Hitchin Hackspace
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hackhitchin.bsky.social
Hitchin Hackspace
@hackhitchin.bsky.social
190 followers 120 following 210 posts
An innovative space for makers to create using state of the art tools, in a transformed former public toilet. Come join us to do something out of the ordinary!
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hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 9th December, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
December 2, 2025 at 9:49 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 11th November, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
November 8, 2025 at 8:13 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 14th October, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
October 7, 2025 at 7:09 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 9th September, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
September 3, 2025 at 8:25 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
You can make fun things with them...
Hitchin hackspace's Gameboy Monumental is a huge up scale gameboy made using multiple recycled LED panels. It appears to be partially buried in the ground and stands nearly 3m tall. In the photo it almost fills the width of a corridor in an industrial building. There are people stood to the left and right of the Gameboy. The Gameboy joypad is at floor level and the lower button appears to be partially buried in the floor.
August 30, 2025 at 1:45 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 12th August, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
August 5, 2025 at 7:11 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 8th July, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
July 1, 2025 at 6:52 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 10th June, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
June 6, 2025 at 5:06 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 13th May, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
May 9, 2025 at 11:55 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Like this? Plus turn the brightness down? 😎🔅
Let the nocturnal tractor perusal commence ....
A screen shot of the eBay app settings screen to select the app theme. Available options are: Light: Always use Light theme Dark: Always use Dark theme. Battery saver: Use Dark theme. only when your device has Battery saver enabled. System default: Use the theme set in your device display settings.
May 2, 2025 at 8:42 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Tuesday, 8th April, is our monthly #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
April 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
A week on Tuesday, 8th April, is our next #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood. It should be at the pub, to help identify us, providing one of our members remembers to bring it!🤦‍♂️
March 29, 2025 at 8:00 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
We have had something of a hiatus with our #RepairCafe events run by #PlasticFreeHitchin and hosted at the #Hackspace. This was because of insurance issues... All sorted now. As there was a bit of a repair backlog our first event was invite only and held last Saturday with no pre publicity.
The open front door of the Hitchin Hackspace is in the centre of the image. The Hackspace is a single storey brick built building, a former public convenience. Just to the right of the door is a small square topped folding table with some handouts and flyers on it. To the right of the table is a "pop-up" banner about 2m tall with photos and information about the repair cafe events. A mechanical typewriter in need of some tlc is stood on a workbench. It's outer casing has been removed and the person holding the machine is working on the carriage of the typewriter. Their fingers show signs that the typewriter may have had a nibble / resisted the efforts to fix it. Another repair candidate, this time a sewing machine is being worked on. The lower bobbin compartment is open. The foot pedal is on the bench to the right in the foreground. A general view of the inside of the Hackspace. On the left are pairs of tables next to the wall with repairers sat at the tables working on items. At a second pair of tables some visitors are watching a repair underway. Just behind them, on the right of the central gangway are the Hackspace 3d printers sat on their storage cupboards. In the background are the doors through in to the wood/metal workshop area of the Hackspace.
March 17, 2025 at 8:03 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 11th March, is our next #HitchinHackspace Social Night, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
March 8, 2025 at 11:27 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 11th February, is the first #HitchinHackspace Social Night of 2025, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
February 7, 2025 at 6:54 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 14th January, is the first #HitchinHackspace Social Night of 2025, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
January 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 10th December, is the last #HitchinHackspace Social Night of 2024, at The Vic just down the road from the Hackspace, from 19:30/20:00.
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
December 7, 2024 at 8:57 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
We have a really cool new addition to our 3D printing facilities. A shiny new Bambu Carbon X1 with the additional AMS multi material feed system. If you would like to find out more come along to our next Monday open evening at #HitchinHackspace.
#3Dprinting #Hackspace
A picture of the new Bambu Carbon X1 3D printer. The machine is is a silver coloured box about 600mm tall, 500mm wide and 500mm deep. It has a snakes black door panel on the front and on the front top edge is a small black control panel with a touch screen LCD display. On top of the unit is the AMS system which contains four different spoils of printer filament. Mounted vertically there is an intricate mechanism that allows the printer to swap between different colours or types of filament mid print. The spools are covered by a curved clear plastic lid which allows the spools to be viewed. The printer is on top of a white cupboard about 1m tall which is against a wall. Behind the top of the printer is a strip of trunking with mains power outlets and network port sockets. On top of the trunking are a selection of multicoloured 3D printed parts from earlier projects and examples of what can be achieved with 3D printing. A picture of the Hackspace 3D printer bench which is made of two white cupboards with double doors metal handles. It is about 1 m high, 2.5m long and 1m deep. It is against a wall which has a strip of mains trunking with power and network sockets mounted in it. On the bench, from left to right, are our new Bambu Carbon X1 3D printer and two Creality Ender 5 Pro printers. The X1 is fully enclosed and the two Enders are more traditional open frame printers.
December 3, 2024 at 11:41 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 12th November, is this month's #HitchinHackspace Social Night at The Victoria from 19:30/20:00
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
November 8, 2024 at 6:03 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 8th October, is this month's #HitchinHackspace Social Night at The Victoria from 19:30/20:00
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
October 5, 2024 at 8:33 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, 10th September, is this month's #HitchinHackspace Social Night at The Victoria from 19:30/20:00
Look out for our sign, say hello and find out about your local #Hackspace over a refreshing beverage or two #Hitchin #Letchworth #Stevenage #Baldock
At the top of the image is the Hitchin Hackspace "H" logo in the centre of a circle. The H is at 45 degrees and the character has a square outline. The words "Hitchin Hackspace", along with the H in the circle, are laser engraved on to an A4 sized sheet of Birch plywood.
September 8, 2024 at 1:16 PM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Last pics for now.... The hand control in a special stand ready for use at Airbus on Saturday and a graphics function demo of a single panel showing Sonic the Hedgehog just to show what the screen panels are capable of.
A picture of the wired hand controller unit on a special sculptured stand. The stand looks like a pair of roughly sculpted hands gripping the controller, in the background is the GameBoy Monumental itself. A single display panel segment (0.5m high by 1m wide) with sonic the hedgehog stood on the ground in his game environment. Behind sonic is a sunflower and the ground rises up towards the right. This is in colour as you might expect to see Sonic on a Megadrive.
September 8, 2024 at 9:52 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Here is the back of the screen, the power supplies and associated cabling on a temporary frame and a picture of the screen running.
This picture is in the office side of the hackspace. There are office desks with chairs to the left and right. Against the wall is a steel frame constructed out of angled steel strip. Mounted on to the metal frame are six 500mm high by 1.5m wide plywood panels. each panel hs a fan cooled power supply with power cables going to each LED paner section. There are 8 PCBs per plywood panel wich connect to each LED panel and these are connected by wide grey ribbon cables in a daisy chain. The last link of the chain is a longer length of ribbon cable hanging down waiting to be connected to a commn point with the other 5 panels. A close up of a piece of stripboard connected to the wide ribbon cable. This is the panel driver board.It has a raspberry Pi Pico on it, a smaller ribbon cable and a DC power connection. There are 6 of these boards. The smaller ribbon cable goes on to the master Pico which drives the whole display. A closer view of the back of the display panel. A steel frame constructed out of angled steel strip. Mounted on to the metal frame are six 500mm high by 1.5m wide plywood panels. each panel hs a fan cooled power supply with power cables going to each LED paner section. There are 8 PCBs per plywood panel wich connect to each LED panel and these are connected by wide grey ribbon cables in a daisy chain. The last link of the chain is a longer length of ribbon cable which connects to a board with a pico on it. That has a smaller ribbon cable whhich connects to the master Pi Pico which can just be seen in the middle of the picture. The front side of the screen powered up and running in the hackspace. It in part emulates the front of the GameBoy case by displaying it as a graphic. For example the GemBoy's power/battery LED and legend is shown as part of the display. As are the red and blue lines at the top of the GAmeBoy front panel and the words "Dot Matrix with Stereo Sounds" The GameBoy's LCD screen itself is emulated in the middle of the LED Panel showing the Tertris Game.
September 8, 2024 at 9:48 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
Construction work started on making the outer shell and buttons.
The assembly takes shape. This image is in the hackspace workshop area. There are lot of benches and tools in the background. In the foreground is the Bosch strut aluminium spar frame. The bottom hafl, up to where the screen will be installed is cald in white panels. There is a cutout for the joypad and the large black joupad is patrialliy installed. on the blue tiled floor, to the bottom right of the fram and panels the two round buttons sit on the floor ready to be installed. The joypad button, which is about 500mm square, and the two round buttons sit on an old cardboard box in a garage and are painted in grey primer. A paintbrush loaded with grey paint sits to one side. In the background is an assortment of bicycles, trugs and other domestic garage contents.
September 8, 2024 at 9:44 AM
hackhitchin.bsky.social
There were some rough calculations for the size of the screen. In order for people to be able to play the GameBoy Monumental there would need to be a controller. One was designed by slicing the top off a cad model and then installing buttons / controls and a control wire.
A photograph of one of the hackspace whiteboards with preliminary sketches of the panels, how they might be arranged and a prototype of the sketch of the support frame. A cad model of the hand controller unit shell. It looks like the bottom half of a GameBoy which has been roughly cut at an angle of about 45 degrees just above the "+" joypad button up towards the top left. The cut "face" has a computer generated surface that looks a bit like a stone has fractured in to a rough faceted surface.
September 8, 2024 at 9:40 AM