Drill

iStand

iStand

The iPad, wonderful as it is, often needs a stand to hold it. Sure, there are tons available, but they can be flimsy and/or expensive. Here’s one that’s cheap, sturdy, and easy to build. It’ll hold either the original iPad or the iPad 2 in many useful positions. It’s made from ¼”-thick clear or smoked […]

Talking Booby Trap

Talking Booby Trap

People snatching your top-secret stuff? Here’s a sneaky gizmo to keep those snoops away.

Soda Can Label Embossing

Soda Can Label Embossing

Positive response to the review of my antique Tapewriter label embosser got me thinking about lower-cost ways to make embossed aluminum labels. A comment from reader Rick Hyde (“Actually, the aluminum is so ductile that I bet any Dymo machine can emboss it.”) led me to wonder about feeding thin aluminum strip to one of […]

Mendocino Motor

Mendocino Motor

See photons turned into motion with this solar-powered, magnetically levitating electric motor.

Diet Coke and Mentos Fountain Nozzle

Diet Coke and Mentos Fountain Nozzle

The reaction of when a regular mint (or fruit) Mentos is dropped into a bottle of diet Coke can create a fountain of soda. Without a nozzle, you will have a Coke fountain only about 5 feet high. With this, you can have a Coke fountain up to 10 feet! Here’s how to make your […]