Craft & Design

From traditional crafts to modern crafts, we’re covering news and interesting projects to educate you and keep you inspired. Design trends and pop culture related projects are here to inspire.

Hacking the Korg Oasys

Hacking the Korg Oasys

KorgThere’s something appealing to running Linux on a $8000 Korg… MFenkner writes “Knoppix is a CD-based Linux distribution. I figured I’d give it a try to see if the Oasys would boot it, and sure enough it did! It even recognized a USB keyboard, USB mouse, and USB Ethernet adapter! The only problem is it doesn’t recognize the display correctly by default, so it would require some customizing of the Knoppix CD. As it is, the screen is off-center and “blurry” due to the wrong resolution.” [via] Link.

Making stuff out of holiday trash…

Making stuff out of holiday trash…

HtrashMake contributer Cy on creative uses for all that holiday trash – “Christmas, it’s inevitable, things will get discarded, broken, or ignored,” says Cy Tymony, a Torrance resident and author of Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things (the sequel to his Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things). “But why should things just go into a landfill?” In Tymony’s world, if you’ve got boxes, make boomerangs. Got milk? Make plastic.” Link.

Sony introducing a new “iPod of eBook readers…”

Book-1If you’ve seen any of the MAKE presentations at conferences or MAKE fairs one of themes is usually about ebooks and the need for a great ebook reader – I use a hacked up Sony Librie from Japan (see the how-to and book creation here). The device is stunning, uses e-Ink, but sadly Sony really screwed up the roll out, DRM’ed the heck out of the device and now it looks like they’re going to try it again, in the USA. Buzz sent me this fantastic article in Business week that has a bit about Sony’s new reader, including some information about an “iTunes for books”… Link.

HOW TO – Make a Dalek

HOW TO – Make a Dalek

Dalek-Complete5Drew writes “The quarter-scale dalek I was working on (which I mentioned in a previous Make blog comment) is now complete. I’ve included a build log with plenty of in-progress pictures and a parts list in case you want to make your own. This dalek is a one-quarter scale model of the popular race of villanous mutants from Dr. Who. (Although daleks resemble robots, they are actually biological creatures inside an armored shell.) The model has no moving parts (otherwise it would be an action figure). It is about 15 inches (38.1cm) high. It is composed of foamboard, wood, aluminum, and other materials.” Link.

New Year’s Eve – Virtually!

New Year’s Eve – Virtually!

79988978 41154DaeefIf you’re staying in tonight come join MAKE and Eric Rice in the virtual world, Second Life. The party will be at Spin Martin’s place (Eric Rice) – at the Spin Martin Estate in Palulop (117/231). Eric has set up numbers to call 1-818-237-5533 or toll free 1-800-978-KSSX and will be streaming music in world (or here and here). If you’re wondering what to wear to something like this, here’s what I’m wearing… Link.

NPR : Inside the World of ‘Do-It-Yourself’

Logo Npr 125Here’s MAKE on Talk of the Nation, December 28, 2005 “Looking for new furniture, clothes or a remodeled house? Maybe it’s time to “Do It Yourself.” A peak at the curious and creative world of DIY. Guests: Shoshana Berger, editor in chief of ReadyMade magazine. Mark Frauenfelder, editor in chief of Make magazine. Tom Silva, general contractor on PBS’ home improvement show, “This Old House”.” Link.

HOW TO – Circuit Hijacking

HOW TO – Circuit Hijacking

TracesLeadingzero writes – “Several projects on this site involve the modding of consumer electronics for new and inventive purposes. The NES tv remote for example used an old remote control as the base of the whole project. However, the circuitry inside was diverted to the controls of an old NES controller. This process of redirecting the internal circuitry of a component is what I call “circuit hijacking” because essentially, the circuitry is “hijacked” to a new location and purpose. This method is by no means new, nor is it even difficult but in this article I will attempt to described the best ways that circuit hijacking is accomplished so you can begin hijacking your own circuits.” Link.