DIY Projects

Wire Spool Holder (WIHO)

Wire Spool Holder (WIHO)

.:oomlout:. writes – Recently we’ve been struggling to manage our wire collection, fed up with the tangled mess it had become we decided to put some work into addressing it. The result a solution that’s: simple (two unique pieces) - expandable (easy to bolt together) – and fun (we like the curly shaft catcher). If you’d like […]

How-To: Remove a rear-view mirror button

How-To: Remove a rear-view mirror button

Awhile back, I wrote about co-opting the awesome glue used to mount rear-view mirrors for hobby projects. An interested reader e-mailed me a couple weeks later asking if I knew how to remove a rear-view mirror button from a windshield, which I didn’t. Several people have reported that trying to forcibly remove the metal button from the glass can actually break a divot of glass out of the windshield. I was therefore not optimistic, but we talked a little about the idea of using an organic solvent combined with sharp lateral pressure parallel to the glass. She experimented a bit, and, what do you know, eventually succeeded! Here’s her report:

“Movable type” Rubik’s cube

“Movable type” Rubik’s cube

Typophile Shaun Chung created this Rubik’s cube stamp featuring Chinese characters that combine to form verses from a traditional children’s poem. He laser-etched the characters from wood and affixed them to the cube. Shaun writes: Chinese has a long history with the printing. In 105 AD, Cai Lun invented the paper. In 200 AD, the […]

Make an appliance box fort

Make an appliance box fort

It’s no secret to kids that a big cardboard box is the best play fort you can have. Find a washing machine box on the curb, drag it home: instant fun. If you want some amenities, such as a drawbridge door or firing slits, you need to put a little extra work into it.
I’ve embellished ours in the past with everything from a Swiss Army knife to a box cutter. Turns out, a Dremel Multi-Max is a much easier, more controllable tool for this than anything I’ve tried. Add some good fasteners and there’s no limit to the size and complexity of the cardboard castles you can
construct.