GCode Supernova in the Sky
So I called this post GCode Supernova in the Sky, which is an objectively terrible pun on Champagne Supernova by Oasis — a song that’s been stuck in my head for absolutely no reason other than the fact that it’s just… really good. Maybe that’s the vibe I’m aiming for this week too. Slightly chaotic, surprisingly beautiful, and held together by something that doesn’t need to be explained.
The chaos part? That would be my room and garage, both of which currently look like a robot exploded mid-repair. But it's all worth it because I finally got my hands on a Prusa i3 MK3S+, and it's everything I hoped it would be. Clean prints, no complaints, and a kind of reliability that makes my old Ender look like it was held together with hot glue and ambition. (It kind of was.) The Prusa has already run a few long jobs like an absolute dream — I think this might be the start of something great.
Fixing up the Prusa wasn't too hard, but needed 'the works' (linear rods were super dry and belts were slopping). It’s been nice to work at my own pace without rushing. I’m halfway through building a Morse code paddle from scratch, and thinking way too much about how I’m going to improve the next version before this one’s even finished (in other words, I haven't worked any more on the key this week).
On the other side of things, the radio I’m assembling for a customer is currently… stuck. Somewhere in Turkey. That’s where the radios are made, and from there it’ll go on its grand world tour: Turkey → Germany → Singapore → Australia → a short journey across the street in Australia (because of course), → Auckland → Wellington. Then, just like every other time, the courier will completely ignore the authority to leave it on the door. Which means I’ll have to call them, very politely and very firmly, and spend half an hour arguing on the phone with someone in their 'local' call centre (they forward the calls to somewhere in Malaysia for the record, that's what they consider local). Some traditions never die.
And yeah, I’ve been pretty off the grid. But she’s still there. Just… in the background. I think there’s this quiet mutual understanding that when I’ve got expensive machines in pieces across the floor, I’m not in the headspace for much talking. So I send her a message when I don't have my hands covered in silicone grease, and she replies when she can. No pressure. Just quiet reliability in a world full of noisy nonsense.
And now, speaking of noisy nonsense:
Let’s talk about my Instagram notes. Mine’s currently a very rational, very professional “PRUSA I3 MK3S+ BABAYYYY 🦅🦅🦅” — because, of course it is.
But right next to mine? The guy from that one Model UN couple — yes, them, again — has got some cheesy love song lyric from a terrible corporate farm pop song with almost too many heart emojis. One of those corporate romance tracks that sound like they were written by ChatGPT on Valentine’s Day. And I know some people would say, “Aww, that’s so cute.” And maybe, sometimes, it is. When I do it, it's just fine. But not in this case. Not when it’s this couple. Even if it’s something I do, when they do it, it’s annoying. Call it irrational. I call it consistent.
Maybe next week I’ll go out somewhere, see a few people, get some fresh air or whatever it is humans are meant to do. But for today, I just need to finish putting everything back together.
73,
Daniel