 'how do you dim an LED'...

I get the impression they're gonna learn a lot about industrial testing once they try to put that into the car, even if they conformally coat it. Things they could have learned from industry people who offered to help, and which they proudly say they turned down.

I'd say I predict a sharp drop in patron numbers after this, but the number of people with no idea of how PCBs work thinking this is amazing in the comments makes me understand why industrial electricians will never be out of work.

[RobYob]

That was very silly, in some ways very much aligned to my own terrifying abyss of knowledge of all things electrickery.

If I could solve wiring problems on a mill, and had the skills to use a mill. I probably would.

I was entertained.

[mik]

but the number of people with no idea of how PCBs work thinking this is amazing in the comments makes me understand why industrial electricians will never be out of work.

I’m only half way through the vid, but I’ve already shouted “what the fuck are you doing?” several times!

They are two smart guys. Why the absolute fuck didn’t they commission a couple of custom double-sided PCBs from someone that understands this topic and does this repeatably and reliably day-in day-out, rather than dreaming up a whole new process? Rivets for vias ffs.

[dan]

I got 5 minutes in and went to do something more interesting. Weird as their stuff used to be on the very small list of channels I used to enjoy given that I do what they do for a living, most of the shit on youtube is exactly that and i've got better things to do than watch it.

[Simon]

I don't care anymore.

Reminder.

[Simon]

And yes I know I posted the video but only because it appeared in my YouTube recommendations.

[V8Granite]

Today we have to make a bracket, but I’ll also need it to be a coat hanger and industrial microwave.

I will do this blindfolded while cooking a roast dinner at the same time.

They massively over-complicate stuff needlessly and it’s turned very boring.

Dave!

[scotta]

I just can’t get past the fact that all of this nonsense could be solved by plugging in an Aim/Link/Stack motorsport dashboard display. This is not a mini at this stage. It’s a mini shell with very little mini left. The motorsport dashboard would fit perfectly well with the project.

I keep wondering what’s going to happen to all that delicate solder when they hit a pothole/bump/kerb.

[Simon]

Not doing a chemical etch PCB because it's 'messy' or 'smelly' or something is grade A stupidity. I was doing etched PCBs 30 years ago for GCSEs. Just plan it out properly and stick it in a chemical bath. Job done. None of this 3d printed solder bollox. Christ.

[integrale_evo]

I assume they’re going to epoxy over everything, which isn’t going to be fun with all the sticky glue and debris on the board.

I love the idea though, but surely once your design was all finalised, tested and working you’d get a proper board made. Or diy it like above. We also etched our own circuit boards at high school, maybe even middle school. I can’t remember there being anything overly dangerous or nasty about it!