Make: Volume 46 – Hack Your Ride

Hack your ride! In this volume of Make:, you’ll find a 21-page special section on connected cars. You’ll also see the world’s cutest go-kart, DIY electric vehicles, 12 bike mods, and learn about custom dashboard computing. And if you can’t wait for the upcoming movie, build yourself a working, Star Wars-inspired, BB-8 droid! This issue also features skill builders on spray paint, choosing the right battery, and working with sheet metal and rivets. On top of that, you’ll find 40 projects, including:

  • A 3D-printed RC race car
  • The million-color flashlight
  • Water balloon cannon

ON THE COVER: Roll over, R2-D2 — BB-8 is the new droid everyone wants to build.

Table of Contents

COLUMNS

Reader Input

Page 06

Welcome

Reinventing the first text message system.Page 08

Made on Earth

Explore the amazing world of backyard technology.Page 10

FEATURES

Space Chase

The founders of Carbon Origins moved to the desert to build and launch rockets. Not so easy.Page 18

Maker Pro Q&A

Sugru inventor Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh talks about finding her product’s niche.Page 26

SPECIAL SECTION

Mad Hacks

Your wheels are your identity, so car or bike, mod them to your satisfaction!Page 28

World’s Cutest Go-Kart

Designing and building the electric Chibi-Mikuvan for the Power Racing Series.Page 30

Making the Switch

Build the Switch electric vehicle — a street-legal, Maker-ready kit and education system.Page 34

Evolutionary EVs

These DIY car makers are pushing past the electric-vehicle big boys.Page 35

Own Your Car

Will a vague copyright law constrain what hobbyists and modders can do with their vehicles?Page 36

Maker’s Dashboard

Why settle for a factory dash? Customize your cockpit with these projects.Page 40

Bike Hacks

Personalize your ride with these clever pedal projects.Page 41

Bottle-Cap Bike Light

Upcycle soda bottles to make this long-lasting, waterproof, automatic flasher.Page 46

Cycle Chaser Bike Projector

Shine fun animations on the street that move depending on your speed!Page 48

SKILL BUILDER

PROJECTS

Chukudu Wooden Scooter

Build the burly Congolese workhorse that can haul hundreds of pounds of cargo.Page 62

Semi-Automatic Coffee Roaster

Three cordless screwdrivers and a microcontroller = perfect small-batch roasting.Page 72

1+2+3: Realistic Duct Tape Rose

Surprise your sweetheart with a handsome handmade flower.Page 73

Electronics Fun & Fundamentals: The Greenest Delay Timer

Wire up a clever timer circuit that draws no current between cycles. What could be greener?Page 76

Amateur Scientist: Night Tracking Rockets

Use LEDs to track nigh-tlaunched projectiles.Page 78

Water Balloon Cannon

Build a simple PVC air cannon to help you win the water wars.Page 80

1+2+3: Custom Soda Cooler

Summer is hot. So why not make a custom cooler to keep your drinks cold?Page 81

Howtoons

Construct an easy homemade Pinewood Derby track.Page 82

Pixel Pals

Learn how to solder Chip and his Pixel Power base, then plug him into an Arduino.Page 84

Toy Inventor’s Notebook: Footstep Stampers

Hack a pair of flip-flops so they make designs in the sand as you walk.Page 85

TOOLBOX

Tool Reviews

Unique and useful Maker tools, toys, and materials.Page 86

New Maker Tech

On the horizon for electronics and accessories.Page 88

Books

Text tools for your bench or bedside table.Page 90

OVER THE TOP