The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.
If you want a moreย challenging high-power build experience, I like the Hi-Tech H45 kit. Itโs big (2.63″ diameter and 49″ tall), with sturdy plywood fins and a durable plastic nose cone, and it can handle motor types F through I. I got my first high-power certification on this model back in 1990. Good times!
A few rungs up theย ladder toward high power is Estesโ Big Daddy, a chunky, 3″- diameter model. While designed for D and E solid rocket motors, it can easily handle AeroTechโs 24mm F motors. Itโs not much more difficult to build than the Astra, but bear in mind that an E motor has up to […]
If you want a moreย challenging project that takes shape with some real cutting and sanding, small manufacturer Semroc produces high-quality balsaย rocket kit reproductions. The Mars Lander, originally sold by Estes in the 1970s, is a beautifully realistic-looking spacecraft with spring-loaded landingย legs. You can also try their Saturn 1B ($78), a 1/70 scale re-creation of the […]
RLT Industries has gone above and beyond with its Desktop Trebuchet kit. Each piece of wood is carefully chosen and precisely computer-cut. All the required tools can be found around your house or at a hobby shop, and the instructions are very detailed. However, as instructed, I used wood glue on the main frame and […]
If youโve ever wanted to hurl spears to bring down a woolly mammoth, then these two kits from Thunderbird Atlatl are the way to go. The Nanticoke and Kanakadea kits are both high quality and simple to build, so with a little time and effort you can make a very nice-looking atlatl suitable for serious […]
If you’ve contemplated a treadmill desk, but would like a more portable solution, then take a look at the FitDesk. It’s perfect for a couple of laps while checking your email or wiring up for a cycling simulation.
It’s being widely reported as the first time an electric multi-copter has carried a human being aloft. Germans Thomas Senkel, Stephan Wolf, and Alexander Zosel are the brains behind e-volo, a 16-copter with four groups of four blades, each of which is driven by a separate motor. The first human-carrying flight is reported to have lasted one minute and thirty seconds.
