http://odeo.com/channels/1178-MAKE-Magazine PhillipTorroneMAKEMagazine no MAKE is a quarterly publication from O'Reilly for those who just can't stop tinkering, disassembling, re-creating, and inventing cool new uses for the technology in our lives. It's the first do-it-yourself magazine dedicated to the incorrigible and chronically incurable technology enthusiast in all of us. MAKE celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend technology any way you want. MAKE is a quarterly publication from O'Reilly for those who just can't stop tinkering, disassembling, re-creating, and inventing cool new uses for the technology in our lives. It's the first do-it-yourself magazine dedicated to the incorrigible and chronically incurable technology enthusiast in all of us. MAKE celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend technology any way you want. Technology on Your Time en 40 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800 Technology http://odeo.com/episodes/25524579-ECE576-Final-projects Each year, students in Cornell's ECE 5760 class are tasked to build something with an FPGA, and they always produce some cool projects. This year's projects are no different. Here are some of my favorites: Chuck Yang and Jasper Schneider built a Face tracking + Perspective projection. Their system implements a face detection algorithm to determine the position and orientation of a user, and uses this information to change the perspective of a 3d display. Chris McNally and Joe Kerekes designed the velocity-sensitive KSD Piano, which uses the Karplus Strong model to generate piano tones. They don't appear to have an embeddable video of the project, however you can download one here. James Du and Peter Greczner designed a video production system with green-screen capability. It uses the chroma key technique to replace the background of a video with a different one. Check out the course website for the rest of the projects. Great show! Related: 2008 ECE576 Final projects 2007 ECE576 Fin... Each year, students in Cornell's ECE 5760 class are tasked to build something with an FPGA, and they always produce some cool projects. This year's projects are no different. Here are some of my favorites: Chuck Yang and Jasper Schneider built a Face tracking + Perspective projection. Their system implements a face detection algorithm to determine the position and orientation of a user, and uses this information to change the perspective of a 3d display. Chris McNally and Joe Kerekes designed the velocity-sensitive KSD Piano, which uses the Karplus Strong model to generate piano tones. They don't appear to have an embeddable video of the project, however you can download one here. James Du and Peter Greczner designed a video production system with green-screen capability. It uses the chroma key technique to replace the background of a video with a different one. Check out the course website for the rest of the projects. Great show! Related: 2008 ECE576 Final projects 2007 ECE576 Final projects 2006 ECE576 Final projects Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! Each year, students in Cornell's ECE 5760 class are tasked to build something with an FPGA, and they always produce some cool projects. This year's projects are no different. Here are some of my favorites: Chuck Yang and Jasper Schneider built a Face tracking + Perspective projection. Their system implements a face detection algorithm to determine the position and orientation of a user, and uses this information to change the perspective of a 3d display. Chris McNally and Joe Kerekes designed the velocity-sensitive KSD Piano, which uses the Karplus Strong model to generate piano tones. They don't appear to have an embeddable video of the project, however you can download one here. James Du and Peter Greczner designed a video production system with green-screen capability. It uses the chroma key technique to replace the background of a video with a different one. Check out the course website for the rest of the projects. Great show! Related: 2008 ECE576 Final projects 2007 ECE576 Final projects 2006 ECE576 Final projects Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-11,25524579 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine electronics http://odeo.com/episodes/25522694-Weekend-Project-Alien-Projector Shine an alien or any other design on a wall with this $5 LED projector. Thanks go to Brian McNamara for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. To download The Alien Projector video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Alien Projector article in MAKE, Volume 16 and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Here is the link for the Alien Projector template Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Shine an alien or any other design on a wall with this $5 LED projector. Thanks go to Brian McNamara for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. To download The Alien Projector video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Alien Projector article in MAKE, Volume 16 and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Here is the link for the Alien Projector template Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Shine an alien or any other design on a wall with this $5 LED projector. Thanks go to Brian McNamara for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. To download The Alien Projector video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Alien Projector article in MAKE, Volume 16 and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Here is the link for the Alien Projector template Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-11,25522694 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:01:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Weekend Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25522695-Weekend-Project-Alien-Projector-PDF Shine an alien or any other design on a wall with this $5 LED projector. Thanks go to Brian McNamara for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Shine an alien or any other design on a wall with this $5 LED projector. Thanks go to Brian McNamara for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Shine an alien or any other design on a wall with this $5 LED projector. Thanks go to Brian McNamara for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-11,25522695 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:00:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine MAKE PDF http://odeo.com/episodes/25520913-New-Intuit-Future-of-Small-Business-Report-Hobbypreneurs What a wild few weeks for open source hardware and for small businesses, check out this report from Inuit... It's called the "Intuit Future of Small Business Report - Hobbypreneurs". They outline the maker movement and talk about many maker companies... Today’s passion-driven hobbyists are tomorrow’s entrepreneurs – otherwise known as hobbypreneurs, who successfully combine their passion for a particular hobby or craft with pragmatic business smarts to create new revenue streams for themselves and their families. Intuit today released the latest findings from the Intuit Future of Small Business Report series, written by Emergent Research, that focus on the “Maker” movement and the reasons that hobbypreneurs mean business. The report includes perspectives and data from a recent Maker Faire, where hobbyists identified their motives and reasons for starting their own small business. Here's a direct link to the PDF. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read m... What a wild few weeks for open source hardware and for small businesses, check out this report from Inuit... It's called the "Intuit Future of Small Business Report - Hobbypreneurs". They outline the maker movement and talk about many maker companies... Today’s passion-driven hobbyists are tomorrow’s entrepreneurs – otherwise known as hobbypreneurs, who successfully combine their passion for a particular hobby or craft with pragmatic business smarts to create new revenue streams for themselves and their families. Intuit today released the latest findings from the Intuit Future of Small Business Report series, written by Emergent Research, that focus on the “Maker” movement and the reasons that hobbypreneurs mean business. The report includes perspectives and data from a recent Maker Faire, where hobbyists identified their motives and reasons for starting their own small business. Here's a direct link to the PDF. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Makers | Digg this! What a wild few weeks for open source hardware and for small businesses, check out this report from Inuit... It's called the "Intuit Future of Small Business Report - Hobbypreneurs". They outline the maker movement and talk about many maker companies... Today’s passion-driven hobbyists are tomorrow’s entrepreneurs – otherwise known as hobbypreneurs, who successfully combine their passion for a particular hobby or craft with pragmatic business smarts to create new revenue streams for themselves and their families. Intuit today released the latest findings from the Intuit Future of Small Business Report series, written by Emergent Research, that focus on the “Maker” movement and the reasons that hobbypreneurs mean business. The report includes perspectives and data from a recent Maker Faire, where hobbyists identified their motives and reasons for starting their own small business. Here's a direct link to the PDF. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Makers | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-10,25520913 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:35:59 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Makers http://odeo.com/episodes/25519719-Learning-electronics-just-got-A-LOT-easier I'm thrilled to announce our latest offering from O'Reilly/Make: Books, Make: Electronics, by Charles Platt. This is a book that we've wanted to do for awhile. Many of us at Maker Media have had an interaction that goes something like this: You're at a talk, Maker Faire, or elsewhere, and someone spirits you aside, like they're going to confess to a petty crime or some marital indiscretion. What they want to whisper sheepishly into your ear is that they love MAKE, all of the excitement they see over open source electronics, and the cool kits we sell in the Maker Shed, but they have NO IDEA how electronics work, and the "beginner" books and resources they look at online zoom quickly over their heads and frustrate their efforts to learn. Ultimately, they find themselves too embarrassed to admit their lack of high-tech smarts or to ask questions (which is why they've taken you behind a dumpster to confess their ignorance). So we decided to make it our mission to create a book that woul... I'm thrilled to announce our latest offering from O'Reilly/Make: Books, Make: Electronics, by Charles Platt. This is a book that we've wanted to do for awhile. Many of us at Maker Media have had an interaction that goes something like this: You're at a talk, Maker Faire, or elsewhere, and someone spirits you aside, like they're going to confess to a petty crime or some marital indiscretion. What they want to whisper sheepishly into your ear is that they love MAKE, all of the excitement they see over open source electronics, and the cool kits we sell in the Maker Shed, but they have NO IDEA how electronics work, and the "beginner" books and resources they look at online zoom quickly over their heads and frustrate their efforts to learn. Ultimately, they find themselves too embarrassed to admit their lack of high-tech smarts or to ask questions (which is why they've taken you behind a dumpster to confess their ignorance). So we decided to make it our mission to create a book that would patiently lead readers into the world of electronics in a way that was fun, clear-spoken, graphical, and experiential. Charles dubbed it "learning by discovery." He has you experimenting with parts right out of the gate, licking batteries (really), breaking and frying stuff, and then you learn what happened and why, the theories behind the parts and processes you're using, and how to do the experiment correctly. For all of those would-be makers and wireheads who've been looking for a book that will finally let them in on all the fun, we made this one for you! In 340+ pages, Make: Electronics takes you from the most basic aspects of electronic components and theory to techniques, such as soldering and using a multimeter, gathering basic tools and setting up a workshop, all the way to working with integrated circuits, microcontrollers, and building sophisticated devices such as robots. The book is full-color, with hundreds of photos, illustrations, schematics, even fun cartoons. Charles Platt, being the true Renaissance man that he is, did all of this himself. So the book has something of a charming, handmade feel to it. To give you an idea of what the book feels like, we've put together this 40-page PDF. It contains the cover, table of contents, two complete projects from the book, and the index. A hearty congrats to Charles and everyone at O'Reilly and MAKE who worked so hard to make this book happen, especially Brian Jepson, Rachel Monaghan, Ron Bilodeau, and Nancy Kotary. And to the amazing Bunnie Huang, who served as our technical editor. In the Maker Shed: Make: Electronics Our Price: $34.99 Want to learn the fundamentals of electronics in a fun and experiential way? Start working on some excellent projects as soon as you crack open this unique, hands-on book. Build the circuits first, then learn the theory behind them! With Make: Electronics, you'll learn all of the basic components and important principles through a series of "learn by discovery" experiments. And you don't need to know a thing about electricity to get started. Check out the FREE shipping offer from the Maker Shed. (orders of $100 or more, Contiguous US only, not to be combined with any other offers) Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! I'm thrilled to announce our latest offering from O'Reilly/Make: Books, Make: Electronics, by Charles Platt. This is a book that we've wanted to do for awhile. Many of us at Maker Media have had an interaction that goes something like this: You're at a talk, Maker Faire, or elsewhere, and someone spirits you aside, like they're going to confess to a petty crime or some marital indiscretion. What they want to whisper sheepishly into your ear is that they love MAKE, all of the excitement they see over open source electronics, and the cool kits we sell in the Maker Shed, but they have NO IDEA how electronics work, and the "beginner" books and resources they look at online zoom quickly over their heads and frustrate their efforts to learn. Ultimately, they find themselves too embarrassed to admit their lack of high-tech smarts or to ask questions (which is why they've taken you behind a dumpster to confess their ignorance). So we decided to make it our mission to create a book that would patiently lead readers into the world of electronics in a way that was fun, clear-spoken, graphical, and experiential. Charles dubbed it "learning by discovery." He has you experimenting with parts right out of the gate, licking batteries (really), breaking and frying stuff, and then you learn what happened and why, the theories behind the parts and processes you're using, and how to do the experiment correctly. For all of those would-be makers and wireheads who've been looking for a book that will finally let them in on all the fun, we made this one for you! In 340+ pages, Make: Electronics takes you from the most basic aspects of electronic components and theory to techniques, such as soldering and using a multimeter, gathering basic tools and setting up a workshop, all the way to working with integrated circuits, microcontrollers, and building sophisticated devices such as robots. The book is full-color, with hundreds of photos, illustrations, schematics, even fun cartoons. Charles Platt, being the true Renaissance man that he is, did all of this himself. So the book has something of a charming, handmade feel to it. To give you an idea of what the book feels like, we've put together this 40-page PDF. It contains the cover, table of contents, two complete projects from the book, and the index. A hearty congrats to Charles and everyone at O'Reilly and MAKE who worked so hard to make this book happen, especially Brian Jepson, Rachel Monaghan, Ron Bilodeau, and Nancy Kotary. And to the amazing Bunnie Huang, who served as our technical editor. In the Maker Shed: Make: Electronics Our Price: $34.99 Want to learn the fundamentals of electronics in a fun and experiential way? Start working on some excellent projects as soon as you crack open this unique, hands-on book. Build the circuits first, then learn the theory behind them! With Make: Electronics, you'll learn all of the basic components and important principles through a series of "learn by discovery" experiments. And you don't need to know a thing about electricity to get started. Check out the FREE shipping offer from the Maker Shed. (orders of $100 or more, Contiguous US only, not to be combined with any other offers) Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-10,25519719 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:31:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine electronics http://odeo.com/episodes/25519720-Eye-shield-gives-your-Arduino-an-eye Spotted in the Make Flickr pool: David Chatting built this Arduino Eye Shield so that he could hook up an analog video camera to his Arduino. It sounds pretty crazy, however by utilizing an LM1881 video sync separator chip and some comparators, he was able to use the Arduino to capture at least 8 1-bit monochrome values from each line of video data. With a bit more work, it sounds like the resolution could be doubled, and more color bits could be added. Pretty impressive for a tiny microcontroller! He's using the shield for his Reflections in Cider exhibit, and has more photos of the installation in his Flickr set. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! Spotted in the Make Flickr pool: David Chatting built this Arduino Eye Shield so that he could hook up an analog video camera to his Arduino. It sounds pretty crazy, however by utilizing an LM1881 video sync separator chip and some comparators, he was able to use the Arduino to capture at least 8 1-bit monochrome values from each line of video data. With a bit more work, it sounds like the resolution could be doubled, and more color bits could be added. Pretty impressive for a tiny microcontroller! He's using the shield for his Reflections in Cider exhibit, and has more photos of the installation in his Flickr set. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! Spotted in the Make Flickr pool: David Chatting built this Arduino Eye Shield so that he could hook up an analog video camera to his Arduino. It sounds pretty crazy, however by utilizing an LM1881 video sync separator chip and some comparators, he was able to use the Arduino to capture at least 8 1-bit monochrome values from each line of video data. With a bit more work, it sounds like the resolution could be doubled, and more color bits could be added. Pretty impressive for a tiny microcontroller! He's using the shield for his Reflections in Cider exhibit, and has more photos of the installation in his Flickr set. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-10,25519720 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Arts http://odeo.com/episodes/25515071-Downloadable-papercraft-Elder-Thing British video game artist Wayne Peters has a downloadable fold up pattern (PDF) for his 28mm paper model of one of Lovecraft's master baddies from At the Mountains of Madness. [via Propnomicon] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gaming | Digg this! British video game artist Wayne Peters has a downloadable fold up pattern (PDF) for his 28mm paper model of one of Lovecraft's master baddies from At the Mountains of Madness. [via Propnomicon] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gaming | Digg this! British video game artist Wayne Peters has a downloadable fold up pattern (PDF) for his 28mm paper model of one of Lovecraft's master baddies from At the Mountains of Madness. [via Propnomicon] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gaming | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-09,25515071 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:03:44 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Gaming http://odeo.com/episodes/25504957-Ice-records-play-glacier-sounds I like these ice records by artist Katie Paterson. She recorded sounds from a number of melting Icelandic glaciers, then pressed the recordings into ice to make single use records. Besides being a neat statement about how the glaciers are disappearing, it's also some cool technology. Who knew that you could make records out of water? Needless to say, the records melted during playback, however she did make a recording as they played. [via neatorama] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! I like these ice records by artist Katie Paterson. She recorded sounds from a number of melting Icelandic glaciers, then pressed the recordings into ice to make single use records. Besides being a neat statement about how the glaciers are disappearing, it's also some cool technology. Who knew that you could make records out of water? Needless to say, the records melted during playback, however she did make a recording as they played. [via neatorama] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! I like these ice records by artist Katie Paterson. She recorded sounds from a number of melting Icelandic glaciers, then pressed the recordings into ice to make single use records. Besides being a neat statement about how the glaciers are disappearing, it's also some cool technology. Who knew that you could make records out of water? Needless to say, the records melted during playback, however she did make a recording as they played. [via neatorama] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-07,25504957 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Arts http://odeo.com/episodes/25490887-Make-Holiday-Gift-Guide-2009-Dangerous-giving "Security is mostly a superstition," wrote Helen Keller. "It does not exist in nature... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." If you know someone whose life is lacking excitement, perhaps you can kick start 2010 by giving them a few badly-needed thrills. But you don't want to go overboard, so we've developed the list to help you give gifts that fall somewhere between the tedious and the treacherous (with a distinct bias towards the latter). Make Your Own Gunpowder In my latest book Absinthe and Flamethrowers, I explain how adding the right mix of danger to your life can make you happier and better adjusted. Now, there are lots of ways of adding reasonable danger, but one frequent suggestion I give maker friends is to attempt making their own gun powder. Sound dangerous? Okay, maybe a little. But not overly so. The directions are in the book and the ingredients are in the Maker Shed's Science Room. Potassium Nitrate (MakerShed, $2.99) Sulfur (MakerShed, $2.99) Charcoal (Mak... "Security is mostly a superstition," wrote Helen Keller. "It does not exist in nature... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." If you know someone whose life is lacking excitement, perhaps you can kick start 2010 by giving them a few badly-needed thrills. But you don't want to go overboard, so we've developed the list to help you give gifts that fall somewhere between the tedious and the treacherous (with a distinct bias towards the latter). Make Your Own Gunpowder In my latest book Absinthe and Flamethrowers, I explain how adding the right mix of danger to your life can make you happier and better adjusted. Now, there are lots of ways of adding reasonable danger, but one frequent suggestion I give maker friends is to attempt making their own gun powder. Sound dangerous? Okay, maybe a little. But not overly so. The directions are in the book and the ingredients are in the Maker Shed's Science Room. Potassium Nitrate (MakerShed, $2.99) Sulfur (MakerShed, $2.99) Charcoal (MakerShed, $4.50) Start a Fire with Air Your mom might disagree, but I think playing with fire is a good thing, and a good place to start is with a fire piston. The clear, polycarbonate fire piston kit from the Maker Shed (which I put together) is a great fire starting device that seemingly produces fire from thin air. The secret is that the specially-designed piston is rammed quickly into a sealed cylinder with a single stroke. The compression of the air causes the temperature to rise rapidly, to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough for the tinder on the piston face to ignite. It can then be withdrawn and transferred to a larger mass of kindling to create a fire. Way, way cooler than using a match, or (shudder) a lighter, to start a campfire. Fire Piston Kit (MakerShed, $19.99) The Poison Pepper Eating hot peppers isn't really dangerous. Or is it? According to the BBC, defense scientists in India are developing a throwing weapon containing not explosives, but super-hot chili peppers, so hot they make your typical jalapeno taste like a cinnamon stick. The pepper variety used in these "all-natural" hand grenades is called the Bhut Jolokia. Danger seekers with a horticultural bent can order the seeds and try their hand at growing some of these "dangerous" vegetables. Bhut Jolokia Ultra Hot Pepper Seeds (New Mexico State Chili Pepper Institute, $5.00) The Ultimate Firework Making fireworks is a great hobby, but you'd better know what you're doing. Mixing fuels and oxidizers the right way will impress your friends. Do it incorrectly and those same friends will nickname you "Stubby." American Fireworks News has a ton of books on how to make fireworks. The Girandola is a spectacular flying wheel, and expert fireworks maker Tom Dimont's DVD, shows you how to make them. Click here for a video. Girandola DVD (American Fireworks News, $40.80) Use the Force, Luke Using a 50 mw green laser on a misty evening is as close to handling a Jedi Knight's light saber as I'll ever get. On a clear night, you can light up a water tower three miles away. But make no mistake; a Class IIIb 50 mW laser has plenty of capacity to damage eyeballs, so it's not a recommended gift for the young or the stupid. 50 mW Green Laser (ScientificsOnline, $189.99) Dance with the Green Fairy The truly adventurous don't toast their escapades with beer or Scotch whiskey. Instead, they raise a glass of absinthe, the purportedly dangerous psychoactive liquor distilled from the poisonous wormwood plant. Prepare the drink by dripping water through a sugar cube into the absinthe. The volatile oils will precipitate out of solution, turning it an opaline green, thus signifying the arrival of the "the green fairy." Taboo Absinthe (Okanangan Spirits, $55.00) Got Thermite? This combination of chemicals comes in handy when you need to field-weld a couple 5-inch I-beams or quickly purify some uranium ore. But even if you don't, what adventurous maker wouldn't enjoy experimenting with a chemical reaction hot enough to burn through concrete? The good people at United Nuclear sell the stuff you need to experience firsthand the power and glory. Thermite (United Nuclear, $4.50) The Deal of the Century - The Ballistic Bundle Is the Maker Shed's Ballistic Bundle the most awesome, intellectually stimulating, and kick-ass exciting combination of books and video on the entire system of tubes called the Interweb? Yes. And I'd say this even if I wasn't the author of the books and the star of the video. The bundle includes Backyard Ballistics, The Art of the Catapult, the Barrage Garage video, and the classic MAKE, Volume 03. No matter how you look at it, $69 worth of books and fifty grand worth of excitement, all for $48, is a heckuva bargain. The Ballistic Bundle (MakerShed $48.00) Absinthe and Flamethrowers Not included in the above bundle is my latest book, Absinthe and Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously. Reviews say "The book is a sure-fire hit for people who want to get in touch with their inner MacGyver and for fans of television shows like MythBusters. (The book's projects ...) often involve building things that shoot or explode." The book has been getting a lot of attention, from the New York Times to Popular Science to NPR's Science Friday. Lot of folks like the message that some risks are okay to take. And, it's on sale in the Maker Shed. Absinthe and Flamethrower (MakerShed, $15.99) Whip it Good Don't you hate it when your ox refuses to pull the cart anymore? Well, if you can handle a stock whip, you don't have to endure this obstinacy. A well-made whip transfers momentum from your arm to the popper on the end of the whip, causing a mini-sonic boom next to the beast's ear. Even if you're not a drover, a bullwhip is a pretty fun thing to use. But wear safety glasses and a hat because novice whip crackers are living pretty dangerously. Stockwhip (David Morgan, $170) Learn to Throw Knives I experimented with knife throwing as a consequence of writing Absinthe and Flamethrowers. It's quite entertaining and I've been recommending knife throwing to anyone who'll listen (well, almost anyone.) It's a much different experience than, say, throwing pub darts. To me, one really can't compare the bold, red-blooded flush of satisfaction derived from a perfect, cold steel stick into a target with the rather dainty, epicene feeling one gets when tossing a dart. The right knife makes all the difference and this one's not bad. Throwing Knife (Coldsteel, $13.99) In the Maker Shed: Want more? Stop by the Maker Shed. We've got all sorts of great holiday gift ideas, Arduino & Arduino accessories, electronic kits, science kits, smart stuff for kids, back issues of MAKE & CRAFT, box sets, books, robots, kits from Japan and more. Holiday Shipping Deadlines in December:04 (Fri) - Deadline for microscope shipping 11 (Fri) - postal shipping deadline 14 (Mon) - ground shipping deadline 18 (Fri) - FedEx 3-day shipping deadline 21 (Mon) - FedEx 2-day shipping deadline 22 (Tue) - FedEx overnight shipping deadline *Customers experiences on orders with these ship methods placed after these dates may vary, the dates listed are what we call "safe dates" USPS (Any Method): Due to the high volume of mail that the postal service deals with around the holidays, order by Dec. 10th, however, many packages are lost or delayed in transit and we do not replace or refund any orders lost using this ship method, we strongly encourage you to not use this method in December. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gift Guides | Digg this! "Security is mostly a superstition," wrote Helen Keller. "It does not exist in nature... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." If you know someone whose life is lacking excitement, perhaps you can kick start 2010 by giving them a few badly-needed thrills. But you don't want to go overboard, so we've developed the list to help you give gifts that fall somewhere between the tedious and the treacherous (with a distinct bias towards the latter). Make Your Own Gunpowder In my latest book Absinthe and Flamethrowers, I explain how adding the right mix of danger to your life can make you happier and better adjusted. Now, there are lots of ways of adding reasonable danger, but one frequent suggestion I give maker friends is to attempt making their own gun powder. Sound dangerous? Okay, maybe a little. But not overly so. The directions are in the book and the ingredients are in the Maker Shed's Science Room. Potassium Nitrate (MakerShed, $2.99) Sulfur (MakerShed, $2.99) Charcoal (MakerShed, $4.50) Start a Fire with Air Your mom might disagree, but I think playing with fire is a good thing, and a good place to start is with a fire piston. The clear, polycarbonate fire piston kit from the Maker Shed (which I put together) is a great fire starting device that seemingly produces fire from thin air. The secret is that the specially-designed piston is rammed quickly into a sealed cylinder with a single stroke. The compression of the air causes the temperature to rise rapidly, to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough for the tinder on the piston face to ignite. It can then be withdrawn and transferred to a larger mass of kindling to create a fire. Way, way cooler than using a match, or (shudder) a lighter, to start a campfire. Fire Piston Kit (MakerShed, $19.99) The Poison Pepper Eating hot peppers isn't really dangerous. Or is it? According to the BBC, defense scientists in India are developing a throwing weapon containing not explosives, but super-hot chili peppers, so hot they make your typical jalapeno taste like a cinnamon stick. The pepper variety used in these "all-natural" hand grenades is called the Bhut Jolokia. Danger seekers with a horticultural bent can order the seeds and try their hand at growing some of these "dangerous" vegetables. Bhut Jolokia Ultra Hot Pepper Seeds (New Mexico State Chili Pepper Institute, $5.00) The Ultimate Firework Making fireworks is a great hobby, but you'd better know what you're doing. Mixing fuels and oxidizers the right way will impress your friends. Do it incorrectly and those same friends will nickname you "Stubby." American Fireworks News has a ton of books on how to make fireworks. The Girandola is a spectacular flying wheel, and expert fireworks maker Tom Dimont's DVD, shows you how to make them. Click here for a video. Girandola DVD (American Fireworks News, $40.80) Use the Force, Luke Using a 50 mw green laser on a misty evening is as close to handling a Jedi Knight's light saber as I'll ever get. On a clear night, you can light up a water tower three miles away. But make no mistake; a Class IIIb 50 mW laser has plenty of capacity to damage eyeballs, so it's not a recommended gift for the young or the stupid. 50 mW Green Laser (ScientificsOnline, $189.99) Dance with the Green Fairy The truly adventurous don't toast their escapades with beer or Scotch whiskey. Instead, they raise a glass of absinthe, the purportedly dangerous psychoactive liquor distilled from the poisonous wormwood plant. Prepare the drink by dripping water through a sugar cube into the absinthe. The volatile oils will precipitate out of solution, turning it an opaline green, thus signifying the arrival of the "the green fairy." Taboo Absinthe (Okanangan Spirits, $55.00) Got Thermite? This combination of chemicals comes in handy when you need to field-weld a couple 5-inch I-beams or quickly purify some uranium ore. But even if you don't, what adventurous maker wouldn't enjoy experimenting with a chemical reaction hot enough to burn through concrete? The good people at United Nuclear sell the stuff you need to experience firsthand the power and glory. Thermite (United Nuclear, $4.50) The Deal of the Century - The Ballistic Bundle Is the Maker Shed's Ballistic Bundle the most awesome, intellectually stimulating, and kick-ass exciting combination of books and video on the entire system of tubes called the Interweb? Yes. And I'd say this even if I wasn't the author of the books and the star of the video. The bundle includes Backyard Ballistics, The Art of the Catapult, the Barrage Garage video, and the classic MAKE, Volume 03. No matter how you look at it, $69 worth of books and fifty grand worth of excitement, all for $48, is a heckuva bargain. The Ballistic Bundle (MakerShed $48.00) Absinthe and Flamethrowers Not included in the above bundle is my latest book, Absinthe and Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously. Reviews say "The book is a sure-fire hit for people who want to get in touch with their inner MacGyver and for fans of television shows like MythBusters. (The book's projects ...) often involve building things that shoot or explode." The book has been getting a lot of attention, from the New York Times to Popular Science to NPR's Science Friday. Lot of folks like the message that some risks are okay to take. And, it's on sale in the Maker Shed. Absinthe and Flamethrower (MakerShed, $15.99) Whip it Good Don't you hate it when your ox refuses to pull the cart anymore? Well, if you can handle a stock whip, you don't have to endure this obstinacy. A well-made whip transfers momentum from your arm to the popper on the end of the whip, causing a mini-sonic boom next to the beast's ear. Even if you're not a drover, a bullwhip is a pretty fun thing to use. But wear safety glasses and a hat because novice whip crackers are living pretty dangerously. Stockwhip (David Morgan, $170) Learn to Throw Knives I experimented with knife throwing as a consequence of writing Absinthe and Flamethrowers. It's quite entertaining and I've been recommending knife throwing to anyone who'll listen (well, almost anyone.) It's a much different experience than, say, throwing pub darts. To me, one really can't compare the bold, red-blooded flush of satisfaction derived from a perfect, cold steel stick into a target with the rather dainty, epicene feeling one gets when tossing a dart. The right knife makes all the difference and this one's not bad. Throwing Knife (Coldsteel, $13.99) In the Maker Shed: Want more? Stop by the Maker Shed. We've got all sorts of great holiday gift ideas, Arduino & Arduino accessories, electronic kits, science kits, smart stuff for kids, back issues of MAKE & CRAFT, box sets, books, robots, kits from Japan and more. Holiday Shipping Deadlines in December:04 (Fri) - Deadline for microscope shipping 11 (Fri) - postal shipping deadline 14 (Mon) - ground shipping deadline 18 (Fri) - FedEx 3-day shipping deadline 21 (Mon) - FedEx 2-day shipping deadline 22 (Tue) - FedEx overnight shipping deadline *Customers experiences on orders with these ship methods placed after these dates may vary, the dates listed are what we call "safe dates" USPS (Any Method): Due to the high volume of mail that the postal service deals with around the holidays, order by Dec. 10th, however, many packages are lost or delayed in transit and we do not replace or refund any orders lost using this ship method, we strongly encourage you to not use this method in December. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gift Guides | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-04,25490887 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:30:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Gift Guides http://odeo.com/episodes/25488651-Ham-radio-fun-for-holiday-air-travel It's the holiday season, and if you're stuck in an airport, this is a great opportunity to have some ham radio fun! You can listen to air traffic of flights as they take off and land. I find this amusing because it's like listening to a live airport reality TV show that you're a part of. You learn a lot about how the coordination of flights. Plus, there's the occasional drama when a pilot makes a wrong turn and causes other planes to have to be rerouted. As you listen, you can actually hear the different air traffic communications of flights as they proceed through preparations to take off and land (clearance, ground, tower, and so on). Each step has a different frequency, after a flight finishes checking in at one level, the pilots tune the radio to the next frequency. After reading this tutorial, you'll be able to listen in and tune your radio to follow a flight as it passes through the different stages of landing or depart. Below is a description of the different levels, along wi... It's the holiday season, and if you're stuck in an airport, this is a great opportunity to have some ham radio fun! You can listen to air traffic of flights as they take off and land. I find this amusing because it's like listening to a live airport reality TV show that you're a part of. You learn a lot about how the coordination of flights. Plus, there's the occasional drama when a pilot makes a wrong turn and causes other planes to have to be rerouted. As you listen, you can actually hear the different air traffic communications of flights as they proceed through preparations to take off and land (clearance, ground, tower, and so on). Each step has a different frequency, after a flight finishes checking in at one level, the pilots tune the radio to the next frequency. After reading this tutorial, you'll be able to listen in and tune your radio to follow a flight as it passes through the different stages of landing or depart. Below is a description of the different levels, along with sample audio clips. A lot of communication is in special codes. You'll hear a lot of "alpha alpha one" or "delta five seventy-three." I'll explain what these mean as well. All you need is a scanner or handheld ham radio to listen. You can use these in the airport, and even on the plane, when use of electronics are approved. Understanding Air Traffic Codes Airline Name + Number: When you hear "Delta five seventy-three," or "Comair fifteen sixty-one," these are the names of different flights. Letters: When you hear "alpha bravo kilo charlie echo lima," these are letters "A B K C E L." Sometimes, it's difficult to understand letters on the radio, so this spelling alphabet is used. Frequencies and Procedure You can find the frequencies for different airports and air traffic on this website. Following are the communication procedures for a departing and an arriving flight. After the pilot communicates with each, he tunes the radio to the frequency of the next. Clearance/Delivery Gives general directions for take off, including which runway to use, direction, and altitude, and transponder frequency ("squawk"). The transponder frequency helps radars to identify planes. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/a.mp3 -- Here is what you will hear in the first communication on the audio clip: 1. CLEARANCE: asks FLIGHT LAN Chile 533 if they are ready to receive the flight route. 2. FLIGHT LAN CHILE 533: says they are ready. 3. CLEARANCE: tells FLIGHT LAN Chile 533 their flight route then tells them the transponder frequency is 1642 by saying "squawk 1642". 4. FLIGHT LAN CHILE 533: confirms the flight route by repeating it back to CLEARANCE Ground Tells flights where to taxi and which runway to use. While a plane is on the ground, you have probably looked out the window and seen signs with letters (such as "KK"). When ground tells planes where to taxi, they use these letters to explain the route like street names. Numbers are used name runway. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/b.mp3 -- Here is what you will hear in the first communication on the audio clip: GROUND: tells FLIGHT COMAIR 1496 to use runway 31. Taxi left at KK and left at B. FLIGHT COMAIR 1496: confirms by repeating the directions Tower Controls the actual runway and gives clearance for take off. Once in the air, tower will say "radar contact" which means planes can be seen on the radar and should switch their frequency to Departure. Departure Gives planes initial directions in the air. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/e.mp3 -- Approach Makes sure planes are lined up to land. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/d.mp3 -- Tower Gives final clearance to land. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/c.mp3 -- Ground Tells planes how to navigate to the gate by assigning a gate and a taxi route. Licensed hams are also allowed to operate while aboard the plane with the pilot's permission. It would be difficult to set up an HF rig on an airplane, but a handheld radio works great, though it's a challenge to have a conversation with local repeaters because you are flying over them so quickly. Grab a copy of the Repeater Directory to tune your radio to the local repeaters as you fly over them. However, this is a fun way to pick up the local flavor of each city as you pass over. For more information visit below: http://scottsasha.com/aviation/plans/commshandout.html http://scottsasha.com/aviation/airspace/operations.html http://www.seattleflight.com/flyingvfrintoseatac.asp http://www.westwingsinc.com/vfr.htm http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/groundSchools/radio%20communications%20seminar.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_traffic_control http://radio-scanner-guide.com/RadioScannerGuidePart3C-CivilAircraft.htm http://www.qsl.net/n4jri/air_gen.htm http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=kjfk http://www.flightradio.com/frequencies/ http://www.airnav.com/airport/KJFK http://www.atc-jfk.net/ http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=1171 http://nycaviation.com/spotting-guides/jfk/jfk-radio-frequencies/ Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! It's the holiday season, and if you're stuck in an airport, this is a great opportunity to have some ham radio fun! You can listen to air traffic of flights as they take off and land. I find this amusing because it's like listening to a live airport reality TV show that you're a part of. You learn a lot about how the coordination of flights. Plus, there's the occasional drama when a pilot makes a wrong turn and causes other planes to have to be rerouted. As you listen, you can actually hear the different air traffic communications of flights as they proceed through preparations to take off and land (clearance, ground, tower, and so on). Each step has a different frequency, after a flight finishes checking in at one level, the pilots tune the radio to the next frequency. After reading this tutorial, you'll be able to listen in and tune your radio to follow a flight as it passes through the different stages of landing or depart. Below is a description of the different levels, along with sample audio clips. A lot of communication is in special codes. You'll hear a lot of "alpha alpha one" or "delta five seventy-three." I'll explain what these mean as well. All you need is a scanner or handheld ham radio to listen. You can use these in the airport, and even on the plane, when use of electronics are approved. Understanding Air Traffic Codes Airline Name + Number: When you hear "Delta five seventy-three," or "Comair fifteen sixty-one," these are the names of different flights. Letters: When you hear "alpha bravo kilo charlie echo lima," these are letters "A B K C E L." Sometimes, it's difficult to understand letters on the radio, so this spelling alphabet is used. Frequencies and Procedure You can find the frequencies for different airports and air traffic on this website. Following are the communication procedures for a departing and an arriving flight. After the pilot communicates with each, he tunes the radio to the frequency of the next. Clearance/Delivery Gives general directions for take off, including which runway to use, direction, and altitude, and transponder frequency ("squawk"). The transponder frequency helps radars to identify planes. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/a.mp3 -- Here is what you will hear in the first communication on the audio clip: 1. CLEARANCE: asks FLIGHT LAN Chile 533 if they are ready to receive the flight route. 2. FLIGHT LAN CHILE 533: says they are ready. 3. CLEARANCE: tells FLIGHT LAN Chile 533 their flight route then tells them the transponder frequency is 1642 by saying "squawk 1642". 4. FLIGHT LAN CHILE 533: confirms the flight route by repeating it back to CLEARANCE Ground Tells flights where to taxi and which runway to use. While a plane is on the ground, you have probably looked out the window and seen signs with letters (such as "KK"). When ground tells planes where to taxi, they use these letters to explain the route like street names. Numbers are used name runway. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/b.mp3 -- Here is what you will hear in the first communication on the audio clip: GROUND: tells FLIGHT COMAIR 1496 to use runway 31. Taxi left at KK and left at B. FLIGHT COMAIR 1496: confirms by repeating the directions Tower Controls the actual runway and gives clearance for take off. Once in the air, tower will say "radar contact" which means planes can be seen on the radar and should switch their frequency to Departure. Departure Gives planes initial directions in the air. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/e.mp3 -- Approach Makes sure planes are lined up to land. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/d.mp3 -- Tower Gives final clearance to land. http://cdn.makezine.com/make/audio/ham/c.mp3 -- Ground Tells planes how to navigate to the gate by assigning a gate and a taxi route. Licensed hams are also allowed to operate while aboard the plane with the pilot's permission. It would be difficult to set up an HF rig on an airplane, but a handheld radio works great, though it's a challenge to have a conversation with local repeaters because you are flying over them so quickly. Grab a copy of the Repeater Directory to tune your radio to the local repeaters as you fly over them. However, this is a fun way to pick up the local flavor of each city as you pass over. For more information visit below: http://scottsasha.com/aviation/plans/commshandout.html http://scottsasha.com/aviation/airspace/operations.html http://www.seattleflight.com/flyingvfrintoseatac.asp http://www.westwingsinc.com/vfr.htm http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/groundSchools/radio%20communications%20seminar.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_traffic_control http://radio-scanner-guide.com/RadioScannerGuidePart3C-CivilAircraft.htm http://www.qsl.net/n4jri/air_gen.htm http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=kjfk http://www.flightradio.com/frequencies/ http://www.airnav.com/airport/KJFK http://www.atc-jfk.net/ http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=1171 http://nycaviation.com/spotting-guides/jfk/jfk-radio-frequencies/ Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-03,25488651 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine electronics http://odeo.com/episodes/25486283-Ask-MAKE-Three-leaded-piezo Ask MAKE is a weekly column where we answer reader questions, like yours. Write them in to mattm@makezine.comor drop us a line on Twitter. We can't wait to tackle your conundrums! Chris writes in: I have been experimenting with my Arduino and piezo buzzers as simple speakers - noisy and fun. But one question has been bugging me, what on earth is the third blue lead for on some piezos? If I leave the blue lead disconnected, the piezo seems to behave identically to its two-lead cousins. Am I missing out on some noise making opportunities? Aha, good question. The short answer is no- the third lead is most likely used for feedback in an oscillator circuit, so leaving it disconnected shouldn't affect your circuit. The long answer is, well, maybe, if want to make your piezo into a buzzer. There are two kinds of piezoelectric devices that are commonly sold as piezos: buzzers and transducers. Though they both use the same kind of ceramic disc to make noise, the difference is in how they are... Ask MAKE is a weekly column where we answer reader questions, like yours. Write them in to mattm@makezine.comor drop us a line on Twitter. We can't wait to tackle your conundrums! Chris writes in: I have been experimenting with my Arduino and piezo buzzers as simple speakers - noisy and fun. But one question has been bugging me, what on earth is the third blue lead for on some piezos? If I leave the blue lead disconnected, the piezo seems to behave identically to its two-lead cousins. Am I missing out on some noise making opportunities? Aha, good question. The short answer is no- the third lead is most likely used for feedback in an oscillator circuit, so leaving it disconnected shouldn't affect your circuit. The long answer is, well, maybe, if want to make your piezo into a buzzer. There are two kinds of piezoelectric devices that are commonly sold as piezos: buzzers and transducers. Though they both use the same kind of ceramic disc to make noise, the difference is in how they are controlled. A piezo buzzer already contains some circuitry to create a buzzing noise, so all you have to do to make it work is connect it to a power source. The buzz can range from a tolerable alert to signal that your clothes are dry, to the ear-splitting noise of a fire alarm. A piezo transducer works more like a speaker, where you have to feed it an audio signal to get it to make noise. This is what you are using if you are generating your own frequencies with your Arduino. So what does this have to do with your question? Well, it turns out that a really simple way to make a piezo buzzer is to use the feedback electrode that you were talking about to make a Harley oscillator circuit. As an example, I found this schematic in Murata's (a piezo manufacturer) Piezo Electric Sound Components Applications Manual: The circuit is a little advanced, however the basic idea is that a small amount of the energy fed into the piezo device is fed into the input of the transistor, which amplifies the signal and feeds it back into the piezo. If the component values are chosen correctly, the resonation can be very efficient and loud, perfect for that fire alarm! [title photo by Flickr user Josh Kopel] Related: HOW TO - make piezo crystals at home Hacking the Glade Wisp Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Ask MAKE | Digg this! Ask MAKE is a weekly column where we answer reader questions, like yours. Write them in to mattm@makezine.comor drop us a line on Twitter. We can't wait to tackle your conundrums! Chris writes in: I have been experimenting with my Arduino and piezo buzzers as simple speakers - noisy and fun. But one question has been bugging me, what on earth is the third blue lead for on some piezos? If I leave the blue lead disconnected, the piezo seems to behave identically to its two-lead cousins. Am I missing out on some noise making opportunities? Aha, good question. The short answer is no- the third lead is most likely used for feedback in an oscillator circuit, so leaving it disconnected shouldn't affect your circuit. The long answer is, well, maybe, if want to make your piezo into a buzzer. There are two kinds of piezoelectric devices that are commonly sold as piezos: buzzers and transducers. Though they both use the same kind of ceramic disc to make noise, the difference is in how they are controlled. A piezo buzzer already contains some circuitry to create a buzzing noise, so all you have to do to make it work is connect it to a power source. The buzz can range from a tolerable alert to signal that your clothes are dry, to the ear-splitting noise of a fire alarm. A piezo transducer works more like a speaker, where you have to feed it an audio signal to get it to make noise. This is what you are using if you are generating your own frequencies with your Arduino. So what does this have to do with your question? Well, it turns out that a really simple way to make a piezo buzzer is to use the feedback electrode that you were talking about to make a Harley oscillator circuit. As an example, I found this schematic in Murata's (a piezo manufacturer) Piezo Electric Sound Components Applications Manual: The circuit is a little advanced, however the basic idea is that a small amount of the energy fed into the piezo device is fed into the input of the transistor, which amplifies the signal and feeds it back into the piezo. If the component values are chosen correctly, the resonation can be very efficient and loud, perfect for that fire alarm! [title photo by Flickr user Josh Kopel] Related: HOW TO - make piezo crystals at home Hacking the Glade Wisp Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Ask MAKE | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-12-03,25486283 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:30:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Ask MAKE http://odeo.com/episodes/25448322-Make-Projects-Pneumatic-trough-part-I Although it sounds like some kind of euphemism from Brave New World, a "pneumatic trough" is actually a very handy piece of classic chemistry lab kit. Besides providing a convenient means to collect samples of pure gases for various experiments, a pneumatic trough with a graduated container allows the easy volumetric measurement of reaction yields for gas-producing reactions. If that all sounds too complicated, don't sweat. What I'm going to show in this tutorial is simply how to build a simple piece of apparatus that allows you to collect pure gas samples over water. You can collect carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen--almost any gas you can generate and direct down a hose. It seems like a simple enough bit of equipment: all you need is an upside down container suspended in a bucket of water. Finding a convenient way to set that up, however, is tougher than it sounds. The pneumatic trough presented here, which uses a sheet metal "bridge" to secure the glass column, is by far the most ... Although it sounds like some kind of euphemism from Brave New World, a "pneumatic trough" is actually a very handy piece of classic chemistry lab kit. Besides providing a convenient means to collect samples of pure gases for various experiments, a pneumatic trough with a graduated container allows the easy volumetric measurement of reaction yields for gas-producing reactions. If that all sounds too complicated, don't sweat. What I'm going to show in this tutorial is simply how to build a simple piece of apparatus that allows you to collect pure gas samples over water. You can collect carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen--almost any gas you can generate and direct down a hose. It seems like a simple enough bit of equipment: all you need is an upside down container suspended in a bucket of water. Finding a convenient way to set that up, however, is tougher than it sounds. The pneumatic trough presented here, which uses a sheet metal "bridge" to secure the glass column, is by far the most painless and economical way to make it work that I have found. The basic idea is derived from illustrations in Robert Brent's 1960 Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments (from which the title diagram is taken), but the addition of an aperture shaped to accept the threads of a glass jar is of my own devising. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Projects | Digg this! Although it sounds like some kind of euphemism from Brave New World, a "pneumatic trough" is actually a very handy piece of classic chemistry lab kit. Besides providing a convenient means to collect samples of pure gases for various experiments, a pneumatic trough with a graduated container allows the easy volumetric measurement of reaction yields for gas-producing reactions. If that all sounds too complicated, don't sweat. What I'm going to show in this tutorial is simply how to build a simple piece of apparatus that allows you to collect pure gas samples over water. You can collect carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen--almost any gas you can generate and direct down a hose. It seems like a simple enough bit of equipment: all you need is an upside down container suspended in a bucket of water. Finding a convenient way to set that up, however, is tougher than it sounds. The pneumatic trough presented here, which uses a sheet metal "bridge" to secure the glass column, is by far the most painless and economical way to make it work that I have found. The basic idea is derived from illustrations in Robert Brent's 1960 Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments (from which the title diagram is taken), but the addition of an aperture shaped to accept the threads of a glass jar is of my own devising. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-13,25448322 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine MAKE Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25431737-Alex-Rider-s-radio-mouth-brace-a-Dream-Gadget-Contest-preview On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/... On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/or an explanation by you. Remember that the winning gadget should be inspired by an everyday object that one could realistically build (as much as we wish we could create a pair of scissors that fly us to the moon)! In preparation for the contest, we're offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. Up this week is the Radio Mouth Brace from Scorpia. Radio mouth brace:This brace is a simple and easy-to-use tracking device. The radio transmitter is held on a circuit board printed over the top of the brace so that it lies against the roof of the mouth. The metal loops that hold it in place act as an antenna. When it is worn, the brace transmits a steady and powerful signal, which is constantly monitored by MI6’s network of radio towers. Each tower analyzes the direction and strength of the signal, and by putting this information together, the location of the wearer can be pinpointed. The accuracy of the system depends on the amount of information available, but it is usually as close as one hundred feet. A tiny switch built into the underside of the brace changes the frequency of the radio signal being produced. This is often used as a distress call. The brace operates on kinetic power, in the same way as some modern watches. At the back of the device, in a hollow molded to the roof of the wearer’s mouth, is a small, flat box containing a capacitor, a small weight, and a microgenerator. As the wearer’s head moves, the weight moves back and forth, causing the generator to spin. This produces enough current to keep the capacitor charged and the radio signal transmitting. You can download the high-res schematic for the bike pump and download a sample chapter from Scorpia to see how Alex uses it to get out of trouble. Disclaimer: Excerpts from Alex Rider: The Gadgets by Anthony Horowitz are fictional and for inspiration only. Readers should not attempt to recreate these gadgets. More: Alex Rider's Smokescreen Bike Pump Alex Rider's Geiger Counter Game Console Alex Rider's High Tensile Yo-Yo Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gadgets | Digg this! On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/or an explanation by you. Remember that the winning gadget should be inspired by an everyday object that one could realistically build (as much as we wish we could create a pair of scissors that fly us to the moon)! In preparation for the contest, we're offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. Up this week is the Radio Mouth Brace from Scorpia. Radio mouth brace:This brace is a simple and easy-to-use tracking device. The radio transmitter is held on a circuit board printed over the top of the brace so that it lies against the roof of the mouth. The metal loops that hold it in place act as an antenna. When it is worn, the brace transmits a steady and powerful signal, which is constantly monitored by MI6’s network of radio towers. Each tower analyzes the direction and strength of the signal, and by putting this information together, the location of the wearer can be pinpointed. The accuracy of the system depends on the amount of information available, but it is usually as close as one hundred feet. A tiny switch built into the underside of the brace changes the frequency of the radio signal being produced. This is often used as a distress call. The brace operates on kinetic power, in the same way as some modern watches. At the back of the device, in a hollow molded to the roof of the wearer’s mouth, is a small, flat box containing a capacitor, a small weight, and a microgenerator. As the wearer’s head moves, the weight moves back and forth, causing the generator to spin. This produces enough current to keep the capacitor charged and the radio signal transmitting. You can download the high-res schematic for the bike pump and download a sample chapter from Scorpia to see how Alex uses it to get out of trouble. Disclaimer: Excerpts from Alex Rider: The Gadgets by Anthony Horowitz are fictional and for inspiration only. Readers should not attempt to recreate these gadgets. More: Alex Rider's Smokescreen Bike Pump Alex Rider's Geiger Counter Game Console Alex Rider's High Tensile Yo-Yo Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gadgets | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-10,25431737 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:59 -0800 no MAKE Magazine gadgets http://odeo.com/episodes/25426167-Hasbro-toys-Star-Wars-diorama-contest Hasbro is having a contest to see who can build the best Star Wars diorama using "at least five 3 3/4" Hasbro Star Wars figures and or vehicles." Submissions are open until November 16. See the official rules (.pdf). [via Geekologie] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Toys and Games | Digg this! Hasbro is having a contest to see who can build the best Star Wars diorama using "at least five 3 3/4" Hasbro Star Wars figures and or vehicles." Submissions are open until November 16. See the official rules (.pdf). [via Geekologie] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Toys and Games | Digg this! Hasbro is having a contest to see who can build the best Star Wars diorama using "at least five 3 3/4" Hasbro Star Wars figures and or vehicles." Submissions are open until November 16. See the official rules (.pdf). [via Geekologie] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Toys and Games | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-09,25426167 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine Toys and Games http://odeo.com/episodes/25426168-MAKE-presents-The-Inductor The deceptively simple coil proves incredibly useful in the world of electronics - the inductor's ability to store energy in an electromagnetic field is the key to making transformers, electromagnets, and many more components work. It truly is an awesome device! I knew little of how inductors worked before starting out on this vid. In fact, none of the circuits I've built ever called for them specifically. But after a bit of research, I was honestly amazed to learn how they work. The process of mutual induction even inspired this little action-painting/diagram - As always, feel free to leave a comment with your ideas/experiences/corrections/take on the matter. Download the m4v file or subscribe in iTunes Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Podcast | Digg this! The deceptively simple coil proves incredibly useful in the world of electronics - the inductor's ability to store energy in an electromagnetic field is the key to making transformers, electromagnets, and many more components work. It truly is an awesome device! I knew little of how inductors worked before starting out on this vid. In fact, none of the circuits I've built ever called for them specifically. But after a bit of research, I was honestly amazed to learn how they work. The process of mutual induction even inspired this little action-painting/diagram - As always, feel free to leave a comment with your ideas/experiences/corrections/take on the matter. Download the m4v file or subscribe in iTunes Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Podcast | Digg this! The deceptively simple coil proves incredibly useful in the world of electronics - the inductor's ability to store energy in an electromagnetic field is the key to making transformers, electromagnets, and many more components work. It truly is an awesome device! I knew little of how inductors worked before starting out on this vid. In fact, none of the circuits I've built ever called for them specifically. But after a bit of research, I was honestly amazed to learn how they work. The process of mutual induction even inspired this little action-painting/diagram - As always, feel free to leave a comment with your ideas/experiences/corrections/take on the matter. Download the m4v file or subscribe in iTunes Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Podcast | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-09,25426168 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:01:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine MAKE Podcast http://odeo.com/episodes/25417581-The-Chumby-has-landed Yesterday afternoon I arrived home to see a box on the doorstep. The return address was from the Maker Shed. That could only mean one thing: The Chumby has landed! My daughter had to draw first blood on the package. We cracked the box and checked out the stuff inside. After going to the hypnotist show to benefit the school drama department and doing strange things on stage, I felt refreshed and motivated to assemble and play with Chumby Guts until long past my bedtime. I didn't take any photos, in large part because of the very helpful images already taken and posted to the Make Flickr Pool. Build instructions are on one double sided sheet of paper. I missed it the first few times I looked through the box because I thought I would find a booklet. There is a link to the instructions pdf on the Chumby Guts page in the Maker Shed. The directions are pretty good, but leave a bit to be desired. I found the photos by Make Flickr Pool members MTBFO and ewee to be essential. Early in the bu... Yesterday afternoon I arrived home to see a box on the doorstep. The return address was from the Maker Shed. That could only mean one thing: The Chumby has landed! My daughter had to draw first blood on the package. We cracked the box and checked out the stuff inside. After going to the hypnotist show to benefit the school drama department and doing strange things on stage, I felt refreshed and motivated to assemble and play with Chumby Guts until long past my bedtime. I didn't take any photos, in large part because of the very helpful images already taken and posted to the Make Flickr Pool. Build instructions are on one double sided sheet of paper. I missed it the first few times I looked through the box because I thought I would find a booklet. There is a link to the instructions pdf on the Chumby Guts page in the Maker Shed. The directions are pretty good, but leave a bit to be desired. I found the photos by Make Flickr Pool members MTBFO and ewee to be essential. Early in the build, I was wondering which of two sets of small screws to use, and found that the silver ones were likely the ones by checking a photo. I also found the notes on many of ewee's pictures to be really useful. So now there is a new tooltoy in the arsenal. This should be fun, and already the big question is "How do you case this thing?" Kent Barnes has extended the chumbillical cord that connects the mother and daughter boards and seems ready to move things around. John Park has a nifty laser cut case. The box that it came in is sized about right for a first enclosure. The next case will probably be a cigar box, which is very alluring lately. You can clothe your naked Chumby Guts by following these instructions. As soon as it was plugged in, the disembodied Chumby woke up, started talking and showed a tour of the basic functions. Within a few minutes, it had upgraded the firmware and brought me to the website to register it. Finding the household wireless was a snap. Over on the Chumby wiki, you can find resources on hardware, software, and more. In all, this has already been a fun project with few pitfalls. The next steps of customizing the case and configuring the software are exciting prospects at this point. Now that she's awake, my daughter is curious about how each of the widgets work. This will be a fun thing to have. Have you got a some Chumby Guts waiting to be animated? If you've already built yours, please weigh in with your tips and tricks by adding a comment or two. If you have a glamour shot to share or process set of pics, post them over to the Make Flickr pool. In the Maker Shed: Chumby Guts Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! Yesterday afternoon I arrived home to see a box on the doorstep. The return address was from the Maker Shed. That could only mean one thing: The Chumby has landed! My daughter had to draw first blood on the package. We cracked the box and checked out the stuff inside. After going to the hypnotist show to benefit the school drama department and doing strange things on stage, I felt refreshed and motivated to assemble and play with Chumby Guts until long past my bedtime. I didn't take any photos, in large part because of the very helpful images already taken and posted to the Make Flickr Pool. Build instructions are on one double sided sheet of paper. I missed it the first few times I looked through the box because I thought I would find a booklet. There is a link to the instructions pdf on the Chumby Guts page in the Maker Shed. The directions are pretty good, but leave a bit to be desired. I found the photos by Make Flickr Pool members MTBFO and ewee to be essential. Early in the build, I was wondering which of two sets of small screws to use, and found that the silver ones were likely the ones by checking a photo. I also found the notes on many of ewee's pictures to be really useful. So now there is a new tooltoy in the arsenal. This should be fun, and already the big question is "How do you case this thing?" Kent Barnes has extended the chumbillical cord that connects the mother and daughter boards and seems ready to move things around. John Park has a nifty laser cut case. The box that it came in is sized about right for a first enclosure. The next case will probably be a cigar box, which is very alluring lately. You can clothe your naked Chumby Guts by following these instructions. As soon as it was plugged in, the disembodied Chumby woke up, started talking and showed a tour of the basic functions. Within a few minutes, it had upgraded the firmware and brought me to the website to register it. Finding the household wireless was a snap. Over on the Chumby wiki, you can find resources on hardware, software, and more. In all, this has already been a fun project with few pitfalls. The next steps of customizing the case and configuring the software are exciting prospects at this point. Now that she's awake, my daughter is curious about how each of the widgets work. This will be a fun thing to have. Have you got a some Chumby Guts waiting to be animated? If you've already built yours, please weigh in with your tips and tricks by adding a comment or two. If you have a glamour shot to share or process set of pics, post them over to the Make Flickr pool. In the Maker Shed: Chumby Guts Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-07,25417581 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:00:09 -0800 no MAKE Magazine DIY Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25401080-Patchable-digital-synth-with-Arduino From the MAKE Flickr pool The Arduino-based synth project formerly known as binder synth is now known as Adasynth - and it sounds like development is coming along right nicely. Davitr0n provides some background on his project - The goal of this project was to make a patchable synthesizer as versatile as we can while keeping the cost down.  Since I know how to program C++ and have a basic understanding of electronics we chose to use an arduino. So far we’ve stayed pretty true to that goal.  With just the arduino, a resistor chip, some recycled wood, and a lot of help in the form of interface components (plugs and jacks) from my old electronics teacher we have a working synthesizer.. and to be honest the results so far are much better than we expected.Here's hoping he posts source/schematic - patchable digital synthesis looks like fun! Arduino Pocket Piano Synth Kit Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! From the MAKE Flickr pool The Arduino-based synth project formerly known as binder synth is now known as Adasynth - and it sounds like development is coming along right nicely. Davitr0n provides some background on his project - The goal of this project was to make a patchable synthesizer as versatile as we can while keeping the cost down.  Since I know how to program C++ and have a basic understanding of electronics we chose to use an arduino. So far we’ve stayed pretty true to that goal.  With just the arduino, a resistor chip, some recycled wood, and a lot of help in the form of interface components (plugs and jacks) from my old electronics teacher we have a working synthesizer.. and to be honest the results so far are much better than we expected.Here's hoping he posts source/schematic - patchable digital synthesis looks like fun! Arduino Pocket Piano Synth Kit Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! From the MAKE Flickr pool The Arduino-based synth project formerly known as binder synth is now known as Adasynth - and it sounds like development is coming along right nicely. Davitr0n provides some background on his project - The goal of this project was to make a patchable synthesizer as versatile as we can while keeping the cost down.  Since I know how to program C++ and have a basic understanding of electronics we chose to use an arduino. So far we’ve stayed pretty true to that goal.  With just the arduino, a resistor chip, some recycled wood, and a lot of help in the form of interface components (plugs and jacks) from my old electronics teacher we have a working synthesizer.. and to be honest the results so far are much better than we expected.Here's hoping he posts source/schematic - patchable digital synthesis looks like fun! Arduino Pocket Piano Synth Kit Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-04,25401080 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800 no MAKE Magazine http://odeo.com/episodes/25401094-Alex-Rider-s-Smokescreen-Bike-Pump-contest-preview On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/... On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/or an explanation by you. Remember that the winning gadget should be inspired by an everyday object that one could realistically build (as much as we wish we could create a pair of scissors that fly us to the moon)! For the next two weeks, we'll be offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. Up this week is the Cannondale Bike Smokescreen Bike Pump from Eagle Strike. Cannondale Bad Boy Bike Smokescreen bike pump:This is activated by the blue button. The pump included with the modified Bad Boy does not, in fact, work as a pump; the flat-free tires should mean that punctures and deflation are never a problem. Instead it contains a miniature smoke machine designed to facilitate evasion of pursuers. The smoke machine heats a mixture of distilled water and propylene glycol and forces it into the air under pressure. The smoke is dense and nontoxic. Because it is heated, it tends to rise slowly; this means that the screen should work to mask the bike rider for thirty seconds before the fluid reservoir runs out, and for a further ten seconds until it disperses. Times may differ in windy conditions. The heating coil wrapped around the fluid tank will heat the contents to the correct temperature in under one second. The batteries powering it contain enough charge for one use and, like the fluid, must be replaced afterward. You can download the high-res schematic for the bike pump and download a sample chapter from Eagle Strike to see how Alex uses it to get out of trouble. Disclaimer: Excerpts from Alex Rider: The Gadgets by Anthony Horowitz are fictional and for inspiration only. Readers should not attempt to recreate these gadgets. More: Alex Rider's Geiger Counter Game Console Alex Rider's High Tensile Yo-Yo Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gadgets | Digg this! On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/or an explanation by you. Remember that the winning gadget should be inspired by an everyday object that one could realistically build (as much as we wish we could create a pair of scissors that fly us to the moon)! For the next two weeks, we'll be offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. Up this week is the Cannondale Bike Smokescreen Bike Pump from Eagle Strike. Cannondale Bad Boy Bike Smokescreen bike pump:This is activated by the blue button. The pump included with the modified Bad Boy does not, in fact, work as a pump; the flat-free tires should mean that punctures and deflation are never a problem. Instead it contains a miniature smoke machine designed to facilitate evasion of pursuers. The smoke machine heats a mixture of distilled water and propylene glycol and forces it into the air under pressure. The smoke is dense and nontoxic. Because it is heated, it tends to rise slowly; this means that the screen should work to mask the bike rider for thirty seconds before the fluid reservoir runs out, and for a further ten seconds until it disperses. Times may differ in windy conditions. The heating coil wrapped around the fluid tank will heat the contents to the correct temperature in under one second. The batteries powering it contain enough charge for one use and, like the fluid, must be replaced afterward. You can download the high-res schematic for the bike pump and download a sample chapter from Eagle Strike to see how Alex uses it to get out of trouble. Disclaimer: Excerpts from Alex Rider: The Gadgets by Anthony Horowitz are fictional and for inspiration only. Readers should not attempt to recreate these gadgets. More: Alex Rider's Geiger Counter Game Console Alex Rider's High Tensile Yo-Yo Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gadgets | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-11-03,25401094 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:32 -0800 no MAKE Magazine gadgets http://odeo.com/episodes/25378901-Bringing-a-20s-radio-back-to-life Got an old radio from the '20s, and want to bring it back to life? Well, the quickest way is probably be to remove all those dusty components and use the cabinet to hide a new stereo. That's not what radio hacker Greg Charvat had in mind for his, though. Instead, he restored the original radio circuitry, and even hooked it up to his iPod. Along the way, he ran into all sorts of neat discoveries, and many potential pitfalls. It turns out that electronics have changed quite a bit in the past 80 years, and even the most basic components such as resistors and capacitors can be unrecognizable. Another issue is that the cloth and rubber used for insulation on the wiring will have dried out, making it necessary to handle everything extremely carefully. One nice thing about equipment of this vintage, however, is that it was usually designed to be repaired, so chances are good that a schematic is available. To give you an idea of the issues one should expect to encounter when attempting this... Got an old radio from the '20s, and want to bring it back to life? Well, the quickest way is probably be to remove all those dusty components and use the cabinet to hide a new stereo. That's not what radio hacker Greg Charvat had in mind for his, though. Instead, he restored the original radio circuitry, and even hooked it up to his iPod. Along the way, he ran into all sorts of neat discoveries, and many potential pitfalls. It turns out that electronics have changed quite a bit in the past 80 years, and even the most basic components such as resistors and capacitors can be unrecognizable. Another issue is that the cloth and rubber used for insulation on the wiring will have dried out, making it necessary to handle everything extremely carefully. One nice thing about equipment of this vintage, however, is that it was usually designed to be repaired, so chances are good that a schematic is available. To give you an idea of the issues one should expect to encounter when attempting this, here is the overview he gives in a presentation about the project: Do not power up your radio! yes, it does not work more harm than good Find service manual Replace all electrolytic and paper capacitors Replace anything that looks damaged (burned or exploded) Try radio (wear safety glasses) Signal trace through circuit, replacing resistors where needed Radio will work As usual for high-voltage projects, and especially for high-voltage projects involving unknown vintage equipment, don't attempt this unless you have the proper training, because the electronics inside are most certainly deadly. Don't give up though, just make sure you learn enough to know what you are doing! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! Got an old radio from the '20s, and want to bring it back to life? Well, the quickest way is probably be to remove all those dusty components and use the cabinet to hide a new stereo. That's not what radio hacker Greg Charvat had in mind for his, though. Instead, he restored the original radio circuitry, and even hooked it up to his iPod. Along the way, he ran into all sorts of neat discoveries, and many potential pitfalls. It turns out that electronics have changed quite a bit in the past 80 years, and even the most basic components such as resistors and capacitors can be unrecognizable. Another issue is that the cloth and rubber used for insulation on the wiring will have dried out, making it necessary to handle everything extremely carefully. One nice thing about equipment of this vintage, however, is that it was usually designed to be repaired, so chances are good that a schematic is available. To give you an idea of the issues one should expect to encounter when attempting this, here is the overview he gives in a presentation about the project: Do not power up your radio! yes, it does not work more harm than good Find service manual Replace all electrolytic and paper capacitors Replace anything that looks damaged (burned or exploded) Try radio (wear safety glasses) Signal trace through circuit, replacing resistors where needed Radio will work As usual for high-voltage projects, and especially for high-voltage projects involving unknown vintage equipment, don't attempt this unless you have the proper training, because the electronics inside are most certainly deadly. Don't give up though, just make sure you learn enough to know what you are doing! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-26,25378901 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine electronics http://odeo.com/episodes/25356344-Weekend-Project-The-Atlatl Here is an easy to make ancient yet modern device that hurls spears at up to 100mph. Thanks go to Daryl Hrdlicka for the original article in MAKE, Volume 12. To download The Atlatl video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Atlatl article in MAKE, Volume 12 and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Here is an easy to make ancient yet modern device that hurls spears at up to 100mph. Thanks go to Daryl Hrdlicka for the original article in MAKE, Volume 12. To download The Atlatl video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Atlatl article in MAKE, Volume 12 and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Here is an easy to make ancient yet modern device that hurls spears at up to 100mph. Thanks go to Daryl Hrdlicka for the original article in MAKE, Volume 12. To download The Atlatl video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Atlatl article in MAKE, Volume 12 and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-23,25356344 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:01:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Weekend Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25331521-Alex-Rider-s-High-Tensile-Yo-Yo-contest-preview-and-book-giveaway On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. MAKE is teaming up with the Penguin Group to present The Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what... On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. MAKE is teaming up with the Penguin Group to present The Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/or an explanation by you. Remember that the winning gadget should be inspired by an everyday object that one could realistically build (as much as we wish we could create a pair of scissors that fly us to the moon)! Over the next few weeks, we'll be offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. We'll also be giving away a whole pile of books from the series! The gadgets schematics we'll be sharing with you are all from Alex Rider: The Gadgets , a special illustrated book of gadgets described in the novels. In the series, M16 agent Smithers creates these clever tools for Alex to use on his missions. First up is the high-tensile yo-yo from Stormbreaker, useful for climbing: High-tensile yo-yo: This black plastic yo-yo, slightly larger than standard, is in fact a miracle of miniaturized engineering. When it is activated using a concealed switch, it acts as a winch, winding the cord back around the axle. It is intended to clip in an agent's belt for use as a climbing aid. One half of the yo-yo contains the micromotor array, made from super-tough carbon fiber components. A complex micromechanical gear system delivers up to 350 watts of power. The other half houses the highly advanced lanthanum/nickel/tin battery, which supplies as much current as a car battery yet fits into less than a tenth of the space. The battery holds enough charge to let the motor run continuously for one hour. When it is due to be recharged, the agent needs only to use the device as a yo-yo; the spinning motion runs a tiny generator in its core and will charge the unit fully in approximately fifteen minutes. The cord itself is made from an advanced form of nylon that can lift weights of up to two hundred pounds. One hundred feet of it are wound around the central axle. Because the yo-yo may have to be used as a toy, either to recharge the battery or to pass inspection, it has been designed to function normally despite the unusually long cord; this has been achieved by using a pair of axles, inner and outer. When the yo-yo is dropped, the cord pays out to a length of one yard before the outer axle locks in place. The two sides can then spin around the inner one. Pulling the cord harder unlocks the outer axle and allows the entire hundred feet to unwind. Check out the high-res gadget schematic of the yo-yo for more details. Alex uses it to get out of a very high-flung predicament in Stormbreaker: He was suspended underneath the plane by a single thin white cord, twisting around and around as he was carried ever farther into the air. The wind was rushing past him, battering his face and deafening him. He couldn't even hear the propellers, just above his head. The belt was cutting into his waist. He could hardly breathe. Desperately, he scrabbled for the yo-yo and found the control he wanted. A single button. He pressed it and the tiny powerful motor inside the yo-yo began to turn. The yo-yo rotated on his belt, pulling in the cord. Very slowly, an inch at a time, Alex was drawn up toward the plane. To get a bigger taste of Stormbreaker, download a sample excerpt. Disclaimer: Excerpts from Alex Rider: The Gadgets by Anthony Horowitz are fictional and for inspiration only. Readers should not attempt to recreate these gadgets. Book Giveaway Time! First up, we're giving away two copies each of Stormbreaker and Point Blank. Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you or your kid(s) needs one of these books. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (it won't be published). All eligible comments will be closed by Noon PDT on Sunday, October 25th. The winners will be announced next week on the site. Good luck! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Announcements | Digg this! On November 17th, we'll be launching the Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest, to coincide with the release of the next chapter in Alex's adventures, Crocodile Tears . The book comes out the same day that MAKE, Volume 20 (the kid-themed issue) hits newsstands! In case you're unaware, Alex Rider is a young spy whose exploits are chronicled in a popular series of teen spy/adventure books. Alex uses all sorts of crazy high tech contraptions, made from things in his school backpack, to get out of sticky situations. MAKE is teaming up with the Penguin Group to present The Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest. Attention all adventure-seekers, gadget lovers, and closet inventors. You are invited to join in the fun! If you were Alex Rider, what gadget would you want in the upcoming adventure Crocodile Tears? Design your Alex Rider dream gadget, inspired by an everyday object (i.e. an iPod, a toothpaste tube, a pen). The winning gadget will be built here at MAKE Labs. Send us a schematic, tell us what your gadget is made from, and how it works. Your entry can be a schematic, sketches, and/or an explanation by you. Remember that the winning gadget should be inspired by an everyday object that one could realistically build (as much as we wish we could create a pair of scissors that fly us to the moon)! Over the next few weeks, we'll be offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. We'll also be giving away a whole pile of books from the series! The gadgets schematics we'll be sharing with you are all from Alex Rider: The Gadgets , a special illustrated book of gadgets described in the novels. In the series, M16 agent Smithers creates these clever tools for Alex to use on his missions. First up is the high-tensile yo-yo from Stormbreaker, useful for climbing: High-tensile yo-yo: This black plastic yo-yo, slightly larger than standard, is in fact a miracle of miniaturized engineering. When it is activated using a concealed switch, it acts as a winch, winding the cord back around the axle. It is intended to clip in an agent's belt for use as a climbing aid. One half of the yo-yo contains the micromotor array, made from super-tough carbon fiber components. A complex micromechanical gear system delivers up to 350 watts of power. The other half houses the highly advanced lanthanum/nickel/tin battery, which supplies as much current as a car battery yet fits into less than a tenth of the space. The battery holds enough charge to let the motor run continuously for one hour. When it is due to be recharged, the agent needs only to use the device as a yo-yo; the spinning motion runs a tiny generator in its core and will charge the unit fully in approximately fifteen minutes. The cord itself is made from an advanced form of nylon that can lift weights of up to two hundred pounds. One hundred feet of it are wound around the central axle. Because the yo-yo may have to be used as a toy, either to recharge the battery or to pass inspection, it has been designed to function normally despite the unusually long cord; this has been achieved by using a pair of axles, inner and outer. When the yo-yo is dropped, the cord pays out to a length of one yard before the outer axle locks in place. The two sides can then spin around the inner one. Pulling the cord harder unlocks the outer axle and allows the entire hundred feet to unwind. Check out the high-res gadget schematic of the yo-yo for more details. Alex uses it to get out of a very high-flung predicament in Stormbreaker: He was suspended underneath the plane by a single thin white cord, twisting around and around as he was carried ever farther into the air. The wind was rushing past him, battering his face and deafening him. He couldn't even hear the propellers, just above his head. The belt was cutting into his waist. He could hardly breathe. Desperately, he scrabbled for the yo-yo and found the control he wanted. A single button. He pressed it and the tiny powerful motor inside the yo-yo began to turn. The yo-yo rotated on his belt, pulling in the cord. Very slowly, an inch at a time, Alex was drawn up toward the plane. To get a bigger taste of Stormbreaker, download a sample excerpt. Disclaimer: Excerpts from Alex Rider: The Gadgets by Anthony Horowitz are fictional and for inspiration only. Readers should not attempt to recreate these gadgets. Book Giveaway Time! First up, we're giving away two copies each of Stormbreaker and Point Blank. Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you or your kid(s) needs one of these books. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (it won't be published). All eligible comments will be closed by Noon PDT on Sunday, October 25th. The winners will be announced next week on the site. Good luck! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Announcements | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-21,25331521 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:24 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Announcements http://odeo.com/episodes/25287349-This-week-in-Maker-Events Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! Coming up this week: Science Days Rust, Germany Thursday, Oct 15, 2009 - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 HANDMADE MUSIC NIGHT: Felted musical suits and arcade button music! Brooklyn, NY Thursday, Oct 15, 2009, 7:30pm + California Hot Rod Reunion McFarland, CA Friday, Oct 16, 2009 - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 Milton Keynes Science Festival Central Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 - Sunday, Oct 25, 2009 Bay Area Hamcram Fremont, CA Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 8am - 5pm Joule Thievery Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 4pm - 6pm Arduino/Soldering 101 - Make your own Arduino and Learn to Program it! Brooklyn, NY Sunday, Oct 18, 2009, 1pm - 4pm William Gurstelle Presents "Absinthe and Flamethrowers" (PDF, see page 5) Owatonna, MN Monday, Oct 19, 2009, 7pm - 8:30pm Introductory ... Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! Coming up this week: Science Days Rust, Germany Thursday, Oct 15, 2009 - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 HANDMADE MUSIC NIGHT: Felted musical suits and arcade button music! Brooklyn, NY Thursday, Oct 15, 2009, 7:30pm + California Hot Rod Reunion McFarland, CA Friday, Oct 16, 2009 - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 Milton Keynes Science Festival Central Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 - Sunday, Oct 25, 2009 Bay Area Hamcram Fremont, CA Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 8am - 5pm Joule Thievery Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 4pm - 6pm Arduino/Soldering 101 - Make your own Arduino and Learn to Program it! Brooklyn, NY Sunday, Oct 18, 2009, 1pm - 4pm William Gurstelle Presents "Absinthe and Flamethrowers" (PDF, see page 5) Owatonna, MN Monday, Oct 19, 2009, 7pm - 8:30pm Introductory Arduino Class Brooklyn, NY Monday, Nov 19, 2009, 7:30pm - 9:30pm Start planning for: Manchester Science Festival 2009 Manchester, United Kingdom Sat, October 24, 2009 - Sunday, Nov 01, 2009 Video Editing in iMovie '09 Pittsburgh, PA Saturday, Oct 24, 2009, 2pm - 4:30pm Make:RDU inaugural meeting Durham, NC Saturday, Oct 24, 2009, 2pm + CPUs 0b1100101: Intro to computer processors Brooklyn, NY Sunday, Oct 25, 2009, 1pm - 3pm High Fashion Low Voltage (part 1) Arduino Lilypad Saint Paul, MN Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, 9pm - 12pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! Coming up this week: Science Days Rust, Germany Thursday, Oct 15, 2009 - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 HANDMADE MUSIC NIGHT: Felted musical suits and arcade button music! Brooklyn, NY Thursday, Oct 15, 2009, 7:30pm + California Hot Rod Reunion McFarland, CA Friday, Oct 16, 2009 - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 Milton Keynes Science Festival Central Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 - Sunday, Oct 25, 2009 Bay Area Hamcram Fremont, CA Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 8am - 5pm Joule Thievery Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 4pm - 6pm Arduino/Soldering 101 - Make your own Arduino and Learn to Program it! Brooklyn, NY Sunday, Oct 18, 2009, 1pm - 4pm William Gurstelle Presents "Absinthe and Flamethrowers" (PDF, see page 5) Owatonna, MN Monday, Oct 19, 2009, 7pm - 8:30pm Introductory Arduino Class Brooklyn, NY Monday, Nov 19, 2009, 7:30pm - 9:30pm Start planning for: Manchester Science Festival 2009 Manchester, United Kingdom Sat, October 24, 2009 - Sunday, Nov 01, 2009 Video Editing in iMovie '09 Pittsburgh, PA Saturday, Oct 24, 2009, 2pm - 4:30pm Make:RDU inaugural meeting Durham, NC Saturday, Oct 24, 2009, 2pm + CPUs 0b1100101: Intro to computer processors Brooklyn, NY Sunday, Oct 25, 2009, 1pm - 3pm High Fashion Low Voltage (part 1) Arduino Lilypad Saint Paul, MN Saturday, Oct 31, 2009, 9pm - 12pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-14,25287349 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine events http://odeo.com/episodes/25253407-Edwin-Wise-s-hot-web-glue-gun I have a dirty secret. I probably shouldn't even admit it here, but I just woke up and my judgment is impaired: I did not buy the MAKE: Halloween Special Edition when it came out back in 2007. Am I fired? Is this thing still on? Shameful, I know. And most embarrassing when the opportunity to cover the Make: Halloween Contest 2009 beat was presented to me back in September. "You can blog about all your favorite projects from the Halloween Special Issue, too," they said. And I was like, "Uh huh, yup, sure will. Got a list of those right here." So, long story short, my copy just showed up in the mail and I read it for the first time. It's great! Among my favorite projects is Edwin Wise's pneumatic spider-web shooter (.pdf) , which turns an ordinary hot glue gun into a faux cobweb-sprayer. It never would've occurred to me to marry a glue gun to an air compressor, and now I've got all kinds of derivative ideas bouncing around in my head. Which, I should've remembered, is why I read MAKE ... I have a dirty secret. I probably shouldn't even admit it here, but I just woke up and my judgment is impaired: I did not buy the MAKE: Halloween Special Edition when it came out back in 2007. Am I fired? Is this thing still on? Shameful, I know. And most embarrassing when the opportunity to cover the Make: Halloween Contest 2009 beat was presented to me back in September. "You can blog about all your favorite projects from the Halloween Special Issue, too," they said. And I was like, "Uh huh, yup, sure will. Got a list of those right here." So, long story short, my copy just showed up in the mail and I read it for the first time. It's great! Among my favorite projects is Edwin Wise's pneumatic spider-web shooter (.pdf) , which turns an ordinary hot glue gun into a faux cobweb-sprayer. It never would've occurred to me to marry a glue gun to an air compressor, and now I've got all kinds of derivative ideas bouncing around in my head. Which, I should've remembered, is why I read MAKE in the first place. From MAKE magazine: DIY HALLOWEEN from MAKE & CRAFT! DIY HALLOWEEN from the editors of MAKE and CRAFT brings you 40-plus DIY projects for the holiday that's made for makers. From the craftiest costumes to amazing animated props and the latest in computer-controlled haunted house effects. 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. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! I have a dirty secret. I probably shouldn't even admit it here, but I just woke up and my judgment is impaired: I did not buy the MAKE: Halloween Special Edition when it came out back in 2007. Am I fired? Is this thing still on? Shameful, I know. And most embarrassing when the opportunity to cover the Make: Halloween Contest 2009 beat was presented to me back in September. "You can blog about all your favorite projects from the Halloween Special Issue, too," they said. And I was like, "Uh huh, yup, sure will. Got a list of those right here." So, long story short, my copy just showed up in the mail and I read it for the first time. It's great! Among my favorite projects is Edwin Wise's pneumatic spider-web shooter (.pdf) , which turns an ordinary hot glue gun into a faux cobweb-sprayer. It never would've occurred to me to marry a glue gun to an air compressor, and now I've got all kinds of derivative ideas bouncing around in my head. Which, I should've remembered, is why I read MAKE in the first place. From MAKE magazine: DIY HALLOWEEN from MAKE & CRAFT! DIY HALLOWEEN from the editors of MAKE and CRAFT brings you 40-plus DIY projects for the holiday that's made for makers. From the craftiest costumes to amazing animated props and the latest in computer-controlled haunted house effects. 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. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-08,25253407 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:20:46 -0700 no MAKE Magazine http://odeo.com/episodes/25245481-Software-generates-photos-from-your-sketches Too lazy to actually get out and take pictures? Then you might want to check out Photosketch, an interesting research project by researchers at Tsinghua University. Starting with a basic sketch consisting of shapes and tags describing what you want, the software searches a database of images and finds things that will fit. Their site is suspiciously down, at the moment, however kottke posted a link to their research paper. Hopefully this actually gets released! [Thanks Stuart!] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! Too lazy to actually get out and take pictures? Then you might want to check out Photosketch, an interesting research project by researchers at Tsinghua University. Starting with a basic sketch consisting of shapes and tags describing what you want, the software searches a database of images and finds things that will fit. Their site is suspiciously down, at the moment, however kottke posted a link to their research paper. Hopefully this actually gets released! [Thanks Stuart!] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! Too lazy to actually get out and take pictures? Then you might want to check out Photosketch, an interesting research project by researchers at Tsinghua University. Starting with a basic sketch consisting of shapes and tags describing what you want, the software searches a database of images and finds things that will fit. Their site is suspiciously down, at the moment, however kottke posted a link to their research paper. Hopefully this actually gets released! [Thanks Stuart!] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-06,25245481 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Arts http://odeo.com/episodes/25235786-Fiction-science-theory-of-Superman-s-powers Back in 2005, I wrote a fictional scientific paper (.pdf) postulating that zombiism is in fact caused by a prion, rather than a virus, as is commonly hypothesized. I also wrote a short essay about the idea of "fiction science" at the time. Now Ben Tippet, at the behest of Dinosaur Comics' Ryan North, has written a similarly fictional scientific paper (.pdf) presenting "A Unified Theory of Superman's Powers" from a physicist's perspective. I'd be interested in hearing of other examples of people co-opting the serious literary forms of science for fictional purposes. If you know of one, please drop me a comment. [via Neatorama] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! Back in 2005, I wrote a fictional scientific paper (.pdf) postulating that zombiism is in fact caused by a prion, rather than a virus, as is commonly hypothesized. I also wrote a short essay about the idea of "fiction science" at the time. Now Ben Tippet, at the behest of Dinosaur Comics' Ryan North, has written a similarly fictional scientific paper (.pdf) presenting "A Unified Theory of Superman's Powers" from a physicist's perspective. I'd be interested in hearing of other examples of people co-opting the serious literary forms of science for fictional purposes. If you know of one, please drop me a comment. [via Neatorama] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! Back in 2005, I wrote a fictional scientific paper (.pdf) postulating that zombiism is in fact caused by a prion, rather than a virus, as is commonly hypothesized. I also wrote a short essay about the idea of "fiction science" at the time. Now Ben Tippet, at the behest of Dinosaur Comics' Ryan North, has written a similarly fictional scientific paper (.pdf) presenting "A Unified Theory of Superman's Powers" from a physicist's perspective. I'd be interested in hearing of other examples of people co-opting the serious literary forms of science for fictional purposes. If you know of one, please drop me a comment. [via Neatorama] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Arts | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-05,25235786 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Arts http://odeo.com/episodes/25215771-Build-an-experimental-echo-pedal This crazy echo circuit is the design I've been using in my EchoBender pedal. Check out some videos of the circuit in action. The heart of this circuit is the PT2399 echo IC. View the data sheet here. They can be found pretty cheaply from various distributors. The fun starts when you push the IC beyond it's intended parameters. Drastically lowering the pitch uncovers digital noise and strange blipping effects. I've also included a fun audio feedback feature which can be used to create intense distortion as well as interesting octave and pitch tracking effects. More: Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal modding with Arduino Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! This crazy echo circuit is the design I've been using in my EchoBender pedal. Check out some videos of the circuit in action. The heart of this circuit is the PT2399 echo IC. View the data sheet here. They can be found pretty cheaply from various distributors. The fun starts when you push the IC beyond it's intended parameters. Drastically lowering the pitch uncovers digital noise and strange blipping effects. I've also included a fun audio feedback feature which can be used to create intense distortion as well as interesting octave and pitch tracking effects. More: Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal modding with Arduino Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! This crazy echo circuit is the design I've been using in my EchoBender pedal. Check out some videos of the circuit in action. The heart of this circuit is the PT2399 echo IC. View the data sheet here. They can be found pretty cheaply from various distributors. The fun starts when you push the IC beyond it's intended parameters. Drastically lowering the pitch uncovers digital noise and strange blipping effects. I've also included a fun audio feedback feature which can be used to create intense distortion as well as interesting octave and pitch tracking effects. More: Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal modding with Arduino Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-01,25215771 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine DIY Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25219237-Build-an-experimental-echo-pedal !ATTENTION! I have made some changes to the schematic I posted this morning. The schematic posted below reflects these changes. -C1 has been assigned a value of 47uF -R19 has been removed. -An unmarked resistor at pin 5 of the op amp has been removed. This crazy echo circuit is the design I've been using in my EchoBender pedal. Check out some videos of the circuit in action. The heart of this circuit is the PT2399 echo IC. View the data sheet here. They can be found pretty cheaply from various distributors. The fun starts when you push the IC beyond it's intended parameters. Drastically lowering the pitch uncovers digital noise and strange blipping effects. I've also included a fun audio feedback feature which can be used to create intense distortion as well as interesting octave and pitch tracking effects. Thanks to Dan Wagoner for sending in a parts list! More: Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal modding with Arduino Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | D... !ATTENTION! I have made some changes to the schematic I posted this morning. The schematic posted below reflects these changes. -C1 has been assigned a value of 47uF -R19 has been removed. -An unmarked resistor at pin 5 of the op amp has been removed. This crazy echo circuit is the design I've been using in my EchoBender pedal. Check out some videos of the circuit in action. The heart of this circuit is the PT2399 echo IC. View the data sheet here. They can be found pretty cheaply from various distributors. The fun starts when you push the IC beyond it's intended parameters. Drastically lowering the pitch uncovers digital noise and strange blipping effects. I've also included a fun audio feedback feature which can be used to create intense distortion as well as interesting octave and pitch tracking effects. Thanks to Dan Wagoner for sending in a parts list! More: Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal modding with Arduino Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! !ATTENTION! I have made some changes to the schematic I posted this morning. The schematic posted below reflects these changes. -C1 has been assigned a value of 47uF -R19 has been removed. -An unmarked resistor at pin 5 of the op amp has been removed. This crazy echo circuit is the design I've been using in my EchoBender pedal. Check out some videos of the circuit in action. The heart of this circuit is the PT2399 echo IC. View the data sheet here. They can be found pretty cheaply from various distributors. The fun starts when you push the IC beyond it's intended parameters. Drastically lowering the pitch uncovers digital noise and strange blipping effects. I've also included a fun audio feedback feature which can be used to create intense distortion as well as interesting octave and pitch tracking effects. Thanks to Dan Wagoner for sending in a parts list! More: Collin's Lab: Guitar pedal modding with Arduino Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-10-01,25219237 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine DIY Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25190230-Fan-controller-protects-home-theater-equipment MAKE subscriber WidgetNinja writes in to share their first circuit board design, a fan speed controller. This circuit monitors air temperature in a home theater equipment cabinet, and regulates the speed of a fan in order to keep the whole thing cool. Rather than using a microcontroller and some custom code, this controller is based around the TC649 fan controller from Microchip. A neat feature that this chip incorporates is a fault detection circuit, that will trigger if the fan motor stops working. It's probably overkill for most projects, however it could come in handy if you are using the fan to protect expensive equipment from being damaged. Congratulations on your first build, it looks great! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! MAKE subscriber WidgetNinja writes in to share their first circuit board design, a fan speed controller. This circuit monitors air temperature in a home theater equipment cabinet, and regulates the speed of a fan in order to keep the whole thing cool. Rather than using a microcontroller and some custom code, this controller is based around the TC649 fan controller from Microchip. A neat feature that this chip incorporates is a fault detection circuit, that will trigger if the fan motor stops working. It's probably overkill for most projects, however it could come in handy if you are using the fan to protect expensive equipment from being damaged. Congratulations on your first build, it looks great! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! MAKE subscriber WidgetNinja writes in to share their first circuit board design, a fan speed controller. This circuit monitors air temperature in a home theater equipment cabinet, and regulates the speed of a fan in order to keep the whole thing cool. Rather than using a microcontroller and some custom code, this controller is based around the TC649 fan controller from Microchip. A neat feature that this chip incorporates is a fault detection circuit, that will trigger if the fan motor stops working. It's probably overkill for most projects, however it could come in handy if you are using the fan to protect expensive equipment from being damaged. Congratulations on your first build, it looks great! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-26,25190230 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine electronics http://odeo.com/episodes/25176354-This-week-in-Maker-Events Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! Coming up this week: Gizmodo Gallery New York, NY Sept 23 to Sep 27, 2009, (times vary) Innovations of Yesteryear Waltham, MA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 10am - 4pm Working Waterfront Festival New Bedford, MA Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 11am - 7pm Introduction to Sensors Toronto, ON Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 12pm - 4pm Circuit Bending Workshop Milwaukee, WI Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009, 6:30pm - 9pm End of Summer BBQ Potluck for Portland Makers Portland, OR Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 3pm + Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 11am + Start planning for: Introduction to Electronics Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 3, 2009, 1pm - 4pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | ... Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! Coming up this week: Gizmodo Gallery New York, NY Sept 23 to Sep 27, 2009, (times vary) Innovations of Yesteryear Waltham, MA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 10am - 4pm Working Waterfront Festival New Bedford, MA Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 11am - 7pm Introduction to Sensors Toronto, ON Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 12pm - 4pm Circuit Bending Workshop Milwaukee, WI Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009, 6:30pm - 9pm End of Summer BBQ Potluck for Portland Makers Portland, OR Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 3pm + Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 11am + Start planning for: Introduction to Electronics Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 3, 2009, 1pm - 4pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! Coming up this week: Gizmodo Gallery New York, NY Sept 23 to Sep 27, 2009, (times vary) Innovations of Yesteryear Waltham, MA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 10am - 4pm Working Waterfront Festival New Bedford, MA Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 11am - 7pm Introduction to Sensors Toronto, ON Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 12pm - 4pm Circuit Bending Workshop Milwaukee, WI Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009, 6:30pm - 9pm End of Summer BBQ Potluck for Portland Makers Portland, OR Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 3pm + Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 11am + Start planning for: Introduction to Electronics Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 3, 2009, 1pm - 4pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-23,25176354 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine events http://odeo.com/episodes/25175004-This-week-in-MAKER-Events Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here some fine maker events to check out, from the MAKER Events calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! In the next week: Gizmodo Gallery New York, NY Sept 23 to Sep 27, 2009, (times vary) Innovations of Yesteryear Waltham, MA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 10am - 4pm Working Waterfront Festival New Bedford, MA Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 11am - 7pm Introduction to Sensors Toronto, ON Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 12pm - 4pm Circuit Bending Workshop Milwaukee, WI Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009, 6:30pm - 9pm End of Summer BBQ Potluck for Portland Makers Portland, OR Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 3pm + Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 11am + Start planning for: Introduction to Electronics Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 3, 2009, 1pm - 4pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comment... Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here some fine maker events to check out, from the MAKER Events calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! In the next week: Gizmodo Gallery New York, NY Sept 23 to Sep 27, 2009, (times vary) Innovations of Yesteryear Waltham, MA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 10am - 4pm Working Waterfront Festival New Bedford, MA Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 11am - 7pm Introduction to Sensors Toronto, ON Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 12pm - 4pm Circuit Bending Workshop Milwaukee, WI Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009, 6:30pm - 9pm End of Summer BBQ Potluck for Portland Makers Portland, OR Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 3pm + Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 11am + Start planning for: Introduction to Electronics Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 3, 2009, 1pm - 4pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! Looking to take a break from tinkering on your latest project this weekend? Here some fine maker events to check out, from the MAKER Events calender. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calender! In the next week: Gizmodo Gallery New York, NY Sept 23 to Sep 27, 2009, (times vary) Innovations of Yesteryear Waltham, MA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 10am - 4pm Working Waterfront Festival New Bedford, MA Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 11am - 7pm Introduction to Sensors Toronto, ON Saturday, Sep 26 and Sunday, Sep 27, 2009, 12pm - 4pm Circuit Bending Workshop Milwaukee, WI Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009, 6:30pm - 9pm End of Summer BBQ Potluck for Portland Makers Portland, OR Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 3pm + Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles, CA Saturday, Sep 26, 2009, 11am + Start planning for: Introduction to Electronics Brooklyn, NY Saturday, Oct 3, 2009, 1pm - 4pm Mobile Art && Code Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2009, all weekend Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-23,25175004 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine events http://odeo.com/episodes/25172078-Build-a-resistor-sub-box Here's a tool that's super easy to build and super useful. I call it the Bend Finder because I use it to help me find interesting glitched and bends in circuits, but really it's just a resistor sub box and it's got tons of uses other than in circuit bending. Most pro sub boxes use rotary switches to switch between set values of resistance and most pro sub boxes are expensive! For the kind of work I'm doing, I prefer using pots rather than rotary switches which works for me since using pots is a quicker, easier and cheaper option. You want at least 3 or 4 values of potentiometer. I use 1k, 10k, 100k and 1M. You can do smaller increments if you want and include some 5's in there. A switch is pretty useful and then I have it all connect using two binding posts. These are good cause you can attach just about anything to them. You can use any connection terminal you want. I've used bolts before and those work fine. There are lots of ways you can trick out your sub box. One thing I'm goin... Here's a tool that's super easy to build and super useful. I call it the Bend Finder because I use it to help me find interesting glitched and bends in circuits, but really it's just a resistor sub box and it's got tons of uses other than in circuit bending. Most pro sub boxes use rotary switches to switch between set values of resistance and most pro sub boxes are expensive! For the kind of work I'm doing, I prefer using pots rather than rotary switches which works for me since using pots is a quicker, easier and cheaper option. You want at least 3 or 4 values of potentiometer. I use 1k, 10k, 100k and 1M. You can do smaller increments if you want and include some 5's in there. A switch is pretty useful and then I have it all connect using two binding posts. These are good cause you can attach just about anything to them. You can use any connection terminal you want. I've used bolts before and those work fine. There are lots of ways you can trick out your sub box. One thing I'm going to add to mine is a set of tip jacks that are wired to the connection terminals. Tip jacks are the size of standard multi meter probes. This will allow me to easily plug my meter into my box to get an accurate reading of the pots. I suggest adding a 1k or 100ohm 10 turn pot. This is great for making subtle adjustments. You can add a pushbutton in parallel with the on/off switch. This will allow you to make momentary connections. Make some banana plugs with alligator clips on the end. You can plug these into the binding posts for easy connection of test leads. Add more pots and switches. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! Here's a tool that's super easy to build and super useful. I call it the Bend Finder because I use it to help me find interesting glitched and bends in circuits, but really it's just a resistor sub box and it's got tons of uses other than in circuit bending. Most pro sub boxes use rotary switches to switch between set values of resistance and most pro sub boxes are expensive! For the kind of work I'm doing, I prefer using pots rather than rotary switches which works for me since using pots is a quicker, easier and cheaper option. You want at least 3 or 4 values of potentiometer. I use 1k, 10k, 100k and 1M. You can do smaller increments if you want and include some 5's in there. A switch is pretty useful and then I have it all connect using two binding posts. These are good cause you can attach just about anything to them. You can use any connection terminal you want. I've used bolts before and those work fine. There are lots of ways you can trick out your sub box. One thing I'm going to add to mine is a set of tip jacks that are wired to the connection terminals. Tip jacks are the size of standard multi meter probes. This will allow me to easily plug my meter into my box to get an accurate reading of the pots. I suggest adding a 1k or 100ohm 10 turn pot. This is great for making subtle adjustments. You can add a pushbutton in parallel with the on/off switch. This will allow you to make momentary connections. Make some banana plugs with alligator clips on the end. You can plug these into the binding posts for easy connection of test leads. Add more pots and switches. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-23,25172078 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine DIY Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25170440-Electrobike-Pi Spotted this sexy commercial electric bicycle in a back issue of Popular Science at the barber shop today. It's called Pi, and the company that makes it is based out of San Francisco. The magazine article claims it uses a Nu Vinci continuously-variable transmission but the official company specs now only mention a Shimano 8-speed. Sounds like they're still working out the kinks. Something to keep an eye on, though. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Bicycles | Digg this! Spotted this sexy commercial electric bicycle in a back issue of Popular Science at the barber shop today. It's called Pi, and the company that makes it is based out of San Francisco. The magazine article claims it uses a Nu Vinci continuously-variable transmission but the official company specs now only mention a Shimano 8-speed. Sounds like they're still working out the kinks. Something to keep an eye on, though. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Bicycles | Digg this! Spotted this sexy commercial electric bicycle in a back issue of Popular Science at the barber shop today. It's called Pi, and the company that makes it is based out of San Francisco. The magazine article claims it uses a Nu Vinci continuously-variable transmission but the official company specs now only mention a Shimano 8-speed. Sounds like they're still working out the kinks. Something to keep an eye on, though. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Bicycles | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-23,25170440 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine bicycles http://odeo.com/episodes/25160929-Book-giveaway-project-excerpt-Photojojo-by-Amit-Gupta-with-Kelly-Jensen Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas by Amit Gupta with Kelly Jensen Book Site: Photojojo.com/book The best email newsletter hands down for photography crafts is Photojojo. Thanks to Amit's review one year, I found my Nikon D40 and have been in love with taking photos ever since. Now Amit and Kelly wow us again with their new book, Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas filled with 50 projects so you can do more with all the cool photos you take. It's not just about printing them out and making a photo album. This book shows you how to use your photos to make cool things such as a lampshade or messenger bag (pictured below).The second half of the book is like taking a photography class. You'll learn techniques for taking better photos as well as fun ways you can experiment with different photo techniques. I love the tips on how to do digital color correcting after you've taken your photos. If you love taking photos and want to learn how to do more w... Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas by Amit Gupta with Kelly Jensen Book Site: Photojojo.com/book The best email newsletter hands down for photography crafts is Photojojo. Thanks to Amit's review one year, I found my Nikon D40 and have been in love with taking photos ever since. Now Amit and Kelly wow us again with their new book, Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas filled with 50 projects so you can do more with all the cool photos you take. It's not just about printing them out and making a photo album. This book shows you how to use your photos to make cool things such as a lampshade or messenger bag (pictured below).The second half of the book is like taking a photography class. You'll learn techniques for taking better photos as well as fun ways you can experiment with different photo techniques. I love the tips on how to do digital color correcting after you've taken your photos. If you love taking photos and want to learn how to do more with them, this book is for you! Book Giveaway Time! We are giving away 3 copies of the Photojojo ! book.Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you need this book. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Wednesday, September 23rd. The lucky winners will be announced next week on the site. Good luck! Project: Ginormous Photo Mosaics Even if you are living in an apartment and can't put holes in your walls, you can still get some great art up. Download the project PDF to make this stunning photo mosaic where you'll be able to see the wonderful memories you have of your friend and family. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Crafts | Digg this! Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas by Amit Gupta with Kelly Jensen Book Site: Photojojo.com/book The best email newsletter hands down for photography crafts is Photojojo. Thanks to Amit's review one year, I found my Nikon D40 and have been in love with taking photos ever since. Now Amit and Kelly wow us again with their new book, Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas filled with 50 projects so you can do more with all the cool photos you take. It's not just about printing them out and making a photo album. This book shows you how to use your photos to make cool things such as a lampshade or messenger bag (pictured below).The second half of the book is like taking a photography class. You'll learn techniques for taking better photos as well as fun ways you can experiment with different photo techniques. I love the tips on how to do digital color correcting after you've taken your photos. If you love taking photos and want to learn how to do more with them, this book is for you! Book Giveaway Time! We are giving away 3 copies of the Photojojo ! book.Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you need this book. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Wednesday, September 23rd. The lucky winners will be announced next week on the site. Good luck! Project: Ginormous Photo Mosaics Even if you are living in an apartment and can't put holes in your walls, you can still get some great art up. Download the project PDF to make this stunning photo mosaic where you'll be able to see the wonderful memories you have of your friend and family. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Crafts | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-21,25160929 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Crafts http://odeo.com/episodes/25153227-Make-Projects-Pepakura-cast-metal-pyramid-puzzle This project began when I read the following entry [#274] in Volume 1 of Popular Mechanic's 1913 The Boy Mechanic: The round lead weight for shot-putting or hammer throwing can be cast in a hollow cardboard or pressed-paper ball, sold in department and toy stores for 10 cents. Cut a 1/2-in. hole in the ball as shown in Fig. 1 and place it with the hole up in damp sand and press or tamp the sand lightly around the ball as shown in the section, Fig. 2. Cover over about 1 in. deep. A wood plug inserted in the hole will prevent any sand falling inside. When the sand is tamped in and the plug removed, it leaves a gate for the metal. Pour melted lead into the gate until it is full, then, when cool, shake it out from the sand and remove the charred paper. A file can be used to remove any rough places. The dry paper ball prevents any sputtering of the hot lead. This idea of a hollow card or paper form buried in plain sand as a sacrificial mold for poured metal parts interested me. As the in... This project began when I read the following entry [#274] in Volume 1 of Popular Mechanic's 1913 The Boy Mechanic: The round lead weight for shot-putting or hammer throwing can be cast in a hollow cardboard or pressed-paper ball, sold in department and toy stores for 10 cents. Cut a 1/2-in. hole in the ball as shown in Fig. 1 and place it with the hole up in damp sand and press or tamp the sand lightly around the ball as shown in the section, Fig. 2. Cover over about 1 in. deep. A wood plug inserted in the hole will prevent any sand falling inside. When the sand is tamped in and the plug removed, it leaves a gate for the metal. Pour melted lead into the gate until it is full, then, when cool, shake it out from the sand and remove the charred paper. A file can be used to remove any rough places. The dry paper ball prevents any sputtering of the hot lead. This idea of a hollow card or paper form buried in plain sand as a sacrificial mold for poured metal parts interested me. As the internet papercraft explosion has taught us, paper is really not a bad medium for 3D design, especially for the cost. Software like Pepakura Designer will convert any 3D digital model into a papercraft one that can be printed out, cut out, folded up, and glued or taped together to make a reasonably accurate real-world replica of the original. What if, instead of using the paper as a positive representation, one were to use it simply as a negative space--a volume, supported by dry sand, that would survive just long enough to impart its form to molten metal poured inside? As a first experiment, I designed a paper template for the pieces of a classic put-together puzzle often called "The Four Piece Pyramid." The challenge is to use the four identical pieces to form a symmetrical three-sided pyramid. I chose this prototype form, first, because I think the puzzle is elegant; second, because all four pieces are identical so only one template design is required; and third, because the pieces are fairly simple, geometrically, and thus so are the templates. Tools Computer with printer Scissors or an art knife Steel or aluminum bowl Safety gear (see below) Suitable heat source Melting pot Tongs or pliers for handing melting pot Squirt bottle with water Hacksaw frame with coarse blade Materials 120 cm3 (1/2 cup) metal to melt (see below) Play sand (or table salt) The heaviest card stock you can get through your printer Printer ink Scotch tape Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Projects | Digg this! This project began when I read the following entry [#274] in Volume 1 of Popular Mechanic's 1913 The Boy Mechanic: The round lead weight for shot-putting or hammer throwing can be cast in a hollow cardboard or pressed-paper ball, sold in department and toy stores for 10 cents. Cut a 1/2-in. hole in the ball as shown in Fig. 1 and place it with the hole up in damp sand and press or tamp the sand lightly around the ball as shown in the section, Fig. 2. Cover over about 1 in. deep. A wood plug inserted in the hole will prevent any sand falling inside. When the sand is tamped in and the plug removed, it leaves a gate for the metal. Pour melted lead into the gate until it is full, then, when cool, shake it out from the sand and remove the charred paper. A file can be used to remove any rough places. The dry paper ball prevents any sputtering of the hot lead. This idea of a hollow card or paper form buried in plain sand as a sacrificial mold for poured metal parts interested me. As the internet papercraft explosion has taught us, paper is really not a bad medium for 3D design, especially for the cost. Software like Pepakura Designer will convert any 3D digital model into a papercraft one that can be printed out, cut out, folded up, and glued or taped together to make a reasonably accurate real-world replica of the original. What if, instead of using the paper as a positive representation, one were to use it simply as a negative space--a volume, supported by dry sand, that would survive just long enough to impart its form to molten metal poured inside? As a first experiment, I designed a paper template for the pieces of a classic put-together puzzle often called "The Four Piece Pyramid." The challenge is to use the four identical pieces to form a symmetrical three-sided pyramid. I chose this prototype form, first, because I think the puzzle is elegant; second, because all four pieces are identical so only one template design is required; and third, because the pieces are fairly simple, geometrically, and thus so are the templates. Tools Computer with printer Scissors or an art knife Steel or aluminum bowl Safety gear (see below) Suitable heat source Melting pot Tongs or pliers for handing melting pot Squirt bottle with water Hacksaw frame with coarse blade Materials 120 cm3 (1/2 cup) metal to melt (see below) Play sand (or table salt) The heaviest card stock you can get through your printer Printer ink Scotch tape Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-19,25153227 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine MAKE Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/25088208-Claims-of-pnuematic-processor-full-of-air Researchers Minsoung Rhee and Mark Burns at the University of Michigan have created an 8 bit processor using logic gates made of pneumatic valves. Besides just being awesome, the processor does have a practical use- it is designed to control a microfluidic medical device. By powering both the processor and the chemical reactors using air, the group hopes to create medical devices that don't rely on electricity to run. The main article is behind a paywall, however the supplemental article describing the logic gates is available for free, as well as some neat videos of the logic gates in action. So, someone want to make a steam-powered version? [via teamdroid] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! Researchers Minsoung Rhee and Mark Burns at the University of Michigan have created an 8 bit processor using logic gates made of pneumatic valves. Besides just being awesome, the processor does have a practical use- it is designed to control a microfluidic medical device. By powering both the processor and the chemical reactors using air, the group hopes to create medical devices that don't rely on electricity to run. The main article is behind a paywall, however the supplemental article describing the logic gates is available for free, as well as some neat videos of the logic gates in action. So, someone want to make a steam-powered version? [via teamdroid] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! Researchers Minsoung Rhee and Mark Burns at the University of Michigan have created an 8 bit processor using logic gates made of pneumatic valves. Besides just being awesome, the processor does have a practical use- it is designed to control a microfluidic medical device. By powering both the processor and the chemical reactors using air, the group hopes to create medical devices that don't rely on electricity to run. The main article is behind a paywall, however the supplemental article describing the logic gates is available for free, as well as some neat videos of the logic gates in action. So, someone want to make a steam-powered version? [via teamdroid] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-09-07,25088208 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine http://odeo.com/episodes/25047359-CRAFT-weekly-recap Here are some of my favorites from CRAFT this week: CRAFT Video: Intro to Metalworking (Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video) Spore Prints How-To: T-Shirt Quilt Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Crafts | Digg this! Here are some of my favorites from CRAFT this week: CRAFT Video: Intro to Metalworking (Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video) Spore Prints How-To: T-Shirt Quilt Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Crafts | Digg this! Here are some of my favorites from CRAFT this week: CRAFT Video: Intro to Metalworking (Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video) Spore Prints How-To: T-Shirt Quilt Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Crafts | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-30,25047359 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:00:53 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Crafts http://odeo.com/episodes/25043300-Planetary-Gear-Old-Fashioned-Bicycle Where do I start with this thing? It has some many elements of awesome! It's a model of an old-fashion Penny-farthing bicycle that has been brought in to the modern world with the incorporation of 3 cutting-edge technologies: It was built, layer-by-layer, using laser sintering rapid prototyping. It's a demonstration project by Italian firm CRP Technology to demonstrate their capabilities. It's made out of WindForm XT, a carbon-fiber reinforced polyimide material that's usually used to craft high-performance motorsport racing parts. It incorporates a planetary gearing system. Penny-Farthings have large front wheels so that they can travel further on one pedal stroke; by using this gearing, the front wheel can be a more-comfortable 20% smaller. Planetary gears are used in some 3-speed bicycles, but their beauty is hidden within the rear hub. I love the options that rapid prototyping allows the designer - these handlebars are simple, elegant, and formed as a single piece: The material ... Where do I start with this thing? It has some many elements of awesome! It's a model of an old-fashion Penny-farthing bicycle that has been brought in to the modern world with the incorporation of 3 cutting-edge technologies: It was built, layer-by-layer, using laser sintering rapid prototyping. It's a demonstration project by Italian firm CRP Technology to demonstrate their capabilities. It's made out of WindForm XT, a carbon-fiber reinforced polyimide material that's usually used to craft high-performance motorsport racing parts. It incorporates a planetary gearing system. Penny-Farthings have large front wheels so that they can travel further on one pedal stroke; by using this gearing, the front wheel can be a more-comfortable 20% smaller. Planetary gears are used in some 3-speed bicycles, but their beauty is hidden within the rear hub. I love the options that rapid prototyping allows the designer - these handlebars are simple, elegant, and formed as a single piece: The material used was flexible enough to make the seat, suspension spring, and the body all one piece, too: Alas, it's just a model - just 16 inches long. Here's hoping that someone builds a rideable version. More details: easy-to-read html, but small pictures more detailed paper (.pdf link) Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Bicycles | Digg this! Where do I start with this thing? It has some many elements of awesome! It's a model of an old-fashion Penny-farthing bicycle that has been brought in to the modern world with the incorporation of 3 cutting-edge technologies: It was built, layer-by-layer, using laser sintering rapid prototyping. It's a demonstration project by Italian firm CRP Technology to demonstrate their capabilities. It's made out of WindForm XT, a carbon-fiber reinforced polyimide material that's usually used to craft high-performance motorsport racing parts. It incorporates a planetary gearing system. Penny-Farthings have large front wheels so that they can travel further on one pedal stroke; by using this gearing, the front wheel can be a more-comfortable 20% smaller. Planetary gears are used in some 3-speed bicycles, but their beauty is hidden within the rear hub. I love the options that rapid prototyping allows the designer - these handlebars are simple, elegant, and formed as a single piece: The material used was flexible enough to make the seat, suspension spring, and the body all one piece, too: Alas, it's just a model - just 16 inches long. Here's hoping that someone builds a rideable version. More details: easy-to-read html, but small pictures more detailed paper (.pdf link) Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Bicycles | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-29,25043300 Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:12:51 -0700 no MAKE Magazine bicycles http://odeo.com/episodes/24999909-How-to-use-Pyroelectric-Passive-Infrared-Sensors-PIR Massive tutorial from Ladyada! PIR sensors allow you to sense motion, almost always used to detect whether a human has moved in or out of the sensors range. They are small, inexpensive, low-power, easy to use and don't wear out. For that reason they are commonly found in appliances and gadgets used in homes or businesses. They are often referred to as PIR, "Passive Infrared", "Pyroelectric", or "IR motion" sensors. PIRs are basically made of a pyroelectric sensor (which you can see above as the round metal can with a rectangular crystal in the center), which can detect levels of infrared radiation. Everything emits some low level radiation, and the hotter something is, the more radiation is emitted. The sensor in a motion detector is actually split in two halves. The reason for that is that we are looking to detect motion (change) not average IR levels. The two halves are wired up so that they cancel each other out. If one half sees more or less IR radiation than the other, the outp... Massive tutorial from Ladyada! PIR sensors allow you to sense motion, almost always used to detect whether a human has moved in or out of the sensors range. They are small, inexpensive, low-power, easy to use and don't wear out. For that reason they are commonly found in appliances and gadgets used in homes or businesses. They are often referred to as PIR, "Passive Infrared", "Pyroelectric", or "IR motion" sensors. PIRs are basically made of a pyroelectric sensor (which you can see above as the round metal can with a rectangular crystal in the center), which can detect levels of infrared radiation. Everything emits some low level radiation, and the hotter something is, the more radiation is emitted. The sensor in a motion detector is actually split in two halves. The reason for that is that we are looking to detect motion (change) not average IR levels. The two halves are wired up so that they cancel each other out. If one half sees more or less IR radiation than the other, the output will swing high or low. Along with the pyroelectic sensor is a bunch of supporting circuitry, resistors and capacitors. It seems that most small hobbyist sensors use the , undoubtedly a very inexpensive chip. This chip takes the output of the sensor and does some minor processing on it to emit a digital output pulse from the analog sensor. For many basic projects or products that need to detect when a person has left or entered the area, or has approached, PIR sensors are great. They are low power and low cost, pretty rugged, have a wide lens range, and are easy to interface with. Note that PIRs won't tell you how many people are around or how close they are to the sensor, the lens is often fixed to a certain sweep and distance (although it can be hacked somewhere) and they are also sometimes set off by housepets. Experimentation is key! Read on for more! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! Massive tutorial from Ladyada! PIR sensors allow you to sense motion, almost always used to detect whether a human has moved in or out of the sensors range. They are small, inexpensive, low-power, easy to use and don't wear out. For that reason they are commonly found in appliances and gadgets used in homes or businesses. They are often referred to as PIR, "Passive Infrared", "Pyroelectric", or "IR motion" sensors. PIRs are basically made of a pyroelectric sensor (which you can see above as the round metal can with a rectangular crystal in the center), which can detect levels of infrared radiation. Everything emits some low level radiation, and the hotter something is, the more radiation is emitted. The sensor in a motion detector is actually split in two halves. The reason for that is that we are looking to detect motion (change) not average IR levels. The two halves are wired up so that they cancel each other out. If one half sees more or less IR radiation than the other, the output will swing high or low. Along with the pyroelectic sensor is a bunch of supporting circuitry, resistors and capacitors. It seems that most small hobbyist sensors use the , undoubtedly a very inexpensive chip. This chip takes the output of the sensor and does some minor processing on it to emit a digital output pulse from the analog sensor. For many basic projects or products that need to detect when a person has left or entered the area, or has approached, PIR sensors are great. They are low power and low cost, pretty rugged, have a wide lens range, and are easy to interface with. Note that PIRs won't tell you how many people are around or how close they are to the sensor, the lens is often fixed to a certain sweep and distance (although it can be hacked somewhere) and they are also sometimes set off by housepets. Experimentation is key! Read on for more! Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-21,24999909 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:57:30 -0700 no MAKE Magazine DIY Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/24998556-Weekend-Project-Stun-Gun-Potato-Cannon Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 03. To download The "Nightlighter" Stun Gun Potato Cannon video click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete "Nightlighter" Stun Gun Potato Cannon article in MAKE, Volume 03 "Nightlighter" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 03. To download The "Nightlighter" Stun Gun Potato Cannon video click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete "Nightlighter" Stun Gun Potato Cannon article in MAKE, Volume 03 "Nightlighter" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 03. To download The "Nightlighter" Stun Gun Potato Cannon video click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete "Nightlighter" Stun Gun Potato Cannon article in MAKE, Volume 03 "Nightlighter" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-21,24998556 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:01:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Weekend Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/24998557-Weekend-Project-Stun-Gun-Potato-Cannon-PDF Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 03. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 03. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Launch potato projectiles 200+ yards with this stun-gun triggered, high-powered potato cannon with see-thru action. Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 03. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-21,24998557 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine MAKE PDF http://odeo.com/episodes/24980835-MAKE-Volume-19-Robots-Rovers-and-Drones MAKE, Volume 19 features a special section on robots. Learn how to make a model plane with an autopilot and a small built-in robot brain. We also show you how to make a comfortable plywood chair, a bicyclist's vest that shows how fast you're going, and projects that introduce you to servomotors. MAKE, Volume 19, on newsstands today! Subscribe to MAKE, or log in to check out the Digital Edition. Subscribe to the MAKE Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Announcements | Digg this! MAKE, Volume 19 features a special section on robots. Learn how to make a model plane with an autopilot and a small built-in robot brain. We also show you how to make a comfortable plywood chair, a bicyclist's vest that shows how fast you're going, and projects that introduce you to servomotors. MAKE, Volume 19, on newsstands today! Subscribe to MAKE, or log in to check out the Digital Edition. Subscribe to the MAKE Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Announcements | Digg this! MAKE, Volume 19 features a special section on robots. Learn how to make a model plane with an autopilot and a small built-in robot brain. We also show you how to make a comfortable plywood chair, a bicyclist's vest that shows how fast you're going, and projects that introduce you to servomotors. MAKE, Volume 19, on newsstands today! Subscribe to MAKE, or log in to check out the Digital Edition. Subscribe to the MAKE Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Announcements | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-18,24980835 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:00:54 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Announcements http://odeo.com/episodes/24973262-Foam-walk-along-glider I know my kids would have a lot of fun playing with this project from instructables user 'walkalongaviation'. The glider works best indoors, so it's perfect for those rainy [or just too hot] summer days. This instructable shows you how to make a walkalong glider by thermoforming a styrofoam sheet. The foam sheet used here was obtained from the Owens Corning Raft-R-Mate product available in the insulation department of most home building supply stores. More about making a Foam walk-along glider Related: From the pages of MAKE: Building an Ornithopter - For millennia, men and women have studied birds, bats, and beetles, observing and experimenting, attempting to determine what humans must do to fly by flapping. MAKE 08 - Page 90. Subscribers--read this article now in your digital edition & movie. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Instructables | Digg this! I know my kids would have a lot of fun playing with this project from instructables user 'walkalongaviation'. The glider works best indoors, so it's perfect for those rainy [or just too hot] summer days. This instructable shows you how to make a walkalong glider by thermoforming a styrofoam sheet. The foam sheet used here was obtained from the Owens Corning Raft-R-Mate product available in the insulation department of most home building supply stores. More about making a Foam walk-along glider Related: From the pages of MAKE: Building an Ornithopter - For millennia, men and women have studied birds, bats, and beetles, observing and experimenting, attempting to determine what humans must do to fly by flapping. MAKE 08 - Page 90. Subscribers--read this article now in your digital edition & movie. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Instructables | Digg this! I know my kids would have a lot of fun playing with this project from instructables user 'walkalongaviation'. The glider works best indoors, so it's perfect for those rainy [or just too hot] summer days. This instructable shows you how to make a walkalong glider by thermoforming a styrofoam sheet. The foam sheet used here was obtained from the Owens Corning Raft-R-Mate product available in the insulation department of most home building supply stores. More about making a Foam walk-along glider Related: From the pages of MAKE: Building an Ornithopter - For millennia, men and women have studied birds, bats, and beetles, observing and experimenting, attempting to determine what humans must do to fly by flapping. MAKE 08 - Page 90. Subscribers--read this article now in your digital edition & movie. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Instructables | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-17,24973262 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine instructables http://odeo.com/episodes/24959948-Weekend-Project-Electric-Cigar-Box-Guitar Build your own 3-string, electrified cigar box guitar and make some sweet sounds. Thanks go to Ed Vogel for the original article in MAKE, Volume 04. To download The Cigar Box Guitar MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Cigar Box Guitar article in MAKE, Volume 04 "Cigar Box Guitar" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Build your own 3-string, electrified cigar box guitar and make some sweet sounds. Thanks go to Ed Vogel for the original article in MAKE, Volume 04. To download The Cigar Box Guitar MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Cigar Box Guitar article in MAKE, Volume 04 "Cigar Box Guitar" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Build your own 3-string, electrified cigar box guitar and make some sweet sounds. Thanks go to Ed Vogel for the original article in MAKE, Volume 04. To download The Cigar Box Guitar MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Cigar Box Guitar article in MAKE, Volume 04 "Cigar Box Guitar" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-14,24959948 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:01:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Weekend Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/24959949-Weekend-Project-Electric-Cigar-Box-Guitar-PDF Build your own 3-string, electrified cigar box guitar and make some sweet sounds. Thanks go to Ed Vogel for the original article in MAKE, Volume 04. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Build your own 3-string, electrified cigar box guitar and make some sweet sounds. Thanks go to Ed Vogel for the original article in MAKE, Volume 04. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Build your own 3-string, electrified cigar box guitar and make some sweet sounds. Thanks go to Ed Vogel for the original article in MAKE, Volume 04. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-14,24959949 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine MAKE PDF http://odeo.com/episodes/24923833-Weekend-Project-DIY-Teleprompter Get rid of those cue cards and make a low-cost teleprompter for pro results Thanks go to Brian Lawler for the original article in MAKE, Volume 02. To download The DIY Teleprompter MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete DIY Teleprompter article in MAKE, Volume 02 "No More Cue Cards" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Get rid of those cue cards and make a low-cost teleprompter for pro results Thanks go to Brian Lawler for the original article in MAKE, Volume 02. To download The DIY Teleprompter MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete DIY Teleprompter article in MAKE, Volume 02 "No More Cue Cards" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Get rid of those cue cards and make a low-cost teleprompter for pro results Thanks go to Brian Lawler for the original article in MAKE, Volume 02. To download The DIY Teleprompter MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete DIY Teleprompter article in MAKE, Volume 02 "No More Cue Cards" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-07,24923833 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Weekend Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/24904162-Home-science-projects-from-Exploratorium Julie Yu, a post-doc at San Francisco's Exploratorium, has a really good collection of unusual home lab activities on her page, including a home column chromatography experiment using common materials, which is the first of its kind I've seen. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Education | Digg this! Julie Yu, a post-doc at San Francisco's Exploratorium, has a really good collection of unusual home lab activities on her page, including a home column chromatography experiment using common materials, which is the first of its kind I've seen. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Education | Digg this! Julie Yu, a post-doc at San Francisco's Exploratorium, has a really good collection of unusual home lab activities on her page, including a home column chromatography experiment using common materials, which is the first of its kind I've seen. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Education | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-08-03,24904162 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Education http://odeo.com/episodes/24890145-Humans-bees-wasps-living-together From the MAKE Flickr pool Looks like Rob Cruickshank chills with bees on the daily!A series of trap nests for solitary bees and wasps, mounted in plexiglas on our back window. The nests are open to the outside, and have plexiglas covers, alowing us to observe the activity from inside the house, as well as piezo transducer contact mics, allowing us to hear the activity inside, via the speakers on the right. Wonder if he ever has to ask them to keep it down? Oh, I suppose he could just disconnect the speakers. I used to shared a place with a praying mantis ... nice guy, very religious. ... What? Check out the trap nest window on Flickr. More: DIY Bee Box Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! From the MAKE Flickr pool Looks like Rob Cruickshank chills with bees on the daily!A series of trap nests for solitary bees and wasps, mounted in plexiglas on our back window. The nests are open to the outside, and have plexiglas covers, alowing us to observe the activity from inside the house, as well as piezo transducer contact mics, allowing us to hear the activity inside, via the speakers on the right. Wonder if he ever has to ask them to keep it down? Oh, I suppose he could just disconnect the speakers. I used to shared a place with a praying mantis ... nice guy, very religious. ... What? Check out the trap nest window on Flickr. More: DIY Bee Box Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! From the MAKE Flickr pool Looks like Rob Cruickshank chills with bees on the daily!A series of trap nests for solitary bees and wasps, mounted in plexiglas on our back window. The nests are open to the outside, and have plexiglas covers, alowing us to observe the activity from inside the house, as well as piezo transducer contact mics, allowing us to hear the activity inside, via the speakers on the right. Wonder if he ever has to ask them to keep it down? Oh, I suppose he could just disconnect the speakers. I used to shared a place with a praying mantis ... nice guy, very religious. ... What? Check out the trap nest window on Flickr. More: DIY Bee Box Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-07-31,24890145 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:30:30 -0700 no MAKE Magazine DIY Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/24890146-Weekend-Project-Covert-Wireless-Listening-Device Install a sneaky bug in a book or any small covert object. I used an old vcr tape to capture secret surveillance. Thanks go to David Simpson for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. To download The Covert Wireless Listening Device MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Covert Wireless Listening Device article in MAKE, Volume 16 "Covert Wireless Listening" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Install a sneaky bug in a book or any small covert object. I used an old vcr tape to capture secret surveillance. Thanks go to David Simpson for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. To download The Covert Wireless Listening Device MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Covert Wireless Listening Device article in MAKE, Volume 16 "Covert Wireless Listening" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! Install a sneaky bug in a book or any small covert object. I used an old vcr tape to capture secret surveillance. Thanks go to David Simpson for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. To download The Covert Wireless Listening Device MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Covert Wireless Listening Device article in MAKE, Volume 16 "Covert Wireless Listening" and you can see that in our Digital Edition. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Weekend Projects | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-07-31,24890146 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:01:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Weekend Projects http://odeo.com/episodes/24890147-Weekend-Project-Covert-Wireless-Listening-Device-PDF Install a sneaky bug in a book or any small covert object. I used an old vcr tape to capture secret surveillance. Thanks go to David Simpson for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Install a sneaky bug in a book or any small covert object. I used an old vcr tape to capture secret surveillance. Thanks go to David Simpson for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! Install a sneaky bug in a book or any small covert object. I used an old vcr tape to capture secret surveillance. Thanks go to David Simpson for the original article in MAKE, Volume 16. View the PDF of this project. and then subscribe to MAKE Magazine for other great projects you can do over the weekend. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE PDF | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-07-31,24890147 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine MAKE PDF http://odeo.com/episodes/24885227-How-To-Build-BEAM-vibrobots The following article is reprinted from my old personal-tech website, Street Tech. I thought these vibrobots would make perfect family projects for the "Teach Your Family to Solder" MAKEcation. If you have kids too young to solder, you could build a mint-tin vibrobot [PDF] with them (which doesn't require soldering) and these solar-powered vibrobots with the rest of the makers in your family. - Gareth In MAKE, Volume 08, I wrote a piece on pummers, a type of solar-powered robotic plant life. I've known about pummers for years, but my inspiration for the MAKE article was finding Zach Debord's gorgeous pummer set on Flickr. Being an artist and designer, Zach understands the value of making miniature robots that are as beautiful as they are functional. Mark Tilden, the "Big God" of BEAM robotics, has a wonderful adage that a human is a way that a robot makes a better robot. One "evolutionary strategy" here is centered on aesthetics. Aesthetics help drive human interest. The pummer piec... The following article is reprinted from my old personal-tech website, Street Tech. I thought these vibrobots would make perfect family projects for the "Teach Your Family to Solder" MAKEcation. If you have kids too young to solder, you could build a mint-tin vibrobot [PDF] with them (which doesn't require soldering) and these solar-powered vibrobots with the rest of the makers in your family. - Gareth In MAKE, Volume 08, I wrote a piece on pummers, a type of solar-powered robotic plant life. I've known about pummers for years, but my inspiration for the MAKE article was finding Zach Debord's gorgeous pummer set on Flickr. Being an artist and designer, Zach understands the value of making miniature robots that are as beautiful as they are functional. Mark Tilden, the "Big God" of BEAM robotics, has a wonderful adage that a human is a way that a robot makes a better robot. One "evolutionary strategy" here is centered on aesthetics. Aesthetics help drive human interest. The pummer piece is a prime example. I saw Zach's bots, I was wowed by their beautiful designs, and I wanted others to see them. The piece got published, and now, if you search on pummer in the MAKE Flickr pool, you see other people are making them. The robots are replicating themselves. In the realm of behavior-based robotics, BEAM, bio-mimics, and other bottom-up, bug-brained approaches to robotic design, nearly every conceivable form of motility has been explored. There are bots on wheels, two-, four-, six-, eight-legged bots, bots with whegs (wheel/leg crossbreeds), snakebots, spinnerbots, swimmers, fliers, climbers. You name it. One of the less documented types of robotic motility is found in the vibrobot, a type of robot that gets around by shimmying, shaking, and scooting. It's not the most graceful or accurate way to explore the world, but it's very easy to build a vibrobot and they're really fun (and funny) to watch. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Robotics | Digg this! The following article is reprinted from my old personal-tech website, Street Tech. I thought these vibrobots would make perfect family projects for the "Teach Your Family to Solder" MAKEcation. If you have kids too young to solder, you could build a mint-tin vibrobot [PDF] with them (which doesn't require soldering) and these solar-powered vibrobots with the rest of the makers in your family. - Gareth In MAKE, Volume 08, I wrote a piece on pummers, a type of solar-powered robotic plant life. I've known about pummers for years, but my inspiration for the MAKE article was finding Zach Debord's gorgeous pummer set on Flickr. Being an artist and designer, Zach understands the value of making miniature robots that are as beautiful as they are functional. Mark Tilden, the "Big God" of BEAM robotics, has a wonderful adage that a human is a way that a robot makes a better robot. One "evolutionary strategy" here is centered on aesthetics. Aesthetics help drive human interest. The pummer piece is a prime example. I saw Zach's bots, I was wowed by their beautiful designs, and I wanted others to see them. The piece got published, and now, if you search on pummer in the MAKE Flickr pool, you see other people are making them. The robots are replicating themselves. In the realm of behavior-based robotics, BEAM, bio-mimics, and other bottom-up, bug-brained approaches to robotic design, nearly every conceivable form of motility has been explored. There are bots on wheels, two-, four-, six-, eight-legged bots, bots with whegs (wheel/leg crossbreeds), snakebots, spinnerbots, swimmers, fliers, climbers. You name it. One of the less documented types of robotic motility is found in the vibrobot, a type of robot that gets around by shimmying, shaking, and scooting. It's not the most graceful or accurate way to explore the world, but it's very easy to build a vibrobot and they're really fun (and funny) to watch. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Robotics | Digg this! tag:odeo.com,2009-07-30,24885227 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:30:00 -0700 no MAKE Magazine Robotics