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iOS 17 Tips, Tricks, How-Tos, News

How To: Lock and prevent an extension cord from unplugging

This video tutorial is in the electronics category and it is going to show you how to lock and prevent an extension cord from unplugging. When you plug in an extension cord, there is always a chance it getting undone accidentally. There is also the possibility of the pins getting slightly bent. So, you need to lock the extension cord. There is a real simple way to do this. All you got to do is just tie a simple knot before plugging in the cord. Now even if someone pulls at both the ends of th...

How To: Make a mute plug for your computer or stereo

Learn how to make a mute plug for your computer by following the steps outlined in this tutorial. This plug can be used for anything, including computers, stereos, mp3 players, or anything else with speakers that has audio. A mute plug is useful to get back at someone that constantly plays their stereo too loud because you are essentially cutting off their audio with this plug. The plug is place into where the headphone equipment would normally go. What you need are some old headphones. Take ...

How To: Achieve good soldering joints

Learn how to solder wires with this video. Clean the area to be soldered, scraping the wire down to bare metal and then wiping it clean with alcohol or acetone. Use rosin-core solder for electronic applications. This solder normally comes in coils. Tin (coat with solder) the soldering tip first: Wrap one or two inches of solder around the tip while the iron is cold; set the iron to the solder's temperature range; and allow the solder to melt. Clean the tip with a sponge. Set the soldering too...

How To: Solder with a lighter

This video teaches how to solder two wires using a lighter in simple steps. First strip together two ends of a wire by removing their outer cover. Now take a lighter and start heating the wire ends. Heat the wires till it starts melting. When its starting to melt use another thin wire or rod and rub the wires so that the wires sticks tightly. Finish when the wires are soldered perfectly.

How To: Hack a Vending Machine in 3 Easy Steps

How to get a vending machine to pay you for its goodies, instead of you paying for them. First off, find a older vending machine, and insert your dollar bill as you normally would. Once you have entered it, you can select which ever item you want. Then quickly, before the item dispenses, hold up on the gate to prevent the item from falling. When it falls, it should rest on the back of the gate you're holding up—don't let go yet. After a long wait, the vending machine will think nothing dispen...

How To: Solder piezo

This tutorial demonstrates the correct way to solder wires to a piezoelectric sensor. First, the stripped wires are tinned (coated with a thin layer of solder). Then the piezoelectric sensor, held in a small adjustable clip, is heated briefly, and two drops of solder placed where the wires are to be attached. Finally, the tinned ends of the wires are placed in contact with the soldered areas of the piezoelectric sensor, and the solder heated to fix the wires in place.

How To: Solder wires

Soldering properly is a skill every electronics and computer hobbyist needs. Proper soldering appears deceptively simple, but it requires practice. One has to do the steps below to solder the wires which is as follows, First Clean the area you wish to solder and scrape the wire down to the metal and then wiping it clean with alcohol or acetone. Then you want to use a rosin-core solder for electronic applications, which comes normally with coils. Tin the tip of the first Wrap one or two inches...

How To: Solder magnet wires

Do you have magnet wires that you need to solder together to get your device working again? This video can help you immensely! Soldering is when you put two wires together using a soldering iron so that even cut wires can be made useful again. Great care and time is taken into soldering these wires properly. Watch the video to learn the proper techniques of soldering magnet wires. The wires shown in this video are extremely thin and are used for small, ready-to-fly airplanes.

How To: Build a spy clock

HouseholdHacker teaches you how to make a spy clock. You will need a cheap walkie talkie set and a battery powered clock. Fully disconnect the circuit board and cut the battery off from the walkie talkie. Also clip the microphone. You will want to glue the on/off button so it will always be on. Next, open up the clock and rewire the battery with the walkie talkie circuit board. Wire the walkie talkie into the speaker, inside the clock. The clock should look unopened. You're ready to go.

How To: Build a remote-controlled camera mount

Kip Kay, from Make Magazine, shows you how to take your radio controlled vehicle and turn it into a spy car, by mounting a camera onto it. Follow Kip, as he shows you how to remove the body from your radio controlled car, mount the camera inside the chassis using the triPod mounting screw hole on your video camera, and put it all back together. In just few short steps you, too, can have your very own radio controlled spy car.

How To: Solder a wire

This video describes how to solder a wire. The first thing you have to remember is that the wires should be cleaned, shiny, and bright. Then trim about 1/2-inch of the insulation of the wires and then make a secure mechanical connection. Next, put some soldering pencil clean and shiny 60/40 rosin core solder. Do not use 50/50 core solder. Start by making sure that the soldering iron is tint. Put the soldering iron underneath the joint. Heat tends to rise and then touch the solder to the joint...

How To: Make a light bulb glow with an electrical circuit

One of the basics of electronics is knowing how an electrical current works. For this video, you will need a 1.2V battery, a lightbulb, and 2 copper wires. First, take the wires and attach one end of each wire to opposite sides of the battery. Have a friend hold the wires there, or tape the wires down. Then, take the unattached ends of the wires. Take one wire and touch it to the upper part of the base of the lightbulb. Take the other wire, and touch it to the bottom. The lightbulb should now...

How To: Build a 19th century arc light

While it is common knowledge that Thomas Edison created the first light bulb, he was not the first to create a means of creating artificial light. That distinction goes to a man by the name of Humphrey Davy who created a means to light up a room called an arc light. The following video will give you a detailed step by step procedure for creating your own 19th century arc light using materials that can often be found right around the home.

How To: Make an LED light brick

This video by makemagazine demonstrates a weekend project on how to make a LED light brick. The materials required for this project are listed on the link to the make magazine page in the info box or it can be orders as a kit from the make magazine store. Take the PCB (printed circuit board) and first solder the Resisters and Capacitors as shown. Next test the LEDs and separate them using a button cell batteries. Solder the LED, PIC micro-controller, DC power connector and tilt switch followi...

How To: Make a DVD stash box

If you're looking for a creative place to stash your cash or small valuables, this how-to video walks you through the process of turning a DVD drive into stash box. Armed with a screwdriver and some time, this video gives detailed step-by-step instruction on talking apart your DVD drive and reassembling it. The video includes helpful hints to make this stash box look and function in an authentic manner. This DVD stash box video will not only help keep your stuff safe, but you may even feel a ...

How To: Turn your doorbell into a guard dog alarm

This video shows you how to make a security device out of a door bell. The concept is that most thefts happen when people are away from home. To make sure of this the thief rings the door bell to make sure that nobody is home, if nobody answers then they will break in. A lot of people have dogs and alarm systems which will scare off the thieves, but this alarm system combines both. To make this devise you have to buy a speaker system that connects to your door bell. When the door bell rings i...

How To: Do the express elevator hack

Most people get tired of being in the elevator, being in a rush, and having to stop at every floor to let people on. With the express elevator hack you will not have to stop any more. You can now ride straight up to your floor with ease. First, get into the elevator. Then, press and hold the button that has the floor you want to go to and the close button at the same time for five seconds. Just remember to press the close button and the floor button at the same time. Now, you can ride straigh...

How To: Make traffic lights change w/secret code (FAUX-TO?)

Nobody likes having to stand at the crosswalk waiting for the light to change so you can cross. This seems to happen more times then not these days. A way has been discovered to eliminate this problem with ease. The first thing you are going to want to do is go to the pole that has the button to push for the crosswalk. Once you get there you are going to want to enter a combination of long and short clicks to get the light to change so you can cross. The first combination is going to be three...

How To: Build a lost screw finder attachment

MAKE zine aims to bring the DIY aesthetic and mindset to all the technology in your life. They want you to break open things and put them back together in a better way. In this video, MAKE and KipKay show you how to build a lost screw finder attachment. It'll help you find any screw, including plastic ones that a magnet would not be able to pick up.

How To: Put the Chumby guts kit together

Chumby is the dream toy of hackers and tinkerers everywhere. Made up of a few simple parts, Chumby takes your favorite parts of the Internet and streams it so that you'll always have access to your favorite podcasts, music, photos, games and more. What's great is that you can put together the Chumby yourself. In this video MAKE shows us how to put the Chumby guts kit together. Be sure to make sure you have all the required parts.

How To: Build a portable power pack

If you're a geek, then this power pack will give you a total techgasm. The power pack allows you to charge pretty much anything you can fit into a 12 volt power jack in your car (where the cigar/lighter receptable goes). The power pack is a portable battery, so no need for charging your gadgets - like your cell phone - at home first before you head off to work.