Sean Hodgins

Summary

Sean Hodgins is a creator, maker, and host who documents his electronics and engineering projects on YouTube. He specializes in addressable LED projects, 3D printing, circuit board design, and CNC machining, often taking on complex technical challenges that push the boundaries of what's possible with consumer electronics. Operating out of his personal workshop, Sean faces ongoing technical challenges with three-phase power requirements for his equipment, which has resulted in what he describes as "a bit of a graveyard in the shop" of unusable machines. Sean is known for his iterative approach to projects, returning to old ideas with new techniques and significantly more ambitious implementations.

Sean follows a design philosophy he calls "SEA" — Simplify Everything Always — which he notes "also the first three letters of my name". This principle guides his approach to breaking down complex projects into manageable components. His technical capabilities span from low-level embedded programming to high-level system integration, working with tools like Raspberry Pi, Pixelblaze, and the Bambu Labs X1C 3D printer.

Sean maintains an active presence across multiple platforms including a second YouTube channel, Patreon, Discord, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, engaging with his audience through both content creation and community interaction. He also sells custom merchandise including the M.O.R.E. Token through his shop. As a maker, Sean demonstrates meticulous attention to detail and persistent problem-solving abilities, working through complex technical issues with systematic troubleshooting methods.

Workshop & Approach

Sean's presenting style is characterized by enthusiastic, hands-on documentation of his entire creative process, from initial inspiration through design challenges to final assembly. He takes viewers through both successes and failures with equal candor, sharing his problem-solving approach in real time. When reflecting on his original mask project, he remarks with genuine surprise: "was this really 5 years ago wow I think it's time for Mark 2," demonstrating his willingness to revisit and reimagine previous work.

His explanations balance technical detail with accessible enthusiasm, often pausing to share his excitement about tools and processes. For example, while discussing the Bambu Labs X1C 3D printer he received from the company, he notes: "by the way I think I just rediscovered my love for 3D printing this machine just works" — a moment that reveals both his genuine appreciation for reliable tools and his willingness to share sponsor relationships transparently.

Sean embraces ambitious, sometimes irrational creative impulses. When describing his decision-making process for the Black Rabbit LED Mask Project, he admits he chose to "irrationally order 9,000 LEDs on Alibaba," acknowledging the over-the-top nature of his approach while leaning into it completely. He frequently encounters novel challenges during his builds and documents them with a mix of humor and determination, as when he observes: "I've never soldered in 3D before" — highlighting the unprecedented technical challenges he creates for himself.

Sean's workflow typically moves from initial sketch to CAD modeling, followed by iterative test printing and assembly. When problems arise on camera, Sean continues forward rather than stopping work, often working through the night to meet self-imposed deadlines. His approach is to power through technical obstacles while documenting both successes and failures with equal transparency. He maintains humility about technical knowledge, admitting when discussing circuit board techniques: "I don't know if that's a real thing. I just whoever who taught me how to do circuit boards would say that."

Completed designs are shared publicly through platforms like MakerWorld and GitHub, making files available for others to build and modify. Sean draws inspiration from other makers in the community, particularly Ivan Miranda, Engineezy, and Wintergatan, and frequently acknowledges their influence on his work. His approachable style makes complex topics accessible to a wide range of viewers, combining technical instruction with engaging interactions that foster a collaborative learning atmosphere. Sean actively encourages community participation, inviting viewers to build and share their own versions of his designs, positioning them as fellow makers rather than passive consumers.

History

I Built the Craziest LED Mask

In this episode, Sean undertakes a complete reimagining of his Original Become Anyone Mask from five years earlier. Rather than simply improving the original design, he takes the concept in an entirely new direction by deciding: "I was thinking what if I made every panel of the Mask its own LED Matrix." This fundamental design shift leads to the creation of a mask with 2,960 individually addressable LEDs.

Sean documents his entire build process, including ordering 9,000 LEDs from Alibaba to ensure he has sufficient components for the ambitious project. He works extensively with PCBWay for custom PCB fabrication and utilizes the Bambu Labs X1C 3D printer for mask components, praising the printer's reliability to the point that he purchased two additional units after receiving the initial review unit.

The project incorporates several key technologies and tools in Sean's workflow, including Wintercroft mask designs as a base template for the geometric structure, Pixelblaze for LED control, and Raspberry Pi for processing. He references his earlier work with the Pixel Pixel, a tiny addressable LED matrix that demonstrates his ongoing focus on miniaturized LED technology, as well as the Christmas Tree of Death.

Throughout the build, Sean encounters unique technical challenges, including the need to solder components in three-dimensional space — an experience entirely new to him despite his extensive electronics background. He remarks "I've never soldered in 3D before", highlighting the novel challenges of connecting multiple PCB panels into a wearable structure. The project represents both a continuation of his previous work and a significant leap forward in complexity and scale, documented with his characteristic blend of technical detail and accessible enthusiasm. Sean makes his project files publicly available on GitHub in a repository titled "black_rabbit."

This 3D Printed Marble Machine Fits in your Hand

In this episode, Sean took on the challenge of creating a complete marble machine project with an extremely tight deadline. He remarks "it's another small toy Christmas is 4 days away so I haven't much time", working against the clock to complete the project before Christmas. He notes, "Nothing gets me more motivated like a tight deadline. I wasn't going to miss this year's holiday video."

Working with inspiration from fellow makers Ivan Miranda, Engineezy, and Wintergatan, whom he thanks for their inspiration, he documented his entire process from initial sketch through multiple print failures to final completion. Sean stayed up all night working through revisions rather than pausing the project, demonstrating both his technical problem-solving abilities and his commitment to meeting self-imposed deadlines.

Sean worked with his Bambu Labs X1C printers throughout the project, iterating through designs to create a marble machine that could be completely 3D printed and assembled with readily available off-the-shelf parts. His goal was to make the project accessible to his community, designing it so that "anyone and everyone can make one". The episode showcased his collaborative approach to making, as he made all design files freely available through MakerWorld and encouraged viewers to "try it yourself and uh please let me know."

The project was sponsored by PCBway, who provided custom 3D prints and machining services. Sean's willingness to share his creative process transparently, including documenting his failures and iterations, reinforced his commitment to community-driven making. He concluded by inviting his audience to not only build his design but also create their own variations, positioning his work within a broader community of creative builders.

Step 1: Buy a CNC Machine

In "Step 1: Buy a CNC Machine," Sean documented the complete acquisition and setup process of his new CNC Mill. He opened the episode announcing the machine's delivery, expressing particular enthusiasm because "it's one I can actually power in the shop", addressing his ongoing three-phase power limitations that had created what he described as "a bit of a graveyard in the shop" of unusable equipment.

Sean received assistance from James (Hacksmith) in transporting the machine, acknowledging this collaboration in the episode description and promoting Hacksmith's Smith Blade product. Once the CNC Mill arrived, Sean embarked on an extensive troubleshooting and cleaning process, committing to removing every chip from the machine with the declaration "I will get every last chip out of here." His methodical approach revealed multiple technical issues including problems with the machine's computer system, software compatibility challenges, and mechanical concerns.

Throughout the setup process, Sean demonstrated his systematic diagnostic methodology, working through each problem sequentially until achieving successful operation. The episode concluded with the machine producing its first parts—manufacturing M.O.R.E. Token units for his shop. Sean ended on a satisfied note, reflecting "Got to love making stuff" after completing the challenging setup and achieving his first production run. He continued promoting his various community platforms and thanked PCBWay for providing custom 3D printing, machining, and PCB services.

I Built A Tiny Model Train and it Nearly Broke My Brain

In this episode, Sean attempts to create the Shaunville Model Train Set, an extremely tiny model train Christmas ornament that would combine his interests in electronics, PCB design, and miniaturization. He begins by sharing his childhood connection to model trains: "When I was 8 years old, I got my first model train." He reveals that his first interaction with that train was to disassemble the controller, which he admits "was a casualty of 8-year-old John, who absolutely had to know what was going on inside everything." This early curiosity established a pattern he acknowledges continues to this day: "My brain never really worked in reverse. Once I took something apart, it stayed that way."

Working against a tight Christmas deadline, Sean faces significant time pressure. By December 19th-20th, he realizes, "I have less than a week to get this done, get the boards ordered, get it assembled." His concern about timing becomes acute: "It's the 19th. Wait, it's the 20th. I don't want to release this video after the 25th." This self-imposed deadline forces him to make rapid decisions when his initial design approach fails. Sean's primary technical challenge involves attempting to create an electromagnetic motor using PCB traces as coils. Despite multiple iterations and design changes, the PCB-based motor approach fails to generate sufficient torque to move the train. He documents this setback honestly, stating, "I am contemplating just showing the failure, setting up the little diarama thing and doing that. But I can't do that. I have to think of a solution."

This refusal to accept defeat leads him to abandon the PCB motor entirely in favor of a simpler magnetic drive system using an ESP32-controlled motor beneath the track. During his experimentation, Sean makes an unexpected discovery. While working on the project, he finds he can power LEDs wirelessly using an Adafruit Wireless Coil: "And just to top all that off, I put that LED coil in there so that I could put the wireless LEDs on the top." This discovery allows him to add dynamic lighting to the train without additional wiring, including a system that mimics the sun's position based on server time. He receives assistance from Bob Russius on building design and James (Hacksmith) on PCB file organization, using Keycad software for his PCB design work. The episode culminates in a high-stakes moment when Sean tests his final magnetic motor solution, declaring, "This is it. If this doesn't work, I'm calling it." The solution works, validating his core engineering philosophy that "That's engineering. Not perfect ideas, just good compromises."

GPS Has a Secret Job

Sean opens the episode with his signature "Cooking Circuits with Shawn" introduction, launching into a philosophical reflection on humanity's relationship with time: "I find myself somewhere in the middle. We also tend to waste it. And yet, we're always trying to get more of it. It's the one thing I can't make. But maybe I can get some of it back." This meditation sets up the episode's central project—a GPS-based watch that uses precision timing signals.

The episode showcases Sean's characteristic last-minute project creation: "Typical Sean Hodgins fashion, uh Jeff is coming in 2 weeks, and I suddenly have the urge to make a project last minute." He reveals this project connects to larger ambitions: "So, I haven't mentioned this before on the channel, but I'm actually working on a couple of watch projects and this one could be one of them." Throughout the build process, Sean guides Jeff Geerling through surface mount soldering using professional tools including PCBWay circuit boards, a solder paste applicator, and his Control IO 3 reflow oven, while maintaining the cooking show parody with "pre-built" examples "because this is a cooking show."

Sean demonstrates his progression as a maker, sharing his upgrade journey from "this $20 toaster oven that I just would turn on, and then I would just look and see when it reflowed" to professional equipment. At timestamp 12:41, Sean leads the soldering process, saying, "I'll do it this way. Yeah, first component." The interaction between Sean and Jeff demonstrates his ability to create a collaborative atmosphere, as they share tasks and troubleshoot together, evident when Sean remarks, "We just swapped them over."

The episode's climax showcases Sean's ability to reveal deeper meaning in technical projects—after successfully assembling the watches, he explains how GPS satellites create a shared time reference that enables the watches to blink in perfect synchronization across any distance: "And the weirdly cool part is that if two people are wearing one of these and they both have a clear view of the sky, the watches should blink in sync. They don't need to be near each other... It's time that connects them."

Sean closes by emphasizing his commitment to open-source sharing, encouraging viewers to attend Open Sauce and build their own versions using the files he's made available on GitHub and Fusion360. He successfully integrates the PCBWay sponsorship throughout the episode, explaining how they "save me the one thing that I can't make, and that's time" while making the practical case for professional PCB fabrication services.