This Website!
I coded this website using Astro, a free web framework, and hosted it on Cloudflare Pages. https://astro.build/
Self-hosted photo server
I created a photo server to self-host my pictures online. The server runs on a compact PC in my home. I'm currently using Immich to host my media and Cloudflare Tunnels to reverse-proxy the server to the internet. This lets me access my entire media collection from anywhere in the world without paying for a subscription, such as Google Drive storage. Take a look: https://photos.benxavier.me/share/uiWu4iEhcqr9fSY4XxIg0Qe0ryBfFXQlXvG2eBMFvPBWlEizn2yktJ-Mb5pccRb6Z1M
100W Bluetooth speaker with huge custom battery
A high-power Bluetooth speaker built with a battery pack made from used 18650 cells in a 6S6P configuration. The cells' capacities were matched with the help of AI.
2004 Volvo V70R
All of the things I've done to my current car.
Machining
Here are some of my favourite parts that I've machined on vertical mills and lathes. Some have many features with tight tolerances, so I used micrometers, dial indicators, bore gauges, and other measuring tools to ensure accuracy.
2008 Honda Fit
Things I built and did on my second car.
Heated car seat
A seat heater built using a car cushion with a toaster heating element stretched across its length and powered by a custom PWM circuit.
2003 Toyota Corolla
Modifications I made to my first car.
Minibike
My favourite project and arguably my most reliable vehicle.
Motorcycles
A look at the motorcycles I've owned that needed repairs.
Weather station
A temperature and humidity sensor built using a DHT22 sensor and an Arduino Nano.
12V inverter modification
I converted a 220 V inverter to 120 V by replacing the transformer and adding variable-duty-cycle control to the output.
Drill battery with custom charger
I breathed new life into a drill with a failed nickel-cadmium battery by building a custom lithium battery pack and charger.
Mini piano
A mini piano built using four dual op-amps to generate eight tones. I never completed the project because the op-amp outputs interfered with each other, distorting certain frequencies.
Arc Speaker
A speaker that plays music by changing the frequency of a high-voltage arc. A flyback transformer generates the arc, and a 555 timer controls its frequency.
Laptop battery
Built a replacement laptop battery after the original failed.
Various Custom Battery Packs
Custom lithium battery packs built with USB-C PD capabilities to power laptops and phones up to 100W.
Go Kart
This go-kart was my first project using a welder. The frame was built from square steel tubing and used wheelbarrow wheels. The steering setup was made without bearings or Heim joints. The go-kart was powered by a brushed DC motor salvaged from a treadmill, using a modified controller with additional MOSFETs and heat sinks to handle much higher power.
Battery Spot Welder
A spot welder powered by a 12 V car battery and used to weld nickel strips to lithium cells.
100W camping lantern
An outdoor camping lantern built using a 100 W COB LED, a custom heat sink, and a 3S lithium battery pack.
Lichtenberg figures
I burned patterns into cutting boards by applying high voltage from microwave transformers to wood covered with saline solution.
Amplifiers
Speaker amplifiers built using fully discrete circuits. The first is a Class AB amplifier. I never finished the second, a Class D amplifier, because shoot-through caused excessive power consumption.
Induction heaters
A small and a large induction heater built using film capacitors and hand-wound inductors. I designed them to use zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) circuits to power the coils.
Binary counter
A binary counter built using TI SN74HC112 JK flip-flops and a 555 timer to generate the clock signal.
AC voltage detector
A non-contact voltage detector built using five NPN transistors in a Darlington configuration. An LED lights up when AC voltage is detected.
My first perfboard circuit
An astable multivibrator circuit with two power transistors, designed to power flyback transformers.
High-voltage generators, electric lighters, and stun guns
I liked experimenting with high voltage when I was younger. I made several handheld electric lighters and stun guns using both off-the-shelf modules and custom circuits.
Underwater Scooter
A handheld underwater scooter powered by a custom-built 5S lithium battery using 21700 cells and a ducted brushless motor. I never completed this project because of motor issues.
Cardboard Box Minifridge
Built using a Peltier module and two computer heat sinks and insulated with pink home insulation, this cooler maintained a temperature of 4°C. The project was powered by a 12 V power supply and controlled by a thermostat module.
E-bikes
Two custom e-bikes I built using electric conversion kits.
Foot Heater
The evolution of what is now one of my most frequently used projects.
Electric Scooters
Big and small, fast and slow, my electric scooters were some of my most intricate projects before I started university.