mike - Network

My latest blog post: Selling Products on Tindiehttps://mikecoats.com/selling-on-tindie/I'm now selling my electronics kits on Tindie!...

My latest blog post: Selling Products on Tindie

https://mikecoats.com/selling-on-tindie/

I'm now selling my electronics kits on Tindie! I've listed my Spy! Break! Inject! and VanSpoof projects as assembled products, kits and bare PCBs.

#electronics #eBike #hardware #openSource #reverseEngineering #vanMoof

My latest blog post: VanSpoof v1.0https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-v1-0/I'm happy to announce the v1.0 release of VanSpoof. My VanMoof...

My latest blog post: VanSpoof v1.0

https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-v1-0/

I'm happy to announce the v1.0 release of VanSpoof. My VanMoof X3 now starts up, without an e-shifter connected, and does not show an Error 44 status! The bike thinks it's connected to a working, functional, e-shifter!

#eBike #electronics #openSource #reverseEngineering #rustLang #stm32 #vanMoof

My latest blog post: VanSpoof - Prototype 2 - Shrunken PCBshttps://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-2-hardware/The VanSpoof PCB has to be...

My latest blog post: VanSpoof - Prototype 2 - Shrunken PCBs

https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-2-hardware/

The VanSpoof PCB has to be no bigger than 31.5 mm by 21.5 mm to fit. Unfortunately, Molex's SMD footprints are quite wide so the board needed a fair bit of layout work to make everything fit.

#eBike #electronics #hardware #openSource #reverseEngineering #vanMoof

@revk Following on from yesterday's saga, I've now been billed £21.96 for Import Charges.I paid the supplier 21.34EUR to source and...

@revk Following on from yesterday's saga, I've now been billed £21.96 for Import Charges.

I paid the supplier 21.34EUR to source and dispatch 14.96EUR of parts. At today's (volatile) exchange rate, UPS' brokerage fees are higher than the components' value. That's before you even include the legitimate import fees.

UPS can get in the fucking sea if they reckon I'm paying them ~25.64EUR of charges on a 21.34EUR order.

These are the quality of the scans they were able to provide when asking for more information. Really? In 2025, we're back at pre-fax...

These are the quality of the scans they were able to provide when asking for more information. Really? In 2025, we're back at pre-fax quality scans?

I'm sure @revk will be nodding along in agreement with me here, but UPS need to just get tae fuck!21.34EUR of electronic components from...

I'm sure @revk will be nodding along in agreement with me here, but UPS need to just get tae fuck!

21.34EUR of electronic components from Germany have been stopped for "customs checks" 3 times. I even explicitly selected DHL for this but part of the order was "helpfully" dispatched with UPS alongside.

My latest blog post: Stop the WANPTEK/NANKADF power supply's beepshttps://mikecoats.com/nankadf-power-supply-quiet/The WPS3010H is an...

My latest blog post: Stop the WANPTEK/NANKADF power supply's beeps

https://mikecoats.com/nankadf-power-supply-quiet/

The WPS3010H is an excellent piece of equipment to have on the bench. It has one fatal flaw, beeping on every interaction, but do you really own anything if you don't modify it?

#hardware #power

Hi @3dprinting folks, I’m looking for some advice about 3D printing services and your group was...

Hi @3dprinting folks, I’m looking for some advice about 3D printing services and your group was recommended.

https://mikecoats.social/@mike/114240681240040761

Does anyone have any reviews, pointers or recommendations?

Dear #lazyWeb & #lazyFedi,I've built a small model in @OpenSCAD and I'm looking to get it 3D printed. Does anyone have any...

Dear #lazyWeb & #lazyFedi,

I've built a small model in @OpenSCAD and I'm looking to get it 3D printed. Does anyone have any recommendations for 3D printing services?

I'd like it printed with a decent bit of mechanical performance. It will get wet, it will probably get oily and grimy. Part of it will be under "reasonable" compression load.

Are PCBWay or JLC any good? What about Treatstock? UK or EU preferred.

Personal experiences desired! I know how to Google/DDG.

#3DPrinting #3DPrinter

It's going to be a shame not to see my latest PCB in funky purple, what with all the trade and customs shenanigans across the pond....

It's going to be a shame not to see my latest PCB in funky purple, what with all the trade and customs shenanigans across the pond. @aislerhq are taking the sting off it though, with a pretty decent discount code on the go. Looking forward to my new boards arriving!

https://aisler.social/@aislerhq/114224379909040657

That's much better! The 4-wire socket for VanMoof e-shifters is a Molex PicoBlade series connector, 53398-0471.I can now happily and...

That's much better! The 4-wire socket for VanMoof e-shifters is a Molex PicoBlade series connector, 53398-0471.

I can now happily and safely order my new PCBs, with the correct socket footprint.

That beige connector is my brand new JST socket. The original white socket is definitely not the same size or pitch!My next guess is if the...

That beige connector is my brand new JST socket. The original white socket is definitely not the same size or pitch!

My next guess is if the socket's not a JST then it's probably a Molex! The closest pitch that Molex do is 1.25mm -well within my eyeballing-it-with-some-digital-callipers tolerance.

Just avoided a very costly mistake. 🫣I'd assumed these connectors were "probably" JST, so measuring the pitch as about 1mm...

Just avoided a very costly mistake. 🫣

I'd assumed these connectors were "probably" JST, so measuring the pitch as about 1mm I reckoned they were JST-SR/SH. Before I ordered up some fresh PCBs, I though I'd better pick up a couple of sockets to double check.

I'll have stickers with me, so track me down if you want to add to your collection. I'll also be bringing a limited quantity of...

I'll have stickers with me, so track me down if you want to add to your collection. I'll also be bringing a limited quantity of "Spy! Break! Inject!" kits with me so if you want to swap dev boards, or if you have a cool project you think could use one, hit me up! Anything left over will be popped on my Tindie store once I get home, so don't worry if you miss me.

There are so many great talks on during the day that I'm sure to see folks popping in and out, but I'll also be in Edinburgh the...

There are so many great talks on during the day that I'm sure to see folks popping in and out, but I'll also be in Edinburgh the night before and I'll be around on the morning of day 2, so if anyone wants to meet up, give me a shout. Tickets are still available, and from the sounds of the Discord server there's folks meeting up on Wednesday in London then traveling north on Thursday.

https://2025.oshwa.org/attend/

A lot of you will have got the gist of things from my blog posts over the past few months, but this talk will round off all the work...

A lot of you will have got the gist of things from my blog posts over the past few months, but this talk will round off all the work I've put in and tie it all together as a single thread. I'm on at 5:30 PM on Friday 30th May, so if the intersection of geeky and bikes interests you, please come along!

https://2025.oshwa.org/talks/210-mike-coats/

I've been doing so much work on the project itself that I've not managed to do any of my PR yet, but I'm excited to announce...

I've been doing so much work on the project itself that I've not managed to do any of my PR yet, but I'm excited to announce that I'm presenting at @oshwassociation's Open Hardware Summit 2025. My talk's titled "VanSpoof and F**dG3ar: Reverse engineering proprietary bike components to prevent e-waste" and covers everything involved in designing replacement, open source, parts to repair VanMoof e-bikes.

“Keir Starmer says he ‘likes and respects’ Donald Trump” 🤮That’s fine, I neither like nor respect Keir...

“Keir Starmer says he ‘likes and respects’ Donald Trump” 🤮

That’s fine, I neither like nor respect Keir Starmer.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/23/keir-starmer-says-he-likes-and-respects-donald-trump

My latest blog post: Low Tech Prototypinghttps://mikecoats.com/low-tech-prototyping/My existing prototypes are too big to fit on the bike,...

My latest blog post: Low Tech Prototyping

https://mikecoats.com/low-tech-prototyping/

My existing prototypes are too big to fit on the bike, so I turn to one of my favourite low tech prototyping methods; 1:1 scale models in card and fibreboard!

#eBike #electronics #hardware #prototyping #vanMoof

I'd never heard of North Hyde before this morning, but I'm pretty sure I know where their sub-station is now.

I'd never heard of North Hyde before this morning, but I'm pretty sure I know where their sub-station is now.