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September 30, 2006

Self charging LED cactus

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Here's a cactus that lights up when it is dark, MAKE Flickr photo pool member Mleak writes - "First electronics project. During the day, when the (living) cactus gets sunlight, it charges itself up. In the night, when there's no more sunlight, the cactus lights itself with an LED. - Link.

Make Podcast: High Speed Photography - Weekend Projects

Ever want to freeze a rose in liquid nitrogen and then smash it and catch the photograph of the rose just as it begins to shatter? Watch this video podcast to learn how!

If you get inspired to make amazingly cool photographs, go get the Make: flash controller kit, and then upload your photos to the Make: high-speed photography pool!

Click here to get the video (MP4) delivered automatically with iTunes. This video will play on PC/Mac/Linux/PSPs and iPod video devices. Also for your viewing pleasure - HD, 3gp, 3g2, and Blip.

Phillip also made a podcast about the kit a while back when it came out. Check it out here.

Thanks to Divide, Choong, 3ric, Pablos, Pablos' Dad, Jennifer, Melvin, Phillip, Adam and the other folks who helped shoot high-speed photographs. Making photographs with the flash kit is a project best done with friends!

High-Speed Photography Instructions

Download this article to get all the details and instructions from Make: 04.

Robothon - This weekend for Seattle area Makers!

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If you're in the Seattle, WA area, go check out the Robothon - they have a robot rental and building workshop too... Paul writes - "As the site says, it's a national event that showcases ROBOTS put on by the Seattle Robotics Society (http://www.seattlerobotics.org/) Best part? IT'S FREE. and two days long! Located at the Seattle Center in Seattle. " - Link.

"The Robothon is a national event that showcases the capabilities and technological developments in robotics from the amateur robotics community. At this event, people from around the world come together to present new robotic technologies, share ideas, meet fellow robotic enthusiasts, show off their robotic creations, and compete in many robotic competitions and activities.

The Robothon is FREE and open to the public.

The main goal of Robothon is to promote and educate the general public that science and technology is fun and exciting for all ages."

Weekend Projects Side Note: Balloon Vs. Liquid Nitrogen

As a videographer, I sometimes have to cut out extremely cool stuff. Well let me introduce Weekend Project Sidenotes, so that I can bring you odd and interesting clips I can't abandon on the cutting room floor.

Melvin brought liquid nitrogen to play with. Before he started distilling oxygen, we put a balloon in liquid nitrogen.

Sidenote

HOW TO - Build an Intel 8008 computer "Clock"

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Len writes - "Here' how to build an Intel 8008 computer that displays the time of day. This is the most authoritative site on the Internet for Intel 8008 design information. Complete schematics, software, and reference material are included." - Link.

Related:
Other clock projects, how-tos and mods - Link.

Thorax cake

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Rob writes - "Since you are posting cannibal themed Halloween recipes, you Must ad the Thorax Cake to the list!" - Link.

Added!

Related:
MAKE Halloween archives - Link.

Device-art 2.0

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Dale writes - "Here's one photo from last night's Device-art 2.0 show in Zagreb, Croatis. There were a set of mostly fire-art performance pieces in an abandoned warehouse near the Seva River. The place is now a nightclub named Močvara, which means The Swamp. The evening was extremely loud, hot and smokey -- everyone puffing away on cigs, sadly. This photograph is of a piece by Kal Spelletich from the Bay Area, one of six pieces he had at the show. Kal got a red-headed volunteer to stand in the middle of four pulse jets, which alternate shooting flame and making a booming sound. Kal controls the sequence via computer, making one very loud, throbbing instrument... BTW, there were at least two other pieces that were worse in terms of danger to the volunteer... The show continues Saturday night and Sunday. Device-Art 2.0 was organized by Kontejner, an art collective in Zagreb, and William Linn of Blasthaus Gallery in San Francisco." - Link.

2-XL laptop bag

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I spent a good part of my only-child-childhood with this "robot" called 2-XL from Mego Corporation - I buy old ones off eBay for parts / projects and I finally got around to starting my 2-XL laptop bag project. I bought this green bag specifically because it was "2-XL green" and started to outfit it with the face plate from a broken bot.

The lights light up for now and eventually they'll only light up when there is a free open Wi-Fi hotspot.

Future versions may use the magnetic tape as fabric and other parts to really geek out...

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From Wikipedia "2-XL, in its initial release, was an educational 8-Track based toy, in the shape of a robot that was introduced originally in 1978. 2-XL was the brainchild of Dr. Michael J. Freeman who felt that toys should be both fun and educational at the same time. By utilizing the various tracks on the magnetic audio tapes he could make the toy both interactive and fun for the would be kids at home playing with it.

Even the name, 2-XL, has a double meaning. One to sound like that of a Sci-Fi type robot and it also is supposed to sound like it is said, "To Excel" meaning that this robot will offer education and knowledge.

The toy was released in two different time periods. The original release in 1978 was produced by a toy company called Mego Corporation. It would later be brought back onto the market in 1992 by Tiger Electronics with an updated look and used cassette tapes rather than 8-Track."

Related:

Virtual 2-XL - Link.
2xlrobot.com - Link.
2-XL resource - Link.
2-XL tapes and more - Link.

Suissa computers

Howard Suissa's company makes the incredible hand crafted PCs out of wood, glass and other non-traditional materials that you'd actually want to display proudly in your living room - "" [via] - Link.

HOW TO - Make Elephant dung paper

We're always exploring new options for the type of paper we use for MAKE... Here's how to make paper from elephant dung... Thanks San! - Link.

Related:
Elephant Dung Paper - Link.

September 29, 2006

Fire robots

Check out Racegreathouselabs robots and fire machines... I like the spider bot [via] - Link & photos.

Toolmonger's Top 5: The Week in Tools

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Chuck sent in this week's "Toolmonger's Top 5: The Week in Tools" buckle in... - "It's Halloween time again, and we've found some great tools that have us itchin' to jump in on our holiday craft and construction projects, like Dremel's inexpensive cordless pumpkin carving kit and a kickin' butane-powered hot glue gun. This week we also looked at a handheld sandblaster, a cool bench-installed clamping system for wood shops, and an idea we wish we'd thought of: "unified" jig saw blades that fit both common chuck types. Check back next week for our guide to getting started with plasma cutting"." - Link.

HOW TO - Make a versatile and low cost digital counter

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Trebuchet03 writes - "This hack will transform a cheap easily sourced calculator into a versatile counting machine. It can be used as a cheap method to measure distance using a wheel, reed switch and magnet (think bike odometer)." - Link.

Clever, it counts by adding +1.

Meathead -- Yummy Halloween fun

John writes - "I saw your "Cannibal-themed Halloween supper" post and it reminded me of this fun Halloween party project. My friend tried serving it at some of his parties and most people were too squeamish to touch it. It looked too real!" - Link.

Friday is getting kinda gory, rock. Ok, Makers you have a full month to top all these, show'em how it's done.

Cannibal-themed Halloween supper

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Don writes - "Hi, saw your invitation to send Halloween themed stuff on the post about the awesome wolverine claws. Here is a link to a page I posted in time for Halloween (my favorite time of year, along with Christmas)... It's my successful 2005 Cannibal-themed Halloween supper. Make sure you check out the (bleeding) human heart dessert at the end. It worked out beautifully and absolutely horrified my aunt." - Link.

Got a Halloween project? Email me or send us a link!

Aluminum tube makes awesome flutes

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Eric made a couple of flutes with wood and aluminum tube. He says they're easy to play and sound great. On his site he included tips on achieving the correct tuning too... - Link.

Related:

FolkUrban Music - DIY instruments - Link.
Make your own musical instruments - Link.
Weird Instruments - Link.
Collection of Homemade Instruments - Link.
Musical Instruments: PVC Recorder - Link.

Suspicious looking device

Casey writes - "To go along with the Geiger Counter mods, I had a counter stripped and powdercoated and replaced the electronics with my own (including distance sensor, LED display, motors, capacitive touch sensor, etc)to make a device capable of getting lots of attention if carried indiscreetly." - Link.

Geiger counter mods

David writes - "This site provides step-by-step instructions on modifying a Civil Defense CD V-700 Geiger counter into a unit with digital readout compatible with Geiger tubes and scintillation probes." - Link.

Related:

Geiger counter (analog) CPU meter - Link.
Tablet PC Geiger counter - Link.
Geiger Countering on planes - Link.
The GeigerPod - Link.

HOW TO - Make a magnetic tool rack

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Packrathacker writes - "Here's a thrifty, nifty method to make a good looking tool rack for your lab, garage or shop using recycled materials and magnets." - Link.