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Archive: Instructables

July 3, 2009

4th of July guide on Instructables

Instructables has a roundup of 4th projects for a happy weekend. BBQs, recipes, summer clothes, and water abound.

The USB... cigar?

This thing is wrong on so many levels, it almost reaches back around to right. Almost.

USB Cigar Flash Memory (with LEDs)

July 2, 2009

LEGO combination safe

Wow, a LEGO combination safe!

June 30, 2009

How-To: Droning machine

Randy Sarafan's band has got to be set up by now, he built his own droning machine from the movie Eli Eli Lema Sabachthani.

June 26, 2009

Altoids tin tacklebox

If fishing is in your weekend plans, you can whip up this quickie Altoids tin tacklebox! It uses an old gift card and some popsicle sticks to make compartments and a stacking tray.

Ultralight backpacking kitchen

Instructables user thatoneguydavid shows us how to make an ultra-mini boiling pot from a beer can for backpacking. He also put together a 1 oz. spice kit with which to cook.

June 23, 2009

Light Up Goggles

Steampunk devote slickshughes can only wear his goggles on his head because of his glasses, so he spruced up his forehead-only pair with some LEDs. Reminds me of The Fly.

Light up goggle mod

June 22, 2009

Papercraft Mini Moog won't break the bank

Should you find yourself in want of a classic Moog Synthesizer but a little short on funds, consider anait's paper version - much more portable than the original!

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Precisely rendered paper synth

June 20, 2009

How-To: Robot voice modulator

Randy Sarafan writes:

This is a simple to build device that converts your own human voice into a superior robot voice. It also includes a number of sweet features like an audio-in jack so that you can plug in all of your favorite instruments, microphones and music players, a vibrato mode and awesome pitch shifting buttons. It can be shifted two whole octaves in either direction. This provides for endless hours of fun (at the expense of everyone around you).

I can't wait to hear the new tunes Randy's going to make with all of his recent fun audio projects.

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June 18, 2009

How-To: Panorama robot camera rig

Building on some Kite Aerial Photography gear, Instructables user waldy made this rig to take panoramic photos automatically.

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Maker Profile - Aerial Kite Photography on MAKE: television

Instructables Pocket-sized contest

The contest is big, the projects (and prizes) are pocket-sized:

Making a great small project is a fun challenge. It's about working within constraints to see how much stuff you can fit into a little tin, or creating something small enough to carry around and easily show others.

Due to popular request, we're bringing back one of our favorite contests - the Pocket-Sized Contest!

So show us something awesome and win a Leatherman Squirt P4-Pocket Multi-Tool with a custom laser-etching. You can add your name, a (very) short message, or even a little logo. We'll also be giving you an Instructables Robot t-shirt and some other goodies.

Check out last year's winners for inspiration. Now get creative, and think small!

June 16, 2009

Old data switch to new audio switch

I see these switches every time I go to the thrift store; I'm glad now there's something useful to do with them! Randy converted his to a DIY audio switch.

June 15, 2009

How-To: Halogen to LED conversion

Want to retrofit your 12V bi-pin halogen lamp with LEDs? Look at this tutorial by Instructables user jmengel.

Minty kalimba

This Altoids tin electric kalimba appeals to me as a highly portable but still simple musical instrument, and you can plug it into an amp, too! Learn to make your own thanks to Deansrds' tutorial.

Tabletop Tesla coil

Mr. Apol made a tabletop Tesla coil:

After studying and tinkering with different components for a year, I finally assembled my first Tesla coil. I chose a bipolar design inspired by one in THE BOY ELECTRICIAN by Alfred P. Morgan (first published 1913, reprinted by Lindsay Publications and available at http://www.lindsaybks.com/.) Unlike the more common upright coils, the bipolar coil has a horizontal secondary and primary, and the ends of the secondary coil terminate in vertical electrodes. As I wanted to build a small tabletop model, this appealed to me because the coil would not need an external ground connection. I also decided to build the coil in modular fashion, with easily separated spark gap assembly, tank capacitors, and power supply. This way I could experiment with different components and see what changing these parts did to the overall performance of the coil.

How-To: Arduino mothbot

This light-seeking Arduino mothbot builds on the SERB code, and the Instructable is very thorough. Beginning Arduino bot builders, rejoice and build!

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How-To: Simple sequencer

Randy Sarafan shows us how to make this rad simple sequencer. Wood-grained contact paper is optional.

How-To: Mini-Theremin kit mods

Randy shares steps for adding two key upgrades to the Mini-Theremin kit -

True, there are already directions to do both of these things in the accompanying magazine, but what sets this how-to apart is that it is in English. If like me you can't read Japanese and unlike me, you couldn't figure out what to do from the pictures alone, this should help. Basically, what I am doing is adding an audio out jack and also a bigger, sturdier telescoping antenna. This is a great improvement on the original.

I've added an 1/8" jack to mine as well, definitely a great idea for those who also own the Gakken SX-150 synth. Once 'jacked' the mini can act as a handsfree controller for the SX by way of its control input. Hmmm ... think I'll be adding one of theses sturdier antennae as well. Read the full instructable for much mini modding infos.

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Gakken Mini-Theremin

June 13, 2009

Bilal explains Instructables

Bilal has been hanging out with the Instructables folks for a while. When I bumped into him at Maker Faire, he was typically animated as he told me about what they do there.

How-To: Replace guitar pickups

Replacing guitar pickups is a good option for those wanting better tone without forking over the cash for a new instrument. The process may seem a bit intimidating to newcomers, but it's actually pretty simple - John's instructable provides a helpful step-by-step -

After some time on Google reading articles mentioning the good things that can come out of getting rid of the stock pickups on inexpensive guitars, I was set on trying to do this myself. I had never considered it before, I always thought that the insides of guitars were something only an elite group of individuals were allowed to mess with.

I was wrong. After finishing this pickup swap, I learned a ton about my guitar without messing ANYTHING up. And now I have a great sounding guitar, too.

If you're finally becoming good at guitar, or even if you have been playing for a while and want a change, swapping out the pickups is one of the best things you can do without shelling out hundreds for a new guitar.

Especially handy, as he documented some snags he ran into along the way, as well as a quick rundown on choosing a replacement pickup. Read more in the Instructable.

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