MAKE: Blog: DIY Projects Archives

Archive: DIY Projects

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September 13, 2007

Gliding in-bed laptop dock

Ah... to be young again, in a cramped college dorm, bunk beds, all the comforts of a cell block. And for this guy, a laptop on rails he can use for working, playing, watching videos. Clever fella. He never has to get out of bed, which looks like a good thing. There's no room! (Notice the iPod and other gadget docks on top.)

Gliding/Floating Laptop dock - Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 13, 2007 08:00 PM
DIY Projects, Instructables | Permalink | Comments (0)

Solar-power for PIC-based gaming system

A solar-powered game "system" using a PIC 12f683 chip and a Nokia 3310 LCD. (No info given on the cell itself.)

Solar POWER! For my PIC and Nokia stuff - [via] Link
3310 Nokia LCD & PIC 12f683 - Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 13, 2007 06:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Gaming | Permalink | Comments (1)

Homemade flatbed printer

From the YouTube description:

First step towards a homemade 3D printer. This is the insides of an HP1360, the paper feed encoder is being used to drive a stepper motor to move the gantry. The encoder is decoded and divided by a parallax propeller microcontroller that also detects the paper feed and ignores other paper feed motor rotations. The gantry is moved by a cable drive to be replaced by a belt.

Homemade flatbed printer - [via] Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 13, 2007 04:00 PM
Computers, DIY Projects, Electronics | Permalink | Comments (5)

Simple, quick portable workbench

My Dorkbot DC cohort R. Mark Adams sent me this quick n' dirty portable workbench he built from hardware store parts and plywood. The homemade "third hands" are attached with plywood sheet clips and can be moved to desired positions. He even made his own soldering iron holder.

Update: Mark has added a whole slew of pictures and notes about the build to his "DIY Workbench" set.

Portable Workbench - Link

Related:

Weekend Projects - Make a Workbench - Link
Weekend Projects - Make a Workbench - Link.
DIY Refrigerator workbench - Link.
Workbench plans - made with Sketchup - Link.
MAKE, er MADE a work bench - Link.
Workbench! - Link.
Workbench - made - Link.
Cement Topped Workbench - Link.
HOW TO - Make a Multi-purpose woodworking bench - Link.

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 13, 2007 02:00 PM
DIY Projects, Toolbox | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOW TO - Make chocolate LEGO

Chocolate-Lego4
Jordan writes -

It was sometime last year that I first came up with the idea of combining two of my favourite things - choclate and Lego - but didn't really know where to start. I knew I'd need some kind of mold, but never got around to working out the best way to make one.

Chocolate LegoAnd then I discovered Lego Ice Cube Trays and immediately knew they'd be perfect for what I wanted. Unfortunately, the Lego shop doesn't sell the trays in the UK, but a quick search of eBay and I found one.

HOW TO - Make chocolate LEGO - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 12:00 PM
DIY Projects, LEGO | Permalink | Comments (0)

Butt-ugly DIY bikelight

Boris writes -

A couple of days ago I decided that the light of my push-bike was not bright enough. After looking at the prices for better lights (i.e. at least 20 Watts halogen) in a catalog, I was convinced that building my own would be the way to go.

Butt-ugly DIY bikelight - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 10:00 AM
Bicycles, DIY Projects | Permalink | Comments (2)

DIY Solar-powered PC

38690
These guys in Munich built a mid-range PC, and powered it with nothing but solar power. This is the first part of the series, thanks amp2003! Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 09:00 AM
Computers, DIY Projects | Permalink | Comments (1)

HOW TO - Make a homemade speedlite "snoot"

Homemade Snoot 05
Here's how to make a homemade speedlite "snoot" (ou usually use a snoot when you want only a small part of a scenario lighten, while keeping the rest of the scenario light free) - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 07:00 AM
DIY Projects, Imaging | Permalink | Comments (0)

HOW TO - Make a dog sweater from a sock

Sock
Cody1
Warning, this is too cute... Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 06:00 AM
DIY Projects | Permalink | Comments (2)

AVR countdown timer

Timer 001
Dim writes -

This Timer was originally build for my PCB exposure box but it can be used for other purposes. You can set the time between 1 and 90 minutes by pressing the up or down switches. The countdown starts by pressing the on/off switch. By pressing this switch again you can interrupt the prosess at any time you want. After the time elapsed the timer gives an alarm sounding the end of the prosess and disconnects the load.

By pressing the on/off switch you reset the timer and it's ready for another lap.The 2X16 Lcd display informs you about the remaining time during countdown and other informations about the operation of the timer. I used an AT90S2313 in my first prototype but then i change to ATTINY2313.

AVR countdown timer - [via] Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 02:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eyelash switch: cyborg-style human interface device

Eyelidhid 20070910
Jason writes -

With some conductive fabric and spirit gum, you can make a simple binary switch that attaches to your eyelids. Andrew Schneider used some of these to make a polaroid camera that takes a snapshot when you blink.

When I first saw these, I was reminded of cyborgs in television and film and how they typically exhibit facial twitches when receiving data or jacking in to the network brain. I always thought the apparent "glitch" was sort of a stupid film device, but mabe it's not that far from the future truth. Left wink, change music track. Right wink, shoot photo with the camera tilak in your forehead. Triple-blink, stimulate adrenal gland to release epinephrine. Eyes closed for one minute, dose of melatonin.

Eyelash switch: cyborg-style human interface device - [via] Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 13, 2007 01:00 AM
Arts, DIY Projects, Electronics | Permalink | Comments (2)

September 12, 2007

Raising an old OnStar GPS unit from the dead

In this PopSci "Void Your Warranty" piece, MAKE contributing writer Dave Prochnow shows you how to use an old OnStar GPS unit on a laptop computer with free software, no subscription required.

Raising GPS from the Dead - Link

Related:

OnStar Projects - Link
OnStar eavesdropping - Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 12, 2007 08:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, GPS, Mobile | Permalink | Comments (7)

Turn a paper shredder into a pasta maker

Paper shredders were allegedly inspired by pasta machines, so why not take them back to their roots? Not sure how well this works. According to the wikiHow, this "hack" was made popular by the Food Network's resident deep geek Alton Brown. If you're a foodie/cook *and* a geek, you might enjoy Brown's Food Network show, Good Eats, as much as I do.

How to Use a Paper Shredder as a Pasta Machine - [via] Link

Related:

HOW TO - Make a hand cranked document shredder - Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 12, 2007 06:00 PM
DIY Projects | Permalink | Comments (7)

HOW TO - Make fusing out of simple materials

Here's how to make fuse material for your next pyro project using household items and some chems you can get at local stores.

(All cautions, caveats, YMMVs, "don't poke your eye out" admonishments, etc. are implied, as they are with every MAKE blog post).

How to make fuse from items found at Wal-Mart and Lowes - Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 12, 2007 04:00 PM
DIY Projects, Instructables | Permalink | Comments (2)

One minute project "Chip bugs"

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1364148351 12A0705B35
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories writes -

If you work with electronics, you have probably at some point come across chips that have gone bad. The usual strategies to deal with these include (1) writing "DEAD?" on them in large letters (2) throwing them out, and (3) hiding the evidence. I once heard about a lab student who, whenever he came across a dead chip in his circuit, would dutifully file it back in the drawer with the new chips of that variety-- just in case it turned out to be good after all.

Here's an alternative solution: Turn your chips into Chip Bugs: cute, tiny sculptures that leave no doubt as to which components are which.

One minute project "Chip bugs" - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 12, 2007 03:00 PM
Arts, DIY Projects, Electronics | Permalink | Comments (2)

Video and voice control for WowWee Roboquad

Robert Oschler, of Robots Rule!, has posted a video of his system for mounting a vidcam on a WowWee Roboquad and then using the voice command feature of his Robodance software to control the bot from anywhere in cyberspace using Skype.

Skype Robot Demonstration with Roboquad - Link

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Sep 12, 2007 02:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Robotics | Permalink | Comments (0)

eDrum - DIY electronic drum controller

Edrum Wpads

Wow, made an awesome "eDrum" - A DIY electronic drum controller. Source and schematics included! - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 12, 2007 11:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Music | Permalink | Comments (3)

GreenRbot - lawnmower bot based on a wheelchair

Int Batt 2
Chassis-Modifie
The GreenRbot is a lawnmower build using electric wheel chair parts - Link (French) and translation...

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 12, 2007 10:00 AM
DIY Projects, Transportation | Permalink | Comments (0)

Opendiag schematics & PCB layout

Prototype Bottom
Jeff writes -

This page contains plans to build a device to interface RS-232 (a laptop computer) to the ISO9141-2 / SAE J1962 (OBD-II) diagnostic connector on many Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, and Skoda automobiles. It should also work on many pre-OBD-II models. It has been tested on my two vehicles, a 1998 VW GTI 8v and a 1998 VW Passat GLS.

Opendiag schematics & PCB layout - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 12, 2007 09:00 AM
DIY Projects, Open source hardware | Permalink | Comments (10)

Old time radio kits

~Wb5Rex Xtalman Ld1
Lance has lots of old timey radio kits on his site from WW-II foxhole radios to vintage style crystal radio kits and tube radio kits - Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Sep 12, 2007 08:00 AM
DIY Projects, Kits, Retro | Permalink | Comments (0)

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