We’ll start this week off with some disappointing, though not entirely unexpected, news — the ambitious commercial mission to save NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is officially a bust. The …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/08/23/hackaday-links-august-23-2026/)

3D Printing a Railway Pump Car
https://hackaday.com/2026/08/23/3d-printing-a-railway-pump-car/

A staple of old movies featuring railways, many handcars – also called pump trolleys or pump cars – feature the characteristic seesawing beam. Requiring at least two people, the motion …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/08/23/3d-printing-a-railway-pump-car/)

Neo-Cyclostyle: Automatic Document Copying Devices in 1890
https://hackaday.com/2026/08/23/neo-cyclostyle-automatic-document-copying-devices-in-1890/

Document duplication has been a highly desirable feature, long before medieval monks slaved over yet another illuminated manuscript by flickering candle light. Fortunately one part of the Industrial Revolution was …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/08/23/neo-cyclostyle-automatic-document-copying-devices-in-1890/)

The Casio F-91W As A Contactless Payment Device.
https://hackaday.com/2026/08/24/the-casio-f-91w-as-a-contactless-payment-device/

The Casio F-91W digital watch is perhaps one of the most successful pieces of consumer electronics ever made, having quietly supplied the essential function of an inexpensive and accurate LCD …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/08/24/the-casio-f-91w-as-a-contactless-payment-device/)

Making Better Rubies At Home
https://hackaday.com/2026/08/24/making-better-rubies-at-home/

Sapphires and rubies aren’t just pretty, they also got a range of practical uses. This makes it even more useful to be able to make them at home for obviously …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/08/24/making-better-rubies-at-home/)