Camouflage paintings by Liu Bolin
Beijing artist Liu Bolin's camouflage series is presented in the medium of photography, but his painting skills play the starring role. - More examples of his marvelous precision @ work - ‘camoflague’ by liu bolin
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September 6th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Austin Event: Grid-Tied Solar System Class
Austin has an aggressive solar energy rebate program ($4.50 per professionally-installed watt), and here's an opportunity to learn the in's and out's of grid-tie system design:
Grid-Interactive System Design and Installation (part 1&2)Cost: $80
Saturday, September 6th - 10am to 4pmThis 6 hour workshop, lead by expert installer and NABCEP certified instructor Roy Dyngen of Outback Power Systems, will provide a detailed overview of grid-interactive solar systems. Grid-interactive systems can be grid-tied or off-grid, incorporating battery back-up as an integrated part of the system design. This course will provide detailed instruction and hands-on training in the following areas:
Inverter Circuit Board Replacement
Inverter 101, System Types
Product Offering
Mate Programming Overview
Battery Charging Basics
System Sizing Basics
Stacking Configuration and Programming
Charge Controller Array Sizing
Inverter Circuit Board Replacement
FLEXware 500 System Build
Don't miss this great career-building opportunity to learn the latest from solar industry experts and leading manufacturers. If you are looking for hands-on training with Outback equipment and an opportunity to learn directly from Outback's pros, this course is for you.
More details and registration here.
Or, to be more DIY:
- Make your own solar panel from scrap chunks of photovoltaics
- Create a portable solar charger
- And add a DIY sun tracker to your system
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September 6th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
The MAKE mint project tin
Oh yes, we did -
Perfect for many electronics projects, this mint tin is branded with our Make motto, "If You Can't Open It, You Don't Own It".Not a moment too soon - I was starting to lose feeling in my tongue after that last mini-amp project - Make Project Tin Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in MAKE Store | Digg this! Tags: make
We even took out those pesky mints! Get 'em while they last and send us your project photos!
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September 6th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Von Slatt on Wired Science
Jake von Slatt writes:
Last year I had the privilege of tapping a segment for Wired Science with Chris Hardwick. As far as I know the piece never aired ("not sciencey enough" I heard through the grapevine! ;-) ) but it's finally turned up on the Wired Science website.Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Retro | Digg this! Tags: make
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Pipe organ chair brings new sound to seating
Musical chairs anyone? eh? … Verizon's How 2.0 brings another interesting DIY music project to the table, fitting a set of organ pipes and bellows to a seat. Prolonged operation of the instrument would likely provide a bit of a workout. Skip ahead to ~2m50s to hear it sound-off. Build details available here - Pipe Organ Chair
[via Create Digital Music]
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea
Accomplished street artist Swoon has a new project sponsored by Deitch Studios in Long Island City, New York. Tim Yu at Cool Hunting writes:
With this latest work, Swoon highlights one of the most important issues of our generation, alternative energy. Each of the seven boats, which are crafted out of salvaged materials, are fueled on various alternative energy sources, including biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and solar power. The whole fleet will be welcomed at Deitch Studios in Long Island City, 7 September 2008, and opens to the public the same day. Be sure to get there early to witness the flotilla coming into bay, a vision that can only be brought to us by Swoon herself.
Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea Opening Reception
September 7, 2008, 6-9pm at Deitch Studios
4-40 44th Drive
Long Island City, NY 11101
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
History hacker
Our first MAKE host for weekend projects Bre Pettis, has a new show coming out this month on the History Channel called "History Hacker" - congrats Bre, looking forward to watching!
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Large Hadron Collider switch-on fears Are completely unfounded
We had a commenter that was really upset about the Large Hadron Collider (or as I like to call it, the biggest refrigerator ever made). I also received a few emails, with the same concerns. Here's what the commenter said and below that, the latest from Science Daily...
This experiment is sick and those that think it a joke are sick. The scientists are terrorists in threatening mass destruction. They have no right to veto my existence, the lives of my children, life on earth in all its wonderous beauty and complexity. They have no right to threaten the people of Earth with mega death. The experiment has to be stopped at all costs. No data or knowledge is worth this kind of risk. Science has reached its limitation. People were quite happy in the past with simple pleasures. No one needs this science or data. we have too much already. Humans need to return to simple and sustainable living and not be threatened by a minority of freaks with over sized brains and no appreciation of Nature and everyday things like mountains, birds, insects, flowers or the sunrise.
And here's a snippet from Science Daily & The Review of the Safety of LHC Collisions. Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics, September 5, 2008.
A new report provides the most comprehensive evidence available to confirm that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)’s switch-on, due on Wednesday next week, poses no threat to mankind. Nature’s own cosmic rays regularly produce more powerful particle collisions than those planned within the LHC, which will enable nature’s laws to be studied in controlled experiments.The LHC Safety Assessment Group have reviewed and updated a study first completed in 2003, which dispels fears of universe-gobbling black holes and of other possibly dangerous new forms of matter, and confirms that the switch-on will be completely safe.
The report explains that if particle collisions at the LHC had the power to destroy the Earth, we would never have been given the chance to exist, because regular interactions with more energetic cosmic rays would already have destroyed the Earth or other astronomical bodies.
The Safety Assessment Group writes, “Nature has already conducted the equivalent of about a hundred thousand LHC experimental programmes on Earth – and the planet still exists.”
I think the problem is that when you ask a scientist "is there *any* chance things could go wrong" - they will always say well, sure a 0.000000000x chance... it's not zero, but it's also not exactly like pulling the slot machine handle when this machine is fired up either. I do agree with the commenter though, "they have no right to threaten the people of Earth with mega death".
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Enter key doorbell
I think this works better as a DIY project than an actual marketable product: glue an enter key on your doorbell for dork-tastic hospitality. Via Geekologie.
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Weekend Project: The Bullwhip
Have you ever broken the sound barrier? It's easier than you think. You just need a good bullwhip,
which converts arm movement into supersonic speed and triggers a sonic boom
called a whip crack.
Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in Make Volume 9.
To download The Bullwhip MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes.
Check out the complete Bullwhip article MAKE 09 "The Bullwhip"
and you can see that in our digital edition.
Editor's note: This video has a new sponsor, GoDaddy - so if you're thinking of getting a domain name you can use the MAKEMAG code and get 10% off... -pt
If you want to make an impact online, GoDaddy.com has what you need. .COM names as low as $1.99. Plus, world-class hosting, fast-&-easy Web site builders and much more. Plus, as a viewer of the MAKE Podcast, enter code MAKEMAG, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Some restrictions apply, see site for details. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Spittin’ marbles
I found this amazing marble machine on YouTube - the details are fantastic! The video is a little fuzzy, but there are some good close-ups of the workings.
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Hot glue for expressive LED diffusion
Hot glue guns & LEDs - two great tastes tools that go great together -
What would I do without LEDs and hot glue? They are integral components to nine tenths of my projects. Well, while I was working on my first instructable I noticed that the LEDs I'd hot glued onto the wires kind of made the translucent glue glow a bit. I thought to myself, "What would happen if I put the glue on the focus end?" And so, this instructable was born.Good idea - it's always awesome to discover new uses for common items. Find a a good deal on bulk glue-sticks and you've got an illuminated art installation. - Hot Glue LED Diffusion
More:
Ping pong ball LED diffuser
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
DIY PSX to USB is A-OK!
From the MAKE Flickr photo pool
Here's a good project for those interested in getting started with microcontroller circuit builds - Izuna posted details on building a PSX controller --> USB converter using an ATmega8 chip -
Sure, you can buy an extensor and cut the cable, but you can also buy a PSX to USB adapter for cheap if you want. This is not the point, the point here is make something yourself (and if you have the rights tools beforehand, this is cheaper than buying the adapter [At least I think it is in Brazil]).
[…]
The circuit is very simple, the Atmega8 do all the work, there is just some resistors and zeners to meet the standards for USB protocol, the oscillator crystal and some filtering caps
- USBJoy
More:
PS2 controller -> MIDI converter kit
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Weekend Project: The Bullwhip (PDF)
Have you ever broken the sound barrier? It's easier than you think. You just need a good bullwhip,
which converts arm movement into supersonic speed and triggers a sonic boom called a whip crack.
Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in Make Volume 9
View the PDF
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Austin Event: Weirdest Commute Contest
(Paul Sender's jet toilet, which would be my ideal winner)
Late notice, but today's weirdest commute contest is just waiting for a Maker to steal the show:
WEIRDEST COMMUTE CONTEST Combat climate change, and help kick off Commute Solutions Month at this lunchtime party featuring a contest for those who arrive in the strangest forms of transportation. One past winner rode a motorized bar stool. Think you can beat that? If so, you might win a pair of tickets to ACL [Austin City Limits Music Festival]. 11am-1pm. Republic Square, Fourth & Guadalupe. www.rcride.com.
If you enter something you've built, let me know!
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
QR code dress will let you scan potential mates
?This "Sema-Code Dress" by game-artist Marguerite Charmante (along with Wolfgeng Peter Schmiller) puts a typical QR code on the surface of the dress so that makes it possible to "scan" your potential dates before you ask them out. Not sure if this makes the most dating sense, but we still like the idea of integrating scannable codes into clothing design.
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
Make Your Own Prescription Swimming Goggles
This instructable may be a little late for most of us, but it would be a good project to add to your winter build list. They may not be very fashionable, but they should work reasonably well.
Cindy came up with this simple and great idea to make her own prescription goggles for only $12, saving hundreds of dollars compared to buying a pair from the optometrist or dive shop. If you have an old pair of prescription glasses, you can probably make a pair of these for cheap, and in only a few minutes.
More about Making Your Own Prescription Swimming Goggles
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September 5th, 2008 - Posted in make | | Comments Off
