Internet of Things - IoT - Tools Coming Together - PTC, Thingworx, Axeda.

Blogged before about IoT tools. Ecosystem is growing. Conferences growing. Push by players coming together. PTC, Thingworx, Axeda.
PTC , Thingworx and Axeda.

Grub Hoe Trenching

Needed to dig around a post to get it out of our garden. The post was embedded deep in a poured concrete mounting. Had to dig down at least three feet to get to bottom of post (under the concrete mounting). Pulled the post out of the diggings using a cable attached to our Toyota Highlander. [Always use an anti-whipping blanket during such pulls in case of cable failure, even when using a high strength cable, like the 3000lb ¼” I was using.]

Would have thought a nine inch shovel/spade was a good idea for such diggings, but though it was a great starter for cutting the surface sod (and some roots), it was a poor way to dig deeper. Post hole digger was not quite right to do the job (heavy and limited breadth). The hole was more of a circular trench, so looked at trenching options. Most say to get a machine to dig all but the shallowest and shortest trenches.

Came across an article about grub hoes. http://www.easydigging.com/Garden_Tool/Grub_Hoe_Grubbing.html

Has description of grub hoe and some nice instructions about how to dig a trench. The grub hoe seemed a bit rare and dear, and somewhat heavy for a short bit of work.

Had a standard six inch hoe in my tool shed. Standard hoe looks like the grub hoe, but is of the typical light weight construction. Turns out light is good. Our soil below the sod is somewhat sandy (clay might warrant a true grub hoe), and the standard hoe (used according to the grub hoe trenching instructions) worked like a charm.
 

Ultracapacitor Supercapacitor Tools

Popular Science DIY supercap screwdriver (and useful links therein)
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2008-02/make-instant-charge-screwdriver

Also useful links herein... see tools, portable use section
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_double-layer_capacitor

Coleman FlashCell - came and went...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/4223118

Supercapacitor screwdriver comes up as a half baked idea...
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Supercapacitor_20Cordless_20Screwdriver

There are problems:

• Low voltages
• Series cell balancing issues
• Brief (millisecond) blips in charging voltage can do damage
• Linear capacity means energy in under 1V range goes forever unused/wasted
• Fast self discharge