https://www.facebook.com/882267441647350/

zachs.projects

CNC, 3D printing & Laser Engraving personal projects

03/17/2026

Word Clock V2 – February 2021

So here it is. Version 2. I love how my first version of my WordClock performs, but when I saw they make 32x64 RGB LED matrices, I had to take it to the next level. I thought about the possibility to add the date to the clock and set about making it a reality. Like the first version, the clock is controlled by a Raspberry Pi, and runs a custom python script to display the current time and date from a RTC. Also like the old one, it wishes you a happy birthday and happy anniversary when applicable. The cherry shell was darkly stained, and the clock can now either sit on a flat surface or hang nicely from a wall thanks to it being thinner. A recent addition is a light sensor to automatically adjust the brightness of the matrix because I didn’t like how harsh/bright it was at night.

02/06/2026

United States Wall Art - May 2023

This wall art was created for my brother to track his travels with individual pins. Engraved on my CNC out of a sheet of plywood, he sanded it and stained it nicely before hanging it on the wall.

02/04/2026

Word Clock - March 2020

This was my first pandemic project! Like many of you, I found myself home during the pandemic with a lot of free time, and to fill my time, I decided to try my hand at some programming. I created this word clock using a 32x32 LED matrix and a Raspberry Pi microcomputer. There are commercial versions of this, but they struck me as useless, having only the ability to display the time in 5-minute increments (plus who doesn't love a good challenge). My design enables you to know the exact time down to the minute, as well as wishes you a happy birthday and happy anniversary when applicable. The clock is enclosed in a darkly stained walnut box and has been my primary desk clock since its creation. It is not meant to be a word search, since you're only intended to read what is lit up, but bonus points if you can find my name in the grid!

02/03/2026

Roberto Clemente Cookie Bridge - August 2025

When a friend messages and asks if you're willing to 3D print a replica of the Roberto Clemente Bridge for her cookie table at her wedding, you obviously immediately say yes.

After agreeing, I went searching for models but wasn't happy with anything that existed. I did some digging and found a high resolution architectural scan of the real thing, and worked to convert that to be printable. It took a couple of days, but I ended up with something I was pretty happy with.

I printed it in segments and then assembled it, allowing it to far exceed the size of my print bed. After more than 72 hours of total printing, I had a large cookie table able to support plenty of pizzelles.

02/02/2026

Pittsburgh Skyline – January 2021

This Pittsburgh skyline made of cast acrylic as well as the walnut base it sits in were cut out on my Shapeoko 3 XXL CNC router. Individually addressable LEDs make the acrylic glow from underneath and are controlled by an ESP8266 microcontroller using WLED. The LEDs can show just solid colors, or each
individual LEDs color can be controlled for effects. Additionally, the skyline can be controlled via Alexa (like a lot of my projects). It took about 8 months to turn this thought into a reality, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.

02/01/2026

In acts of kindness big and small, our faithfulness to God causes a ripple effect that not only influences the present, but generations to come. ❤️

Address

Pittsburgh, PA

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when zachs.projects posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company in Pittsburgh?