Electronics: Fun and Fundamentals — LED Photo Lights
Easy, efficient, and effective.
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Washer
Lumia Lunchbox Laser
Back in the 1970s, my friend Wayne Gillis and I used to do light shows at science fiction conventions. We had the usual panoply of overhead, slide, and custom-made projectors, and a single, very expensive, helium-neon laser from Edmund Scientific. Calling ourselves Light Opera, and later, Illuminatus, we performed at ConFusion conventions in Ann Arbor, […]
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Stationary Drumcycle
A recent toe injury kept me from running for a few weeks, and I bought a stationary bike to keep in shape while recovering. The exercise bike has a lot to recommend it: it’s low-impact, safe, easy to scale up for harder workouts, and indoors out of the weather. It’s also as boring as watching […]
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The MakerGear Mosaic 3D Printer – Part V: The Extruder
This is the fifth of eight guides in a series documenting my build of MakerGear’s Mosaic desktop FDM/FFF 3D printer kit. the frame the Y-axis the X-axis the Z-axis the extruder the build platform the electronics the first print This part covers installation of the extruder assemblies, which consist of the preassembled motor and […]
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The MakerGear Mosaic 3D Printer – Part IV: The Z-Axis
This is the fourth of eight guides in a series documenting my build of MakerGear’s Mosaic desktop FDM/FFF 3D printer kit. the frame the Y-axis the X-axis the Z-axis the extruder the build platform the electronics the first print This part covers assembly of the Z-axis systems, including installation of the two hardened, precision […]
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Clean Metal: Remove Oxidation or Paint From Metal at Home
I love using old machine parts for my projects; often their workmanship surpasses that of anything new, and you can get them cheap or even free. Find a junkyard full of ancient, rusty industrial equipment, and you can build almost anything — or at least be inspired to, which is half the battle! But many […]
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The “Discreet Companion” Ladies’ Raygun
Torch lighters are handy, cheap, and easy to find. They come in a wide variety of shapes and styles, so there’s room for customizing to your personal taste. I normally modify mine with antique parts, but here I chose parts that you can get in most hardware and home stores. The finished raygun works well […]
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