make. break. in no particular order.

My name is Andy and I make lots of random stuff. Read more about me on the About page.

What's New, You Ask?

I've released a tiny little macOS menubar utility I use to quickly swap my SSH config files between different environments or use cases. It's called Sshwitch.

Side note: On this website, I am using the super-cool Input font for this site. If you write code and you want to use it for your code editor, grab it here: https://input.djr.com/

Latest Blog Articles

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
📆 Dec 30. 2025
📁 Computer Stuff

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

My thoughts on the CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 dock

The Shed Beast: A 12x16 Wood Frame Storage Shed
📆 Mar 23. 2020
📁 Uncategorized

The Shed Beast: A 12x16 Wood Frame Storage Shed

Designing and building a massive 192 sq ft workshop shed.

Fitness Tracker Tester (& Pokemon Incubator?)
📆 Oct 12. 2016
📁 Uncategorized

Fitness Tracker Tester (& Pokemon Incubator?)

A generic device for... testing fitness trackers. Yeah, testing.

Photo Parade!

Bourbon Bottle Chandelier - Bluetooth, Dimmable, Hand-crafted
Swanky Chinese Lamp
AVR Serial Communications Using XBee RF Modules
LED Reading Lamp
Bourbon, Yummy Bourbon!
Charlieplexing LEDs with an AVR ATmega328
Charlieplexing MORE LEDs (20, to be exact)
Mac OS X Lion and iSCSI Using FreeNAS and globalSAN
2012 Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Introducing: The Office Chairiot Mark II - Labor In Motion Again
Office Chair Land Speed Record?
Update: LED Reading Lamp Materializing
The 2014 Southwest Maker Fest in Mesa, AZ
Ventilation Upgrade
Desktop Warp Core - The Early Years
Desktop Warp Core - The SMD LED Strip Years
Update on Backyard DIY LP Fire Pit
Sharp Clock (Saw Blade Recycling)
meltmedia meltHack-A-Palooza V: The Lost Pushbutton
iPotti #2: After a Number One, We Had to Make a Number Two
December 2014 Office Chairiot Mark II Update: Electronics A Plenty!
AC Current Detection with Allegro AC756 Linear Current Sensors
iPotti™ Released!
iPhone Lens Adapters from Photojojo
Backyard Propane Fire Pit, Pavers and Outhouse Project
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Standing Desk Improvisation Inspiration with Little Perspiration
2012 Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Hack the SparkFun Big Red Dome Button!
LED Mood Lamp
Bourbon Bottle Chandelier - Bluetooth, Dimmable, Hand-crafted
Swanky Chinese Lamp
AVR Serial Communications Using XBee RF Modules
LED Reading Lamp
Bourbon, Yummy Bourbon!
Charlieplexing LEDs with an AVR ATmega328
Charlieplexing MORE LEDs (20, to be exact)
Mac OS X Lion and iSCSI Using FreeNAS and globalSAN
2012 Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Introducing: The Office Chairiot Mark II - Labor In Motion Again
Office Chair Land Speed Record?
Update: LED Reading Lamp Materializing
The 2014 Southwest Maker Fest in Mesa, AZ
Ventilation Upgrade
Desktop Warp Core - The Early Years
Desktop Warp Core - The SMD LED Strip Years
Update on Backyard DIY LP Fire Pit
Sharp Clock (Saw Blade Recycling)
meltmedia meltHack-A-Palooza V: The Lost Pushbutton
iPotti #2: After a Number One, We Had to Make a Number Two
December 2014 Office Chairiot Mark II Update: Electronics A Plenty!
AC Current Detection with Allegro AC756 Linear Current Sensors
iPotti™ Released!
iPhone Lens Adapters from Photojojo
Backyard Propane Fire Pit, Pavers and Outhouse Project
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Standing Desk Improvisation Inspiration with Little Perspiration
2012 Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Hack the SparkFun Big Red Dome Button!
LED Mood Lamp

Maker Resources

A radnom sampling of tools and resources I find useful. View all resources →

Learning Platforms
FreeCodeCamp

A non-profit organization that consists of an interactive learning web platform, an online community forum, chat rooms, online publications and local organizations.

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Resources for STEM

Find stuff for learning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. View STEM

STEM Stuff
Science Buddies

“Science Buddies mission is to inspire and educate students of all ages with hands-on STEM explorations that reflect their unique personal interests. By providing highly personalized educational experiences, we drive student discovery, engagement, and learning in STEM subjects. Our vision is to develop high-quality scientist-authored explorations covering all key areas of STEM, from the classics to the cutting edge, in formats tailored for the needs of the audiences having the greatest potential to impact student STEM learning, students themselves, classroom teachers, informal educators, and parents. Free and open to everyone, we level the playing field, making STEM learning possible for students of all demographics.“ —Science Buddies About page

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STEM Stuff
NASA

“NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery. For more than 65 years, NASA has made the seemingly impossible, possible. At its 20 centers and facilities across the country and with U.S. commercial companies and international partners, NASA leads studying Earth science, including climate, our Sun, solar system, and the larger universe. We conduct cutting-edge research to advance technology and aeronautics. We operate the world’s leading space laboratory, the International Space Station, and will establish a sustainable and strong exploration presence on the Moon this decade through the Artemis campaign.” —NASA About page

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STEM Stuff
PBS Kids Cyberchase

Games, videos, and activities to get kids involved in a science- and math-based adventure to learn and save the universe from evil cartoon characters (it’s hard to believe those cute little characters are evil, but we’ll just go with the story). 😉 There are multilingual activities, as well, FYI.

Visit Resource →

Resources for STEM & Women/Girls in Tech

Technology is super cool and it shouldn't care who makes it that way. Women/Girls in Tech.

Women & Girls in Tech
Tips for Getting Girls Involved in STEM

SAM Reader Brielle sent me this link from ITHARE.com. From the ITHARE About page: [They are a collection of] H.A.R.E.[s], which stands for “Honest And Restless Engineer”. Other H.A.R.E. rabbits may include other sub-species, such as “Heartless And Rough Engineer”, or “Hyperactive And Rebellious Engineer”, or even “Harebrained And Reckless Engineer”. Overall, some scientists argue that all H.A.R.E.s can be described by the following formula: H[a-z]* And R[a-z]* Engineer, but this is still a subject of numerous debates within Rabbit Academia.

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Women & Girls in Tech
50 Women in the Tech Industry Every Man Should Know

(From the article intro) “The tech industry is a sector dominated by men. You’ve probably heard about well-known tech giants like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg, but you might not know about the equally impressive female tech gurus. Research shows that almost 80% of students cannot name a single famous woman working in tech. To solve this problem, we’ve got a list of the top 50 women in the tech industry you should know about!” (Thank you, Eva!)

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Women & Girls in Tech
ProjectCSGirls (ProjectCSGIRLS.com)

“ProjectCSGIRLS is a 501(c)(3) international nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in computing and technology. Our unique idea of a technology and computer science competition for middle school girls stemmed from the fact that a large chunk of learning and development occurs during the critical middle school period.” (See the statistic above!)

Visit Resource →