<![CDATA[TalkativeTurtles - Project Showcase]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/ Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:53:24 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Built a self-hosted bookmark manager with full-text search]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=119 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 20:35:25 +0000 Zero Two]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=119
What it does:
  • Save bookmarks via browser extension or API
  • Full-text search across title, description, and page content (fetches and indexes at save time)
  • Auto-tagging using a small local model that classifies into ~30 categories
  • RSS feed of saved links so you can subscribe from any reader
  • Duplicate detection

Stack: Go backend, SQLite with FTS5 for search, HTMX frontend, Docker Compose for deployment.

The FTS5 full-text search in SQLite is genuinely impressive for something with zero configuration. I was ready to reach for Meilisearch but did not need to.

What I learned: Fetching and parsing arbitrary web pages is a nightmare. About 30% of pages block headless requests, return paywalled content, or just have unreadable HTML. Added a fallback to just index the title and meta description.

Happy to share the repo if there is interest.]]>
What it does:
  • Save bookmarks via browser extension or API
  • Full-text search across title, description, and page content (fetches and indexes at save time)
  • Auto-tagging using a small local model that classifies into ~30 categories
  • RSS feed of saved links so you can subscribe from any reader
  • Duplicate detection

Stack: Go backend, SQLite with FTS5 for search, HTMX frontend, Docker Compose for deployment.

The FTS5 full-text search in SQLite is genuinely impressive for something with zero configuration. I was ready to reach for Meilisearch but did not need to.

What I learned: Fetching and parsing arbitrary web pages is a nightmare. About 30% of pages block headless requests, return paywalled content, or just have unreadable HTML. Added a fallback to just index the title and meta description.

Happy to share the repo if there is interest.]]> <![CDATA[[Project] Building a mechanical numpad with a custom PCB - from scratch]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=86 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:20:36 +0000 Zero Two]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=86
Why a numpad?
I switched to a TKL keyboard and immediately missed the numpad for data entry. Off-the-shelf ones are fine but this was a learning exercise - I wanted to understand the full hardware design pipeline.

Tools used:
  • KiCad 8 for schematic and PCB layout
  • JLCPCB for fabrication (5 PCBs for $12 including shipping)
  • Hotswap Kailh sockets so I can swap switches without soldering
  • Pro Micro (ATmega32U4) as the controller - cheap, well-supported by QMK

Design decisions:
Standard numpad layout with an extra rotary encoder in the top corner (volume control, media skip). Added per-key RGB underneath the hotswap sockets using SK6812 mini-E LEDs. USB-C connector instead of Micro-USB because it's 2026.

Mistakes made:
  • First PCB revision had the rotary encoder footprint mirrored - had to bodge-wire it
  • Forgot to add 100nF decoupling caps on the LED power lines - this caused flickering at high brightness, fixed in rev 2
  • Ordered switches before confirming the legend matched - ended up with blanks which I actually prefer

QMK firmware: Straightforward once you understand the config structure. The hardest part was the rotary encoder mapping - QMK handles it but the documentation is scattered.

Result: Works perfectly. Total cost about £40 including switches, keycaps, and PCBs. More importantly, I now understand PCB design well enough to attempt something more ambitious.

KiCad is free, JLCPCB is cheap, and the QMK ecosystem means firmware is handled - the barrier to custom keyboard hardware is lower than ever.]]>
Why a numpad?
I switched to a TKL keyboard and immediately missed the numpad for data entry. Off-the-shelf ones are fine but this was a learning exercise - I wanted to understand the full hardware design pipeline.

Tools used:
  • KiCad 8 for schematic and PCB layout
  • JLCPCB for fabrication (5 PCBs for $12 including shipping)
  • Hotswap Kailh sockets so I can swap switches without soldering
  • Pro Micro (ATmega32U4) as the controller - cheap, well-supported by QMK

Design decisions:
Standard numpad layout with an extra rotary encoder in the top corner (volume control, media skip). Added per-key RGB underneath the hotswap sockets using SK6812 mini-E LEDs. USB-C connector instead of Micro-USB because it's 2026.

Mistakes made:
  • First PCB revision had the rotary encoder footprint mirrored - had to bodge-wire it
  • Forgot to add 100nF decoupling caps on the LED power lines - this caused flickering at high brightness, fixed in rev 2
  • Ordered switches before confirming the legend matched - ended up with blanks which I actually prefer

QMK firmware: Straightforward once you understand the config structure. The hardest part was the rotary encoder mapping - QMK handles it but the documentation is scattered.

Result: Works perfectly. Total cost about £40 including switches, keycaps, and PCBs. More importantly, I now understand PCB design well enough to attempt something more ambitious.

KiCad is free, JLCPCB is cheap, and the QMK ecosystem means firmware is handled - the barrier to custom keyboard hardware is lower than ever.]]> <![CDATA[[Project] My solar-powered remote weather station - build log]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=85 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:12:59 +0000 Zero Two]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=85
The goal: A weather station at the bottom of my garden, solar powered, transmitting data wirelessly to a Pi indoors, displayed on a simple web dashboard.

Hardware:
  • ESP32-S3 as the main controller
  • BME280 (temperature, humidity, pressure)
  • Anemometer and wind vane (cheap Amazon ones, turned out to be accurate enough)
  • Rain gauge (tipping bucket type)
  • 6V 2W solar panel
  • TP4056 lithium battery charger
  • 18650 cell as the buffer battery
  • Waterproof project box from Aliexpress

Power management: This was the hardest part. The ESP32 deep sleeps between readings (every 5 minutes). Wake, take readings, transmit via MQTT, sleep. Current draw in deep sleep: ~150uA. Awake and transmitting: ~200mA for about 2 seconds. Net daily consumption is very low - the 3000mAh 18650 easily survives cloudy winter days.

Enclosure issues: First version was not properly sealed - condensation got inside and killed the BME280. Second version added silica gel sachets and proper cable gland fittings. Has been running for 3 months now without issues.

Software:
  • ESP32 firmware in Arduino/PlatformIO
  • MQTT broker (Mosquitto) on the Pi
  • InfluxDB for time-series storage
  • Grafana for dashboards - the auto-generated weather graphs are genuinely nice

What I'd change: Use a proper RS485 anemometer instead of the cheap pulse-count one. The cheap one needs calibration and the cable run over 10m introduced noise.

Happy to share code or answer questions on any part of this.]]>
The goal: A weather station at the bottom of my garden, solar powered, transmitting data wirelessly to a Pi indoors, displayed on a simple web dashboard.

Hardware:
  • ESP32-S3 as the main controller
  • BME280 (temperature, humidity, pressure)
  • Anemometer and wind vane (cheap Amazon ones, turned out to be accurate enough)
  • Rain gauge (tipping bucket type)
  • 6V 2W solar panel
  • TP4056 lithium battery charger
  • 18650 cell as the buffer battery
  • Waterproof project box from Aliexpress

Power management: This was the hardest part. The ESP32 deep sleeps between readings (every 5 minutes). Wake, take readings, transmit via MQTT, sleep. Current draw in deep sleep: ~150uA. Awake and transmitting: ~200mA for about 2 seconds. Net daily consumption is very low - the 3000mAh 18650 easily survives cloudy winter days.

Enclosure issues: First version was not properly sealed - condensation got inside and killed the BME280. Second version added silica gel sachets and proper cable gland fittings. Has been running for 3 months now without issues.

Software:
  • ESP32 firmware in Arduino/PlatformIO
  • MQTT broker (Mosquitto) on the Pi
  • InfluxDB for time-series storage
  • Grafana for dashboards - the auto-generated weather graphs are genuinely nice

What I'd change: Use a proper RS485 anemometer instead of the cheap pulse-count one. The cheap one needs calibration and the cable run over 10m introduced noise.

Happy to share code or answer questions on any part of this.]]> <![CDATA[[Template] How to Write a Good Project Post]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=40 Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:42:20 +0000 Zero Two]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=40
Code:
Project name:
What it does (one sentence):
Why I built it:

Tech stack / tools used:
Status: [ ] Idea  [ ] WIP  [ ] Working prototype  [ ] Finished  [ ] Abandoned

Links:
- Source code:
- Live demo / download:
- Screenshots / video:

What was the hardest part:
What I would do differently:
What kind of feedback I want:

Tips for a good showcase post:
  • Lead with what the project does, not what it is. "A CLI that watches your filesystem and auto-compresses old logs" is more interesting than "a Rust project I made".
  • Include at least one visual - screenshot, GIF, or demo link. Posts without visuals get far less engagement.
  • Mention one thing that went wrong or surprised you. This makes posts infinitely more interesting to read.
  • Tell us what feedback you actually want. "Any thoughts?" gets you nothing useful. "Is the API design clean?" gets you a real conversation.
]]>
Code:
Project name:
What it does (one sentence):
Why I built it:

Tech stack / tools used:
Status: [ ] Idea  [ ] WIP  [ ] Working prototype  [ ] Finished  [ ] Abandoned

Links:
- Source code:
- Live demo / download:
- Screenshots / video:

What was the hardest part:
What I would do differently:
What kind of feedback I want:

Tips for a good showcase post:
  • Lead with what the project does, not what it is. "A CLI that watches your filesystem and auto-compresses old logs" is more interesting than "a Rust project I made".
  • Include at least one visual - screenshot, GIF, or demo link. Posts without visuals get far less engagement.
  • Mention one thing that went wrong or surprised you. This makes posts infinitely more interesting to read.
  • Tell us what feedback you actually want. "Any thoughts?" gets you nothing useful. "Is the API design clean?" gets you a real conversation.
]]> <![CDATA[[Rules] Project Showcase — Forum Rules]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=10 Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:34:07 +0000 Zero Two]]> https://talkativeturtles.club/showthread.php?tid=10 Project Showcase is for sharing things you have built - software, hardware, art, or anything in between.

Posting Rules:
  • It must be your own work (or a collaboration where you are an active contributor).
  • Write a meaningful description. Tell us what it does, why you built it, what stack or tools you used, and what was challenging.
  • Include a link, demo, screenshot, or video where possible. Posts with no visuals or link get far less engagement.
  • Feedback is a gift. When commenting, be constructive. Critique the work, not the person.
  • Commercial projects are allowed but must be disclosed as such. Hard sales pitches belong in Deals & Marketplace.
  • One showcase thread per project. Update your original post with new versions rather than creating duplicate threads.
]]> Project Showcase is for sharing things you have built - software, hardware, art, or anything in between.

Posting Rules:
  • It must be your own work (or a collaboration where you are an active contributor).
  • Write a meaningful description. Tell us what it does, why you built it, what stack or tools you used, and what was challenging.
  • Include a link, demo, screenshot, or video where possible. Posts with no visuals or link get far less engagement.
  • Feedback is a gift. When commenting, be constructive. Critique the work, not the person.
  • Commercial projects are allowed but must be disclosed as such. Hard sales pitches belong in Deals & Marketplace.
  • One showcase thread per project. Update your original post with new versions rather than creating duplicate threads.
]]>