Casio PT-100 thoroughly modded

Frostedminipete kicked his PT-100 keyboard up quite a several dozen notches by adding the following very effective circuit-bends -

  • Starve pot [simulates dying batteries...low pitch, etc]

  • Lead distortion pot
  • Snare/hihat/bass distortion pot
  • Bass drum distortion pot
  • Chord distortion pot
  • Warbly/wahwah switch
  • Pulse 1 (fast) switch
  • Pulse 2 (warbly/slow) switch
  • added 1/4″ output w/ speaker on and off switch

Excellent additions, not to mention a pretty sweet paint job. [Thanks Marc ;) ]

Welcome to CYBER MONDAY on MAKE

Cybermbots
It’s CYBER MONDAY MAKERS! So in that spirit we were able to do up a quick code/sale for all our robot kits for today. It starts at 12:01 am PST 12/1/2008 and ends today at 11:59 pm PST. Use code CYBERM at checkout at the Maker Shed.

I’m also going to do a contest. It’s really simple, just post up your version of the “Three laws of robotics” in the comments, make it clever, funny, outrageous. At 11:59pm PST I’ll post up a winner. Winner will be posted Tues am — You can post up multiple entries, contest is world-wide. The prize? The new Co-Robot kit we just got in from Japan! Here’s a video!

Synchronizing Firefly kit

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Alex Weber, of Tinkerlog, who’s brought us such wonderful projects as the programmable LED (featured in The Best of Instructables) and synchronizing fireflies, now offers kits for both of these projects in his new Tinkerstore. Synchronizing Firefly kit sells for 11.50 Euros (about $14.40) and simulates a firefly with a tiny microcontroller. If put together with other fireflies, they will flash randomly. After some time they will start to interact with each other and the flashes will start synchronize until all fireflies flash at once. The kit contains the Firefly PCB, ATtiny13V microcontroller, bright RGB LED (~4000mcd), phototransistor, capacitors and resistors, sockets and header. Not included are a power supply and the ping pong ball. The programmable LED kit sells for 6.50 Euros (about $8.25) and has a blinking sequence that can be programmed with a flashlight. It detects changes in the lighting, records them, and plays them back. The kit includes everything you need to build the circuit, including the 3V coin cell battery. It requires freeform soldered (no PCB).

Tinkerstore

More:

The Best of Instructables Volume I
Instructables.com has become one of the most popular magnets for makers and DIY enthusiasts of all stripes. Now, with more than 10,000 projects to choose from, the Instructables staff, editors of MAKE, and the Instructables community itself have put together a collection of technology, craft and food hacking how-to’s from the site. The Best of Instructables Volume 1 includes plenty of clear, full-color photographs, complete step-by-step instructions, and tips, tricks, and new build techniques you won’t find anywhere else. Cool electronics projects such as Alex Weber’s programmable LED are included in over 120 projects.
Price: $29.99

Breathing books

Bre visits Dam Stuhltrager gallery in Brooklyn to check out an exhibition of breathing books created by artist Edith Kollath. Each book’s surreal movement is controlled via Lilypad Arduino, likely chosen for its thin easy-to-conceal profile which keeps the art looking properly book-like.

Unfortunately, the art’s clever design proved a heap of trouble for the artist during travel. Thankfully, the books were finally retrieved after a 3-month stay in legal limbo. Get more of the story @ NYCResistor.

More:
Secretbook9
Make a Secret Compartment Book – Weekend Projects PDFcast

Makershedsmall
Lilypad Kit Crop
LilyPad Pro Kit

Google Code University – tutorials and course content for CS students

Google’s Code University is another great “bootstrap education” resource for CS students. I’ve written previously about other free resources for the self-guided software engineer, such as MIT’s Open Courseware and Standford’s Engineering Everywhere. While Google Code University currently offers a smaller subset of courses, it’s all geared toward topics related to large scale web application development.

This website provides tutorials and sample course content so CS students and educators can learn more about current computing technologies and paradigms. In particular, this content is Creative Commons licensed which makes it easy for CS educators to use in their own classes.

The Courses section contains tutorials, lecture slides, and problem sets for a variety of topic areas:

In the Tools 101 section, you will find a set of introductions to some common tools used in Computer Science such as version control systems and databases.

As you might imaging, there’s quite a bit of content that’s motivated by the sort of development challenges that Google engineers deal with on their projects. For instance, here’s a Lecture by Jeff Dean that discusses distributed storage systems, from the perspective of Google’s Big Table technology:

If you’re interested in large scale web application design and distributed application development, here’s a good opportunity to learn from some of the experts.

Google Code University

Previously:
Bootstrap Education
Stanford Engineering Everywhere
Lecturefox: Free University Lectures

MAKE Flickr pool super-roundup!

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It’s a been a while since we had our last roundup of projects from our Flickr photo pool, so here’s a big ol’ collection of recent highlights -

The Culture Jamming gift guide at MAKE – hack, stick, throw, jam and inspire!

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Ok, folks, I know not all of you approve of culture jamming shenanigans, but here are some gift ideas for that mischief maker in your life!

Peggy Kit
Create a light board with your own picture! You can make an LED sign for your window, a geeky valentine for your sweetie, one bad-ass birthday card, or freak the holy bejesus out of Boston. Your call. It’s a versatile, high-brightness display. How you configure it and what you do with it is up to you. This first version can make any static design you can dream up. Version 2 adds simple animation capability and Arduino compatibility.
Price: Version 1: $79.95 Verion 2: $94.95

photo above by Flickr user smashtheqube

Read on for the complete list of awesome culture jamming gift ideas!
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Print out some stickers!
There are several fun stickers available for messing with the status quo. Print out (or get printed) some stickers and give some cheery thought-provoking public advertisement interaction! Print out a sticker for your license to become an intellectual property donor, put outrageous advertising claims in their place with Matt Mechtley’s [citation needed] stickers, encourage anti-consumerism with the Anti-Advertising Agency’s “You don’t need it” stickers, or make sure people know who’s behind their everyday objects with “Property of the Bavarian Illuminati” decals. Oh, and don’t forget to alert electronics and software consumers about the “Now slower, with more bugs” features in the products they’re interested in buying.

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MAKE: Bomb Defuser – Leatherman “Squirt” E4 (electronics version)
Small enough to fit on your key chain, the MAKE Bomb Defuser is the perfect companion for mobile fixing, hacking and MacGyvering. This is a limited offering with custom “MAKE: bomb defuser” laser etched with care using a 35w laser. Order today or be sorry tomorrow. Not “carry-on” friendly. Please take note that Make does not suggest you attempt to defuse a bomb with this unless you have prior expert training.
Price: $39.95

A helium balloon
Yep, that’s right. Foil a CCTV camera with a static-charged(rub it on your hair), helium filled balloon.

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Wave Bubble Jammer
It’s illegal to sell a cell phone jammer in the USA, but it’s not illegal to build your own! Ladyada has instructions, circuit board layouts, and a parts list for the Wave Bubble, a completely open source multi-range RF jammer. It’s a complicated device to make, so if you’re savvy, build one for a friend, or get the boards etched and make some kits to give as gifts.
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TV-B-Gone
This little gadget is one of my favorite culture jamming tools. Another Ladyada (co)creation, you can assemble this kit to turn off any TV while out an about dining, etc. Originally created by Mitch Altman, you can also buy a pre-made and less powerful keychain TV-B-Gone, or the extra-powerful TV-B-Gone Pro. These make great gifts for your family members who don’t know how to solder, especially your grandparents with hearing aids. This kit is easily adapted into a hat, hoodie, or another incarnation of your choosing.
Price: $20.00 – $49.95 depending on which version

Moss Graffiti
Give the gift of CRAFT:04, where you can learn to make moss graffiti and liven up your environment.

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The Yes Men movie
This is the ultimate culture jamming documentary. Travel with “a couple of anti-corporate activist-pranksters as they impersonate World Trade Organization spokesmen on TV and at business conferences around the world.” Inspiring, astounding, hilarious.
Price: DVD $11.99

Double-stick tape
Turn everyday objects into objects of public intervention with a little double-stick tape.
Price: $2.49

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Maker’s Notebook
I know you’ve got all those plans, those great ideas, well quick! Write them down! Put your own ideas, diagrams, calculations & notes down in these 150 pages of engineering graph paper. We’ve also included 20 bonus pages of reference material, from useful stuff like electronics symbols, resistor codes, weights and measures, basic conversions and more, to really useful stuff like the amount of caffeine in different caffeinated beverages and how to say “Hello, World!” in various computer languages. Cat not included.
Price: $19.99

New Era Hat
Is somebody on your list into designer clothes? This New Era hat plastered with (counterfeit) stickers might just do the trick.

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Bar code scanner
Ok, ok, I know. A bar code scanner?! But I swear, it kicked it all off for me. Learning how to breakdown the cryptic barcode system is what got me interested in taking control over the information around me. This one acts just like a keyboard, so just plug it in (USB!) and start scanning right into a text editor or barcode database! You can make some cool art with barcodes, too.

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The Best of Instructables Volume I
Birthplace of the LED throwie phenomenon, Instructables.com has become one of the most popular magnets for makers and DIY enthusiasts of all stripes. Now, with more than 10,000 projects to choose from, the Instructables staff, editors of MAKE, and the Instructables community itself have put together a collection of technology how-to’s from the site. The Best of Instructables Volume 1 includes plenty of clear, full-color photographs, complete step-by-step instructions, and tips, tricks, and new build techniques you won’t find anywhere else. Speaking of LED throwies, you could make a kit with LEDs, batteries, and magnets and give the gift of throwies! These easily-removable light-graffiti tools make every night feel like the holidays, DIY style.
Price: $29.99

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Recipes for Disaster
From the product description on Amazon: “Beautifully designed A-Z of the totality of revolutionary politics. This brand new Crimethinc book is the action guide – the direct action guide. From affinity groups to wheatpasting, coalition building, hijacking events, mental health, pie-throwing, shoplifting, stenciling, supporting survivors of domestic violence, surviving a felony trial, torches, and whole bunch more. Incredible design, and lots of graphics give it that hip situ feel. Loads to read, to think about, and to do. At 650 pages, you could always throw the damn book at a suitable target. What are you waiting for?” It also has a great how-to on linoleum asphalt mosaics, one of my favorite methods of urban communication.
Price: $10.17


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Twitchie Robot Kit
With the special combination of three servo motors, laser-cut wooden parts, and extra-twitchie code, it’s hard NOT to make a public disturbance with this kit. No matter what you wrap it in, it just comes out… creepy. In a good way. See example 1, example 2, and example 3.
Price: $99.95


Anarchist action figure
So you can’t go out and buy this right now in a store, but it’s an interesting idea; Packard Jennings hand-crafted these anarchist action figures and placed them in SF bay-area stores to show how easily even radical ideologies can be commodified.

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Items from the Bansky Shop Free downloadable art for causing your own Banksy-esque hijinks. High-res files available for making your own posters, too.

Metal X-ray plates
Stick a stencil-cut slab o’ metal in your suitcase to let that special TSA agent know you care. Evan Roth calls this TSA Communication, and even though you can’t buy a set of plates on his site, if you know somebody with a plasma cutter, you can make your own.

An idea from the Idea Vending Machine
Running low on inspiration? The Idea Vending Machine gives you more than just ideas! For just 50¢ you get (1) idea, a map if travel is involved, (1) toy, (1) quarter, and (1) lucky penny. Sounds like a bargain to me! If you are wondering why you get a quarter back? Well, the vending machine will only work if (2) quarters are inserted and artist thought that was too much money to charge, so he returns (1) quarter back to you. In the end it only costs 24¢. Don’t forget about the lucky penny!

Fabric and toilet paper rolls to make a PIXELATOR!
Cover that big black box in your living room with fabric and recycled cardboard tubes to make a very pretty stained glass effect, and make your TV into art!


Holiday Shipping Deadlines:

FedEx*: Ground – Dec 15th 3-Day Saver -Dec 17th 2-Day -Dec 18th Overnight -Dec 19th

*Customers experiences on orders with these ship methods placed after these dates may vary, the dates listed are what we call “safe dates”

USPS (Any Method):
Due to the high volume of mail that the postal service deals with around the holidays, order by Dec. 10th, however, many packages are lost or delayed in transit and we do not replace or refund any orders lost using this ship method, we strongly encourage you to not use this method in December.

330Makershed

Want more? Stop by the Maker Shed store and check out THE place for open source hardware, Arduino & Arduino accessories, electronic kits, science kits, smart stuff for kids, back issues of MAKE & CRAFT, box sets, books, robots, kits from Japan and more.

If I left your favorite culture jamming gift idea out, please leave me a note in the comments!

Steampunk sewing machine and steapunk show in Phoenix

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You know steampunk has gone mainstream when it seeps into academic institutions… I recently was given a steampunk assignment in one of my sculpture/metalworking classes, so I modded a vintage Kenmore sewing machine with some spare parts from Phoenix’s favorite junk shop, Apache Reclamation. The propellers on the drive wheel and thread spool spin when the machine is running.

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This piece as well as many, many others will be on display at First Studio in downtown Phoenix this friday, December 5 as part of a steampunk show put on by Arizona State University.

ASU’s evening of Steampunk
Friday, December 5, 6-10pm (part of the First Friday art walk)
First Studio
631 N. 1st Ave. Phoenix

REWARD for 100% chemical free material

Make Pt1381
This is a pretty interesting idea, taking the word chemical “back” as something good… or at least not “poisonous”… I agree!

The Royal Society of Chemistry is today reclaiming the word chemical from the advertising and marketing industries.

It has been misappropriated and maligned as synonymous with “poison”. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently defended an advert which perpetuated the myth that natural compounds are free of chemicals.

The truth, as any right-minded person will say, is that everything we eat, drink, drive, play with and live in is made of chemicals – both natural and synthetic chemicals are essential for life as we know it.

If, as the ASA says, the public believes materials can be “100% chemical free”, the RSC will soon be inundated with examples from people wishing to claim the £1 million pound bounty announced today by the RSC.

Dr Neville Reed, a director of the RSC, said today: “I’d be happy to give a million pounds to the first member of the public who could place in my hands any material I consider 100% chemical free.

“Should anyone do this, we will see thousands of years’ worth of knowledge evaporate before our eyes. We would have to tear up the textbooks, burn the degree certificates and retrain the teachers.”

The manufacturers of a popular “organic” fertiliser recently drew the attention of the public when it claimed in promotional materials the product contained no chemicals whatsoever.

The product’s manufacturer makes the fantastic claim to be “100% chemical free” in its advertising and on its packaging. The back of the packaging lists its chemical-free ingredients, which include phosphorus pentoxide and potassium oxide.

More:
Make Pt1332-1
The Chemistry gift guide – Celebrating chemistry and inspiring the next generation of chemists!