Updates on Projects

Well, its been a while. I’ve become gainfully employed and my free time has decreased. On the bright side I will try to finish some more projects and do more videos for my loyal readers.

First off, I have made a 2 part video on first aid kits. I’ve been assembling a few first aid kits (FAKs) meant for small compact carrying and being a little prepared for unforseen/unexpected injuries, etc. In the videos however, I point out the weaknesses found in commercial cheap FAKs and contrast that to the excellent depth and breadth I have in my own personal FAK.

Next up on the list, I have 2 videos in the pipeline: biodiesel and ferrofluid.

The ferrofluid project which has been ongoing ran into some troubles when I finally produced some magnetite and needed oleic acid, I extracted fatty acids from vegetable oil with difficulty, and improved the process by borrowing a page from the biodiesel realm, so I might as well film that video. As for the ferrofluid, I have found a few papers outlining aqueous phase ferrofluid using another surfactant (citric acid in place of oleic acid). My target of making a synthesis which avoids tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (nasty stuff…) is still in reach, and that video should come around once I actually have a working, repeatable synthesis.

A cool thing happened last week, a friend gave me 10x 7.2Ah, 12VDC sealed lead acid batteries, which will be another fun project to finally tie in 3, 15W solar panels into the battery bank. (Note: gray battery was my old one).

And also some other projects coming down the pipeline such as a PID controller add-on to a hotplate, recirculating water system for cooling condensers, and maybe (one day) I will finish this darn syringe pump….

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