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Archive: Instructables
August 29, 2008
Dot matrix business card
Tom Ward, whose work will appear in The Best of Instructables book we're currently editing, has just posted an awesome new "extreme business card." It uses a matrix of 5x15 0603 LEDs driven by a PIC16F57 MCU. He says you can get the parts cost down to about $5 each in quantity. Not the kind of card you'd give out on street corners, but if you *really* want to impress somebody...
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 29, 2008 03:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Instructables, Toolbox |
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A simple Marx Generator
You may think a Marx Generator is a device for spitting out strident communist rhetoric, but it's actually a type of high-voltage circuit for spitting out HV pulses.
This is probably one to put in the "Don't Try this at Home" or "Touch = Die" file as we are dealing with current here that can kill. Nice photos of the pulses.
More:
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 29, 2008 02:00 PM
Electronics, Instructables, Science |
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August 27, 2008
Burning Man Instructables round-up
Instructables has put together a round-up of Instructables related to Burning Man, from general tips to shelter and what to wear, to fun things to do.
Burning Man How-Tos, Costumes, Bikes, and Tips & Tricks
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 27, 2008 02:00 PM
Events, Instructables |
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HOW NOT TO - conceal your identity with IR LEDs
Randy shares documentation of his experiments using infrared LEDs to prevent cameras from recording his facial identity. The verdict - it no worky (at least with any of the LEDs tested) - How not to block cameras
More:
- IR LED glasses (anti-paparazzi)
- LED security camera disruptor on Hackszine
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Aug 27, 2008 04:00 AM
Culture jamming, Imaging, Instructables |
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August 19, 2008
HOW TO - diffuse CFLs beautifully
Here's a neat instructable by user sjolly which combines compact fluorescent light bulbs with a modular lampshade design. He writes:
We recently installed new compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in our workspace. They use less energy and last longer, but they're painfully bright...so I adapted Dan's Instructable for CFLs using heat resistant photo gels. This custom build attaches directly onto the end of the bulb so no extra materials are needed.
More:
Universal lamp shade polygon building kit
Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 19, 2008 09:06 PM
DIY Projects, Instructables |
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Tall Bike Extravaganza
When there's one quality how-to on something you're interested in, you may or may not build it. But, when you hit around half a dozen well-documented builds, it gets a lot harder to put the project off.
(Image from Rat Patrol)
Such is the case with me and tall bikes:
- Building a better tall bike. But who wants brakes?:)
- Tim Anderson's no-weld version
- The really-tall Skywalker TallBike Project
- Catty Scrap Tall Bike: looks like one bike suspended in the air over another
- Tall Bike Construction in the Andes (!)
- Tall Bike Building: short and sweet
The world record is currently 18 feet; anybody ready to challenge it?
Posted by Luke Iseman |
Aug 19, 2008 12:23 PM
Bicycles, Instructables |
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Cereal box to gift box
This Instructable shows you how to invert, cut, and refold a cereal box to turn it into a rectangular gift box.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 19, 2008 11:00 AM
Crafts, Instructables |
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HOW TO - CCD camera eyepiece for binoculars
Here's helpful instructable for fitting(and building) a CCD video camera to a basic pair of binoculars -
Have you ever looked through your binoculars and thought " I wish I could get this on tape" ? Well now you can. In this Instructable I'll show you how to build a cheap CCD eyepiece that will fit most binoculars.- CCD Eyepiece for Binoculars
You can use it with any camcorder that has a video input to capture whatever you can get a view on with your binoculars.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Aug 19, 2008 04:00 AM
DIY Projects, Imaging, Instructables |
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August 18, 2008
Contest: Instructable build tips, tricks and stories
As mentioned before, we're doing a Best of Instructables book. Instructables ran a contest on the site to find the 50 best Instructables, as voted on by the users. The results are now on the site. Congrats to the winners. Their projects will be listed in the book (some of them will be featured as full projects) and they'll each get a copy of the book when it's published.
We want to add value to the book by having some material that's not on the Instructables site (or anywhere else). We plan on running sidebars on some of the projects with tips from folks who've built them and can offer interesting tips, alternative build techniques, or just cool, amusing, or cautionary tales about the project. So, to collect some of these, Maker Media is running a contest.
Write up your tips/stories and send then to me at gareth@makezine.com. The submission can be about any Instructable, not just the ones we're running in the book. The Make: Books team will look over all of the submissions and award three winners. All three winners will get copies of The Maker's Notebook, MAKE rubber bands, and Maker's Notebook sticker sheets. The winning submissions (and other entries) will be considered for inclusion in The Best of Instructables. If we use your submission, you'll get a comp copy of the book it when it comes out.
In the Maker Shed:
Pick up The Maker's Notebook ($19.99) for all your ideas, diagrams, patterns, and great references in the back.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 18, 2008 06:25 PM
Announcements, Instructables, MAKE Store |
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DIY PowerMate
This Instructable details how to make your own jog/scroll wheel and volume control, a la the Griffin Technology PowerMate.
Desktop Scroll Wheel and Volume Control!
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 18, 2008 01:00 PM
Computers, Instructables |
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How To: Simple 3D illusion
This looks like a fun project to make with your kids. You can make it from some scrap paper, but it could also be scaled up to any size. It might be fun to try and make this illusion with some 2x4s?
Read more about making your own Simple 3D illusion
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Aug 18, 2008 01:00 AM
Instructables, Kids |
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August 17, 2008
HOW TO - Automated cell phone answering system
My pal Randy just published an instructable for making an auto-answerer for a cell phone. It puts your callers on hold, wastes your minutes, and helps you promote your own band, not to mention bugs out your friends and confuses others. He hacked a bluetooth headset with some other components to make this customer service parody. Via fatlab.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 17, 2008 10:00 PM
Cellphones, Culture jamming, DIY Projects, Electronics, Instructables, Wireless |
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August 15, 2008
Stretchy USB fabric connection
Instructables user Pulsea writes:
Make a stretchy fabric USB cable for whatever reason you like. This was a first test for me and... it worked! So the next step will be to integrate this USB connection into a shirt that I can wear, with a pocket for my digital camera, containing a USB connection that connects to the end of one of a sleeve, so that I can plug right into my laptop to download my pictures.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 15, 2008 11:00 AM
Crafts, DIY Projects, Electronics, Instructables |
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Bottle cap lighter mod will probably not score you points
Although the maker himself explains that he "has no idea why someone would need one of these", we like the bizarre nature of this hack. Check out the step by step directions at the link below.
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Aug 15, 2008 05:00 AM
Arts, Instructables, Made On Earth |
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August 14, 2008
Pallet-based compost bin
Here's what you need to know to make a quick, very serviceable compost bin out of four wooden shipping pallets.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 14, 2008 04:00 PM
Green, Instructables, Retro |
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August 13, 2008
HOW TO - Build a tube screamer guitar pedal
This instructable outlines steps for creating your own clone of the popular 'tube screamer' guitar distortion stompbox. Even if you're not keen on making tubes cry out, it's a good introduction to the DIY effects box process (and what motivates players to make their own) -
I never really considered building my own guitar pedals. I always thought that it was best if I left it to someone else to build the tools which would build my tone.
When I first got into guitars, I played accoustic and the funny thing was that even though I had been playing for about 2 years, I still knew nothing about gutiars.
My first distortion pedal was the FAB Metal pedal. It was cheap. Thats really all I can say about it. The next pedal I got was the classic Boss DS-1. WIth the DS-1, I began to wonder about it and finally came accross a website which show me how to mod the pedal. At this point, I decided that I create my own tone and that is exactly what I will be doing in this instructional.
- Tube screamer clone
More:
DIY Guitar pedal effects
Fuzzy logic guitar effects pedal
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Aug 13, 2008 02:30 PM
DIY Projects, Instructables, Music |
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Ard-e: Wall-E V. 0.001?
While certainly nowhere near as fancy as this Wall-E replica, the price is right and the Arduino's got a huge body of pre-existing code for working with sensors that the aspiring roboticist can build upon. I'd particularly like to see a trash-compacting version...
Full disclosure: imadami is the maker of this project and also my youngest brother. And no, I don't want to hear about how much cooler this project is than my own!:)
Posted by Luke Iseman |
Aug 13, 2008 12:19 AM
Arduino, Instructables, Robotics |
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August 12, 2008
HOW TO - Worm composting
Instructables user amyoungs writes:
Worm composting is an easy way to turn your food waste and shredded paper into rich fertilizer for your plants. You can also feel great about keeping your food waste out of the landfill, where it turns into methane, a stinky greenhouse gas. Worm composting, on the other hand, does not stink - don't believe me? Try it yourself!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 12, 2008 07:00 PM
DIY Projects, Instructables |
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DIY: Simple Balancing Robot
This is a cool little self-balancing robot that doesn't use any fancy accelerometers or gyroscopes. You might even have all the parts needed to make one of these right now.
This is a very simple robot that uses a simple switch as a sensor and stands on only two wheels with inverted pendulum mechanism. When the robot is going to fall the motor starts and moves the robot to the direction it is going to fall, so the motor torque about the center of gravity that is higher than the motor makes the robot balanced.
Read more about making a Simple Balancing Robot
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Aug 12, 2008 01:00 AM
Instructables, Robotics |
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August 11, 2008
Tennis ball chair
Here's another one for the wacky chair file.
More:
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Aug 11, 2008 02:00 PM
Furniture, Instructables |
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Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311
Gareth Branwyn
Robot Maker
Kip Kay
Video Maker
Jonah Brucker-Cohen
Artist / Researcher
Natalie Zee Drieu
Senior Editor
CRAFT
Becky Stern
Culture jammer
Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker
Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker
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