Why Your Support Matters

I’m Tim Wilkes, the author behind this blog. With a background in system administration and security architecture, I’ve built this site as a personal space to explore automation, 3D-printing, electronics, and beyond. Writing here started as a hobby, but now it's a part-time passion that keeps me experimenting, learning, and sharing useful projects with you.

Running and maintaining this blog - including hosting, tools, and occasional hardware - takes time and resources. Your support not only helps keep it online but also empowers me to continue sharing deep technical tutorials, build logs, and creative ideas. Each contribution brings more insightful content your way.

How You Can Help (and What’s in It for You)

I’ve grouped support options into two categories - Indirect Support (via services I genuinely use) and Direct Support (if you’d prefer to donate).

I only recommend tools and services I trust and use myself. When you sign up via these links, both of us often receive a bonus - thank you for helping the blog and yourself!

Octopus Energy
If you're considering a greener energy supplier, Octopus could be a great fit - I'm with them for their renewable credentials and smart home integration. Using my referral could earn us both £50 (£100 if you’re a business customer).

Octopus Energy
Cheaper, greener energy from the UK’s largest investor in solar generation.
Octopus Energy

Smarty Mobile

I rely on Smarty Mobile for a flexible, affordable SIM-only plan. Sign up via my link and after two billing cycles, you’ll get a £10 gift card - so will I. It’s a win-win, and there’s no extra cost to you.

Simple, honest mobile
SMARTY is a new SIM-only mobile network that’s built to be fair, transparent and smart.
SMARTY

Paypal

If you are looking for a payment provider, consider paypal.

P2P Referral - PayPal UK
PayPal UK P2P Referral Terms and conditions
PayPal

Moneytizer

If you're exploring ad networks beyond Google, Moneytizer might interest you—it offered a $5 starting credit when I signed up. Curious to see if it's a good fit for your site? My link can give you a head-start.

The Moneytizer is a online advertising network that makes it easy to monetize your website.
The Moneytizer is an advertising platform that allows websites to optimize their advertising revenues. The technology developed by The Moneytizer teams creates a yield management system in order to optimize the revenue per thousand page views(CPM). In addition, The Moneytizer offers innovative and impactful ‘long tail’ formats usually reserved for premium sites. All of this sets you up to make more money.
Logo black The Moneytizer

2. Direct Support

If you've found value in a tutorial, saved time from a build log, or enjoyed an automation tip, you can support me directly. It’s quick, easy, and means the world:

  • Buy me a Ko-fi - Treat me to a coffee (or a pint!) and help cover hosting or hardware costs. Every small gesture fuels more content.
Buy me a Ko-fi

What Your Support Enables

Your generosity doesn’t just keep the site running - it helps me:

  • Invest in new tools and components for demos and builds
  • Spend more time documenting processes thoroughly
  • Improve blog infrastructure for faster, smoother browsing
  • Create richer tutorials with full explanations, downloadable resources, and better visuals

A Final Word

Thanks for being part of this journey. Whether you clicked a referral link or sent a Ko-fi, your support keeps the light on and the ideas flowing. I’ll continue sharing the things I’m building and learning - so you can benefit too.

Stay curious, keep building, and thanks for supporting the blog!

-- Tim