Hacks, Mods & Circuitry Features
How To: Hack condoms — useful and useless everyday latex mods
Kipkay never fails to impress, and this so-called "condom hack pack" is no exception. Who knew there were so many useful uses for a condom besides the obvious! In this Kipkay two-part video, learn how to hack condoms for nine different uses.
How To: Make a desktop fan from computer parts
Don't throw out those old components. Here's how to make a USB-powered fan out of old computer parts.
How To: Make a laser from your computer's DVD drive
Here, in a silent video (that means no sound), you'll see the steps to creating your own laser from some wire and your old DVD drive from your computer. You can always tear apart a good computer too, but that's just stupid.
How To: Attach a webcam to a telescope
This shows you how to modify a webcam so that you can attach it to a telescope. Just think, you'll never have to look in that eyepiece again. Just stuff this thing down there.
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: Hack a call center telephone system
Tired of touch-tone hell? Get human with our cool phone hacks and cheats with the tips from this how-to video. Become a life hacker - we'll show you how to find phone numbers, cheat the computer and hack the call center system with our hacking tools. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to hack a call center telephone system. Hack a call center telephone system.
How To: Set Up and Use LED Lights
In this video clip series our expert, Kyle Saylors, will walk you through all the aspects, parts and options for LED lights and how to use them. He will offer tips on how to work around damaged lights and how to fix them as well as how to set up preset patterns for a light show and all the benefits and downsides to LED lighting.
How To: Make a working motor out of a magnet
You can make a very simple homopolar motor using just a basic clamp, two strong magnets, a battery and a little bit of wire. Once you've completed the circuit, you'll be able to suspend a drywall screw between the battery and the magnet. Then watch it go!
How To: Emulate joystick input with a Wiimote and GlovePie
You can connect your Nintendo Wii Wiimote to your PC using GlovePie input emulation software and a bluetooth connection. Learn how to program your PC to recognize analog input or joystick/joypad input from a Wiimote using GlovePie and another piece of software called PPJOY
How To: Make a 'Dizzy Robot' out of a battery, tin, and a pager motor
When you think of robots, you probably think of things that have more than three parts. Not this robot! If you want a robotics project to try that doesn't require an MIT degree, watch this video for instructions on how to build a 'Dizzy Robot' out of only some thin tin, a pager motor, a button cell battery, and this template.
How To: Increase your wi-fi signal with a coffee can
In this tutorial, we learn how to increase your Wi-Fi signal with a coffee can. Materials you will need are : a knife, a coffee can, tape, USB Wi-Fi adapter, and marker. First, measure 1 inch from the bottom of the coffee can then trace your USB around that mark. Now, cut a hole in that shape in the can. Next, cover the hole with your tape. Next, hook your USB up to your cable adapter, and then place it in the coffee can. Now, plug your USB into your computer and you should have more signals ...
How To: Use a wire wrap tool instead of soldering
This video offers instructions on how to use a wire wrap (or wirewrap) tool, an excellent and underrated alternative to soldering. It's particularly useful when prototyping as wirewraps can be undone quickly using the short end of the tool (though this particular process isn't demonstrated in the video). See how to connect a 4-legged RGB LED to header pins, a job that is particularly obnoxious to accomplish using solder and an iron, using 30-gauge wire and the tool. For more information, and ...
How To: Convert headphones into a PC microphone
A video that shows how to convert an ordinary headphone into a mic.
How To: Make a water alarm clock
You will never be late to school again once you begin using this small yet super powerful water alarm clock. Rather than just ringing like most alarm clocks do, this little baby will not turn off until all its buttons are pressed, a process which requires diving your head underwater. Fun, right?
How To: Make a homemade AA battery connector
Make a battery connector for electronics and science projects with items laying around the house.
How To: Make a pocket USB battery
Change a normal 9v battery into a life saver. If you have ever run out of juice on your phone and could really use a quick charge, then you need a USB battery. Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to create a pocket USB battery. Materials you will need for this process are one 5.1v zener diode, one 330-ohm resistor, a 9v battery connector, a 9v battery, a solder, and soldering iron.
How To: Make a hovercraft
Watch as Bre Pettis teaches you how to make a hovercraft, bering-less motor, and dirigible all from materials found in your grocery store. This is a good rainy day project to do with your kids, as the most advanced tools needed are a hot glue gun and balloons.
How To: Make a joule thief circuit to extract battery power
This week, Windell Oskay of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories joins me to teach you how to make a super clever little circuit called the Joule Thief! The Joule Thief allows you to squeeze the life out of what most people think of as "dead" batteries!
How To: Measure current, voltage, resistance, and continuity using a multimeter
If you own or have access to an auto-ranging or manual-ranging multimeter you can measure several different aspects of circuits, resistors, and the like. For example, you can determine the resistance, voltage, continuity, and current with the multimeter to help you determine the precision of a resistor. This guide will help you learn how to use a multimeter to perform these tasks.
How To: Illuminate a regular computer keyboard
Light up your keyboard with this illuminating tutorial from Make Magazine's Kipkay. To get started on this hack, which should take roughly a half an hour and cost no more than $5, you'll need the following: (1) a regular computer keyboard (most any model will do), (2) a screwdriver, (3) a drill, (4) telephone wire, (5) heat shrink tubing, and (6) two 5 mm high-brightness, white LEDs. For comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on building your own light-up keyboard, simply watch this hacker'...
How To: Make a USB laser air purifier lamp
Laser can refresh your air by kill the bad bacteria and fungus in the air.You can make a cool lamp too. All with the usb power.
How To: Forget Chimes—Make Your Doorbell Send You Text Alerts Whenever Someone Rings It
Want to know when you have a visitor, even if you're not home? You could always set up a security system and live-stream it with your iPhone. But if you don't have a spare iPhone, or just don't want to go to the trouble, this simple hack will add text message alerts to your doorbell so that it lets you know when someone's there.
How To: Mod a NERF Reactor into a high-powered cannon gun
The NERF Reactor isn't you're ordinary NERF gun. It launches a powerful blast of balls thanks to the pump and pull rapid fire action. The Reactor launcher blasts out tons of NERF Ballistic Balls everywhere! But sometimes, that's just never enough.
How To: Make a sneaky USB battery
This Weekend Project is the USBattery from MAKE Magazine Volume 16. Conceal a flash drive in a AA battery! This is a way cool USB battery mod or hack project. It makes a cool secret storage space for your spy projects. Wear gloves, safety goggles and a non alkaline battery.
How To: Create your own diode
MAKE and Collin Cunningham brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
HowTo: Trigger Green Traffic Lights
Scenario: it's late at night, the roads are completely empty and you are stuck at the longest light ever. Solution: don't run a red- change it to green yourself. Avoid a ticket, save yourself some time (and perhaps a little gas).
How To: Make a steam candle
Have you ever seen a steam candle? It's essentially a simple-as-pie steam engine that revolves on top of a water surface. They are relatively easy to make if you know how to do it. Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to "hack" together your own steam candle.
How To: Record conversations secretly
Surveillance expert Julia Adams offers the different ways to secretly record a conversation in this how-to video.
HowTo: Beat the Heat for Cheap- DIY Air Conditioner
Here in Los Angeles, weather is perfect as usual. But on the other side of America, summer is in its sweltering peak. I've spent plenty of unconditioned summers on the east coast, so I know firsthand just how miserable it can get.
How To: Make a cantenna, an antenna made from a can
Dr. Kiki makes a homemade cantenna, an antenna made out of a can, duh! Moujan reports back from the ultimate DIY event, Maker Faire 2008, and Heather goes beekeeping in the Fringe - all on PopSiren.
Hack the News: Build Your Own Media-Altering Newstweek Device
At first, it seemed like a clever art installation housed on the web, but now we're not so sure... the Newstweek hack may indeed be legit.
How to Learn basic electronics: electricity, a basic circuit, and breadboard
Welcome to part 2 of robotics teacher Scotty's introduction to electronics! the first video taught about the basic tools and components we need to start working with electronics. This one will cover the basics of electronics, from a primer on electricity and how it works to making a basic circuit and working with breadboard, the canvas of circuitry.
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: Make a miniature fog machine with dry ice
For great looking fog, you no longer need to go to the local film prop store or Halloween store (which is almost always closed 11 months of the year). You can make your own homemade version of a fog machine.
How To: Turn a mouse into a powerfake multimedia controller
MAKE and Kipkay brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
How To: Make an LED sign using flatheaded LED strips
This OzLabs video demonstrates how to build an LED sign using their flatheaded LED strips.
5$ Voice Modulator / Changer : Batman Arrow
Its a voice modulator which can be used to change your voice instantaneously so you can disguise and pull pranks etc.
How To: Build a motion detector to fire a paintball gun
Team Cynergy presents step by step instructions on how to program an electronics kit to use a laser as motion detector and fire a paintball gun with the sensor is triggered.
How To: Turn an ordinary hardback book into a PDA notebook
Check out this video from Make Magazine! Forget the Macbook air, there's a new lightweight portable in town - join our new video Maker (Kip Kay) as he shows you how to turn a modified hardback book in to a PDA powered "laptop" with keyboard. This will make you the cool guy in school. Just wait and see. Everyone will be your friend.
How To: Make a Solar-Powered Fan Hat
It's hot this summer, but it's not that easy to cool down when you're on the go. You can't take an air conditioner with you, and a handheld fan will just tire you out, so you'll need to find more creative ways to cool down when you're on the go. One of these ways is a DIY solar-powered fan baseball cap.