About Allen

A dark, low-key photograph of a quiet study or workshop interior with deep shadows, warm wood tones, and soft ambient light suggesting a personal creative space.

Retired engineer, hobbyist, and the voice behind Allen's Site

Background

Allen is a retired French national who spent his career working for the French state at the Laboratoire Régional des Ponts et Chaussées de Bordeaux, a laboratory dealing with bridges, roads, and other public structures.

His work involved measurements on concrete and metal structures, designing and building transducers along with their electronics, as well as interfacing and computer programming.

Interests & Hobbies

Now retired, Allen pursues a wide range of personal interests:

Fishing
Listening to music and building HI-FI equipment
Archery
Computers and programming
Transferring vinyl records and cassettes to CD

His passion for vinyl-to-digital transfer led to a dedicated guide on the site, and his technical curiosity fuels the blog's articles on electronics and DIY projects.

Meet the Family

Learn more about Beverly, Edouard, and Victor — Allen's family members with their own fascinating stories.

View Family Profiles

From a young age, Allen was drawn to the invisible forces that shape our world. His career as an engineer gave him the technical foundation to explore the frontier where science meets craft, particularly in the realm of high-voltage experimentation. The Tesla coil became a natural focus—a device that is as much a work of art as it is a demonstration of electromagnetic theory. Over the years, he has built, tested, and refined numerous coil designs, each iteration teaching him something new about resonance, power, and the delicate balance required to harness electricity safely. This hands-on approach defines his work, blending rigorous engineering principles with the curiosity of a lifelong learner.

Beyond the workshop, Allen maintains a deep appreciation for analog media and the tactile experience of physical formats. His interest in transferring vinyl records and cassettes to digital formats grew out of a desire to preserve the warmth and character of older recordings before they fade into silence. The process is meticulous, requiring careful calibration of turntables, cleaning of grooves, and thoughtful editing of the resulting files. For Allen, this work is not merely technical—it is archival. Each transfer is an act of preservation, ensuring that the music and spoken word captured on aging discs and tapes can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

The site also addresses the practical and legal questions that surround hobbyist electronics and media preservation. Allen has taken time to debunk common myths about the dangers of Tesla coils, explaining the real risks versus the exaggerated fears that circulate online. He discusses the legal implications of copying records or building certain devices, offering a balanced perspective that respects both intellectual property and the rights of enthusiasts to tinker and learn. These posts reflect a commitment to clear, honest communication—helping readers navigate the gray areas where hobbyist passion meets regulation and common sense.

In his quieter moments, Allen turns his attention to everyday objects that benefit from thoughtful engineering. He has written about his experiences with electric toothbrushes, particularly Philips Sonicare models, examining their design, battery life, and long-term reliability from an engineer’s point of view. These posts are characteristically thorough, breaking down the mechanics and materials without losing sight of the user experience. Whether he is discussing the ergonomics of a handle or the efficiency of a charging circuit, Allen brings the same analytical mindset to consumer products that he applies to his high-voltage projects. It is this blend of curiosity and precision that defines his voice.