Hot Hacks, Mods & Circuitry Posts « Hacks, Mods & Circuitry

How To: Make an AC Arc Welder Using Parts from an Old Microwave, Part 1

In a previous article, I demonstrated an Arc Welder made using parts from old microwave ovens. Video: .

How To: Hack Your Electricity Meter

This video will show you what you'll need to know to hack a digital electric meter. You'll need 2 magnets, one much bigger than the other, an AC adaptor that you'll cut into pieces, or some speaker wire, distilled water, electrical tape, a knife, some plastic wrap, and a plastic cup. Remember, this is illegal, and shown only for educational purposes.

How To: Fix Dead Lithium-Ion Batteries That Won't Hold a Charge Anymore

"What is dead may never die." That's easily one of the best lines (and episode title) from HBO's Game of Thrones series. While the saying may ring true for the Ironborn, it's not quite as catchy when it comes to batteries.

How To: Make a PVC Hand Pump to Move Water, Compress Air, & Create Vacuum

When you're using vacuum power, moving water, or compressing air, it's more than likely being done with some sort of pump. I'll be needing a pump for some of my future projects, so in this tutorial, I'll be showing you how to make your own customizable PVC hand pump that will let you do all three.

How To: 10 Unique & Practical Ways to Repurpose Your Old Hard Disk Drives

At one point in the '90s, about fifty percent of the CDs produced worldwide had an AOL logo. About fifty percent of the CDs in my home still have that AOL promise of 500 free hours on them. Though they never got me to join their internet service, I did get a lifetime supply of coasters. Thanks to the rise of high-speed internet access and bigger and better hard drives, there's no reason for companies to snail mail any more of those obnoxious plastic discs.

How To: Eavesdrop from a Distance with This DIY Parabolic 'Spy' Microphone

Want to find out if your neighbors are talking about you? You could always hack their webcam or turn your iPhone into a secret spy camera, but unless you have a key to their house, that could be tricky to do without getting caught.

How To: Build an enclosure box for your electronics projects

If you want user friendly electronics projects, you'll need to build an enclosure case around it. Not only will this help it look cool, you can also protect it from dust, water or other kind of damage. This tutorial shows you how to make a great looking user intereface and enclosure box for your electronics projects.

How To: Add Bluetooth Capability to Corded Over-Ear Headphones for Wireless Listening

Headphone cords are one of those things we all deal with because it beats the alternative (no music). But they can be so obnoxious—they're always getting caught on things, and they seem to be perpetually tangled. If you have ear buds, you can make a simple a cord container to keep them organized, but over-ear headphones are a little more tricky.

How To: Hack a 20-Year-Old "Brick" Phone into a Digital Cell You Can Text On

The cell phone has come a long way. The very first "mobile devices" were made and used by the military in the late 1930s, with the first commercial mobile telephone service introduced by Bell in 1946. These devices were hardly what we'd call mobile today—some took up the whole trunk of a car, and others had to be carried on your back in a heavy bag.

HowTo: Cure Burnt Fingers With Your Earlobes & More Life Hacks

From Lifehacker's Tips Box, four short-cuts to life's small problems, urawaza-style: No Iron?

How To: Boost your car remote's range

You can learn how to boost your car remote's range and you need a small screwdriver. Locate the antenna, sand the top surface of the antenna, and do not forget when you are done to close the remote up. This is another great video by Kipkay.

How To: Make your own EMF detector for under ten dollars

An EMF detector will help you find invisible electromagnetic fields, and you can make an inexpensive one for under ten dollars. This will only detect the presence of a field, you will need other tools to be able to measure its strength.

How To: Turn a Webcam and Phone into a Security Spy System

Watch this video tutorial, and learn how to turn an ordinary inexpensive webcam into a hidden home security system, viewable anywhere in the world from your cell phone! With a cute and cuddly teddy bear and a cheap webcam, you can make the perfect homemade security camera, or just a camera to spy on your sister and her friends during sleepovers. Follow along with the steps in this how-to video and learn how to set up this spy system. Note: this video is NOT recommended for people who are perv...

How To: Use an operational amplifier to amplify voltage and build a microphone circuit

An amplifier is something that amplified the voltage on a circuit. The most basic kind is an operational amplifier, and this video will show you how these work and how to use them in your electronics. As an example you'll learn how to make a microphone circuit for spying on people or listening to your heartbeat.

How To: Hack a laser pointer into a burning laser

It's not just for annoying cats, anymore. You can upgrade your laser pointers and turn them into an actual burning laser! This tutorial by Kip Kay shows you how to mod a basic laser pointer into a higher powered laser.

How To: Run USB through the phone lines

Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to run a USB cable through existing phone cords. You'll need two phone jacks, a USB extender, and a phone cord. Although dual jacks are featured in this video tutorial, single jacks are preferred. The process is fairly simple, what you need to do is open up the jack and cut the USB extender in half. Strip to the multicolored wires and match up the the wires with the opened phone jack's, all except for the white wire which will go to the ye...

How To: Hack a transistor radio to hear Air Traffic Control

Normally, when standing outside your local regional airport, you'd need a special radio or scanner to pick up the transmissions coming from that Air Traffic Control tower. Well, not anymore.

How To: Hack a coin operated laundry machine

Man, it's laundry day and once again you have NO quarters. Well, check out this video and you'll never need quarters again. This how-to shows how to pick the lock on a coin operated laundry machine and then rig it up so you'll never need to pay again. Sweeeet.

How To: Build an analog light organ (a colorful sound-to-light circuit)

Before there was digital music and fancy computers and music software, people use to employ the power of the electric color organ (now more commonly known as the "light organ") to add some visuals in sync with their music. MAKE shows you how to build your own sound-to-like circuit— your very own light organ!

How To: Mod a Sony Walkman Cassette Player into a Retro Apple iPod Case

Another media player bites the dust. First, we saw the extinction of the phonograph and gramophone. Then came the fall of eight-track tapes. Even modern record players became more and more obsolete, with DJs switching over to the world of digital music. And today— the end of cassette players! What's next? Compact discs?

How To: Broadcast your own FM pirate radio station

Become the producer of your own pirate radio show! The mind behind Free Radio Berkeley shows you how to build your own FM transmitter, which is what you need to start broadcasting. Once you have all your hardware, set it up and all you need now is programming!

How To: Make high quality audio/video cables

Systm is the Do-It-Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. They will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. In this DIY episode, see how to make high quality audio/video cables.

How To: Make a high-tech spy stethoscope

A stethoscope, often considered the symbol of a doctor's profession, but also used by safe-crackers and auto mechanics to hear sounds that otherwise couldn't be heard. Well, it's time to make a high-tech electronic spy stethoscope with Kip Kay in this gadget video tutorial, for only twenty-five bucks! You can hear and record heartbeats with this spy gadget, or even listen through walls!

How To: Turn your webcam into a magnifier

Hack your webcam into a magnifier by adjusting the focus lens Turn your webcam into a magnifier.

How To: Light a light bulb with a potato battery

Following on from Edison's first lightblub moment back in 1879, the OU's Stephen Serjeant experiments with an alternative power source - the humble potato. Create a potato batter with a couple of screws and a light bulb.

News: Infrared LEDs Protect Your License Plate Number from Police Cams

Got a knack for speeding? Like running red lights? Believe or not, the police have better things to be doing than pulling you over, like catching real criminals. That's why more and more cameras are popping up at known speeding zones and on street corners—so the cops can clean up the streets, compared to just ticketing them.

How To: DIY Stick Welder from Old Microwave Parts

Lurking inside your old junk microwave is an abundance of useful parts that can let you melt metal, spot weld, and make electrifying Jacob's ladders. You can even make a powerful AC arc welder, perfect for making hard-to-solve puzzles and even makeshift weapons for the zombie apocalypse.

How To: Hack Christmas Lights for Custom Holiday Lighting Patterns

General Electric isn't known for their Christmas lights, but maybe they should be, because their GE Color Effects are pretty awesome. Especially the LED Color Effects G-35 String sets. And especially when someone named Darco hacks them.

How To: Hack a satellite dish into a WiFi signal booster

There are many ways to recycle a satellite dish and this is one of them. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to hack an old satellite dish into a biquad WiFi antenna. For detailed, step-by-step instructions on building your own audio signal booster, take a look!

How To: Turn an Automatic Air Freshener Dispenser into a Silly String Launcher

The electric air freshener is one of those devices that seems like it could only have one possible function, but can actually be repurposed in a few different ways. If you're looking for a practical use, you can turn it into a bug killer, but it's also perfect for pranks.

How To: Hack a Sony Handi-Cam to be able to film in infrared

Start with a Sony Handi-Cam (or any other camera that allows you to film using night vision) and then add in a special infrared filter and a little extra hardware. Now you can film completely in infrared and film in X-ray vision!

How To: Satisfy Your Need for Speed with This DIY Arcade-Style Racing Cockpit

Racing games are always better when you have a steering wheel instead of just a handheld controller. And those old-school arcade racing cockpits? Even better. Matthew Boyer decided to bring the feel of a racetrack into his living room with this insanely awesome DIY arcade racing cockpit. He built the frame out of plywood and a real racing seat, then added LEDs, surround sound, and a 32-inch flat screen. The pedals, shifters, and steering wheel are laid out to match the measurements in his rea...

How To: Turn a flashlight into a laser

Kipkay demonstrates how to extract the laser from a DVD burner and mount it in a small flashlight to create a handheld laser burner that can light matches and burst balloons, all in this how-to video. All you need is a 16x DVD burner, a laser housing, and a flashlight. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to modify a flashlight into a relatively strong laser.

How To: Build a power supply for electroluminescent (EL) wire and displays

Electroluminescent devices need electricity to light up, clearly, so if you're working on an EL project building a proper power supply is crucial. In this video you'll learn how to make a DIY power supply for your EL projects that is safe, effective, and cheap.

News: How to Make a $25 Touchscreen

In this episode of Mike's Lab, we will be creating our own touchscreen! Video: .

How To: Add Inductive Charging Capabilities to a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Note 2, and Other Android Devices

Inductive charging is already a reality on popular smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S III and Google Nexus 4, and Apple has recently published a patent that would make inductive chargers a reality for the iPhone. There are also several phones that have the capability for wireless charging, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

How To: This DIY Illuminated Isomorphic Keyboard Changes Colors as You Play Music

An isomorphic (or self-transposing) keyboard is "a musical device where a grid of notes is displayed to the user and the interval change between notes in constant for any given direction." For those of you who didn't grow up playing the piano like I did, that basically means that it lets you move between keys easily without having to learn new patterns because the keys are laid out so that a chord is the same pattern in every musical key.