Needle Nose Pliers

Dodecahedron Speaker for Desktop 3D Printers

Dodecahedron Speaker for Desktop 3D Printers

At normal listening distances, an array of twelve speakers arranged on the faces of a dodecahedron is a very good approximation of a point sound source, and the sound waves it produces are very close to perfectly spherical. A dodecahedron speaker can be a useful tool in acoustics research, and is definitely a fun toy […]

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Operating Railroad Grade Crossing Signal

Operating Railroad Grade Crossing Signal

It seems that no matter how much things change, one thing that is always constant is a kid’s fascination with all things trains. When my son was about 4 years old he was fascinated by passing trains. Even more captivating to him was the railroad crossing signals which would flash and ring to announce a […]

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BEAM Vibrobot

BEAM Vibrobot

BEAM robot building techniques allow you to build fun and simple little robots with lots of room for stylizing. BEAM vibrobots use pager motors to move. We’ll use what’s known as a “solar engine” (Type 1 “FLED” variety), store bought or scavanged pager motors, and some paperclips. Let the build begin! BEAM is a type […]

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Solar Spinners for Your Windowsill!

Solar Spinners for Your Windowsill!

This is an easy-to-build simple solar engine, also known as a Trimmet. We will construct a direct-drive type (as opposed to a voltage-triggered) spinner that will really go nowhere fast in direct sunlight. Perfect for windowsills and desktops that get a lot of old Sol’s rays. Many different styles are possible, but this is a […]

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