Last weekend, HiveLabs hosted something truly special. Our first-ever Junk Jam, a 72-hour “recycling hardware focused hackathon” that ran nonstop from Friday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Nov. 16. The idea was simple: take donated junk, give people the tools and space to experiment, and see what creativity blooms when nothing is too broken, too weird or too far gone to build something new. What we ended up with was a weekend full of teamwork, late-night breakthroughs, new friendships and a collection of wildly inventive projects that reminded all of us why we love building things in the first place.
The heart of Junk Jam was the challenge itself: turn trash into treasure. Over the past few months, we collected piles of donated items, old and new electronics, abandoned prototypes, tools, parts of cars, office equipment, random bits and pieces that most people would overlook or toss out. But makers don’t see junk; they see potential. And that mindset came alive under the heat of soldering irons and 3D printers all weekend long.
We were also lucky to have professionals from companies like Duracell and Panasonic join in. They helped teams troubleshoot, brainstorm ideas and build projects of their own. Their excitement set the tone for the event: no hierarchy, no pressure – just a room full of creative people trying things, failing fast, learning quickly and pushing each other forward.
One of the standout builds of the weekend was something we’re now calling The Hive Drone. Using a discarded high-end office PTZ camera, a few repaired components and a wall mount assembled from scrap material, a small team created a camera system that now functions as a member of our HiveLabs Discord. It’s live during our open hours, letting members check in on their 3D prints or projects from anywhere. It’s equal parts practical and playful, and the fact that it was cobbled together from leftover hardware makes it even better.
Another ambitious team managed to recreate a version of the classic Panasonic TR-005 orbital CRT. They pieced it together using a discarded screen, power supply, a set of old computer speakers and a beautifully 3D-printed housing. It was one of the most technically impressive builds of the weekend, and it attracted a steady crowd of onlookers watching what started as discarded trash turn into a retro-futuristic display.
Another maker brought in an ESP-32 board and transformed it into a device that converts a 3D model and displays it as a rotating RCA video signal – complete with extra data overlays. It was the kind of project you’d expect from a late-night burst of inspiration, and it perfectly captured the spirit of Junk Jam: blend old with new, digital with analog, and let curiosity lead the way (and a really cool display for our CRT wall).
Of course, not every project had to be complex. Somebody modified a broken coffee maker into a college dorm-friendly ramen cooker, proving that sometimes the best junk ideas are the most useful. Two broken hoverboards were also repaired and then fused into an early prototype of a go-kart. A younger maker used leftover RC car parts to build a small boat. Everywhere you looked, something was being disassembled, reimagined or brought back from the e-waste grave.
The crowd favorite by far was a nativity scene built entirely out of spare bolts, wire, LED lights, foam, cotton and cardboard. It was a reminder that art belongs at the maker table just as much as electronics or engineering. Junk Jam wasn’t just a competition; it was a celebration of all the ways creativity can show up!
Beyond the builds themselves, the weekend had its own kind of magic. People shared pizza and worked shoulder to shoulder. Teams formed spontaneously. Experienced makers taught newcomers how to solder or safely tear down equipment. Every hour brought a new “aha!” moment from somewhere in the room. It was energetic, messy, inspiring and exactly what we hoped it would be.
For us at HiveLabs, Junk Jam represents something bigger than a weekend event. Sustainability is a core part of our mission, and we believe in teaching people how to repair, reuse and rethink the materials around them. There’s something empowering about taking something discarded and turning it into something useful, beautiful or fun. Junk Jam helped all of us to see the value in second chances.
The success of the weekend has us seriously considering hosting Junk Jam more than once a year. The interest, the turnout and the projects all exceeded our expectations, and the community has already started asking when the next one will be.
If Junk Jam taught us anything, it’s that creativity thrives when you give it room to work. Junk Jam wasn’t about perfection, it was about exploration, learning and having the courage to dig in and try something new. And that’s exactly what HiveLabs is all about.
