RSSArchives: July 2007
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July 5, 2007
Dipping duck orchestra
Kittclark writes in -
Music randomly generated by dipping ducks (AKA happy birds, drinking birds, dippy birds, happy ducks... etc). Using the basic parts of a keyboard, each duck is hooked up to a note of the octave. As their beak touches the water in the glass the circuit is completed and the sound is produced - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 08:00 AM
DIY Projects, Music |
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HOW TO - Make a penny shell
Here's how to to make a penny shell (using acid to dissolve the zinc core) -
Looking for something more interesting to do with that jar of pennies than just cash it in? One word: acid.GRAY MATTER Pretty Penny - Popular Science - Link.In most years before 1982, American pennies were 95 percent copper. Then the price of copper went up until you could get $100 worth of pennies at the bank, melt them down, and sell the metal for more than $100. So the government started using a core of cheap zinc with only a thin plating of copper.
The fact that pennies are made of two different metals opens up the interesting possibility of separating them.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 07:00 AM
Science |
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Railroad landscape rings
Jewelry artist Sarah Hood makes this really nice rings from miniature railroad materials.. - [via] Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 06:00 AM
Arts, Crafts |
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DIY iBook server booklet
Jonas writes -
A little while back i was given an iBook with a faulty screen as in not working at all.The chaos blog 2.0 » DIY iBook server booklet - [via] Link.
Having a hard time just throwing it away i was looking for a way to put it to use though it was a fairly old 500mhz G3 ibook.
Things being as they where i thought the only thing to do was using it as a server though it would mean quite a makeover, but thus the fun.First of all we need to take the ibook apart to remove screen, Optical drive and battery. All of these aren't necessary since we are building a server, "but what about restoring of OSX, don't we need the hard-drive for that?" Actually you don't since you can do it just as well in target mode from another hard-drive. Another thing we need to keep in mind is that we really want to keep the footprint of the ibook as small as possible.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 05:00 AM
Computers, DIY Projects |
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$50 paint job
Here's how to paint a car for $50 using Rustoleum and foam rollers... - [via] Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 04:00 AM
Transportation |
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Shed of the year winner
The winner of Shed of the Year 2007 announced on the 4th July was a Roman Temple Shed, built by Tony in Berkshire U.K, featuring - Roman window bars / Amphora / Grape lights / Blue LED mood lighting / Alarm and CCTV / Roman cushions / Interior mural panels / Mosaic table / Two time zones (Britannia and Rome time). Future projects - statue of the Emperor - Link & photos.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 03:00 AM
Made On Earth |
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HOW TO - Make bike gear windchimes
Offspringin writes -
Make your own unique windchime out of bike gears. Of course you can use any bike parts you want but the varying sizes of the gears produce different ringing sounds in the wind. You can use your imagination and come up with whatever you want. Paint, no paint, change the size, change the length, a great quick project with almost certain great results.Bike Gear Windchime - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 02:00 AM
Arts, Bicycles, DIY Projects |
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DRO-350
Kit for reading digital scales usually found on eBay (and later for use with a mill)...
The DRO-350 is a three-axis digital read-out (DRO) for import Chinese scales and most quadrature encoders that is designed to be as capable as commercial DROs but be a low cost alternative for the metal-working hobbyist. The DRO-350 is a do-it-yourself (DIY) project, not a complete, commercially manufactured product. All of the components necessary to build it are commonly available at Digikey, Mouser, or other electronics distributors. The printed circuit board (PCB) is specifically designed to use only DIP devices to make it easier for a hobbyist to assemble. The custom components needed to build the DRO-350, the bare PCB and the silk-screened overlay, are available to order on this site. The construction process is shown in step-by-step detail on the construction page and it is easy enough for somebody with basic electronics experience to build.DRO-350 - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 01:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Kits |
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Nerd Salon at 111 Minna Gallery (Tuesday, July 10, 2007)
Nerd Salon is coming up soon, mark your calendars if you're in the Bay area...
WHEN: Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 6 PM – 9:30 PMNerd Salon at 111 Minna Gallery (Tuesday, July 10, 2007) - Upcoming - Link.
WHERE: 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco (111 Minna St.)The circuit board stylings of Matt Ettus (www.ettus.com), who will be doing a live demo of GNU Radio, the open source software-defined radio project (www.gnu.org/software/gnuradio)
A mind-bending puzzle for you to solve for a very special prize.
This irregular evening of mayhem is organized by your nerd captains Jennifer Granick (www.granick.com) and Annalee Newitz (www.annaleenewitz.com). Come out and have a drink with people who won't make fun of you for hacking, hating on DRM, copyfighting, discursing on public policy, building nuclear reactors in your garage, reading science fiction, working in a bookstore, arguing about open source software, collecting Buffy dolls, dancing with robots, blogging and/or podcasting, lusting after the iPhone, or getting excited about the new Hulk comic book.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 5, 2007 12:00 AM
Events |
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July 4, 2007
NES-style Hydra LEGO casemod
Hydra creator Andre Lamothe sent in this cool link: Michael Zinn posted a gallery of a cool Hydra casemod that combines LEGOs with an NES design. You can read more about it in the Parallax forums
Related
Posted by Brian Jepson |
Jul 4, 2007 05:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics |
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Happy 4th of July from MAKE - 4th of July projects
"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better" - Albert Camus
Here are a few fun projects/examples I thought would be good for the 4th of July - We're a nation of tinkers, inventors and most of all - makers, it's a good day to celebrate all the things important to you as an American.
Have a great holiday!
HOW TO - Take photos of Fireworks - Link.
"Firework Drawings" - Link.
Make a potato cannon. The Night Lighter. Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. MAKE 03 - Page 108 - Link & PDF.
Make a water rocket. You don't have to be Burt Rutan to start your own rocket program. With a few empty soda bottles and some PVC pipe, you can build a high-performance water rocket. MAKE 05 - page 78.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 4, 2007 09:00 AM
Holiday projects |
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Cooking hot dogs via electrocution
This isn't one we suggest trying out, but it is interesting to read -- how to cook hot dogs via electrocution... - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 4, 2007 07:00 AM
Science |
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| Comments (3)
HOW TO - Make a LED picnic blanket
Pointcloud writes -
Here in Los Angeles there are a bunch of places to picnic in the evenings and watch an outdoor movie,Portable Water resistant LED Picnic Blanket with hard center serving surface! - Link.
like Cinespia in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This sounds scary, but when you have your own vinyl picnic blanket to spread out on the lawn, to protect from damp and spirits, with its own built in light source under a milk plex center table area, everyone can see what they're dishing up and which bottle is the red wine! I've designed this thing to fold up for easy transport to to run for 4-6 hours on rechargeable AA batteries.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 4, 2007 12:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Instructables |
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July 3, 2007
Bed headboard holds many gadgets
Gadgetbed from Mechanix Illustrated 1938, I like the swing out door with rotary phone... - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 3, 2007 10:00 PM
Gadgets, Modern Mechanix, Retro |
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HOW TO - Tie a double fisherman's knot
Here's a video on how to tie a double fisherman's knot [via] - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 3, 2007 08:00 PM
DIY Projects |
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Kite photos from Boston
Randall writes -
These are pictures I took by hanging cameras from kites, a hobby I've played with on and off over the years. To get the camera to take pictures, I built a 555 timer circuit that, every 13 seconds, throws a relay wired to the camera's shutter button. I used a small delta kite (larger ones on the way) and a cheap $30 digital camera with a large SD card.Kite photos from Boston - Link.Yes, the rig is still on breadboard and uses a band-aid as a structural component. Sometimes these things happen.
I've checked FAA regulations, and it seems that as long as the kite is under five pounds I don't need to notify them before flights.
Related:
Make Podcast: Weekend Projects Make A Kite Aerial ... - Link.
Weekend Project Instructions - Make A Kite Aerial ... - Link.
Maker Faire: Kite Aerial photography - Link.
Kite aerial photography form MAKE 01... - Link.
Attaching a kite aerial photography rig to the kite string - Link.
Longer timer for kite photography... - Link.
From the page of MAKE:
Kite Aerial Photography Puts Your Eye in the Sky. MAKE 01 - page 50. To take pictures from a kite, you need three things: a kite, a camera, and a special rig that attaches the camera to the kiteline and activates the shutter ... Subscribers--read this article now in your digital edition or get MAKE 01 @ the Maker store.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 3, 2007 06:00 PM
Imaging |
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| Comments (1)
iPhone microscope
MAKE Flickr photo pool member Curiouslee writes -
The iPhone camera lens is flush with the back of the perfectly flat back of the device making it easy to hold a pocket magnifier loupe in front to convert the camera into a microscope. Here I am using a Radio Shack 15x 3-lens magnifier on a keycap of my Powerbook. An LED flashlight is adding light to the backlit keyboard symbols. Most any kind of loupe or pocket microscope should work. I'll be trying binoculars and spotting scopes too.iPhone camera as microscope - Link.
Related:
HOW TO - Take macro (close up) photos with a cell phone - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 3, 2007 04:00 PM
Cellphones, DIY Projects, Imaging |
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HOW TO - Tell Temperature with Crickets
The always-entertaining Robert Krulwich had a fun segment on ABC World News Monday night about using cricket chirps to calculate temperature. Apparently, as male crickets heat up, they chirp more rapidly. By counting the chirps, especially of one species, the Snowy Tree Cricket (Oecanthus fultoni), you can get a fairly accurate temperature. Here's how:
- Find yourself a cricket (a chirping one will be a male. A Snowy Tree Cricket (seen here) is the most accurate, but in a pinch, any cricket will do)
- Count the chirps in a 14-second interval
- Add "38" to the total
- That's the current temperature, in Fahrenheit
The Krulwich piece name-checked entomologist and cricket expert Dr. Thomas Walker. You can find out more about him, crickets, and hear sound files at his website: Singing Insects of North America. Here's a direct link to the field recording of the Snowy Tree Cricket.
This temperature hack only works above 45-degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, crickets get sluggish. If they get over-heated (above 90 F), crickets start chirping a lot less to conserve energy (don't you?). You can also subtract 38 from the current thermometer temperature to get it in cricket. As I type this, it's an unseasonable 42-chirps here in our nation's capitol.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jul 3, 2007 02:15 PM
Green, Science |
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(Free) posters for school science and technology - electrical symbols, circuits and safety
Steve sent in these great (free) posters you can download and print out... Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jul 3, 2007 02:00 PM
DIY Projects |
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The Ahab Search Continues!
AHAB, the high altitude balloon that we launched with 5 cameras attached to it, has remained missing since launch.. It made it to 109,000 feet, but the batteries all died on the way down. Last month Todd, Veronica, and James went looking for it! You can see all their pictures and videos (1 and 2) from their adventure. (You may know these folks from Maker Faire. They had the Redneck Pool Heater.)
If this is the first time you've heard about this, catch up on the story!
Building a high altitude balloon. - Link
Launching a high altitude balloon. - Link
For those that have a digital subscription to Make: you can check out the article in the current magazine. - Link
Here's their report.
Sorry to say we didn't have any luck on our hunt for AHAB but the weather was perfect.Thanks for giving it your best shot! For those following along, Emrys Hall did a bunch of number crunching to give them another place to look. Read on after the jump to see that info! Read full storyWe went to ground zero of all points A-D and then circled the hill sides and small valleys in a 1 mile square round the points. The terrain is much hillier then what you can read from Google Earth Maps and the sagebrush goes from knee high to shoulder high so finding AHAB in that would mean you would have to almost step on it. We found an old bulldozer that must have been used as farm equipment 50 years ago. It was yellow (mostly rust yellow) and we couldn't see that until we where within 50 feet so it's not a good area to find something small. Also, same of the flat areas were planted with crops that where knee high so we couldn't search in those areas other then the target GPS spots in the crops, we did check them but we had to be very careful not to damage the crop.
We then went to ground zero of Emrys Hall's projection but nothing there either. We searched about a 1 mile by 2 mile rectangle around Emrys GPS point with no luck other then a party balloon that managed to land way out there.
I also calculated my own target LZ using the flight data. It was in the dead center between point D and the cutaway coordinates. We could not search this area because it was all planted crops. If it's there I guess the combine will find it and eat it this fall during harvest unless we get lucky and the farmer sees it first.
I took lots of photos, camera movies and way points which I will load to my photo site when I get done with my east cost vacation driving down the 101 and back to Mesa, AZ.
We all tons of fun searching for AHAB always believing it would be just over the next rise. We never gave up hope even on the way home we where still going over decent rates, wind speeds to figure if were had been in the optimum locations. Can't buy fun like that anymore; thank a ton for sharing your adventure with all the readers of Make Magazine!
Todd Harrison, Mesa AZ
Veronica Harrison, Mesa AZ
James Ziska, Walla Walla, WA
Posted by Bre Pettis |
Jul 3, 2007 12:44 PM
DIY Projects, Weekend Projects |
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Current Podcast
AHAB High Altitude Ballooning - Best of Weekend Projects
mp4|mov|hd|3gp|3g2|itunes This week on Best of Weekend Projects, we look back at part two of the AHAB (High Altitude Balloon Adventure). In this epic Bre & Co. travel to Eastern Washington to launch a GPS and camera enabled balloon...
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