Fun & Games

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.

Ping Pong vs. an Invisible Opponent

This gadget, shaped exactly like a ping pong paddle, allows the user to play a rousing game against an invisible opponent.

The Self Table Tennis senses how hard you are swinging and plays an appropriate volume sound to match. There are three game styles- easy and hard rally and rhythm mode. I’m still a little unclear (even after watching the video) how you win or lose points but it looks like fun to just swing the racket around and hit invisible balls around.

It looks pretty neat, but seems more like a technical challenge to me. A microcontroller and an accelerometer could have any seasoned maker heading in the right direction toward a DIY version of this. [via Craziest Gadgets]

Scratchbuilt: WH40K Armored Train

Scratchbuilt: WH40K Armored Train

This classic Warhammer 40,000-style wargaming model is actually the work of the Games Workshop studio team, and was produced for an example battle in GW’s 2007 Apocalypse rulebook. Individual modelers, as far as I can tell, are not credited. There are more pictures on the GW website, and I find them especially interesting because they show the model both before and after painting.

Best of DIY Halloween

Best of DIY Halloween

Halloween is on its way crafters! I fracken love this time of year. For this episode of Corinne’s Craft Closet, I share with you my favorite DIY Halloween resources. xoxo c
More great Halloween ideas: http://craftzine.com

RoundUps:
http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2010/etsy-halloween-2010-diy-ideas/
http://archive.blisstree.com/live/50-do-it-yourself-halloween-ideas/
http://craftgossip.com/blog/tag/halloween/
http://makeprojects.com/Topic/Halloween
http://www.instructables.com/halloween/
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/search?q=halloween&x=0&y=0
http://annies-eats.net/2010/10/29/halloween-ideas-last-minute-round-up/
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/10/vegan-halloween-round-up.html

Projects:
Dead Mau5: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-Deadmau5-Head/
Marie: http://makeprojects.com/Project/Headless-Marie-Antoinette-Costume/209/1
http://www.instructables.com/id/Creepy-Formerly-Decapitated-Necklace/
Tiara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TcagMn29pg

Make-up:
Fairy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAYRUVDBOTk
Black Swan: http://youtu.be/SZwaKDaSgqY
Avatar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5x2Vv3tvLY
Mad Hatter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnpKKtzRHlY&feature=relmfu

Last minute costume ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzNmDOTShKU