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Comment by bkraz | Hacker News Reader

I always get a kick out of seeing my videos randomly on HN. Ask me anything.

Hi Ben, as a long time follower, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for what I consider an absolute jewel of a YouTube channel.

(I always get a chuckle out of your "Hope you found that interesting, bye!" at the end of your videos. Every time I'm thinking to myself, hell yeah I found that interesting, that's an understatement!)

Thanks! It's nice comments like yours that keep me making new videos.

Do you have any commercial off-the-shelf tools in your shop that you dislike, but are the best option available for a particular job?

That's a good question. A Windows laptop. It's super annoying, constantly updating itself, forced reboots, network disconnections, fragile, yet is required for many CAD and acquisition/control proprietary software.

I suggest obtaining a copy of Windows 10 LTSC, much better stability and no mandatory updates/forced reboots. Might make it a bit more reliable.

Yes, or even one of the stripped-down W10 versions like Ameliorated or Ninjutsu.

On the fragility I have had good results with HP elitebook models with aluminum casing. (Not the ones with plastic casing!) These are common in corporate fleets and so are relatively cheap on eBay.

I'm not Ben but having worked in a lot of labs my answer is pH meters, they routinely are annoying, fragile and finicky but there really isn't a better way when you can't just use paper test strips.

I agree! I've had the best luck with this one, which is far better than the average pH pen from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Accuracy-Suitable-Testing-...

What do you think of the Atlas Scientific pH probes?

Haven't used them. Looks good. Costs a lot more than the Amazon one, so could be different class with different expectations.

How did you come up with a question that I have always had, but never thought to ask?

My thoughts exactly. And then at the end when he was like, “and why is it always that redddish color despite coming from a white light?” I was like that’s a damn good question!

Huge fan of your videos. What are the chances of quitting your day job and working on side projects/youtube videos full time, like StuffMadeHere?

I really liked owning my own business (MRI-compatible computer peripherals 2006-2011), and I'll very likely start another unrelated small business in the future. I also like to do YouTube videos as a hobby or at least Patreon-supported hobby, and not depend on them for main income, because I think it changes the character of the videos. If I depended on videos, I'd probably also start thumbnail optimization, A/B testing, YouTube face, sensationalistic titles, growth hacking, and all the stuff that I don't like as a viewer, but genuinely works to make more money. Patreon support has been a huge help in this regard.

Please, please don’t quit your day job. So much of what I enjoy about your work is that it’s ready when it’s ready, doesn’t come in a specific schedule and avoids so much of the needy attention grabbing that the professionals do.

Probably the most useful part of keeping YouTube as a side gig is that you are less likely to fall into the algorithm treadmill that encourages all creators to burn themselves out to enrich Google.

Your content is wonderful very impressive. Dumb question, but do you consider yourself a citizen scientist, or engineer, or maker or whatever, or do you dislike labels?

You and Tom7 are the absolute best content creators on YouTube. Everything else is filler content between your videos ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Can't agree more about Tom7!

Do checkout MarcosRep, tons of humour, highly recommended! And of course AvE...

Sounds like you and I would get along..already subscribed!

What are your go to book recommendations? No topic in particular.

Also! Just want to add that your work is really inspiring. I look forward to your videos more than any other. Cheers!

Understanding solid state electronics - https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Solid-State-Electronics...

On Food and Cooking

Inventions of Daedalus

Surly You're Joking, Mr. Feynman

Materials selection in mechanical design

Fantastic Electronics / Iovine

Gadgeteers Goldmine / McComb

Forrest Mims Engineer's Notebook

Building Scientific Apparatus

Thanks! Let me know if you ever have a topic suggestion.

These are great! Any fiction work that you have enjoyed?

I have to admit, I almost never read fiction. Maybe Catcher in the Rye, and that was years ago!

Hello :) I'd like to extract a similar date module to use it on a different camera. Do you think it would be possible to make it print date past 2019 ?

Thanks

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