Hackaday Podcast Episode 384: OCR MOD Records, Magical PCBs, and the Gravity of Space Stations

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What did Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Al Williams read in Hackaday last week? Probably everything, but you can tune in and hear about their favorites on this week’s podcast. They heard from lots of listeners this week, and also saw DIY projects running from a 3D-printed Stirling engine, to clogs, to LEDs.There are some over-the-top hacks like a refit for a decades-old watch to do tap-to-pay and a — for lack of a better word — a record player that optically reads MOD files. Want to emulate an iPod? Talk to Eliza? Print a hand-operated rail car? Hackaday is the place to read about it all.The can’t miss articles included a talk from Hackaday Europe about making magical PCBs and a not-so-brief history of space stations starting in the 1800s.Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!Direct download in MP3 suitable for hand-decoding.Where to Follow Hackaday PodcastPlaces to follow Hackaday podcasts:iTunesSpotifyStitcherRSSYouTubeCheckout our Libsyn landing pageEpisode 384 Show Notes:Mailbag:[Joshua Wiebe] had questions about using MOSFETs to drive motors. The guys had their thoughts, but feel free to send in yours.[Jake Wachlin] wanted to talk about using AI in projects.[Caleb Butler] spammed us, but all in fun.[Alexander] wrote in to response to last week’s podcast talking about his experiece with an ultrasonic knife.Got something to say? Send an e-mail or an audio clip to mailbag@hackaday.com.News:Announcing The 2026 Hackaday Retrocomputing ChallengeLinux Fu: The Old School TerminalSupercon 2026!Interesting Hacks of the Week:Thermoacoustic Stirling Engine Is Now Fully 3D PrintableThermoacoustic engines paper (pdf)Thermoacoustic OrganA DIY Pulse Tube Cryocooler In The Quest For Home-Made Liquid NitrogenStraight Talk On 3D Printing Footwear At HomeThe Shutter Makes This 3D Printed Camera SpecialMaking LEDs In The Home FabEncoding MOD Files Optically On Paper, Because Amiga’s Legacy Will Outlast M-DisksThe Casio F-91W As A Contactless Payment Device.Quick Hacks:Elliot’s Picks:Making An LCD UI Look More Like Classic Indicator LampsEmulating The iPodQuest VR Headset Becomes Unlocked HardwareAl’s Picks:Artificial Intelligence As It Once WasNeo-Cyclostyle: Automatic Document Copying Devices In 18903D Printing A Railway Pump CarCan’t-Miss Articles:Hackaday Europe 2026: PCBs With A PlotAn Early History Of Space Stations: The Brick Moon Made RealAn Early History Of Space Stations: Where’s My Wheel?