Hackaday Podcast Ep 346: Melting Metal in the Microwave, Unlocking Car Brakes and Washing Machines, and a Series of Tubes
Nov 21, 2025
Discover the wild world of DIY hacks, from melting cast iron in the microwave to reverse engineering washing machines with infrared! Hear about the challenges of modern car braking systems and a tiny ESP32 dev board that defies expectations. Delve into history with WWII mapping secrets and marvel at an automated LEGO sorting machine. Plus, explore quirky applications of pennies and the fascinating history of pneumatic tube systems. It's a tech enthusiast's playground, full of surprises!
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Use A Bidirectional Scan Tool For E-Brakes
- When a vehicle uses bidirectional electronic parking brakes, obtain a bi-directional scan tool to retract pads before service.
- Try low-cost tools like a $399 Harbor Freight scan tool before paying expensive subscriptions.
Third-Party Gatekeeping Undermines DIY Repair
- Industry access controls can be enforced by third-party bodies, not just manufacturers, restricting DIY repairs.
- Dan warns that subscription and membership barriers effectively block simple maintenance tasks like brake changes.
Radar Tricks Improve Ultrasonic Ranging
- FMCW techniques used in radar map directly to ultrasonic sensing for better range resolution.
- Martin Pitterman applied FMCW-style chirps and DSP on an RP2040 to resolve multiple ultrasonic echoes.