Hot Hacks, Mods & Circuitry Posts


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: 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: Hack a Mobile Phone to Work as a Detonator
You must have seen in movies, a person calls to another person and when the he picks up the phone, Boom! There is a bomb blast.

How To: Quick-N-Dirty Circuit Board Repair: How to Patch Faded or Corroded Traces with Pencil Lead
You may already know that you can build a functional circuit on a sheet of paper with the graphite from a pencil, but you'd probably never think of using it to fix an electronic device. This same principle can be used to bring back a bricked phone, but can also repair a damaged or corroded trace in a printed circuit board. Redditor 404ClueNotFound spilled water on his favorite computer keyboard (like so many of us have done before). The damage was minimal, but after drying it out, one key sti...

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: Make a satellite dish Wi-Fi antenna for free internet
Need internet but don't want to pay? Well, try lusting of those around you by picking up their Wi-Fi signal. Live out in the boondocks? No problem… if you have an old satellite dish laying around.

How To: Make an LED or a light emitting diode
Take a tour through the world of the light-emitting diode. Learn - who invented it, how to use it, and how to make your own.

How To: Make a working wire tracer with spare parts
You probably won't be using a wire tracer very often, but if you do need it for some reason - save the money and make your own! This tracer is made solely out of spare parts that you probably already have in your garage or basement. So, follow along and get started.

How To: Hack RFID enabled credit card & steal money for cheap
Identity theft is a huge problem and one of he fastest growing crimes in America. A number of credit card companies now issue credit cards with embedded RFIDs (radio frequency ID tags), with promises of enhanced security and speedy transactions.

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: 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: Build a PWN circuit to control power that can dim an LED, control a motor etc.
Many types of circuits are useless and less useful if you cannot control the amount of power going through them. For that, you need a PWN (pulse with modulation) switch. This electronic component will let your control the power going through the circuit, enabling you to dim LED lights, control the speed of a motor, and other useful tasks. This video will teach you all PWN switches and how tom make your own.

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: Build a laser effects light show
A laser light show is possible to replicate with the diffraction grating effect. Different laser effects can be created using a variety of materials: small motors and diffraction grating pieces, and mirrors. It's possible to create searchlights, crystal balls, spring patterns, a Galvanometer effect, and a spider web. Watch this video circuitry tutorial series and learn how to replicate professional laser show techniques for recreational use at home, or as an accompaniment to music or any pseu...

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: Build a low cost portable hamstick antenna
If you're looking for a low cost solution for a portable hamstick antenna pole for your ham radio, then check out this video.

How To: Use perfboard prototyping for your electronics projects
Perfboard, or perforated board, is a simple board with evenly spaced holes and lined with metal which can be soldered on one side. The holes let you set up a board with circuits and wires as you need them for your own project. This tutorial shows you everything you need to know to build electronics on your own perfboard.

How To: Build a high-powered air cannon that shoots rolled up T-shirts
Remember The Simpsons episode where Maude Flanders died? Do you remember how she died? Well, here's a hint… it has to do with this Kipkay tutorial.

How To: Open a power supply without destroying a transformer
First of all, please DO NOT attempt to open any power supply and tweak what's inside unless you know what you're doing and/or are a professional. With that said, this circuitry video will teach you how to crack open a wall transformer power supply without destroying the transformer.

How To: Hack Smart Cards for satellite TVs
Notorious hacker Chris Tarnovsky opens his underground laboratory to WIRED, providing a peek into the world of satellite television smart-card hacking. This complicated process involves nail polish, a pin head and various acids -- so don't try this at home (unless you're Chris Tarnovsky)! Chances are you won't even know what's going on here, but that's not going to stop you from watching this video tutorial on how to reverse-engineer a satellite TV smart card, is it?

How To: Recharge non-rechargeable alkaline batteries
Can you recharge non-rechargeable alkaline batteries? Yes you can! Gary Cutlack from techdigest.tv risks chemical burns to demonstrate.

How To: Cut and Sand Your Micro-SIM into a Nano-SIM Card for Your New iPhone 5
Planning on getting the iPhone 5, but want to keep your SIM card? The new nano-SIMs that manufacturers are adopting will be even smaller than the micro-SIMs that most of us currently use. It's fairly easy to cut a regular SIM down to a micro-SIM, but because the nano-SIM will be thinner as well as smaller than the micro, cutting it down to size will require a little more work. Photo by Tech Digest

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 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: Make a sneaky, snake spy camera that records video
Snake cams have become the epitome of high-tech gadgets on television and in movies. In 24, Jack Bauer is always using a snake camera to check for terrorists on the other side of the door. The video game Splinter Cell has made the snake cam an integral part to Sam Fisher's arsenal. And almost every spy movie features its use at one point or another.

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 a laptop touch pad into a mini graphics tablet
TOUCHPAD HACK - This video tutorial shows how to transform a touchpad into a useful mini graphics tablet with some simple, everyday items. You will need a 1.5V battery, a small ball bearing, and a Philips head screwdriver. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to transform a touch pad into a miniature graphics tablet.

How To: Make a Custom USB Drive
I use a lighter as a case for my USB drive and it came out pretty cool. Watch to see how I made it. Video: .

How To: Customize Your Wireless Doorbell to Play Any Sounds You Want
Doorbells are useful and all, but most of them are boring as hell. They use the same old generic sounds to let you know when guests have arrived, as demonstrated below.

How To: Build a Remote-Controlled Water Gun (Or Flamethrower!)
You can do a lot with water guns. Have trouble waking up? Make a water gun alarm clock that (almost) no one could sleep through. Prefer real ammo? Turn your water gun into an airsoft BB gun. And if you don't have one, you can even make your own.

How To: Turn a Super Cheap Mousetrap into a Powerful BB-Shooting Handgun
Here's a way you can turn a mousetrap into a fun little handgun that shoots up to 40 feet! This is a great project because it can be made with simple materials, very basic tools, and in just a few minutes!

How To: Use a home computer as a wireless adapter for your Xbox 360
Get onto Xbox Live using your home computer. This tutorial shows you how to use your PC as a wireless adapter for your Xbox. All you need is a home computer with a spare ethernet plug and an ethernet cable. This tutorial shows you the rest.

How To: Hack into live, public security cameras and web cams
In this Electronics video tutorial you will learn how to hack into live, public security cameras and web cams using Google without the owner even knowing this is happening. The video claims that there is nothing illegal about this. Type ‘inurl:/view/index.shtml’ in to Google search bar. IP addresses starting with numbers are those of cams. So, click those. You may need to install ‘active X’. Go ahead and install it. Click on any cam IP and you can view the picture in that cam. You can...

How To: Make a portable spy scope cellphone camera
See how to make a portable spy scope cell phone camera with KipKay and MAKE Magazine! Find out how to use a cellphone camera for espionage that captures long-distance secret activities! Kipkay loves his spy gadgets! This portable cell phone camera spy scope is the perfect way to spy on your neighbors!

How To: Make your own DIY film projector
Finding a film projector for those who still shoot film, or those who still house film can be tough. They're either sparce or extremely expensive. In this six part tutorial, learn how to make your own DIY homemade film projector for your home without shelling out tons of cash. This presentation is hosted by Dan Mikesell at Pratt Institute.

News: Recycle an old satellite dish into a WiFi booster
Struggling to keep up your wireless signal? If you're struggling to stream Hulu from the backyard DocZee's got an idea.

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: 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: Extract an RFID chip from a card & make it wearable
Here's how to remove the RFID chip and antenna from a London Oyster travelcard. You can then put it in anything you want. You need a jar and acetone.

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 plascic wrap, and a plastic cup. Remember, this is illegal, and shown only for educational purposes.