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October 25, 2009

Speeding up Arduinos...

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Good Instructable for the advanced folks out there, your code won't be portable, but you're advanced, so whatever :) RazorConcepts writes-

Arduino is slow? What? This instructable will show just how slow a part of Arduino is, and how to fix it. It’s true – more specifically, Arduino’s digitalWrite command takes a considerable amount of time. If you are just switching on a LED once or something, you won’t be able to notice it. However, I realized how slow it was while I was trying to use a TLC5947 PWM driver. That requires the microcontroller to shift in 288 bytes each time! Each byte required about 12 digitalWrites, for a total of 3456 digitalWrites each time I wanted to shift in new data to the TLC5947. How long did that take? 30 seconds of just digitalWrite! But there is a solution – using “true c” style commands, or what the AVR GCC (GNU C Compiler) uses. The brains behind Arduinos are ATMega168s or ATMega328s. The AVR community typically uses “true c” commands to program these c

October 15, 2009

How-To: PVC pipe vacuum dust separator

Instructables user neorazz has posted a tutorial on how to build a dust separator attachment for your shop vac. It is described as "cyclonic," which it may or may not actually be (see the comments), but it does, apparently, work quite well at separating out the heavier bits of flotsam (which end up in the bucket) from the actual dust (which goes on to the vacuum).

October 14, 2009

How-To: Analog electricity usage meter

Instructables user pribich writes:

I have used a Kill A Watt electric meter for a while and I decided to build an analog one. This project went from being simple, with a single panel ammeter and an outlet, to full scale with three meters, a lamp socket, binding posts, and switches for all the outputs. Rather than simply mount the plastic meters I decided to remove the movements and reassemble them in a wooden case and make my own numbers for the meters with a piece of tea-stained paper and an old typewritter.

Check out more details about his analog electricity usage meter.

How-To: His and hers matching iPod costumes

Instructables user jtigermask13 has posted a tutorial on making these working children's iPod costumes.

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

October 12, 2009

How-To: Fiber optic star ceiling

Mike Galloway made this star field ceiling, rad!

October 9, 2009

How-To: Copy stand on the cheap

Instructables user Light_Lab writes:

I collect lots of documents as part of my work; recently I decided I should let the sheets of ‘tree stuff’ return to the environment and clear up my living space and office by scanning everything I could. I had recently got rid of a flat bed scanner; it was far too slow and I hardly ever used it. I needed something that was convenient and fast; it didn't need to make ultra high fidelity scans, just readable would do.

Check out the tutorial for this easy and cheap copy stand.

October 8, 2009

LED dog collar with keyboard keys

With the days getting darker earlier, I've been on the search for collar visibility options for my canine companion. Instructables user sheepishlion posted a clever DIY for making an LED dog collar with the extra bling of old keyboard keys. They used the keys to spell out the dog's name, along with the "return" and "help" keys, and they also suggest using your phone number as an alternate safety feature. An Altoids tin and 9V battery were used for the power supply, which could be a bit big for a little dog, though my 65-pound Samoyed mix should be fine with it (and I'm certain she'll appreciate the geek cred as much as I do).

October 7, 2009

How-To: Solar food dehydrator

Check out this solar food deydrator made from reclaimed materials, and get started on your dried fruit recipes!

How-To: Loop-back shoelacing

Here's yet another fun way to lace your shoes using the loop-back method, if you're tired of the way you've got 'em now!

More:

Shoe Lacing Methods

October 6, 2009

How-To: "Operation" costume

You know, you kind of have to see it blown up to life-size before you realize just how creepy the "Operation" game really is. Outstanding costume build by Instructables user NavySWO91. It works just like the game!

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

How-To: Simple bike trailer

Instructables user cmachia made a simple bike trailer from some scavanged wood and two bike tires to fill a need to haul more stuff than fits in a backpack.

How-To: Pneumatic pop-up Halloween screamer

Instructables user Back Roads just posted this tutorial describing the low-cost pneumatic system he hacked together to build this haunted house prop. [via Hack a Day]

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

October 5, 2009

How-To: Motion-activated Tesla coil

Devin just submitted this video to our Make: Halloween Contest 2009. It's a Tesla coil activated by a relay controlled by a microcontroller with a motion sensor. As Devin says, the coil is "very loud and startling," and he intends to use it in a haunted house. He's written an Instructable, too. Zap!

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

October 2, 2009

How-To: Install a ball valve on a cooler

If you're thinking of building your own wort chiller for homebrewing, you might benefit from seeing how Instructables user iPodGuy installs a ball valve on a cooler.

October 1, 2009

Want a lathe? Make one from junk

This project is kind of mad, but the results could be pretty useful. Instructables user catwood guides you through the process of building a wood lathe from mostly discarded parts. Along the way you will need things like the motor from a washing machine and the frame from a bike. It might make sense to buy or construct a more sturdy piece of equipment if you plan to make wood turning a full time hobby, but for light duty projects I could definitely see this coming in hand.

Instructables and EMSL Arduino contest

Here's a really open-ended contest from Instructables: just use an Arduino!

Arduinos are awesome - with one simple controller, you can make almost anything! What new things can you make with Arduino? We've teamed up with the creative folks at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories on an Arduino contest to find out.

The rules are simple: to enter you must make a new Instructable that involves the Arduino IDE. You can use any hardware that you like, or none at all. Be sure to provide the code you used so that others can follow in your footsteps. Make something amazing and win a sweet Meggy Jr RGB from Evil Mad Science or an Arduino Mega to power your next project!

September 30, 2009

How-To: Make a Proponomicon

There are two tutorials here describing the construction of a Raimi-style Necronomicon prop. The original, by Instructables user onespartan, is pictured uppermost, and a derivative work by Raolin, is pictured at bottom. Nice work, both of you!

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.