Raspberry Pi Projects to Try This Weekend (October 31 - November 2)

The weekend is here, so why not take a few hours and spin up a new Raspberry Pi project? This weekend is full of fun DIY projects from 3D printing servers to home-built security cameras, and even getting a backup server up and running.

OctoPrint Server

If you 3D print and have never used OctoPrint , you're missing out. While OctoPrint doesn't support some newer 3D printers from companies like Bambu Labs or even Creality, traditional 3D printers can still benefit from this unique software .

OctoPrint (or OctoPi , as you'd run on your Raspberry Pi), communicates with your 3D printer over USB. I used OctoPrint on all of my Ender 3-style 3D printers, and it works with many other machines as well. What OctoPrint does is enable Wi-Fi printing (sending a model from your computer to the printer wirelessly), and even adds functionality like recording timelapses (Octolapse).

You'll also find unique feature and functions inside OctoPrint, like the Bed Level Visualizer and easily updating your printer's firmware. One of my favorite features of OctoPrint is AI failure detection with a connected camera. This can be achieved through a plugin like PrintWatch , or through an external service that connects to OctoPrint like OctoEverywhere or Obico .

OctoPrint is a completely free and open source project, so if you have a 3D printer, it's definitely worth checking out.

AI Security Camera

Raspberry Pi actually offers a dedicated AI camera , which has the neural processing built into the camera module itself. This means you can use just about any Raspberry Pi to create an AI security camera.

Ideally, you'd use a Raspberry Pi 4 or newer for this type of project, but I've seen it work with models as low as the Pi Zero 2 W. Using software like Scrypted, the Raspberry Pi AI camera can be read directly with a tool like FFmpeg.

If you do use Scrypted (or Frigate NVR ), then you'll be able to expose the camera to HomeKit Secure Video or any other service over RTSP or ONVIF.

Building out an AI-powered security camera with a spare Raspberry Pi is not only a fun weekend project, but also a way to increase your home's security. Once you have this type of project up and running, you'll be able to keep an eye on your home both from your local network or anywhere in the world—so long as you forward a few ports .

Since Raspberry Pi's can be powered over USB, you can also place the camera anywhere you want. I typically avoid having security cameras inside my house due to the privacy concerns associated with third-party cameras. However, if I built my own security camera with my own code and limited access to only on my local network, I might consider having one or two around, making this an even more versatile solution than just an outdoor security camera replacement.

Time Machine Backup Server

If you have a Mac computer, then there's a good chance you're already making Time Machine backups to a storage drive of some sort—and if you aren't, you should be. Time Machine backups are essentially carbon copies of your computer that can be used to restore if something goes wrong (or you simply upgrade to a new computer).

However, most people simply make a backup to a locally connected hard drive. If you have a Raspberry Pi and a USB hard drive or SSD, then you're able to make a network-wide Time Machine drive for your entire household.

This means that not only can you back up to the Time Machine server, but also others in the household can use the same server to back up their Macs. Of course, this will take up additional storage, but it's a nice feature to have.

Also, since the Raspberry Pi is network-wide, your Mac can back up anywhere in the house without having to plug anything in. It'll work both over Wi-Fi and Ethernet, making sure backups happen on schedule instead of just when you remember to plug the drive in.

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If you're looking for other Raspberry Pi projects to do, the list is basically endless. Some projects can be completed in under an hour , and others take the whole weekend to do.

One Raspberry Pi project that I really want to do when I get the time is creating a desktop-based weather station with an e-ink display . It's both a functional project but also looks really cool and would be a great conversation starter.