Craft & Design
From traditional crafts to modern crafts, we’re covering news and interesting projects to educate you and keep you inspired. Design trends and pop culture related projects are here to inspire.
Build Your Own Render Farm
The idea of coaxing multiple machines to gang up on one graphics-processing job is old; but the feasibility of configuring such a system on a shoestring budget is rather new. With open-source solutions proliferating on the Web and businesses kicking decent PCs to the curb like so many red-headed stepchildren, money’s no longer an obstacle. Only one question remains, really: Are you a big enough geek to put it all together? Link.
MIDI controlled Beer Bottle Organ
The cart version was designed for versatility of use after meeting with Cory Dirksen GM of the Windy City Thunderbolts and it was styled to fit the Leinenkugel backwoods style. “The Bottle Organ has been a big hit at the ballpark” said Misch. “It’s incredible how good a bunch of bottles sound when they get done with them”. “The Bottle Organ cart concept allows the organ to be used in any area of the park during pre-game and attracts people to the Leinie Lodge through out out the game. It turned out even better than I imagined” raved Misch. [via] Link.
Make a Thing in a Jar
This fellow makes “things in jars” and gives them away – creepy cool. The coolest thing about the Thing is that everyone responds to seeing it by asking questions. Where did I find it? Is it an internal organ? …The Thing in a Jar is made out of Sculpy, acryllic paint and rubber cement. The liquid inside the jar is diluted Coke. This is the third Thing in a Jar I’ve made. For some reason I’m always compelled to give them away as gifts. Link.
Hektor the graffiti artbot
Hektor consists of a suitcase which contains two electric motors, a spray-can holder, toothed belts, cables, a strong battery and a circuit board which is connected to a laptop and controls the machine. The motors that are mounted onto the wall suspend the can holder through the toothed belts and define its position by changing the length of these belts. Thanks Doug! Link.
Flickr printable books and posters
So, this is not public, and is not shipping yet, but here is a sneak peak of what is on its way for Flickr freaks (like me). A poster and and entire book of Flickr photos. Once the Flickr folks are ready, I suspect you’ll hear more about this soon. Link to Flickr on Flickr.
NES Controller USB Hub w/Wireless
Fun and easy mod– So I was inspired by many articles I saw on making an NES controller mouse, making an NES controller USB hub, an NES controller belt buckle, etc. I had my old NES (circa 1987) that I’d just pulled out of a box after my move and I decided that the dinosaur had had a good life – so I decided to upgrade the components. Link.