Delete that fracking account!

I have had strife with my Autodesk account and its two-step authentication before, but my phone has died and when I fired up the new phone, of course, the keys don’t come across. So, Autodesk might send a code into the ether, but it NEVER gets to any of my authenticator apps.

Fun fact, Autodesk has NEVER EVER successfully sent a code to my email address. So with neither email nor authenticator app able to receive the code from Autodesk, I CAN NEVER log in. The usual IT “help” crap. You have to log into your account to get help for logging problems (why does EVERY IT department model itself after a Scott Adams cartoon?).

I have just tried replying to an old ticket to see if they pick it up. That didn’t work, so I’ve now a “Please Delete” ticket in.

I have had to have my Discord account shut down for the same reasons. I’ll set up a new Discord account, but I will be uninstalling Autodesk because IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT HARD.

UPDATE

But of course, asked Autodesk to delete my account BECAUSE I cannot get into the account BECAUSE I don’t get a code to my authenticator apps and Autodesk never emails me if I use that option. You guessed it, they asked me to log in to delete my account, and closed the ticket. FRAAACCKKKKK!

UPDATE

I just got an email from Autodesk. They want me to verify, by the email account attached to my Autodesk account, the one I emailed them on, so they can send me a password reset link. Dumb since I cannot verify in a two step authentication, on the second step. The first step is password. The password is not the problem.

UPDATE

I gave up. Autodesk help desk keeps wanting to send me a password reset, and have failed to sort out the issues with the second half of the two-factor authentication. That is, I never had a problem with the first half, as I have not forgotten or lost my password. The Autodesk help desk has certainly never sorted out the problem where the help system NEVER sends me an email.

Arrrggghghghhgggghhhhhh!

So many niggly things.

I had bought a hardware kit for a prusa printer on Aliexpress (screws, washers et al.). But, of course, there are differences between the prusa and the bear. So, missing were M5x10mm button heads and, of course, the one and only one blinking 3mm metal dowel of 15mm. It also turned out the kit did not include the idler for the blinking Y-Axis or X-Axis tensioner idlers either.

I found a local place that has the 3mm metal dowel, for $1 but with $10 flat rate postage .. WTF!?!?

I have M5x10mm button heads from my corexy PnP build, so I borrowed one. But ordered a bag of M4 and M5 button heads locally to have aside for spontaneous builds.

So a slow mail order from Aliexpress and the build goes back on the shelf until dowels and idlers turn up.

Very Flash!

Just starting to use the new V5 of FlashPrint from FlashForge.

I noticed something sweet. I had put a suggestion in about colourising the axis annotations in the rotation wizard, to help mapping the wizard entries to the rotational axis in the graphical display. It looks like that idea was incorporated. Not earth shattering BUT it makes for a easier time relating the wizard entries to the graphical represntation.

Simple human factors improvement

I am fiddling with some of the other features, though mostly driven by a pesky problem. I had decided I would print the PnP parts in blue. Black and blue then the colour scheme. The T-Slot 2020 are in black.

The problem is I am having all sorts of problems getting the print to stick to the plate. So, I have tried out the trick to use different temps at different layers, slowed the initial layers down, heated them up (first 4 at 225^oC), put pauses in to let the bottoms layers cool a tad, to then do layers 20 upwards at around 210^oC.

Fingers crossed, I am up to forth attempt. I also added a wall, which I did not appear to need for the black draft prints. I am also printing fine and not standard. So whether I need the smooth look may be a question. It may be fine using a standard setting. I was just wanting a little more polish in the finish.

I also noticed that the 19mm thick base idea was a mere 1mm off as the MDF I will likely use is actually 18mm. So, some minor changes and now we’ve the four stanchions printed.

Now I can’t count …

So, ordered a range of gadgets from Aliexpress for my soldering station, post the apocalypse.

I did originally order a single second 7-pin/hole soldering iron and a range of tips.

I wanted to refurbish the iron that was involved in the apocalypse, and opted to make a second order of spare barrels, elements and two additional 7-pin/hole soldering irons.

I intended to refurbished the original iron with a new barrel and tip, rather than toss it – despite them being dirt cheap.

I thus opted to order in additional spare barrels and two additional 7-pin/hole soldering irons. So that would be 4 irons all up.

The second batch was from the original vendor as the first 7-pin/hole soldering iron. That iron turned up no problem and worked a treat … because it was a 7-pin/hole setup that my soldering station required.

My heart sank when I opened the package as the two additional irons were 5-pin/hole soldering irons.

DOH!

When I approached the vendor, they claimed evidence that they sent 7-pin/hole units. We are now, of course, in dispute. They are not denying that I ordered 7-pin/hole units. They are denying that I had not receive 7-pin/hole units. That is, they are denying that I had received 5-pin/hole units. Even with photo and video evidence.

Yeah, I know … it’s soooo complicated right?!

Ali the Crapper!

Please watch out where you’re stepping. The additional 4 holes (2 from each soldering iron) fell out of the package somewhere between China and South Australia. If you find them, please PLEASE don’t step on them as they may be able to be re-inserted.

Here’s what they look like. Have you seen them?

5!

7!

All may not be lost as there are nutters out there building their own controllers for the 5-pin version of the “Hakko” 907.

I say “Hakko” since there is no 907 on the Hakko site I can find, so very likely we are working with “named” copies. No problem as the irons have be working fine – hell, they’re AUS$10.

UPDATE

So, the dispute over the soldering irons was closed in my favour. That was on the basis that the vendor got it wrong, that the postage from Australia to China (with tracking) would cost more than the articles and so either a refund or the vendor sending the 7-pin were the only solution. I got the refund, so I need look at sourcing the irons from another vendor.

The connectors for the soldering iron appear to be GX-16 types, with the barrel is 12.4mm to the apparently required 12.5mm by standard. So, I will probably opt to building a controller for 5-pin irons so that feather is in my cap. Low priority though. Boards order from PCBWay to put in the todo pile.

Exit wounds

My Kingst LA5016 has turned up! Having been funded by sale of my Dangerous Prototypes Logic Sniffer and other miscellaneous underutilized widgets from my parts drawer.

Fits snuggly into the neat set of drawers I stacked onto the top my workbench. Managed to move my programmer and its bits into a second drawer from the box I originally stashed it, so I don’t have to sort through boxes to find it (I’ve a hive of them down one side of my workbench.

On the way back from picking up the logic analyser from the post office I dropped into Jaycar to pick up a new “delux” soldering iron stand. Is it really? Nice heavy base, so maybe. The alternate has a flimsy light metal sheet construction and probably a source of woe, since I can imagine top heavy with a iron in it, especially with it’s power lead wobbling all over the place.

I actually had to buy a new soldering iron stand, as I did punch a hole through the trusty soldering stand that came with me good old ATTEN 8586.

Quite an exit wound wouldn’t you say …

Ouch!

Still useable but ‘ken dangerous.

https://www.propertysigns.com.au/warning-sign-risk-of-fire/ for your warning sign needs in the workplace

Took quite a few hours to clear the stench out of the house.

Fine for years but just slipped up and missed the holder and peeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww!

We seem to be on a run

So, the ubiquitous MG90S servo.

For your reference:

Dimensions on one Aliexpress store 23 x 12.2 x 29mm with the caveat “Please allow 0-3cm difference due to manual measurement”!

So, somewhere between -7 or 53 x -17.8 or 42.2 x -1 or 59mm?

Ali the Crapper Award

Did we get this mixed up with the quantum states of electrons?

If it helps, 3cm is a poofteenth longer than an inch. Although admittedly the conversion factor is more straight forward if you use 3cm, since the radius of an atom is roughly between 0.3 and 3 ångströms.

So, how many atom radii in 0-3cm?

Crap

So, a package arrived from Aliexpress.

Contains aluminium extrusions for my manual pnp.

Or does it?!

Ordered:

• 2x 2040 500mm,
• 2x 2080 300mm, and
• 3x 2020 300mm.

Received:

• 4x 2040 300ish mm, and
• 1x 2080 300ish mm.

Crap!

Ali The Crapper Award

Update

Two more packages have turned up. Groan! Now I have:

• 8x 2040 300mm,
• 2x 2080 300mm, and
• 3x 2020 300mm.

So, this close ><

Update

The vendor and I had a chat. He offered to send me 2x 2040 500mm if I sent back the 8x 2040 300mm. A fair request? Given outgoing mail from Australia is so expensive, it turned out this 2.4Kg of aluminium would cost me AUD$60 odd to send back to China. The vendor was then kind enough to offer to send the 2x 2040 500mm anyway. Well see if that turns up as the timeout for disputes is over, conveniently.

Does the use of logos require Logos?

If not, or even if so, that will be my new logo.

A bit of fiddling between the SVG source, a dabbling in InkScape and then using the bitmap importing tool on KiCad and voila!

Und et voila!

Very VERY happy with that!

Refurbishing my soldering station

With all this work, setting up for building boards with SMD, I had plumb forgotten my old soldering station needed some attention. Not the least is a new soldering iron, for the station, and a collection of new bits.

So I (luckily) tracked down a new 7 hole 907 Soldering station iron handle with A1322 ceramic Heater 24V with 10 tip soldering iron tips. Plus I bought two extra luckydips of tips.

My good old ATTEN 8586.

Slowed up again.

All I am after is 5 molex mini USB sockets, am I nit picking?

5 from element14 is AUS$28, $11 for the widgets, $15 for postage and then GST on top, but a week for delivery. Going then for AUS$5.60 a widget.

Looking to Aliexpress it’s $17 for 10 widgets, but upwards of 50 days delivery. Otherwise AUS$1.70 a widget.

So, another long wait, as I am going through Aliexpress.