The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.
Although 5×7 pixels aren’t a lot to work with, it’s easy to get lost in Olaf Val’s Mignon Game Kit. This minimalist handheld gaming system is hands-on in more ways than one. The first step is to put it together; second is to hack code for the Atmel ATmega8 microcontroller that powers it; and third, […]
Our family reunions have become quite an affair now that my mother can tally 21 grandkids. Aged from 1 to 20, keeping them busy is a challenge. At last year’s reunion I brought a small LED craft project for the little kids, but I needed something more challenging for the older ones. Luckily, I came […]
Michael Schiess shows the exhibits in his Lil Juju Mobile Pinball Museum. The centerpiece on display at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 is his vintage machine that’s been refitted completely in clear plexiglass, so that attendees can see the inner workings of the pinball machine while its being played.
Hans Andersson, whose Tilted Twister was one of the first (if not the first) Lego Rubik’s cube solvers, created this elegantly engineered Mindstorms clock. [Via The NXT Step]
All components are through-hole, making this Simon kit great for beginners. Reviewer Thomas O’Brien from San Antonio writes: “The instruction booklet is very well written and goes step by step with clear explanations. My grandson Ben, 5, helped put components in the holes of the circuit board, then I soldered them, and he clipped the […]
Make a mind-blowing remote controlled “Meka-Inchworm” robot with this fun, no-soldering-required kit. You’ve got to love a machine that moves like a bug! It’s Japanese, but we’ve got English instructions at makezine.com/go/inchworm. MAKE is proud to be the exclusive distributor in North America for these brilliant kits, part of Gakken’s Mechanical Animals Series. Reviewer Tyler Bennett […]
Employing a centuries-old secret technique from the Edo period, this kit has everything needed to create an acrobatic doll, plus a festive kimono and a tiered pedestal on which to perform. You can even adjust the velocity of the doll’s action. The instructions are in Japanese with beautiful illustrations that make it easy to put together.
