This mod is a computer controlled coffee maker, with fully automatic rails. The coffee maker is hooked up to my PC, which can turn the coffee maker on and off with a VBS script, as well as the rails to move the coffee-filled mug around.

The power of coffee

Another coffee-based project? Oh yes. And because the coffee maker used in the Coffee PC mod was very suited for tinkering with the electronics and casing, I used the same model for this mod.

I didn't change the coffee maker much. I cut the bottom off, and changed the wiring a little bit.

Computer controlled Coffee.

As with the Coffee PC, the coffee maker is stuffed with electronics to give it power through a relay. The relay will switch the power on and off based on the input of amperage. Both the COM port and a Molex connector are hooked up to the relay, and it's configged to make the COM port switch the relay, so the coffee maker gets it's much needed power. A script calls on the COM port, gives it that extra bit of amperage, and voila, the PC can make coffee!

The coffee maker needs to be mounted quite high, for this particular mod, it needs to be above the mug, and stay off the ground for the rails that run by. Based on the limited locations in my bedroom, I chose for ductaping it to my sink. This way, the coffee maker won't budge, and a little bit of ducttape art never hurt anything.

The rails

The rails for this mod are two pieces of curtain rails. There's about 20cm or 7.8" between the rails. Behind the rails I mounted a plinth. A plateau is mounted on the rails, made of wood, attached to the rails with curtain rings, to make the plateau move smoothly across the rails.

The plateau is moved around automatically, it's powered by an electric motor that's attached to the side of the plateau. The motor is pressed against the plinth. When the electric motor has power, it starts spinning (on the plinth) and thus moves the plateau around. This needs to be done slowly, or else the motor will lose it's grip and start spinning wildly, while nothing happens, except maybe spilling some coffee.

Automation for the win.

With a coffee maker and full automatic rails leading to my bed, I don't want to walk that extra meter to turn the damn thing on. So here's the solution:

I attached a relay between the power cable and the coffee maker. The relay is configured to just miss a bit of power to switch. Attached to the relay as well, is a Molex connector and a cable going to the COM port of my PC. I wrote a VBS script, enabling the COM port, thus making the serial cable provide the needed power to the relay, to switch on and give the coffee maker it's power to run. As long as the script keeps the connection going, the power is on the coffee maker, thus makes coffee.

Through this same concept (with a molex cable instead of the power cable) the electric motor is enabled and disabled. This is controllable through a VBS script the same way the coffee maker is, as explained above.

I timed all the scripts together in one overseeing script, which is executed 7 in the morning, every morning, making me coffee and bringing it to my bed. With my alarm on 5 past 7, this is by definition THE best wake up system ever!