jbeale made a custom case for Gravitech’s microSD boards: That is a real, custom SLA (stereo-lithography) case that was fabricated for a prototype at work- they had the budget for it. It is like the 3D printed things made by a “reprap” type printer, except with finer resolution (I think the layers are each only […]
Category Archives: DIY
Let the sparks fly with flyback transformers
Flyback transformers are used to drive the large odd shaped coils surround the neck of CRTs in TVs and computer monitors. They operate in the 15 to 150 kHz range, and can be used to generate high voltages! Uzzors2k decided to experiment with generating voltages high enough to produce arcs, driving the the transformers with […]
DIY soldering paste stencils
erdabyz has been playing with different DIY soldering paste stencils: I’ve always wanted to make my own soldering paste stencils. Some days ago I tried a method which should theoretically work, and it somehow did. I spreaded a coat of soldermasking ink (the only photosensitive, acid resistant thing that I have) to a piece of […]
Downloadable source for hackerspace passports
Downloadable Source for Hackerspace Passports: You mentioned the Hackerspace Passports Mitch and I designed and I wanted to give you a followup. We’ve released all of the source files used to construct it, including patterns, stamp designs, psd’s, the InDesign layout files, and full resolution illustrations. We’re hoping that people will customize, remix, and develop […]
Homemade PID controlled hotplate
Dillon Nichols made a DIY PID controlled hotplate: I got lucky enough to get a free PCB from Dangerous Prototypes a little over a month ago. I finally finished assembling it last night. It was my first time soldering SMD components, but it was worth it. I also got to use my homemade hotplate for the […]
How-to: Sjaak hand-solders a DFN chip
A couple of days ago we discussed some cute little PIC 12F chips. As promised, here is a post about hand-soldering one. Tools we used: Soldering-iron and hot-air rework station. Curved tweezers. Scalpel or hobby knife. Kapton tape Fine solder (0.5mm thick with rosin core). Flux Coffee or strong drink How-to continues below.
Seeed Studio toy hacking contest
Seeed is testing a new Grove kit for hacking toys. Grove is a set of pre-soldered sensors that plug into an Arduino shield. It’s an easy way to build a project without touching a soldering iron. They need some beta testers so they’re having a contest. The top prize is a $200 store coupon: […]
DIY nerdy cuffies with CCD camera sensors
Kevin comments on The ultimate Nerd Apparel: iCufflinks I made my own nerdy cuffies using 1/2 inch CCDs. Turned out pretty well (unlike the photo I took of them).
Video: DSP/SDR basics
Here’s Jeri Ellsworth’s latest video, explaining the basics of DSP and SDR for beginners, and how to build a digital direct conversion receiver (SDR) using sampling detectors and FPGA DSP processing. (If you want to skip the silly cat portion of the video, start at 1:25.) The links referred to in the video are below: […]
Radio Shack announces “The Great Create”
Radio Shack continues to pursue the DIY market: Welcome to The Great Create. We want to know what great creations you’ve come up with using RadioShack parts. Our goal is to gather the coolest projects from our most creative customers and share them here. So, show us what you’ve got and submit your project now. […]
Backcountry logger prototype
Big Mess o’ Wires’ backcountry logger prototype: The Backcountry Logger is a portable microcontroller-driven device that collects temperature, air pressure, and altitude data, and shows graphs on a built-in screen. It’s intended for hikers, climbers, skiers, and other outdoorsy folks who want to geek out with environmenal data about their activities.