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February 27, 2007

Find and Share Toy Instructions, Mods, and Hacks

toyinstructions

Jeremiah of Z Recommends has just launched a promising new site for hacking parents called toyinstructions:

a collaborative wiki of deep links to instructions, user manuals, and building guides for toys and children's games. This site also offers links to blog searches, photos, and Yahoo user groups for toy brands, and a moderated list of top fan sites.

As detailed in the project announcement, search results for specific brands and toys (currently limited to products included at launch, but open for anyone to contribute) link to relevant photo searches (Flickr), blog posts (Technorati), user groups (Yahoo Groups), and DIY project ideas (a Google custom search that currently searches Instructables and the Make: blog).

Here's what the page for the Super Soaker looks like, with its custom DIY link:

Super Soaker on toyinstructions

As Jeremiah points out, the site will only be as good as its contributions, so if you have hard-to-find toy instructions to share, I do recommend you help him build what could be a very useful site.

Gmail Spam Trap

Gmail has an intersting feature that allows you to append a keyword to your email address with the plus (+) character. For example, username+spam@gmail.com will still deliver mail to username@gmail.com. This essentially allows you to create a unique email address whenever you need one.

This comes in really handy is if you are ever required to enter your email into a form online. If you use a unique keyword for every form that requires an email address, you'll be able to track down the culprit if you receive spam, just by looking at the To: header. You can then filter by that address to dump further incoming messages into the bin.

On the downside, this is just another arms race. It's not exactly rocket science removing the +keyword from gmail.com email addresses... On the plus side, it's useful for automatically categorizing and filtering the legitimate mail too. [via]

Related:

Google Hacks, 3E

February 26, 2007

Bunny rug

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Fun, make a bunny rug, from an old rug - NoahW writes...

I used an LCD projector to trace a giant bunny outline onto an old shag carpet. Once the shape was cut out, I dyed it black to hide some of the stains and used a remnant of the original white carpet to make an eye. I used this process to make a bunny rug, but you can do the same thing to transfer just about any outline or shape onto a surface.

Bunny Rug - Link.

MatchstickMan - The incredible Matchstick Uke

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Tony writes -

Jack Hall from England, U.K. proved that a ukulele didn't need to be made with conventional tools or from the finest materials to play well, sound good and be beautiful to look at.
This one-of-a- kind 1984 ukulele was made entirely from used wooden matchsticks...10,000 of them painstakingly glued together with 2 lbs of hide glue.

MatchstickMan - [via] Link.

Dart board without shadows

Image-37A86E6A398111D9
Scott sent in his invention, a light fixture designed to illuminate a dartboard uniformly without shadows by encircling the board with light. Any dart wielding makers? Are shadows a problem usually?

Nuvolux Incorporated - Link.

USB to serial Nike+iPod adapter, Arduino Bluetooth board, humidity and temperature sensors and more...

Spark Fun Electronics just dropped a whole load of goodness -

Ipodserial-01-L
This is the USB to serial Nike+iPod adapter. This device allows you to connect a iPod receiver to your computer over USB. The user can then 'listen' for foot pod data and IDs. Very handy for creating an access controlled cat door - Link.

Arduino-Bt-01-L
It's new. It's pricey. But oh is it cool. The new Arduino Bluetooth board allows you to wirelessly communicate with your Arduino project. You can even bootload over the air! - Link.

Sht15Breakout-01-L
The breakout board for the SHT15 is complete! Simple and small, you can now have accurate humidity and temperature on your next weather station - Link.

Ledcontroler-01-L-Up
A very simple breakout board for the LM4970. This I2C device pulses LEDs in time with an analog source like music. Perfect for case mods and fun visual displays - Link.

Msp430-Solar-01-L
This is a nice compact product from Olimex. MSP-Solar has a solar panel that outputs a moderate 80mA, but has a AA battery holder and step-up circuitry to 3.3V. What do you get? A simple renewable power supply - Link.

Spark Fun Electronics - Link.

DIY auto vacuum system

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This is clever, Bob's vacuum system turns on whenever he uses his wood working machines...

Woodworker Bob Neidorff bought a vacuum to collect the chips and sawdust from his shop equipment, and plumbed it to the vacuum ports on his power tools and to his homemade vacuum hose ports. But then, he had to turn it on and off every time he used a machine. That is, until he built this gadget. A torroidal power transformer and a handful of electronics detects the load current of the machines involved and controls the vacuum automatically. Now whenever the chips are flying, they're heading for the vac.

Case #98: Bob Solved His Chip Problem - 2/26/2007 - Design News - Link.

DIY Inclinometer: The SKYSCOPE

Make 377
Ken writes -

Here is a link to a model rocket company called Quest. I just found a DIY project on their site that let's you make an Inclinometer (a tool that allows you to measure the height of an object by angle). I downloaded the files and built one - it works great for telling exactly how high the trees are on our backlot property (admittedly - the "real" use is for telling the height of a flying rocket). I remember building one of these as a kid using a protractor and string. This new type is light years ahead.. and pretty cool!

Our Featured Model Rocket Project of the Month! - Link.

Extend Vista's Activation Grace Period

Windows Vista has a 30-day grace period before you're required to activate it. This can be inconvenient for people who do a lot of testing and frequent clean installs; even though the MSDN subscription includes several activations, what's the point of activating it on a real or virtual machine that may be running some other operating system in 31 days? Neowin.net explains the official way to get a little extra time in your grace period. Link.

Related

Six Tips for Hacking Windows Vista - Link
"Upgrade" to Windows Vista without a Previous Version of Windows - Link

iPod black box for planes

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Interesting, a company (seems to be) using an iPod as a black box for airplanes.... With all these cars with iPod docks, it would be neat to have data logging on everything. Discuss in the comments!

Apple Computer's popular iPod music player could become a flight data recorder (FDR) following an announcement by US light aircraft manufacturer LoPresti SpeedMerchants to introduce the device in the cockpit of its Fury piston aircraft.
The company says it plans the "full integration of the iPod into the Fury's avionics systems". The iconic 'white box' iPod will serve as a digital data recorder, nicknamed 'black boxes' by the general media. The iPod, with suitable software, acts as a hard disk with the ability to record over 500h of flight time data.

It was not immediately clear from the company's statement which parameters would be recorded and for what purpose. Recorders are currently used to collect data for maintenance purposes through system monitoring, for post-flight analysis in training and safety-monitoring, and, when suitably protected, for crash investigation.

Apple iPod set to swap 'white box' for 'black box' as LoPresti launches data recorder version-22/02/2007-London-Flightglobal.com - [via] Link.

Related:

Fury piston aircraft - Link.
Thinklabs iPod based electronic stethoscope - Link.

Jen Stark's paper sculptures

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Here's a fantastic collection of paper sculptures from artist Jen Stark --

Jen Stark - [via] Link.

Gennette Bruce's countdown timer

Cntdn2
Great PIC project, source and schematic included --

When the unit is turned on the last used starting count, minutes 0-99, seconds 0-59, is showing on the display. The start count is held in data EEPROM of the PIC16F84. Countdown starts when the start button is pressed. An alarm is sounded when the count reaches zero. The alarm continues until start is pressed again. This press also returns the starting count to the display. Pressing start before reaching zero also returns to starting conditions.
The start count can be changed if the set button is pressed before countdown. Each digit is lit in turn, incrementing from zero until the set button is pressed again. The new start count is saved in EEPROM after the final press of the set button.

There are 15 settable start counts. You cycle through them using the select pushbutton. The set button changes only the starting count presently displayed.

Gennette Bruce's countdown timer - Link.

Dental kit for your toolbox

832-Oral-Care-Cleaning-Kit
MAKE reader Monopole writes in with an a minty fresh tool for getting in to small places and lighting them up, but this tool is not used in its indented way... - it's a dental kit for your tool box.

Three indispensable tools for any maker are dental tools (for poking around in little things), dental (i.e. inspection mirrors) for looking in difficult to reach places, and of course flashlights to illuminate dark corners. So I was overjoyed to discover at the local supermarket that GUM is selling a neat pack of two nice dental picks, and a dental mirror with an integrated flashlight in the handle for less than ten bucks ! The mirror with the integrated flashlight is worth it alone. When you need a dental mirror you invariably need a flashlight as well as a free hand!

GUM Oral Care Cleaning Kit - Link.

HOW TO - Custom function key box

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David sent in how to convert an old PC Keyboard into a custom function key box

uC Hobby » Blog Archive » Custom Function Key Box - Link.

Send Company Email From Gmail

Customized From Address

When my access to O'Reilly's email server went out today, I still managed to send a message to tech support from my O'Reilly email address. Since I'd already added my other address to Gmail, here's all I needed to do:

Log in to your Gmail account at mail.google.com.
Click Compose.
Use the drop-down menu in the From field to select the address you'd like to use to send the message.
Compose and send!

Sure, it's more of a tip than a hack, since it's built into Gmail, but it sure saved me in a pinch today, so I thought it qualified for a Hackszine mention.

Related:

Google Hacks, 3E

Homemade rock climbing wall

Woodie1L
Chockstone has a homemade rock climbing wall you can install in your home --

The "Woodie", or home climbing wall is a project many a climber has dreamed into existence. Late night sketches on the back of drink coasters, and avid discussions of angles, holds, size, location, and so on, has lead to many a half-hearted construction. Usually a serious attempt is only made when opportunity knocks. In my case this was gaining a friend who is a builder. He took my hastily compiled sketches, and jumble of timber and produced the result (pictured right), within a single afternoon.
My "gym" is actually a cave, being a free standing cube (approximately 3 metres tall, and wide) with a roof and an inclined rear wall. The rear wall gets the most use because its steep gradient provides a tougher workout. The whole thing is just big enough to enjoy a free flowing bouldering session rather than being reduced to merely exercising the same moves over and over.

Rock Climbing Tech Tips: Building A Home Wall - [via] Link.

DIY Robot ride robot for sale... FANUC S420iW

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The same (type of) robot used in the now famous "DIY robot ride" is now for sale on eBay - only $10k!

This auction is for a used 1997 FANUC S420iW Industrial robot with RJ-2 Controls in a remote "B" cabinet. This robot has a capacity rating of 346 pounds and was at one time used in a Nissan Motor Plant. It is NOT intended to be a "RIDE" and I do not reccomend doing so. Fanuc also does NOT support the use of this machine as a "JOY RIDE". Using this robot in such a manner can be hazardous to your health!!! I have no further use for this unit and I am looking to sell. With the money from this sale I will be in the market for an ArcMate 100i with PowerWave 455 welding machine.

eBay: ROBOT INDUSTRIAL FANUC S420iW (item 160087251047 end time Feb-28-07 18:19:12 PST) - [via] Link.

Two sided PCB using toner method

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Jmengel shows another way to make two-sided PCBs at home --

This instructable assumes that you know how to generate a layout file using Eagle PCB or similar layout program. I use the toner transfer method of making PCB's (printed circuit boards) much like many others. The basic idea is to use a glossy paper, print the PCB design on the paper using a laser printer, and to use a hot iron to transfer the toner to the copper. I use the glossy paper that they have behind the counter at Kinko's. Go to Kinko's and ask for some sheets of their glossy laser paper, which is really cheap (about 5 cents a sheet). Some people advocate using glossy inkjet photo paper, but I think this is a waste and the cheap glossy laser paper comes off easier.
Anyway, once you have your design and paper, you will need to print the design. The key here is to mirror the top layer so that it will come out correct once transferred to the copper board. It can also help to include alignment marks (the T shaped things in the pic) beyond the edge of your PCB to help you align the two layers.

Two sided PCB using toner method - Link.

Use car's exhaust to vacuum your car...

Lrg Car Exhaust Cleaner
From Popular Science 1932 - for when cars basically came in three models...

Using the exhaust gas of the automobile to clean the upholstery is the accomplishment of a recently invented device. An aluminum attachment is fastened to the exhaust pipe and the engine is allowed to idle. As the exhaust gas passes through this device suction is created at the inlet hole. Collected by a nozzle, the dust and dirt are drawn through the hose and expelled into the air at the rear of the car. It is made in three models, for cars of different size.

Modern Mechanix » USE CAR'S EXHAUST TO CLEAN CUSHIONS - [via] Link.