Volume 10: Home Electronics

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MAKE 10: Home Electronics

All hail the tiny electron! At the speed of light, these subatomic servants rush through circuits, performing countless tasks to make our lives more interesting, comfortable, and fun. Even if you don't know a resistor from a transistor, this volume will teach you how to make electronic devices that entertain, enlighten, and enable.

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Made on Earth

» Hardcore Laser Tag by Steve Lodefink

It's not the Family Fun Center. Meet Mike Yates and his Scorpion. Page 16

» Sound Effects by Megan Mansell Williams

Sound sculpturist Jeroen Diepenmaat has a bird that plays records. Page 18

» Star Trails by Shawn Connally

Josch Hambsch shows off star trails with digital photography. Page 19

» Mortar Shells to Coffee Grounds by Amber Henshaw

Azmeraw Zeleke makes coffee machines from spent weapons. Page 20

» Hot Copy by Megan Mansell Williams

Steve Barker makes some crazy backyard BBQ grills. Page 21

» Eight-Step Program by David Battino

An 8x8-button USB controller that's also a display, from the designers and musicians at Monome. Page 22

» Rolling Mountain Thunder by Dave Sims

Frank Van Zant's monument in the desert. Page 23

1+2+3

» Vibrobot by Mark Frauenfelder

Make a twitchy, bug-like robot with a toy motor and a mint tin. Page 119

» Origami Flying Disc by Cy Tymony

Understand Bernoulli's principle of flowing fluids and gases with a paper flyer. Page 167

Maker

» Happy Blastoff by William Gurstelle

Smoke, sound, and fury at the Large Dangerous Rocket Ship launchpad. Page 48

Welcome

» We're All Alright by Shawn Connally

MAKE's managing editor Shawn Connally welcomes you to Volume 10: Home Electronics. Page 11

News from the Future

» Stuff Like Software by Tim O'Reilly

The future of mass customization is in hardware that prototypes like software. Page 13

Make Free

» Agree to Disagree by Cory Doctorow

Bogus agreements are everywhere. Void them. Page 15

Hands On

» The Real Renaissance Man by Bruce Sterling

Benvenuto Cellini rejected human limitations to prove his valor. Page 24

» Tips and Tricks: Drugstore Specials by Arwen O'Reilly Griffith

From Maker to Maker. Page 27

Art Work

» Illuminated Circuits by Douglas Repetto

Artists are using circuit design as both a functional and an expressive medium. Page 28

» Downhill Makers by Jason Verlinde

Garage ski builders are outdoing the pros. Page 30

» Lucid Dreaming Mask by Nathan True

Timed LEDs prompt your brain to direct your dreams. Page 33

» Fail Early! Fail Often! by Tom Jennings

Mistakes are synonymous with learning. A mental toolkit to sharpen your skills. Page 34

» "Wealth Without Money" by Matt Sparkes

A machine that can make almost anything, including copies of itself. Page 38

Heirloom Technology

» Tire Sandals by Tim Anderson

Solve multiple global problems at once when you make your own sandals from an old tire. Page 40

Proto

» Burn to Learn by David Pescovitz

The Crucible industrial arts school's community of practice. Page 42

Making Trouble

» Makers vs. Shakers by Saul Griffith

Make it beautiful, make it last, or don't make it at all. Page 54

Maker's Corner

» Maker's Corner by Dan Woods

Advice and news for MAKE readers. Page 56

» Your Electronics Workbench by Charles Platt

What you need to get started in hobby electronics. Page 58

» The Biggest Little Chip by Charles Platt

An introduction to the versatile 555 timer. Page 62

» Roomba Hacks by Tod E. Kurt, Phillip Torrone

Don't let your Roomba just collect dust when you can hack, mod, and take over the world with your own (cleaning) robot army. Page 67

» Nice Dice by Charles Platt

Build a pair of electronic random number generators. Page 68

» RoboHouse by Andrew Turner

Easy-to-implement home automation. Page 72

» Propeller Chip by Dale Dougherty

BASIC Stamp's Chip Gracey puts a new spin on microcontrollers. Page 76

» The Spin Zone by Ken Gracey

A whole system of possibilities -- even an entire computer -- awaits you in the simple Propeller chip. Page 83

» Shots from a Revolution by Mark Frauenfelder

Digital photography of those massive, beautiful early computers. Excerpted from Mark Richards' book Core Memory. Page 84

» The Brain Machine by Mitch Altman

Get altered states of consciousness with this microcontroller-driven sound and light device. Page 88

» Plastic Fantastic Desk Set by Charles Platt

Saw, drill, and bend your own objects made of ABS plastic. Page 100

» Tabletop Biosphere by Martin John Brown

The Tabletop Shrimp Support Module (TSSM) is a fun demonstration of the ecological cycles that keep us alive. Page 110

Workshop

» Lady Bends the Tubes by Arwen O'Reilly Griffith

See inside Shawna Peterson's neon workshop. Page 120

Aha!

» MAKE's favorite puzzles. by Michael H. Pryor

MAKE's favorite puzzles. Page 122

DIY: Workshop

» Sketchup Workbench by John Edgar Park

Design your own work area with Google's free drawing application. Page 123

» Tight-Fit Workbench by Todd Lappin

Make an inexpensive workspace for crowded quarters. Page 128

DIY: Imaging

» Cool Photo Websites by Mark Frauenfelder

Use these online services to enhance your digital photographs. Page 130

DIY: Music

» The Sweet Sound of Particleboard by David Battino

Beef up the tone of open-back amps with a little thrift shop help. Page 132

DIY: Outdoors

» Solar-Powered Bike GPS by Brian Nadel

Green handlebar navigation from recycled parts. Page 134

DIY: Circuits

» Bare Metal Game Design by Kipp Bradford, Brian Jepson

Introducing the XGameStation Pico. Page 137

» Mini High-Power Laser by Stephanie Maksylewich

Liberate a 200mW laser from a DVD burner. Page 140

» Making It with the MAKE Controller by William Gurstelle

Our board does art, robotics, music, and more. Page 145

» Radar Speed Detector by Ken Delahoussaye

Turn a Hot Wheels toy into a versatile radar gun. Page 148

Howtoons

» Das Bottle by Nick Dragotta, Saul Griffith

Make a submarine from an empty plastic bottle. Page 154

MakeShift

» MakeShift by Lee D. Zlotoff

The creator of MacGyver challenges you to retrieve your keys from the bottom of a 15-foot crevice in the desert. Page 156

Skill Builder

» Electronic Test Equipment by Wendell Anderson, Tom Anderson

See and understand what's happening inside a circuit. Page 158

» Voltage, Current, and Resistance by Joe Grand

Voltage, current, and resistance are three staple quantities you'll encounter with anything that has electrons running through it. Here's how they all tie together. Page 164

Toolbox

» Toolbox

Get started in electronics, eliminate red eye the old-school way, and touch up your walls with the screw of a lid. Page 168

Reader Input

» Reader Input

Where makers tell their tales and offer praise, brickbats, and swell ideas. Page 176

Retrospect

» In the Beginning Was the CRT by George Dyson

Once upon a time, there was no distinction between memory and display. Page 178

Retrocomputing

» Retrocomputing by Tom Owad

Antique computers run the world. Page 181

Maker's Calendar

» Maker's Calendar by William Gurstelle

Our favorite events from around the world. Page 186

Make Money

» Penny Buttons by Tom Parker

Shirt buttons for mere pennies! Page 189

Tales from the Web

» Nerds in Space by Bre Pettis

Makezine.com's Weekend Projects shoots for the stratosphere. Page 190

Homebrew

» Homebrew by Michael Wernecke

Michael Wernecke's 5-foot radio-controlled submarine. Page 192