Everything Else
How To: Make a high speed photography trigger with an Arduino
High speed photos are very artistic and look awesome, but taking them without special equipment is nearly impossible. Without this hack and an Arduino, that is. This video will teach you how to use an Arduino and other electronic components to make a DIY high speed photo trigger and take more awesome shots.
How To: Use an Arduino to make a proximity-sensing Jack-o'-Lantern with LED lights
The Arduino Ethernet Shield is a wonderful device for DIY electronics projects, and this project is really creative and awesome. In this video you will learn how to use an Arduino, a promixity sensor, and some LED lights to make a proximity-sensing, LED-lit, evil Jack-o'-Lantern that will terrorize your neighborhood and probably get stolen if you don't watch it like a hawk.
How To: Build an analog internet meter out of an Arduino Ethernet Shield
The internet has created amazing new standards for how closely information can be followed. If you want a portable analog unit that will monitor one important piece of online info continuously and have some DIY electrical knowhow, watch this video. It will show you how to use an Arduino Ethernet Shield to make an internet meter to monitor email, stocks, and other online info on a simple analog display. You will need to know some PHP to make this work.
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: Build a simple analog self-balancing robot with basic electronics
Analog robots might seem a little backwards conceptually, but they are still really fun to make if you're into robotics and electronics. This video will teach you how to make a simple self-balancing analog robot. It's basically a small, robotic, analog Segway.
How To: Build a DIY Segway-like self-balancing scooter
The Segway is one of the oddest inventions of the last decade, but they've captured the imaginations of many. If you don't have $5000 to spend on one, but have $4000 and some heavy robotics skills, watch this video. It will teach you how to build your own DIY self-balancing Segway-style scooter, in either steampunk wooden barstool form or a more modern bicycle-handled model.
How To: Build a perfect replica of a lightsaber for cheap or expensive
The lightsaber is one of the coolest weapons in the history of cinema, and the original props came from a junkyard. Funny how that works right? If you want a lightsaber for your own film, costume, or just because they're awesome, watch this video for a guide to making three types of lightsabers: a cheap one, a medium one, and very expensive professional-quality one.
How To: Hack a radio-controlled car into a secret computer hard drive
What if you could have a secret hard drive connected to your computer that only you could activate? You can! Samimy shows you how to hack a remote controlled toy car and make a super secret hard disk drive in your computer, accessed via a secret activation key. This hidden emergency HDD can only be controlled by your key, regardless of how many people use your computer.
How To: Use the liquid from a compressed air can as a solvent for cleaning
If you own a vintage pinball machine or other old cranky piece of electronics you know the pain of cleaning it's many hard-to-reach parts. Fortunately, there's a cheap solvent you can use to clean them that come from an unusual source: the compressed air can. This video will show you how it works.
How To: Build a handheld version of the TSA's microwave-based body scanner
With the TSA's full-body scanners occupying a great deal of airports nationwide, the debate remains as to whether air travelers should continue to be subject to immoral security techniques and possible health risks due to the x-ray scanning devices. The "advanced imaging technology" may help keep obvious weapons out of major airports, but scanning naked bodies seems more voyeuristic than crucial to national security. But while the argument continues, one woman is taking a stand… well, not rea...
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: Make DIY conductive glass with Stannous Fluoride and toothpaste
Glass normally doesn't conduct electricity, but there are all sorts of cosmetic and industrial applications for conductive glass. There are easy and hard ways to make it. This video will show you one so easy you can do it at home with only four ingredients: glass, Stannous Chloride, toothpaste, and alcohol.
How To: Make an OLED demonstration cell with blue glow stick juice
Glow sticks are one of the few things used commonly by ravers and military personnel, but their uses extend far beyond dancing and illuminating. The juice contained in blue glow sticks can be used to make an organic LED (OLED) test board, and this video will show you how to do it.
How To: Make a digital color organ with high-powered LEDs
Collin of MAKE is back with another inspiring project. You may remember his analog light organ. Well, he's decided to upgrade and make his light organ a digital one. One thing to watch out for is the amount of heat emitted by high-powered LEDs, but as long as you find a way to dissipate the heat, this will work out just fine. Watch, and don't forget to read the thorough instructions before building this!
How To: Build an organic LED (OLED) light
Organic LEDs (OLED) are even more efficient than their standard LED cousins, but does that mean they're harder to make? Perhaps somewhat, but no excessively. Watch this video to learn how to make a DIY OLED at home, allowing you to make really cool light-up displays.
How To: Recycle old DVDs into cool light spinning disc with an electric motor
Are your DVDs piling up? Want to get rid of a few, but don't think you can sell them to anyone? No problem— recycle them! If your desktop is in need of some zest, this hack will show you how to light things up— in style! It's an electric rotating disc that's powered by a motor and has LEDs that create a cool lighting effect.
How To: Hack a USB keyboard into a Google Reader pedal
Are you addicted to Google Reader? If so, you may be looking for an even faster way to scroll through all of your favorite RSS feeds. Well, Matt Richardson has the solution…
How To: Solder stainless steel
This video tutorial is in the Electronics category which will show you how to solder stainless steel. For this you will need silver bearing solder. Harris #8 StaBrite is good, but it is expensive. Plumber solder works fine, but make sure it has silver in it. Use Harris Stay Clean liquid flux. All the surfaces have to be clean and sanded. In this video a pipe is being soldered to a metal sheet. Apply some liquid flux to the outside of the pipe to be soldered. Make a neutral flame, heat the pip...
How To: Make a point contact transistor with germanium and phosphor bronze contacts
The transistor has changed the world since 1947, and the old point contact transistor isn't the scientific darling it's always been. It's still vital to the modern world though, and in this video you'll learn how to make your own point contact transistor with germanium and phosphor bronze contacts.
How To: Make a DIY tool to bend plexiglass at home
Plexiglass is great for all sorts of projects, but it is notoriously hard to work with at home. If you've got a plexiglass project in mind though and need an easy, cheap way to bend it, watch this video. It will teach you how to make a tool out of part of a blowdryer that will help you bend plexiglass into whatever form you want.
How To: Make a DIY phase-shift oscillator with a transistor, resistors and capacitors
The phase-shift oscillator is one of the most common electronic parts, used in all sorts of mostly noise-making devices. If you like electrical engineering and new a new project, watch this video to learn how to make a phase-shift oscillator out of a single transistor, resistors, and capacitors.
How To: Build a DIY laser cutter gas containment chamber
If you are the proud owner of a laser cutter, you had better be careful with your expensive new toy. Some materials can damage the optics in your laser or produce poisonous gas when you cut them, so you need to make a gas containment chamber to work in. Watch this video to find out how to do that out of silicon wafer, silicone sealant, and a metal cookie tin lid.
How To: Build an electroluminescent display with printed circuitboards and EL ink
Do you like the analog look of old handheld video games like Mr. Game and Watch or clock with 7 segment displays? It's pretty easy to simulate them nowadays by making an electroluminescent display on printed circuitboards with EL ink. You'll learn how to do just that in this video. It almost looks like Lite Brite.
How To: Create a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) with 74hc4060 and EPROM
For most synth players the goal is to acquire legendary pieces of 1980's gear with great amounts of money or luck. Why bother when you can make your own direct digital synthesizer (DDS) at home? Watch this video to learn how to make a DDS out of common electrical parts that will make a phat Theramin sound.
How To: Make Triboluminescent crystals that glow when you smash them
Triboluminescence is the quality that makes a substance emit light when you crush, smash, hit, or otherwise break it's molecular bonds. If you want some triboluminescent (smash-glow) crystals, watch this video to learn how to make some out of a battery, glowpaint, and fire.
How To: Make a DIY microphone from two razor blades and a pencil
Now this is a DIY microphone. It turns out all you need to make a quasi-functional mic is a pair of razor blades, a pencil, some tupperware, and clips to run the signal from the razor blades to a resistor. Watch this video to learn how to make this awesome DIY mic and never find yourself silenced again.
How To: Use a simplified method to calculate resistor dividers for circuits
Electrical engineering is a math-heavy business, and you're certainly not alone if you're studying it and having trouble with the math. Watch this video for a very cogent explanation of a simplified method for calculating resistor dividers in a circuit.
How To: Make a DIY electrical discharge machining machine with an old doorbell
Electical discharge machining is a techinque in which electricity is used to machine (cut, grind, etc.) metal. It usually invovles sophisticated tools and equipment, but not here! Watch this video for a guide to making a small electrical discharge machining machine with an old electric doorbell.
How To: Mod an ordinary webcam into a super spy scope
Now that most computers have internal webcams in them, what are you going to do with that external webcam eating up precious desktop space? Kipkay shows you the perfect hack— the "Super SpyScope".
How To: Make electroluminescent (EL) wire by twisting enamel and bare wire
EL wire is known as the Currency of Burning Man, and it's potential to create beautiful light in all sorts of settings is amazing. If you're tired of buying it and want to stock up on some DIY EL wire (which is more in the spirit of Burning Man anyway right?) watch this video to learn how to twist enamel and bare wire together to make your EL wire.
How To: Apply layers of EL wire and circuitry to make flexible EL displays
Electroluminescent substances have become more and more popular lately in all kinds of projects, from toy glasses to EQ t-shirts. They allow you to create incredibly thin circuits that can be silkscreened onto a clear flat substance. Watch this video to learn how to layer circuits and EL wire and ink to make thin, flexible light-up displays like the one inthe video.
How To: Turn an LCD screen into a simple EL (electroluminescent) display
Electroluminescent (EL) materials light up when electricity passes through them, as opposed to more common incandescent lights that respond to heat. EL displays are becoming very popular in advertising and art,but getting them or the materials to make them can be expensive. Watch this video to learn how to turn an LCD into a simple EL display, and also how superglue can be used as a cheap dielectric in this sort of project.
HowTo: Turn a Security Camera into a Lamp
The end of Daylight Saving Time means two things: a little less light and, as a result, a little less security. This CCTV lamp will give you more of both. And in the nick of time! We fall back to Standard Time at 2 AM on Sunday, November 7th. Better get building!
HowTo: Make 3D Video With Two iPod Nanos
The ZURBLog cleverly demonstrates how to make 3D video in 3 easy steps, using two iPod Nanos, some rubber bands and a yardstick.
How To: Watch Flash video on an Apple iPhone with the Skyfire web browser app
Now available for download in the official App Store, Skyfire is a mobile web browser that converts Flash video to iPhone-friendly HTML5 on the fly. Because Apple has heretofore not supported Flash video, that's kind of a big deal! In this iPhone owner's guide, we learn how to use and navigate the various features of functions of the Skyfire smart browser. For all of the details, and to get started watching Flash video clips on your own iPhone 4, 3G or 3GS, iPad, iPod Touch or other iOS devic...
How To: Wire a light with a 3 way switch
In this video, Mark Donovan teaches us how to wire a light with a 3 way switch. Before starting, make sure the power is turned off from the main circuit panel first, and you test to make sure it's off. You will have two switches for the same light fixture. For a 15 amp circuit, you can use 14-2 and 14-3 wire. These wires will have a black, white, and red wire. The 14-2 wire just has a lack and white wire with a copper ground. The power coming into the base should have all the wires that conne...
How To: Solder a 0603 LED
In this tutorial, we learn how to solder a 0603 LED. First you will get a business card or card with a piece of masking tap. Then, place our LED on the masking tape and apply posts to it. From here, you will apply some solder to the LED as well. Make sure you apply enough pressure to the LED so it will not pop up. Use just small touch of solder and put it on the top of the iron. Touch both sides of the contact and you will have enough solder on the LED. This will finished your soldering, just...
How To: Solder for cheap
In this tutorial, we learn how to solder for cheap. Start out by forming the wire to get it ready to solder. The trick here is to create some tension between the two ends, do this by going back and forth hitting the wires. Now, grab a torch and start to flex the wire while holding it in front of the open flame. After this, grab some of the flux you keep in a bottle and apply it to the piece. Continue to apply heat to the wire until it turns cherry red, then apply the solder with the connectio...
How To: Build the ultimate fog chiller this Halloween
Looking to put the finishing touches on that Haunted House? You, my friend, require the Ultimate Fog Chiller. In this clip from the folks at MAKE, you'll learn how to build one you can call your own in about an hour's time. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started building your own spooky fog machine, watch this video guide.
HowTo: Magical LED Tin Can Lantern
Instructables member mark-mark creates a beautiful effect with just a tin can lantern and an LED. It's as simple as it sounds: punch a decorative pattern into a tin can and insert your LED rig. Catch the impressive result here.