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In a previous article I showcased a simple home server built around an Odroid XU4, which I dismantled soon after migrating to a full-size desktop computer. However, having the Odroid laying around unused was a bit of a waste and I recently started needing a secondary file server to store data backups. So I decided to build a new server with the single board computer

Mounting a USB dock to the back of my laptop stand using 3D printed parts designed in FreeCAD.

One day I got fed up with my solder spool rolling around all the time so I designed this simple spool holder in Fusion360 and 3D printed it.

Compared to other countries, Japan did not enforce a strict lockdown on its population during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, most bars and restaurants continued their operations as usual. However, in order to prevent the spread of the virus as much as possible, the staff of my local pub printed out signs asking customers to not leave their table without wearing a mask.

Over the years, I have built multiple IoT devices ranging from AC controllers to ceiling lights. Usually, I would control those devices using my smartphone or computer but sometimes a physical button can be more convenient. Thus, I designed this simple IoT button which publishes MQTT messages when pressed.

Although probably in the decline, infrared is a common way to remotely control household appliances such as air conditioners or TVs. Being able to turn on an AC unit without leaving the sofa is definitely comfortable, but sometimes it would be even better to be able to do it before even getting home. In order to control those various appliances, I designed a simple WiFi controlled IR emitter.

I am not much of a cook so salads are usually one of my favorite options for a healthy meal. So, just like for everything else, I started wondering if I could make my own. However, I don't have access to a garden so I started looking into solutions to grow vegetables indoors. I settled for hydroponics, which seemed to provide a good balance between yield and operational hassle. Specifically, I went for a Deep Water Culture type of hydroponic system as it is usually considered easy for beginners to setup.

RFID tags are great but often easy to lose. To solve this problem, I designed this case for an RFID tag, which can be worn on one's wrist using a standard watch strap. The case was designed using Fusion360 and then 3D printed.

I got myself a fume extractor but it takes a rather large amount of real-estate on my desk. I decided to mount it on an arm so that I could easily move it out of the way so I designed and 3D printed an attachment bracket for it.

Having one's own server provides the ability to run web services 24/7. However, having a computer running all the time can significantly increase one's electricity bill. The objective of this project was to build a low power home server capable of running common software (Apache, Node.js, etc.) while only consuming little power.