diy

I feel a little uneasy writing this one up, since it's such a simple idea, but with Halloween coming up I feel it's my public duty to remind people that you can add sound to your costume or decorations for less than $50.

Now that the iPod's heyday is over, you can pick up a halfway decent MP3 player for as little as $20. Slap it together with one of those ultracompact portable speakers, and you have an inexpensive little sonic grenade that can bring the miracle of music to just about anything.

I know I'll … Read more

This is probably the weirdest device we've seen so far--and for good reason. Check out this dispenser that prints your Twitter/RSS feeds on toilet paper. It's made by one Mario Lukas from Germany (we're guessing the designer didn't want to risk bringing his smartphone or tablet along when nature calls).

The printer was made mostly from wood, as well as bits and pieces salvaged from old CD drives. As is the case with many things DIY-ed these days, an Arduino controller works the bathroom contraption.

Watch this video to see how the device was constructed. … Read more

The era of floppy disks is long gone, and I can't imagine how many are sitting in landfills today. Many hardware hackers, though, are determined to give them a new life. Call it a New Hope.

One Polish programmer, who goes by the name Silent, has wired two 3.5-inch floppy drives together along with an ATMega microcontroller.

Using the step motors in the drives, Silent recently got the obsolete duo to play "The Imperial March" from Star Wars, seen in the vid below.

Using the unique groaning sounds of FDDs to make music is nothing new, of course, and Darth Vader's theme has been done many times, even with HDDs. But I like the two-drive approach for a duet performance. … Read more

I've known for years that there are special pens that can be used with capacitive touch screens, like the ones used on the iPad or any modern tablet or smartphone. Still, I've never bought one. It's not that they're too expensive (some are as cheap as $5), it's just that my curiosity doesn't match the level of patience required to order one online and wait a few days for it to show up.

So when I read iLearn Technology's tutorial on making your own capacitive stylus using common office supplies, I had to … Read more

Unlike many companies that discourage the repair and reselling of items, outdoor gear retailer Patagonia has decided to not only tolerate, but even sanction the practice.

Patagonia announced today it's partnering with eBay to open a marketplace for the company's used products as part of its sustainability plan.

The online eBay store is called the Common Threads Initiative. It's open to any eBay sellers wishing to sell genuine Patagonia products. By signing on to a pledge, community sellers will be given a badge on their post and included under the store's umbrella, as well as promoted … Read more

If you're a fan of amusement rides and exercise, here's a homemade thrill you won't want to miss.

Kinetic sculptor Paul Cesewski (aka Paul Da Plumber) is building another pedal-powered Ferris wheel that can seat three daring riders.

As seen in the vid below, the wheel gets plenty of laughs--and squeals. Paul and collaborators plan to show the wheel this summer in conjunction with artists' collective Miss Rockaway Armada.

"The Ferris wheel is just in the beginning stages and will eventually be floating on a junk raft on a river," says collaborator and photographer Tod Seelie, adding that a smaller version of the wheel previously sailed down the Mississippi. … Read more

In this episode of Roadside Assistance, we decide whether aftermarket is the way to go for car audio, come up with an alternative for HDD-based audio storage, and take a look at a potential revenue stream for the Ford Focus Electric.

• LOLcars (photos)

Some people like to tend to their garden, play video games, or tackle woodworking projects as a pastime. A 31-year-old Swedish man, according to the Associated Press, had a rather unusual hobby. Richard Handl was working on a homemade nuclear reactor.

In Angelholm, a municipality in southwest Sweden with a long sandy beach right outside of the main town, Handl was busy experimenting in his kitchen with radioactive elements radium, americium, and uranium. He opened up fire alarms, which contain small amounts of americium and ordered other elements from companies overseas, according to Swedish news site The Local.

His work … Read more

I've seen my fair share of obsessive fans. Walter Denlinger should be in the high priesthood of modeling fanatics.

I'm talking about Warhammer 40,000, a sci-fi tabletop-miniatures war game that Denlinger has been playing for about 25 years.

"Scratch-building your own tanks and vehicles back in the day was a matter of necessity," says Denlinger. "Nowadays, players are spoiled for choice when it comes to models, but I'm still 'old school' and prefer to convert and build my own."

Based in San Francisco, Denlinger produces terrifying little models for Warhammer (aka 40K) out of his workshop Irondog Studios. His modeling has become a full-time job, allowing him to spend more time at home with his daughters.

"My materials of choice are plastic sheets and tubing, and whatever found objects I come across. I'm one of those trash-to-treasure guys who can find a use for almost anything and will sometimes even center an entire project based on found objects. Many of the models I build are for my personal collection for use in 40K games.

"I also build and paint models on commission for clients who hire me through my Web site. Most of my customers generally want to play the game with nicely painted models but don't have the time or inclination to mess with the 'hobby' end of things. Other clients like to paint their own models, but hire me to do the modeling for them." … Read more