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Modern technology might sound better, hold more songs and be easier to use than the vintage stuff, but it sure doesn’t have the same visual impact as a classic phonograph. Fortunately with this iPhonograph you get the stunning classic style blended with the beauty of new technology. If you’ve got the skills, Instructables has the steps to make your own.
Link Via Geekosystem
Ever want to make your own sweet Cyclops visor? Well then head over to Lounge Geeks where you can learn how to make your own for less than $30. Now that’s a value for some sweet style.
Ever wish you could be a real assassin like Altaïr or Ezio? Then try your hand at making this handy assassin blade, but just don’t lose your hand in the process.
Via The Daily What
For all you DIY enthusiasts who also happen to remember when boomboxes ruled the sidewalks, the creator of this masterpiece Matt Keeter has posted patterns and instructions on how you can make your own wooden boombox and bring sexy back.
For a cost of about $100, and a few hours of your time, you too can show the world your old school flavor without having to travel back in time, or close out your bank account.
Link –via Geekosystem
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Here’s an inspired idea for all of you DIYers with tons of useless RAM sitting around, a Christmas tree made of RAM chips that would make the ultimate geek gift. And really, what else are you going to do with all that 128mb RAM you have squirreled away in a box somewhere?
Link –image via Adam from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
In response to the earlier item on chicken coops, Neatoramanaut NickDanger3dEye let us know about the 12-sided coop he and his son built.
I got the basic idea for a plywood dodecahedron from a late 60s Popular Science magazine article I read in my youth. The author of that article built it as a meditation space, with a circular hole cut in one panel. Instead, we hinged one panel and put a hook and eye at the top, so we could lock up the chickens overnight, safe from raccoons and other varmints.
One other point, we hung a heat lamp from the top to warm the chickens during the winter. At night, the red light leaks through the vertices.
My son’s friends have been unpersuasive in trying to talk us into painting numbers on the side to make it look like a D12.
I would throw my vote to paint it as a die! An octahedral laying box was his next attempt at working his way through all the Platonic solids. Link to Flickr page.
We showed you the night lights that Jason Hull (jayfish) makes out of vintage cameras. He has since opened an Etsy store, although the inventory is a little thin so far. But you can make your own! Hull has also posted the process for converting old flash cameras into night lights at Instructables. Link
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T Zero made this arm sculpture from the movie Terminator 2: Judgement Day out of spare parts. Then he gives you the process so you can make your own. However, you should be aware that it’s only two inches tall! Still, having on of these on your desk would be pretty cool. Link -via Everlasting Blort
Meaghan Mountford shows you step-by-step how to make your own frightening Frankenstein Marshmallow Pops for a ghoulishly glorious Halloween treat! Any recipe that calls for “candy eyes” is alright by me. Can you get those at the corner market? Link -via Laughing Squid
Marketing lore and common sense tells us we value the things we make more than the things we buy already made. That even holds true when we assemble things from a kit, according to research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.
Experiment 1A: Participants either inspected an IKEA pre-built box or assembled it themselves. Afterward, they were asked to bid on the box they had either seen or built. If their bid was above a random number, they would pay that amount to keep the box; if it was lower, they couldn’t keep it. Participants were also asked to self-report on the value of the box. An effect was found in both cases; on average, participants bid 62% more when they built the box versus when they simply inspected it. On average, participants also self-reported liking the self-built box more than the inspected boxes.
Other experiments used origami creations and LEGO sets, and the same effect was noted. Read more about it at NeoAcademic. Link -via Boing Boing
It’s something we rarely have to think about in America, but in developing countries people are lucky enough to have a roof over their heads, much less indoor lighting. Houses are dark during the day, and lack of interior light is a serious problem that, as it turns out, has a dead simple solution.
Soda bottles are collected, filled with water and bleach, then sealed and fitted into ceiling panels to act as brilliant mini skylights. This project, called Isang Litrong Liwanag, or A Liter Of Light, aims to show people across the globe how they can install these bottle lights for themselves and bring some light into their lives.
-via Ology
A lot of people look down their noses at processed American cheese, but deep down inside, a lot of us see it as a combination of comfort food and convenience food. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could make it at home?
But what exactly is American cheese? I suppose it’s that exact question that gives it such a bad rap. The American cheese that you find on supermarket shelves isn’t cheese made in the traditional way (milk that’s formed into curds and pressed). Instead, it’s either a blend of cheese and additives, or it’s a highly processed mixture of ingredients such as water, milk, milkfat, milk protein, whey, food coloring, flavorings, and emulsifiers. I wanted to get as close as possible to the taste and texture of American cheese using only pantry ingredients and a food processor.
By making your own American cheese, not only will you know exactly what went into it, but also you can add in flavorings such as black pepper, roasted red peppers… you name it. As I concocted my version of American cheese in the test kitchen, not only did I draw a crowd of curious onlookers, I caused all of the snooty foodies to run for the hills. That’s okay, because I’d take any kind of American cheese over head cheese any day.
The process of making your own doesn’t look too difficult, with directions from Yvonne Ruperti at America’s Test Kitchen. Link -via the Presurfer
Sometimes you need to get in touch with a plumber, but many times you can actually fix the clog yourself with a little elbow grease. Same thing with headphones, cars and bikes. LifeHacker has a great collection of things you can fix yourself in many cases along with links on how to do the repairs.
Link (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Look at this tie -isn’t it awesome? It’s like the ties worn in the Kraftwerk video for the song “The Robots.” Nine LEDs flash in descending order, guaranteeing you’ll be noticed. You can make your own, too, and be the robot of the party, with instructions from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. Link
Dress up a plain pair of shoes for a special occasion by making your own Twinkle Toes, colorful ruffles that contain LEDs to show off your fancy footwork. Becky Stern takes you through the process step-by-step, plus a video tutorial. Link -via Laughing Squid
Love your iPhone, but wish it had a homier feel? Never fear – now you can use your best needlework skills to cozy up your case. For just $18, you get an embroidery-friendly case, plus embroidery thread in the appropriate colors to make whichever design you choose. You can also just use their grid paper to make your own design, if you want to take your DIY-ness to the next level. I think the kitties are hilarious, but you could also go more geek-like with Mario or the Apple or Superman logos.
Link via Design.org
This cool lamp gives an eerie glow as the tractor beam from a UFO finds an Earthling to beam up and study. You may have seen this type of alien abduction lamp for sale, in stores or on the internet, but you can make one yourself for about five dollars! The instructions are at Dollar Store Crafts. Link -via Nag on the Lake
Nick McBride of Juniata College sent in pictures of some fun his department had with leftover Macintosh computer boxes. They made furniture out of them!
The couch that we put together can hold 2 or 3 people, has built in
cup holders, and would retail for $12,000 (if you purchased the Macs
to make it). We kept all the internal foam pieces to further reinforce
the sitting areas.The easy chair was built the same way.
-Thanks, Nick!
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First off, it’s awesome to have a Princess Leia costume. You know, with the buns and all. But how cool is it to have a Princess Leia costume made of duct tape? Yeah, that’s what this is!
Lindsay Boo Barrasse made this out of tons of duct tape. She gives us some details about how it was done:
If you’re one of those people who likes to add a certain flair to your wardrobe when seeing Harry Potter movies in the theaters, and if you think Gryffindor = a bunch of goody two shoes, then this is the perfect DIY craft for you. Instructables user TheGeek1984 provides a handy step-by-step guide to creating your own terrifying mask to support Voldemort.
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Every once in a while, a summer comes along in which you are desperate and will try anything to get rid of these flies. Luckily, that’s not this summer for me. But you can imagine the situations that caused people to try out these methods. Maybe you could use a homemade fly trap:
- Sugar trap. I was optimistic about this one: Dumping a quarter cup of sugar into an open mason jar, then filling the jar halfway with water. The hypothesis is that the flies are attracted to the sugar, then fall into the jar and drown. But I guess the flies here laugh in the face of such low-tech devices, instead preferring to walk down the sides of the jar, sip the nectar and fly out. Two fell in, though. Bottom line: Doesn’t really work.
- Dish soap trap. Instead of sugar, pour an inch of liquid dish soap directly into the jar, then add another inch of water. This worked nicely to trap flies. However, not all liquid dish soap fared well. A floral scent didn’t attract flies to the trap, but a green apple scent beckoned the flies to their doom. Definitely go for a fruit scent. Bottom line: This works. Be sure to use a fruit-scented dish soap.
Other methods were tried and rated for their effective as well. Link -via Breakfast Links
(Image credit: Flickr user Refracted Moments™)
Is there any movie creature more cuddly than the Facehugger from Alien? Ha! Still, if you want a plush version of this monster, you can make your own Facehugger Pillow Pet with guidance from Kaisei13 at Instructables. Link -via io9
The latest do-it-yourself project from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories is this footstool made in the shape of a 555 timer chip. It’s a heavy-duty design, made from plywood, glue, and paint. Link -via Laughing Squid
A looty is a device you use to gaze into your own eyes. Specifically, one eye looks at the other, and vice versa. It was invented by Jim Woodring, who quit making them “because the effect is unnatural and probably harmful.” However, Instructables member Nachimir shows you how to make your own.
The first time I got my eyes to move independently, it made me recoil.
Close one eye and you get to watch it open again with the other. Tilting or turning your head causes the mirror image to move the opposite way; it reflects you as other people actually see you, apart from the missing chunk of face between your eyes. Tilt the Looty 45 degrees and your reflection turns through 90. It also emphasizes differences in color perception.
It seems to be a source of brief amusement for anyone who picks it up. Yesterday, a guest turned it on its side and used it to inspect his nose hair.
If you’ve ever made or played with one of these, let us know what you think. Link -via reddit
Comments Off As far as at-home science experiments go, this one is both kid-friendly and non-explosive. It’s a great way to illustrate non-Newtonian flow and magnetic attraction to kids, but it’s also cool enough to keep grown-ups hanging around to see what happens. For the full instructions for making your own magnetic putty, check out the post on instructables by user mikeasaurus. Link
via GeekDad
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Image: Calsidyrose
[Flickr]
RadioShack was founded by two brothers who wanted to provide equipment for the then-new field of ham radio. Over the next few decades, the company grew to become a large behemoth by appealing to the DIY community.
Then came rounds of scandals, getting their clocks cleaned by cheaper competitors, and The Shack rebranding (I mean, I understand, "radio" is something today's youth associate with their grandmothers).
Now, the company is trying to return to its DIY roots, as it explains in this blog post and video clip. Mike Nathan of Hackaday blog wrote:
What used to be a haven for amateur radio operators, tinkerers, and builders alike has devolved into a stripmall mainstay full of cell phones and overpriced junk. RadioShack knows that they have fallen out of your good graces, and since you are the demographic that put them on the map, they are appealing to the DIY community for input.
They want to know what is important to you – what you would like to see at your local RadioShack, and what would bring you back through their doors. Obviously price is a huge concern, especially with online outlets like Digikey and Mouser just a few clicks away. At the end of the day however, if you require a component RIGHT NOW, it would be nice to have the ability to grab some parts locally.
We’re well aware of the fact that this is all part of a marketing scheme, but if it helps stock your local store with a few odds and ends that are actually helpful, it won’t hurt to let your voice be heard.
This satirical The Onion article summarizes the predicament of RadioShack quite well:
Despite having been on the job for nine months, RadioShack CEO Julian Day said Monday that he still has "no idea" how the home electronics store manages to stay open.
"There must be some sort of business model that enables this company to make money, but I'll be damned if I know what it is," Day said. "You wouldn't think that people still buy enough strobe lights and extension cords to support an entire nationwide chain, but I guess they must, or I wouldn't have this desk to sit behind all day."
The retail outlet boasts more than 6,000 locations in the United States, and is known best for its wall-sized displays of obscure-looking analog electronics components and its notoriously desperate, high-pressure sales staff. Nevertheless, it ranks as a Fortune 500 company, with gross revenues of over $4.5 billion and fiscal quarter earnings averaging tens of millions of dollars.
"Have you even been inside of a RadioShack recently?" Day asked. "Just walking into the place makes you feel vaguely depressed and alienated. Maybe our customers are at the mall anyway and don't feel like driving to Best Buy? I suppose that's possible, but still, it's just...weird."
What do you think? Can RadioShack survive and recapture its glory days? Heck, when was the last time you were in one? (via cool-o-rama)
I can’t vouch for the quality or the safety of this recipe, since I haven’t tried it (and probably never will), but English Russia has a how-post on making your own absinthe. There are a lot of herbs involved.
Wormwood: 100 g
Fennel (fruit): 50 g
Anise: 50 g
Mint: 15 g
Melissa: 8 g
Chamomile: 3 g
Cumin: 10 g
Angelica: 10 g
It would be nice to add 5-10 g of hyssop, but it is difficult to find.
And then later another round of herbs.
Melissa: 8 g
Licorice: 10 g
Mint: 15 g
Chamomile: 2 g
Angelica: 2 g
One of the steps is to put the concoction away for two weeks, presumably to give you time to ponder the wisdom of the whole enterprise. Link -via Dangerous Minds
I get lots of text messages, more than I would like really. I have received a few that had directions or other important details that I would like to print out. I wouldn’t want to print them on the wall though like the printer contraption that designer Liat Segal has invented will do. It uses servos and markers to make the message in a series of dots and dashes as the user pulls it across the wall. It is a cool device, but very strange. The brains of the device is an Android smartphone. link
I am a a big fan of video games and if you have ever played the game Portal, you will recognize this DIY creation right away. The builder handcrafted the turret and it took about a month to build. It has motion detection, a laser pointer, and when it senses motion it plays the sound of bullets firing. It even has a button that plays the Portal theme song. I hope the next version incorporates NERF guns or Airsoft so the turret can really shoot. link
One of the best shooter-style video games I have played in a long time is Dead Space 2. The game was lots of fun, and it has one of the more interesting weapons to be in a video game called the plasma cutter. If you purchased the collector’s edition of Dead Space 2, you would have received a little plastic replica of that plasma cutter to play with. One gamer took that plastic toy and grafted blue laser pointers onto it that are powerful enough to light matches and pop balloons. link
