MAKE Volume 30 Web Extras and Downloads

MAKE Volume 30 Web Extras and Downloads

MAKE_V30_290
Until recently, home automation was gimmicky, finicky, and user-hostile. But today, thanks to a new crop of devices and technology standards, home automation is useful, fun, and maker-friendly. In the special section of MAKE Vol 30, we’ll show you: how to flip any switch in your home with a smartphone, home automation without programming, controlling your HVAC with an Arduino, a webcam security system, and a wall-mounted Notification Alert Generator (NAG) that plays timely reminders as you walk by. Plus, you’ll build a build a finger gesture door lock, Arduino thermostat control, and more!

 

Homemade Home Security

By David Bodnar

Build a 4-camera surveillance system and watch from any browser. (Page 44)

Project Code

Schematic for Picaxe-14M switcher

V30 Home security Schematic for Picaxe-14M switcher

Schematic for PIC16F684 version

V30 Home security Schematic for PIC16F684 version

 

The Electronic Nag

By George Tempesta

Build a Notification Alert System that pesters you to do your chores. (Page 50)

Check out the full project build.

Parts and Sourcing Information

MATERIALS

  • Arduino Uno microcontroller—Maker Shed item #MKSP11, http://makershed.com, $30
  • ChronoDot real-time clock module—Adafruit part #255, http://adafruit.com, $17.50
  • Wave Shield for Arduino kit—Adafruit #94, $22
  • Audio speaker, 8Ω—Just about any will do. I broke open an old computer speaker case and took the speaker and grille to use on the RadioShack case.
  • LCD display, 20×4—Adafruit #198, $18
  • Proximity sensor, infrared—Seeed Studio’s model SEN39046P ($14) detects motion 10cm (4″) to 80cm (30″) away.
  • Shield stacking headers for Arduino (2 packs)—Adafruit #85. A pack includes two 8-pin and two 6-pin headers.
  • Project enclosure, about 8″×6″×3″—such as RadioShack #270-1809, $8
  • Jumper wires
  • Stripboard, 2-3/8″×3-11/16″—such as Tayda Electronics #A-5031 (94mm×53mm), http://taydaelectronics.com.
  • IDE cable, 40-wire ribbon—You could use other cables and headers, but these are cheap and handy.
  • Pin headers, 2×20, 1 male and 1 female—such as Tayda #A-198 and #A-195
  • Screws, small—for mounting circuit boards

TOOLS

  • Computer running Arduino IDE software—Download free at http://arduino.cc.
  • USB cable, Standard-A to Standard-B
  • Soldering iron and solder
  • Wire cutters
  • Wire strippers
  • Solderless prototyping breadboard
  • Screwdriver
  • Drill, utility knife, high-speed rotary tool or other tools—for cutting the project box

Project Code and Templates

 

Networked Smart Thermostat

By Eric Merrill]

Control your home’s heating and cooling from anywhere. (Page 54)

Parts and Sourcing Information

  • Arduino Ethernet or Arduino Uno and Ethernet Shield
  • Diodes, 1N4002
  • Transistors, 2n3904
  • Resistors, 1.2kΩ
  • Resistor, 10kΩ
  • Temperature sensor, SHT11, http://adafru.it/246—While this part uses a 2-wire protocol, it is not I2C compatible. There is a basic example of how to use it at http://code.google.com/p/sht11/
  • Real-Time-Clock Module, http://www.sparkfun.com/products/99
  • Relays, http://www.sparkfun.com/products/100
  • LCD screen, 16×2,
    http://www.makershed.com/RGB_Backlight_Negative_LCD_16x2_Extras_p/mkad31.htm
  • Trim pot, usually comes with screen
  • Pushbuttons (2)
  • Protoboard
  • Wire, miscellaneous
  • Screw Terminals, http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10571
  • I/O Expander chip, 16-bit with Serial Interface, MCP23017-E/SP, http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/MCP23017-E%2FSP/MCP23017-E%2FSP-ND/894272
  • DIP Socket, 28-Pin 0.3″, http://www.sparkfun.com/products/7942
  • Project Box, 6″×4″×2″, RadioShack #: 270-1806
  • Screw Shield, http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9729
  • Power over Ethernet cable set, http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10759
  • Power brick, 9V
  • Luan/MDF 6″×4″

Lady Ada already has a great writeup on how to connect a LCD screen to your Arduino at http://www.ladyada.net/learn/lcd/charlcd.html

Project Code

Arduino and web code zip file

 

X10 Arduino Macro Module

By Jim Newell

Maximize your X10 control by tapping into a vast open source code library. (Page 60)

Creatrope’s X10 send/receive library
X10 Macro Module code zip file

 

12,000-Mile Universal Remote

By Jordan Husney

Flip any switch from your smartphone. (Page 66)

YouTube player

The 12,000-Mile Universal Remote in action, running the web-page version of the application written by Margaret McKenna running on the author’s iPhone.

Breadboard version assembly instructions and schematics: XBee Pulse I/O Breadboard or Perfboard Assembly Instructions
Author’s website for this project, with the latest parts lists and troubleshooting tips: http://jordan.husney.com/xbee_garage_door
PCB version information from author’s website: http://jordan.husney.com/xbpio

 

Merry and Bright

By Gregory Hayes

There’s no place like home for the holidays, particularly if your home has a quarter million LEDs on 648 animation channels synchronized to a locally broadcast soundtrack. (Page 80)

More Holiday Lights and Automation

Christmas lights set to Slayer

YouTube player

Cal Haunts NorCal

YouTube player

Haunted House Controller at makezine]

For all the latest in haunted house innovations: HauntCon haunted attraction national trade show and convention

More animatronic projects from MAKE

 

“The Towel” R/C Stunt Plane

By Breck Baldwin

Build a robust R/C flying-wing airplane that’s fun to fly and great to learn on. (Page 82)

Check out the full project build.

The MAKE staff takes turns crashing the Towel.

Template Images

Deck

m030_Proj_Towel_Dimens2

 

Airframe

m030_Proj_Towel_Dimens3

 

Stabilizer

m030_Proj_Towel_Dimens1

 

Pipe Dreams

By Larry Cotton and Phil Bowie

Build sturdy furnishings with PVC pipe and a few tricks. (Page 96)

Check out the full project builds:

 

Clock Face Designs

face-composite

 

Yakitori Grill

By Bob Knetzger

Get cookin’ with this Japanese-style skewer grill. (Page 108)

Check out the full project build.

ERRATA: In Volume 30’s “Yakitori Grill” project, we purchased the deep cake pans at http://webstaurantstore.com, but we printed an incorrect URL.

 

Stain PVC Any Color

By Sean Michael Ragan

PVC pipe is great, but it’s kinda ugly. (Page 117)

Color formulas

stain-pvc-ratios

Here are the volumes of red, yellow, and blue dyes I added to 4 oz cans of Clear Cleaner to get the colors shown in the photo:

  • Red = 1 mL red
  • Orange = ½ mL red + ½ mL yellow
  • Yellow = 1 mL yellow
  • Green = ½ mL yellow + ½ mL blue
  • Blue = 1 mL blue
  • Indigo = ⅔ mL blue + ⅓ mL red
  • Violet = ½ mL blue + ½ mL red
  • Brown = ⅓ mL red + ⅓ mL yellow + ⅓ mL blue

The “black” is actually very strong blue, with ½ oz (15 mL) of blue dye added to 4 oz Clear Cleaner.

More about solvent dye

“Solvent dye” or “fuel dye” is an oil-soluble chemical intended for colorizing oily products like gasoline.

More about Clear Cleaner

“Clear Cleaner” is a mixture of four solvents, but the “magic” ingredient that makes the staining process work is tetrahydrofuran (THF). THF actually dissolves the outer layer of the PVC plastic, just a bit, so that the dye molecules can be absorbed into it. It’s not unreasonable to say that the color is actually “dissolved” in the outer layer of the plastic. Once dry, the only way to remove it is by mechanically abrading away the stained material from the outer layer of the pipe or fitting.

Note that some companies sell a product called “cleaner” for use on PVC pipe that actually contains no THF. It can be confusing, because in point of fact the product that contains THF is actually “cleaner/primer,” but is often simply labeled “cleaner.” When in doubt, make sure it says tetrahydrofuran on the label.

More on cleanup

Spilled dye can usually be cleaned up with lighter fluid and a paper towel. Dye that has dripped off PVC pipe will be harder to remove because it will have dissolved polymer in it; loosen it with a copper dish scrub and lighter fluid, then wipe up with a paper towel.

 

IR Remote Hacking

By Tom Lauwers

How to capture, view, clone, and generate infrared signals. (Page 118)

Download project code IRReceiverCircuit.pde and TransmitIRSignal.pde zip file
RoombaPhotovore code can be copied at http://pastebin.com/7tqcwxru.

 

The Eternal Flame

By Steve Hoefer

Build simple, nearly indestructible LED lanterns.

ERRATA: In Volume 30’s “Indestructible LED Lantern” project, author Steve Hoefer is pictured wearing gloves while using a drill press, which is a safety hazard. “Gloves are a no-no around rotating tools,” Steve admits. Thanks to reader Tim Kemp for pointing out the error.

 

Cellphone Car Ignition

By Eric Merrill

Remote-start your ride from any distance. (Page 136)

 

Hydraulic Ram

By Matthew Gryczan

Clever invention pumps water uphill with more water. (Page 143)

Video of ram in action:

YouTube player

 

Toys, Tips, and Tricks: Things You Can’t Make

By Donald Simanek

Simple tricks of illusion make the impossible a reality. (Page 152)

Shooting Lego-Bending Photos

web_TTT_Perspective1

 

M030_TTT_LegoIllusion-addl-GH-web

We like not just to test the things that appear in our pages, but often to try alternate ways of achieving a desired result. When I first saw Donald Simanek’s photo, I wanted to see if my humble equipment could come close to replicating his illusion.

Borrowing a handful of Legos from one of our interns, I rebuilt the structure and clamped it in a C-stand (a heavy-duty stand typically used in film production; its solid construction makes it able to secure an object tightly and precisely).

I use a Nikon DSLR with a handful of lenses. To help reduce perspective’s diminishing effect on the farther stack of Legos, I chose my 70-200 zoom lens at its maximum zoom. This long focal length has a compressing effect on subjects, making distant objects seem less distant compared to nearer objects than they would to the naked eye.

Positioning the Legos and camera, I found that a fraction of a millimeter could make a large difference in the effect, and spent the next 30 minutes adjusting the positions of both.

The illusion requires all of the Legos to be in focus, so I set my aperture to f/22. A larger f-stop number means a smaller aperture and a greater depth of field. Had I flashed it from the front, the harsh and uneven lighting could have made the bricks seem disconnected or even shown the shadow of the foreground pieces, so I set up two radio-controlled strobes with large softboxes to diffuse the light.

The mere floor vibrations from setting these lights had already caused the illusion to slip out of true. For a quick fix, I simply shimmed one of my tripod legs, then fired the camera with a remote trigger. Voila!

Gregory Hayes

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