Turn anything into a drum set with your Arduino and this simple kit. Some makers build custom drum sets from fine hardwoods, while others take the easy route and make practice sets from mouse pads and sheet metal. Instead of building my own, I used the included piezo elements to trick out my Rock Band […]
When I first saw this recycled cellophane star garland from The Cheese Thief, it blew my mind. I didn’t think it was possible that these delicate, beautiful shapes could be made from recycled packaging. But, as it turns out, with some paper folding skills and a little patience, you too can turn disposable plastic into […]
These three great starter kits for making small tabletop siege weapons pack quite a kick. They’re simple to build, and include well-documented, easy-to-follow instructions. All components are made of quality materials accurately machined and drilled. The Ballista kit (pictured) is built of laser-cut hardwood and is a real blast to assemble and fire. It’s a bit more difficult […]
Gwydion ap Dafydd of Konkreet Labs shoehorned a MeeBlip synthesizer into a copy of that Mary Hahn’s venerable classic Praktisches Kochbuch. Much as I hate to see Mary Hahn’s work used as a means to an end, there’s no denying the cool factor of the hog-butchering diagram with the glowing eye. [Thanks, Gwydion!]
Inexpensive light sticks can be held together with rubber bands to make glowing geometric structures. Here’s a construction based on the truncated dodecahedron, with a tetrahedron over each triangle. Assembling it is a fun group activity.
By Mark Frauenfelder A couple of years ago I whittled a wooden spoon as a thank-you gift for our family friend Valerie, who was my daughter’s elementary school art teacher. Valerie appreciated it so much that my wife asked me to make another wooden gift for Valerie’s upcoming birthday. I thought about it for a […]
What’s kombucha? It’s a refreshing, lightly sweetened, sparkling tea drink that is naturally fermented (yet non-alcoholic). The Oregon Kombucha kit comes with everything you need to make your own kombucha at home. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Boil a gallon of water, brew the tea satchel, dissolve the sugar, let it cool, […]
