When I reviewed the Feb. 2007 Lee Valley catalog, reader Dennis suggested we get the Garrett Wade Tools catalog. Excellent suggestion! We love drooling over tools, and the Garrett Wade catalog is a great place to do that. They carry a wide variety of “Tools for Enthusiasts,” primarily precision woodworking tools. They also carry high-end knick-knacks and home and garden items.
Continue reading Catalog review: Garrett Wade Tools March 2008
Art cars are great. Maybe someday we’ll have the guts to art up our Prius, but in the meantime, we’re making miniature art cars. It’s easy and fun and doesn’t require quite the same level of investment that a full-size art car needs.
April Fool’s Day is one of our favorite holidays. Here are couple of contests to help you get in the spirit:
If you happen to be in San Francisco and are looking for a way to celebrate, we recommend the St. Stupid’s Day Parade. Whatever you do, have fun!
Last fall we suggested that laptop accelerometers could enable a true distributed seismic early warning network.
In the news today, looks like an actual seismologist had the same idea. Something may yet come of this. [via slashdot]
Okay– I’m stumped.
Read this story.
Discuss.
A detailed hacking how-to guide: Modify a classic 80’s desk phone for use with a modern wireless handset and build in an integrated handset lifter.
[This is a guest project contributed by HiTek LoLife; all-around great guy, friend, neighbor, and reader of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.
A small bit of his handiwork has actually made an appearance here before and his fine stock ’94 Toyota shortbed has been known to transport the CandyFab 4000 from time to time.
Big thanks for submitting this great project and special bonus points for his fine graphic that reminds you exactly where your world is being delivered! –Windell ]
Continue reading Classic Phone Mod: Wireless Headset and Handset Lifter
On our recent trip to the Electronics Flea Market we got a very nice pair of tweezers. There are tons of great cheap tools at the flea market, and these are no exception. Superfine tips and a nice black coating were a couple of the features that drew us to this particular pair. However, there was one characteristic that we could not resist: they are beautifully labeled “Non-Megnatic.” Seeing this enigmatic label gives me joy every time I use them. Feel free to post in the comments what you think the fantastic word “Megnatic” ought to mean.
This little LED-lit cube is much more than just a paper lantern: It’s a translucent and flexible thin-film electronic circuit that hooks up a battery to an LED, limber enough to be folded into an origami box. And the coolest thing about circuits like these? You can make them at home.
Continue reading Paper Circuitry at Home: Electric Origami
And, happi pi day!
Many cities are switching to LEDs for their traffic signals, and is it any wonder? The energy savings are tremendous, never mind not having to change burnt-out bulbs all the time. Luckily for us, LED traffic signals are finally ubiquitous enough to show up at the surplus stores. Our local junk shop had a couple of big barrels of LED stoplights and turn signals of various sizes. We picked one out that still had the connector attached for screwing it into a regular light bulb socket.
Of course, after we made sure it worked, we promptly took it apart. It is a fabulous object, designed to be used, abused, taken apart, and maybe even fixed, though there is not much to go wrong. Click through for more gory photos and delightful design details.
