The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for the kitchen, garage and backyard from food to furniture to fun & games for your family.
Complete HOW TO and source code for making a barcode scanner out of LEGOs. The Barcode Scanner uses standard LEGO parts with two exceptions. The first is the laserbrick, a selfbuilt LEGO brick with a modified laser pointer connected to an output of the RCX. The second part is the barcode label from a LEGO box.Thanks Douglas! Link.
Here’s a photo diary explaining how a group of Makers made a PC using a real pumpkin as the case. The Pumpkin PC uses a Latitude D410 motherboard and red flashing fans for eyes. It would be cool in version 2 to have a LCD screen that pull Flickr photos with tagged Jack-o-lantern photos. [via] Link.
Rick writes “Always wanted to experience the thrill of real flying but can’t afford it? Always wanted that ultimate accessory for you MS Flight Simulator 2000? This may just be the thing. Build your own motion system with 4 axis motion and a simple non direct connection to the simulator software. Fly that dream :)” There are 4 chapters for free and the PDF is $15, not too bad. Link.
Josh writes “To spruce up my 200 pound pumpkin carving for this old fashioned carving event I inserted a 5 inch DVD Player looping clips from classic horror movies. It was the only pumpkin at this contest that made use of any technology and generated a lot of buzz, especially with the kids. Use this idea on your doorstep this year and the kids won’t forget you, event if you still give them fruit!” Link.
In November Target Stores will offer BigGames Home Video Arcades – real arcade machines for the home that will retail for less than $500. Each unit plays 12 of the original arcade versions of the most popular Midway games including: Defender, Defender II, Robotron, Joust, Bubbles, Splat, Sinistar, Rampage, Rootbeer Tapper, Wizard of Wor, Timber, and Satan’s Hollow. Also – Dicks Sporting Goods will be carrying the tabletop version of the cabinet. I am totally going to get one of these, take it apart and see if I can add more games. Thanks Brian! [via] Link.
The holidays are coming up – Presents to get – or better, make! Not everything has to have a microprocessor in it! Lots of ideas and free plans here. I think I might try and make a harmonograph is a pendulum-based drawing board that produces really neat “curvaceous” drawings. Thanks Rick! Link.
Roland sent along this great DIY site for building Halloween settings “For Halloween 2004, we added a spooky crypt to our graveyard scene. This project requires a fair amount of work, but with a few helpers (at least one of which has some woodworking skills), you too can have a ghost haunt a crypt for your Halloween celebration.” Link.
