Leaderboard

I can taste again after days of fighting a cold. Bacon, tomato, avocado and cheese omelet. Crispy, homemade hash browns, toast and an Earl Beige.

We got around 10” here

The above misfortune was due to a battery problem in T2 amplifier. I replaced a mosfet j112(2sk246) and left the 10K trimmer in max position. My guess (I’m just an amateur but this is my theory) is the battery with the new mosfet tried to set voltage to more then 100V lower than expected. Resulting in damages to Q5, Q23, Q26 and D23 along with damages to the power supply. In order to find out what voltage cross 22R resistor R42 I put 27V from lab PSU from R42 to RV2 with 10K resistor in series. When measuring voltage cross 22K resistor of each battery I got 1V lower value at the battery with the new mosfet then the other three. That’s why I think there was more than 100V lower voltage at that battery. Now I have gotten really tiered of led batteries so I removed them and replaced them with those daughter boards. The amplifier has only modern components. To my ears it now works as good as the original DIY T2.

A nice benefit of the modules is that you can set them to 740v before you install them in the amp. I’m glad everything is up and running again.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone. Our original plans for a walk on Stinson Beach were scuppered by the following early morning tweet "MARIN SHERIFF: Marin is under Tsunami Advisory. Stay out of coastal waters until clear" So made other arrangements inland and had a very pleasant day. No bacon as such, Does Crispy Pork Belly count? At least I got to witness an impressive sunset prior to my Birthday on the walk back from Tiburon (When technically it would have been my Birthday, in the UK)

I think I’m just going to get a Rancilio Silvia to replace my Breville. Just the base one (though maybe in black; I don’t think I have room for the Pro, or the X, really). With the Flair 58 I don’t really need anything to get better espresso for when I’m being fancy-fancy, but I need something more convenient that is better than the Breville. I thought about the Bambino, which is much nicer than the Breville I have (mine is an old entry level, remember, from ten years ago: it’s pretty nice for what it is, but it’s what it is), but I want a larger machine that uses a 58mm porta and has more cup storage. I haven’t totally decided, but I think it makes a lot of sense, even with that dumb drip tray. And lots of upgrades for after I get to know the machine. Plus easy pressure modulation out of the box. Also: coffee setup art finally on the wall.

Fixed

Another batch of chicken curry, for later

If I were to build the T2 again, I would put as much (lower hight) components as possible on the top side of the board for better cooling, at least all the 0.5w Xicon resistors, in addition to the LEDs. Very nice work on the modular batteries. Surely the way to go nowadays.

It has begun…

A milling machine is what would probably be good for cutting 1/4" aluminum.

Bourbon Moth can be over the top but decent work. I like the whiskey table design. I also like King’s Fine Woodworking for actual learning and also Fisher’s Shop, Stumpy Nubs, Rob Cosman and Tamar. Put some Odie’s Oil on the 3D board so it is about as finished as it is going to get.

I see Jeff provided the proper HC advice? If you have some scrap 1/4" aluminum, I'd try it with the Dremel. Aluminum is pretty soft, so it might work acceptably? You may go thru some blades, so some spare(s) would be a good idea.

Too bad I had already steamed the oat milk. It was the most delicious latte I have ever had. 7 bar peak and a slow decrease for the Counter Culture Apollo, 20 in 48 out in 50 seconds. The tiger stripes aren’t channeling, in and of themselves: there was minimal channeling in the puck (the small dots at the edges) until it began to erode towards the end (where the larger spots start appearing, in the same places in relation to the earlier small spots: no puck has no channeling, and all pucks erode through the length of the shot), but you can definitely see where the initial channeling increases over the length of the pull. Notice that the “meat” of the shot doesn’t show channeling. I think this is a result of the grounds expanding and contracting and then contracting and expanding through the pressure release, as water is forced into the coffee and then forced out. The initial pressure opens the small imperfections in the bed, but then they close from 6-3 bars, which is about 40 seconds of the shot. When the pressure reduces enough towards the end they open back up. Obviously, visually, in the same places in the bed: no additional channeling happens during the shot. The rings are a result of the ramp down in pressure, and the pretty distribution is just because I somehow didn’t fuck up and the ramp down was even, and pausing for a tiny bit watching the gauge with each marking. Puck was as pretty as you please. I just love that you can count the ramp down from 7 bars pressure in the rings. I would call that minimal channeling.

It's currently 0F here, and didn't get above 6F today, with windchills way into the negatives. The dog pretty much told me to fuck off while walking him this morning.

"Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry (30 minute recipe!) - The Endless Meal®" https://www.theendlessmeal.com/creamy-coconut-chicken-curry/

First steak in the Ooni. Pizza from lunch.

RIP, Mr. McGee. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60019483