Welcome to Tio Pez University
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My motivations are driven by a lifetime of learning and the desire to share knowledge with others.
This site is a hub for the things I build, break, fix, and teach — rocketry, robotics, electronics, retro computers, and everything in between. Use the menu to explore.
Heads up — there are many links here that lead you out to my Google Sites. A lot of my content lives as Google Docs, since that's the easiest way for me to keep it maintained.
Pay attention and do to learn, teach to truly understand.
Rocketry
Who would have thought I would become so obsessed with this hobby?
ARC — American Rocketry Challenge
Indexed ARC Documents by year.
Aerobrakes
Mentor led research project into simulation and implementation of an aerobrake system that commands a rocket to achieve a target altitude by deploying during the coast phase of flight.
Club Rocket
Learning progression, procedures, and lesson plans for school rocket programs.
Phase 1 — Onboarding →
Achievement Badges →
25 Week Handouts →
VRC — Virtual Rocket Corps
Let's fly rockets virtually with Open Rocket, Rocksim Pro, RocketPy, etc.
Rocketry Memberships
I am a member of these organizations.
NAR
National Association of Rocketry.
Member since Fall 2025 — #123632 (Level 1 Certified)
Tripoli
Tripoli Rocketry Association, Inc.
Member since Fall 2025 — #40318 (Level 1 Certified)
ARC — American Rocketry Challenge
ARC — American Rocketry Challenge
Indexed ARC Documents by year.
Aerobrakes
Aerobrakes
Mentor led research project into simulation and implementation of an aerobrake system that commands a rocket to achieve a target altitude by deploying during the coast phase of flight.
My Rocket Fleet
Club Rocket
Club Rocket
Learning progression, procedures, and lesson plans for school rocket programs.
Phase 1 — Onboarding →
Achievement Badges →
25 Week Handouts →
VRC — Virtual Rocket Corps
VRC — Virtual Rocket Corps
Let's fly rockets virtually with Open Rocket, Rocksim Pro, RocketPy, etc.
Rocket Math
Rocketry Memberships
Rocketry Memberships
I am a member of these organizations.
NAR
National Association of Rocketry.
Member since Fall 2025 — #123632 (Level 1 Certified)
Tripoli
Tripoli Rocketry Association, Inc.
Member since Fall 2025 — #40318 (Level 1 Certified)
Robotics
Makeblock robots (mBot)
Content coming soon
VEX V5
Content coming soon
DIY robots
Content coming soon
Lego Mindstorms
Content coming soonProgramming
Projects & GitHub links
Index of active projects with links to their repos.
Content coming soonWebApps / Languages
Browser-based tools and demos (HTML/JS), Java, C++, Python, etc.
Content coming soonSimulation
SAP-1
JavaScript “Simple As Possible” CPU simulator — this is my virtual version of Ben Eater's breadboard CPU.
Launch simulator →
User Guide (PDF) →
My YouTube videos →
Ben Eater's YouTube videos →
RocketWeb
A web app 1DOF rocket simulator that serves as a testbed for aerobrakes research.
Chip8
CHIP-8 is an interpreted programming language, developed by Joseph Weisbecker on his 1802 microprocessor. It was initially used on the COSMAC VIP and Telmac 1800, which were 8-bit microcomputers made in the mid-1970s.
Launch simulator →
Instruction Set Docs →
Cowgod's Chip8 Ref →
Electronics
Retro
Gaming
Nintendo
Content coming soonC64
Content coming soonBarcade Machine
Content coming soonVirtual Pinball
Content coming soonComputing
Commodore Vic 20
Content coming soon
Commodore 64
Content coming soon
Commodore 64 Untimate
Content coming soon
Texas Instruments TI99
Content coming soon
Apple II c
Content coming soonCreative
Electronic Music
C64 SID Music
Content coming soonEuroRack
Content coming soonCrowvoxia
Content coming soonFabrication
Software
Fusion 360
Content coming soonOpenSCAD
Content coming soonTinkerCAD
Content coming soonOnShape
Content coming soonBlender
Content coming soonTools
3D Printing
Content coming soonCNC
Content coming soonLaser
Content coming soonMetal Working
Content coming soonVentures
Stuff 2.0
Custom fabricated items
Custom fabrication in Dallas TX. We are turning the old into new and making new extraordinary. The only limit is our imagination. Focused on making items that serve and delight, often from re-purposed materials. Specializes in digital fabrication: laser cutting and engraving, digital cutting, CNC, and printing — plus standard building skills (carpentry, welding, etc.), mixing low & high tech to make one-of-a-kind items.
CAD design
Working in Fusion 360, FreeCAD, OnShape, OpenSCAD, TinkerCAD.
CNC Plasma items
Cutting metal parts up to 1/4″ steel plate.
Laser Etch & Cut
Hand painted fridge magnet “Save The Date” wedding item.
3D printed items
Printing ready made files and unique designs I create.
CNC Signs
Hand painted signs cut on the CNC router can contain text, logos and reliefs of almost any variety. The outer shape can be just about anything as well.
Furniture
Rustic night stand made from reclaimed lumber.
Props
Red Hot Cheetos Lightsabers — converted from a store purchased item into something whimsical.
Electronics
Combined wood working with integrating arcade controls & Raspberry Pi to create a ‘barcade’ system.
CNC Art
Use pens & sharpies to draw unique art on canvas.
Printed Props
Printed oversized Goldfish character backed with foam board. Great for gags, parties, events.
CNC Signs — Wedding
Wedding dance floor sign. Stained with color filled lettering.
Signs Mixed
Using reel (pun intended) objects, laser and CNC made objects to create a home theater sign. Sign has depth as elements are layered to give it dimension.
Experimental
Mad scientist uses re-purposed microwave transformer to create ‘Lichtenberg’ (lightning) pattern burns for a unique wood texture effect.
Painted Character Signs
Hand painted wood or foam based signs for kids rooms, parties, events.
Construction
Built custom 40x20 greenhouse to house our aquaponics system and standard gardening to produce our own fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Hoops were hand bent using a jig and utilized standard 10 foot fence components.
Bio
Hello, my name is James — also known as Tio Pez. I am a retired software engineer of 40 years, and I now focus on personal technology projects as well as mentoring and private tutoring services.
Quotes I Like
Content coming soonJobs
- Miller InsuranceCOBOL on AS/400; high-speed Xerox printing systems.
- Tandy CorpPOS project, transitioning to SCO Unix; receipt printing focus; C programming.
- Clear With ComputersIBM computer sales tool; project configurator built in C++ on OS/2.
- Freddie MacProcess automation with batch scheduling and scripting.
- Southwest Airlines — TechnologyC++, Java, and Perl across various systems.
- Southwest Airlines — TrainingTraining-building design, CBT frameworks; designed and led technical training classes.
- Retirement (2020) — Triumph WorkshopEquipment maintenance, 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC plasma training.
- Retirement — OngoingTutoring and mentoring in rocketry, robotics, CAD, and more.
Following
Birds of a feather I'm following, one way or another