DIY Projects

Make a spooky jack-o’-lantern, quick

Make a spooky jack-o’-lantern, quick

Halloween’s almost upon us, and it’s time to carve up some jack-o’-lanterns. I have great respect for people who take hours to lavishly carve pumpkin masterpieces. I also have very little time to make my own pumpkins. My kids and I just want to get them carved, set a candle inside, and move on to roasting the seeds as quickly as possible. So I decided to forgo the knife and use a cordless Dremel Multi-Max oscillating tool to make quick work of Mr. O’Lantern. Follow the steps below and you too can crank out an army of chilling, thrilling Halloween pumpkins in no time.

Continue Reading John Edgar Park
How-To: Tweeting Snuggie

How-To: Tweeting Snuggie

Justin Blinder writes: Want to tweet how satisfied you are cuddled up in your Snuggie? The Smuggie is a modified Snuggie, designed specifically for those who feel the need to express their smug satisfaction with a Snuggie to their friends on Twitter. Processing and Arduino code included.

Continue Reading Becky Stern2

My little piece of privacy

In an attempt to create more privacy inside, I’ve decided to install a small but smart curtain in that window. The curtain is smaller than the window, but an additional surveillance camera and an old laptop provide it with intelligence: The computer sees the pedestrians and locates them. With a motor attached, it positions the curtain exactly where the pedestrians are.

Continue Reading John Edgar Park8

DIY Square reader keychain stash

Square, Inc. makes a magstripe reader that attaches to your smartphone’s minijack and allows you to process credit card transactions with their handy service. It’s a pretty cool setup if you’re interested in payment processing. When you’re not using it though, you’re stuck with this eraser-sized plastic fob that you really don’t know what to do with. It’s small enough to put in your pocket, but it’s a little too important to accidentally let go through the wash, yet you want to keep it handy for when you’ll need it.

MAKE subscriber Steve Cooley may be onto a suitable solution to this problem. Using a dab of Shapelock, a key ring, and a rubber band, he’s fashioned a custom key fob stash that fits the Square reader like a glove. It’s a little kludgy, but it’s a great proof of concept.

Continue Reading Adam Flaherty20
Make a knife from an old saw blade

Make a knife from an old saw blade

Ever since I made my first ninja throwing star in metal shop class, I’ve always wanted to make my own knife. But I was put off by the notion of having to acquire the furnace, anvil, leather apron, and handlebar mustache requisite for forging a proper tempered blade. So, instead I decided to make a utility knife by cutting out a pattern from a circular saw blade, using my Dremel Rotary Tool.

Continue Reading John Edgar Park4