Fun & Games

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.

Spirograph from old CD-ROM

Spirograph from old CD-ROM

I had the very great pleasure of meeting Ari Krupnik at the recent Bay Area Maker Faire. Among other cool toys, Ari was showing off his “RecycloGraph,” which is a two-piece Spirograph (Wikipedia) milled from an old CD on Ari’s ShopBot. Once he’s milled the profile, Ari turns the plastic over and etches words or graphics in the metal foil using a CNC laser. Ari’s selling them now using a “name your price” PayPal widget on his website.

Phone-controlled Lego 8×8 Volvo truck

Phone-controlled Lego 8×8 Volvo truck

Our stringer for all things R/C, Francesco Fondi, sent us word of this amazing Lego/ NXT-based Bluetooth and phone-controlled Volvo 8×8 truck: This is a really impressive creation from ATRX, the same AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego) behind the NXT Boat. This Volvo FL12, version 8×8 features all wheel drive, 4-wheel steering, full double wishbone […]

See “Containment” at Brickworld

See “Containment” at Brickworld

This fantastically detailed science fiction Lego model, Containment, was created by Nannan Zhang of The Brothers Brick along with his collaborator “Legohaulic.” If you’ll be in Chicago this weekend, be sure to visit Brickworld today. Non-attendees are welcome to view AFOLs’ (“Adult Fan of Lego”) awesome MOCs (“My Own Creation”) from 10am-3pm, tickets are $7-10. […]

Bicycle monowheel

Bicycle monowheel

Earlier this week I posed bike hacker Pater Wagner’s uni/bicycle. Earlier this month we featured his monster bike. Now it’s his monowheel. No handlebars — presumably you have to lean to steer. But don’t lean too much! What an awesome creation. More: The history of Monowheels Maker of the day – Kerry McLean, 225-horsepower gasoline-powered […]