Our post from three weeks back about Instructables user mikey77’s “Oogoo” formulation generated some really great discussions in the comments. Now, reader Iceman086 has reported some successful experiments combining caulk, cornstarch and a solvent to make homebrew silicone with a pourable consistency. Perhaps we can call it “Ooze-oo?”
Do you want to learn the fundamentals of electronics in a fun and experiential way? Not sure where to start, or what tools you might need? We have taken care of all the questions with our Make: Electronics Deluxe Toolkit from the Maker Shed. Bonus! Add our Make: Electronics book for only $10 more! Just […]
You are probably already familiar with the PVC pipe marshmallow shooter, a classic, fun weekend project. Maybe you already have one. Next time you show up for some gooey, air-powered confectionary warfare, why not come packing some classy heat — the Deluxe Copper Mini Marshmallow Shooter Mk. II!
You’ll build it from lengths of copper pipe and standard fittings. The Dremel Multi-Max will cut your ½” dia. pipe to length with ease, so no more laboring over a hacksaw. Finally, you’ll need some basic pipe soldering skills to put it all together.
My iPad deserves better than the ugly beige plastic cookbook holder I’ve been using to prop it up. Instead of splurging on an expensive pre-made one, I decided to build a one-of-a-kind brushed aluminum stand. A trip to my local hardware store yielded the channel aluminum, flat bar, and hardware fittings I’d need. Cutting, drilling, and finishing with my Dremel made this beauty come together in a single afternoon. The iPad is very secure in this stand, thanks to the angles involved and a bit of gravity.
Our roundup of ten clever and useful projects for making blackboards and whiteboards.
Prolific MAKE contributor, Andrew Lewis, has a piece up on Upcraft showing off his workshop. It’s a really sweet looking setup: There is an oscilloscope fixed under the bench, and an easel above. I like to think that I’m working between two different ends of the creative spectrum, with art above me and science below. […]
Whatever else may be said of me, I am fundamentally a dreamer: I have ideas. Lots of them. Most are terrible (ask me sometime about my scheme to potty-train cattle), but every so often one will work out. And, like many creative people, when others see my work I often get asked “How did you ever think of that?” When I was younger, the process was as mysterious to me as to anybody else. But over the years I’ve learned a lot about where my ideas come from and what to do with them when they pop up, and the more I read about and talk to other creative people, the more I come to believe that there are, in fact, some more-or-less universal principles of creativity. And while there will always be something mysterious in the workings of the muse, I do not subscribe to the common belief that creativity is a magical gift bestowed on some and not on others. Like drawing, doing algebra, or speaking a second language, having original ideas is a mental skill that can be developed and, with practice, can become second nature. What follows is a brief list of the stations on my own personal “assembly line” of ideas. If you need an idea and can’t seem to have one, give it a read, give it a try, and see what shakes loose. If it works for you, remember it; if it doesn’t, throw it away. Experiment, as always, and develop your own process.
