Hacks

How-To: Retrofit a Magic 8-Ball with an OLED display

How-To: Retrofit a Magic 8-Ball with an OLED display

>The steps outlined here will show you how to modify a standard Magic 8 Ball to replace the normal message icosahedron with a OLED screen, and how to add wireless microcontroller, and accelerometer. The screen is submersed in the normal Magic 8 Ball goo so that all the original aesthetics are preserved. The messages can be reprogrammed wirelessly without having to open the 8 Ball. The accelerometer detects when the 8 Ball is in use (e.g. tipped from resting to looking through the Magic Hole) and signals the microcontroller to turn on screen and fade in the messages.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan2
DIY iPhone 4 bumper case

DIY iPhone 4 bumper case

I, too, was impressed when Apple unveiled its integrated antenna case design at the iPhone 4 announcement event back in May. Little did I know the actual reception of the iPhone 4 would be worse than my original first generation (OG) iPhone. The issue has even prompted Apple to seek out actual antenna engineers (seriously). Until there’s an official fix to this problem, folks experiencing the “death grip” can try Oliver Nelson’s 99-cent “Ghetto iPhone 4 case”.

Continue Reading Adam Flaherty2
Homemade blow-molding gun

Homemade blow-molding gun

Blow-molding (Wikipedia) is an thermoplastic forming process in which a hot polymer pre-form is injected with gas to press it against the inside of a hollow mold. It’s how most plastic bottles are made. Designer George Fereday got annoyed that the primarily-industrial process was so inaccessible and decided to build his own DIY version, which extrudes pre-melted polymorph plastic through a custom die attached to a normal caulking gun to create the hollow pre-form. There’s more detail over at Core77.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan2
Soda can solar heater

Soda can solar heater

Dan’s soda can solar heater provides up to 120 degrees of temperature differential. Ever since I built my first soda can solar heater three years ago, I’ve received plenty of input on how to improve the design for better heat output. For that reason, I never hooked up the first one – in fact, I […]

Continue Reading John Baichtal9