Maker Projects
Hands-on builds with materials, steps, troubleshooting, and AI enhancements. Filter by board and skill level.
Tool Review: Digital Calipers — The Unsexy Essential
Why a $20–40 caliper beats another roll of filament for functional parts — and how to use it in an AI CAD loop.
Tool Review: Mosquitto as a Workshop MQTT Broker
Why a boring Mosquitto install on a Pi beats cloud IoT dashboards for a home lab full of ESP32 nodes.
Tool Review: OrcaSlicer for Functional Prints
Profiles, calibration flows, and when OrcaSlicer is the right daily driver for PETG brackets—not just vase-mode art.
Tool Review: PlatformIO for ESP32 Makers (When It Beats Arduino IDE)
Environments, library pins, and CI — when PlatformIO is worth the learning curve for ESP32 work.
Getting Started with ESP32 for Beginners — First Project
Board choice, USB driver gotchas, blink + button, and how to structure your first real ESP32 project.
Maker Guide: Choosing Between Pi, ESP32, or Arduino for Your Project
A decision tree for real projects: power, realtime needs, networking, cost, and how many times you’ll reflash at midnight.
Local AI Setup on Raspberry Pi for Offline Maker Tools
What a Pi can actually run offline for code help and note Q&A — and when you should stop torturing a 8GB board.
Building a Custom CNC with ESP32 and 3D Printed Parts
When 3D-printed structure is fine, when it isn’t, and how an ESP32/GRBL-class controller fits a small CNC/plotter build.
Troubleshooting Common 3D Printing Issues with AI Assistance
How to use photos + slicer settings with an LLM without accepting “just increase temperature” as a religion.
Raspberry Pi + ESP32 Mesh Network Project for Smart Home
Pi as the brain, ESP32 nodes on ESP-NOW or MQTT — a realistic small-home mesh without buying a vendor lock-in hub.
AI-Powered Design Workflow: From Idea to 3D Print (Tools & Prompts)
A practical pipeline from napkin sketch → parametric script → slice → first print, with prompts that don’t invent fake M3 holes.
ESP32 Home Automation Project with Sensors and Relays
Safe low-voltage relay control, sensor reads, and a simple web UI — without setting your garage on fire.
Using AI to Generate 3D Models and Code for Makers
Where ChatGPT/Claude/local models shine for CAD scripts and firmware — and where they invent fasteners that don’t exist.
Raspberry Pi 5 as a 3D Printer Controller — Setup Guide
Klipper + Moonraker + Mainsail path on Pi 5: power, USB, cooling, and what not to cheap out on.
Rebooting averyjparker.com — From Classic Tech Tips to Modern Maker Tech
Why this site is pivoting to AI tools, 3D printing, Raspberry Pi, and ESP32 — and how the old archive stays useful.
Legacy Tech Archive: Best Old Windows Security Tips (Still Useful in 2026)
What still holds from the classic averyjparker.com security posts — least privilege, backups, and skepticism — with modern notes.
3D Printing Business Basics — From Hobby to Side Hustle
What actually sells, how to price filament and time, and the boring ops that keep a side hustle alive.
Newsletter & Free ESP32 Kit — How to Get Project Drops
Join the list, download the free 5-project ESP32 kit, and see what’s coming next on the maker calendar.