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41
Software Tools / Re: Experiences, thoughts and rants about using Linux as a newbie after Windows
« Last post by sorveltaja on February 24, 2026, 02:15:25 PM »
So I replaced Mint Mate with Debian: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-13.3.0-amd64-netinst.iso

It really doesn't appear to be that different from server-based one, that I tried earlier; about the same amount of basic apps installed out of the box. 

What comes to appimages, although they include all dependency files, they may not work, if required version of fuse-related components aren't already installed.

On the other hand, another form of portable apps is to use either zipped or tarball (.tar.bz2) versions, if available. They don't seem to require mounting, or any extra system components to be installed, to be able to work.

An example in this case is Waterfox: https://cdn.waterfox.com/waterfox/releases/6.6.8/Linux_x86_64/waterfox-6.6.8.tar.bz2

To use it, first that file needs to be extracted. In file manager --> right-click --> extract here. Resulting folder is 'waterfox'.
In that folder is a file 'waterfox-bin', which is the actual executable. If it doesn't launch by double clicking, make sure that it has permission to do so, by right-clicking it --> permissions --> Allow executing file as program.

Another example is Mercury browser. which is a fork of Firefox: https://github.com/Alex313031/Mercury/releases

I've used it as a secondary web browser since I started using Linux almost a year ago. It has never required anything extra system components to be installed either; it just works. Unfortunately it's bit outdated, but nevertheless, it has worked well for me.
42
Project Logs / Re: Electronic Leadscrew for the New Lathe
« Last post by Country Bubba on February 24, 2026, 06:56:08 AM »
On the top of the list is to make an electric coil winder. I want to make several coils for another project down the road and it will need several cols of possibly hundreds of turns and produce reasonably consistent magnetic results. That project will possibly require other nano projects to be determined as I go along. 
As another hobby is 3D printing, it allows me to go off into the weeds of possibilities and who knows where I will end up? :doh: :Doh:
Anything to keep my mind active as the body can't do what we used to 40-50 years ago.

43
Member Videos / Re: My week this week, my workshop videos!
« Last post by hermetic on February 23, 2026, 11:31:48 AM »
Hi Folks,

I have finished my annual hibernation and ventured back to the windswept wastes of Langtoft! Two little jobs, and back on the D type replica, workshop is lovely warm and tidy, so unless it snows, and as we come to the end of February thatis less likely, I will be posting videos again, weekly if I can get enough together, Hope you enjoy this weeks bag!
Phil, in cold windy East Yorkshire!
44
Project Logs / Re: Electronic Leadscrew for the New Lathe
« Last post by vtsteam on February 23, 2026, 09:55:05 AM »
Thanks Art! :beer:

What kind of projects do you have in mind?
45
Project Logs / Re: Electronic Leadscrew for the New Lathe
« Last post by Country Bubba on February 23, 2026, 06:22:34 AM »
Thank you for this information. I have not heard that before and have some projects coming up using the nano.  Will have to keep this in mind! 
46
Project Logs / Re: Electronic Leadscrew for the New Lathe
« Last post by vtsteam on February 22, 2026, 08:13:24 PM »
Discovered a little problem today with the Arduino Nano. One of the switches that set the thread pitch wasn't actually working. The six switches I have are labeled A through F. The F switch was the problematic one. I hadn't noticed this earlier since it is mainly used for the last threads in my lookup table -- the coarsest metric threads, and I hadn't tested those yet.

The way things are supposed to work -- pushing any switch to "on" basically grounds it's connected pin in the Arduino. Specifically, my switch F grounds pin D13 on the little computer. But my program wasn't seeing that happening when I flipped the switch.

After doing some electrical testing and not finding anything wrong with the wiring, or the switch, I searched the web for "Pin D13", and sure enough, there were several user issues about a Nano's pin D13 as problematic for input!  Apparently, this a known  issue.  :bang:

The reason, it turns out, is that on the nano this pin is attached to a resistor in series with a LED that is connected to ground. The function of that LED is so people can program these boards to run simple programs that flash it as a demonstration -- in fact the most basic program almost everyone starts with when they get one of these boards is called "Blinky" and it blinks that LED.

To do this the Blinky program converts Pin D13 into an output pin. This pin can either be programmed as an input or an output type. I am using it as an input. Unfortunately, the connection to a resistor and LED and then to ground makes it unresponsive as an input, though supposedly you can add a pullup resistor to +5V and get it to work that way. Recommended is a fairly small resistor since the LED is sinking a lot of current (relatively). But no actual value is given.

I tried a 10K and when that din't work, a 4.7K pullup but nothing changed. Finally I got mad at this road blocking #&%! circuitry and applied my soldering iron to the LED's series resistor -- a tiny surface mount speck, and just flicked it off of the board!   :zap:

SUCCESS! Testing again, switch F now works, and I can select all of the metric pitches that I've programmed in.  :thumbup:
47
Software Tools / Re: Experiences, thoughts and rants about using Linux as a newbie after Windows
« Last post by vtsteam on February 22, 2026, 05:36:29 PM »
Yes I agree, all of the appimages I have used were from github, where everything is very transparent. That is where the source code is kept, and issues can be logged, and also the original authors are the ones who have posted and maintained the code there.

Also, a lot of large single application websites also now host appimages for their own applications on their own download page and those are trustworthy.

But third party websites aren't as trustworthy since who knows where the code they are hosting comes from?
48
Member Videos / OKMO Retrol B02 Miniature Gas Petrol Hit & Miss Engine First Start Up & Running
« Last post by Jim Dobson on February 22, 2026, 04:40:17 PM »
OKMO Retrol B02 Miniature Gas Petrol Hit & Miss Engine First Start Up & Running

This is the best out of the box Hit & Miss engine experience that I have had, just an absolutely awesome engine from Jin.


49
Software Tools / Re: Experiences, thoughts and rants about using Linux as a newbie after Windows
« Last post by sorveltaja on February 22, 2026, 03:07:29 PM »
Yeah, I pretty much like the idea of appimage. I went and searched Waterfox one, and thought that 'appimagehub' was a legit source.

Anyway, when launching the expected browser app downloaded from that site, it showed only a text file, which begins like that:

Code: [Select]
!!!DON'T USE APPIMAGEHUB!!!

        .--.         _
       |o_o |       | |
       |:_/ |       | |
      //   \ \      |_|
     (|     | )      _
    /'\_   _/`\     (_)
    \___)=(___/

**Many AppImages on the platform come from unknown or suspicious users.**
I have no idea of what's going on that website, or is it a scam or prank or whatever. So obviously one has to be careful where to download appimages.

On a positive note, there is a site, where the actual Waterfox appimage (among many other apps) is available. I tested it, and it worked right away.

This is about a single app, but it seems that Github-related sites might be more thrustworthy  trustworthy source:

https://appimage.github.io/
50
Member Videos / Re: Stepperhead CNC Lathe Cutting Threads
« Last post by vtsteam on February 21, 2026, 08:39:55 PM »
That makes sense and it's nice to have a consistent spindle speed for more reasons than just threading. I know what you mean about doing something when the workshop warms up. Cabin fever here, waiting for winter to break its grip. This next week shows no sign of that happening. I was hoping to have my new electronic change gear finish mounted to the lathe in the next few days if I get a break from the snow plowing and bouts of bitter cold.
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