BREAKING GOOD

Tech Autopsies

(I have, up until now, been calling this a breakerspace. However, over the course of the sessions, I’m finding that this title illicits a generally less inquisitive, smash over disassemble response from our Terrors)

I first got into electronics by taking things apart…taking everything apart, that is! Occasionally I even managed to put them back together again…though rarely in the same order! So to avoid getting in trouble (well avoid some trouble, anyway) I restricted my tech autopsies to geek trash finds…junk treasures that I found sitting at the curb or dragged from the dusty corners of basements and garages of friends and relations! It’s a wonderfully satisfying and informative way to find out how things work without worrying about breaking it…because…well, it’s already broken!

We have our roaming Tech Morgue located in the hallway just outside the French Room…lots of room to work…as long as we keep out of the high traffic areas!?

Safety First!

NO POWER! NOTHING SHOULD BE PLUGGED IN or powered up when you take it apart! So double check that it’s unplugged and that any batteries have be removed before you start your autopsy, please!

If you really have to force or pry things apart…WEAR EYE PROTECTION…little parts can fly up and hit you in the face…I’ve got the scars to prove it!

If you’re working on something sharp…WEAR GLOVES… the insides of technology are meant easy on electricity but not on fingers… they can be very rough and SHARP…USE YOUR BRAIN and wear gloves if you think that might be the case with your autopsy victim.

PLEASE Try to take thing apart carefully rather than just tearing them to pieces….there are some great parts in there that we’ll want to use for cool projects later. Try not to cut wires unless they’re soldered…if there’s a connector try to disconnect that rather than cutting or ripping the wires….have a look at the secret service manuals and they can tell you all about what’s what…use your Google-fu to find them online and get to know your autopsy victims inside and out!

Let me introduce some of this years’ Tech Autopsy victims: