Why Kris traded his 3D printer for the Vestaboard Note

For many, Vestaboard is a piece of art. For Kris, an Enterprise Security Engineer, it was a challenge. Long drawn to the "mechanical wonder" of split-flap displays, he initially set out to build his own.

After around a month of 3D printing, soldering, and troubleshooting an 8-character, 54 flap display, which he currently showcases above his Note, he reached a professional conclusion: the precision of a Vestaboard was nearly impossible to replicate. "I did a cost analysis," he explains. "Between parts, failed prints, and the time spent chasing magnet positioning, a finished product that was even smaller, more modular, and warrantied became a no-brainer."

Having seen high-end servers and networking hardware shipped with minimal protection, he shared he was immediately impressed by Vestaboard’s attention to detail. "The unboxing was impressive. The care taken to prevent damage in shipping—the double boxing and the thickness of the material—was a welcome surprise. I mention that because again I have seen a lot of big items that are sensitive to jarring and shipping come in much less protected boxes."

The setup experience was equally refined. "The mounting sheet is honestly the best thing. Being able to find the studs and precisely nail where you want to mount it makes the process seamless."Now a "dual-board" household, he utilizes both a Flagship display and the Note to power his daily life. While the Flagship holds a place of honor in the Pinball Room, where he is currently using the API to display high scores, the Note serves as a functional hub for his home and family. "Right now I have it connected to Home Assistant and it sends me updates on projects and things I am working on. My wife also has the app on her phone so she can send me messages when she's out of the house. I had gotten her a Lovebox that lets me send messages and images to a cute little device at her salon, so this was a way for her to do something similar when she was out."

Whether it’s the "extremely satisfying" sound of all the bits homing at once or the ability to automate his world via the API, Vestaboard has bridged the gap between his love for analog machinery and his career in high-end tech.

"It’s a blend of Grand Central Station and a smart device," he says. "For the quality and the modularity, it's the perfect finished product."