Cannon-Sized Slingshot Fires 80mm Steel Shot
For those of you without metric intuition, 80mm is about pi inches. For those of you without metric intuition who flunked geometry, it’s about 3.14 inches. Which am big. Like, cannonball-sized.
Fun & Games
The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.
Your Name in Lego
Interesting notion for a Lego-based enterprise Eli Carter, who wants to sell you a custom-packed kit (complete with custom instructions) to build a Lego nameplate with text and colors of your choosing. Check it out at Brick-Built Nameplates.
DIY Nerf Gun Darts
Follow along as YouTuber freeridemtb2 shows us how to assemble Nerf Stefan darts using some poly foam caulk saver and a hot glue gun.
Opabinia Regalis: A Pyrotechnical Precambrian Pedal Car
The day before Maker Faire Bay Area opened, we ran into Kurt and Bobbi Pires putting the finishing touches on a unique quadricycle in the South Lot of the fairgrounds. Dubbed Opabinia Regalis, the vehicle is named after an extinct Precambrian creature and has now been reborn as an angry, fire-spewing art bike.
How-To: Paper Top
I love simple toys that are created with everyday household items, so these paper strip tops from Curious Kangaroos really strike my fancy. Playing with tops can actually be a nice little meditative break in your day, and a few of these on your desk would be great fun. [via Nerdstink]
Excellent Lego Robotic Arm
This Great Ball Contraption features an nicely designed robotic arm. [Via The NXT Step]
R2D2 Motorcycle Helmet
Philadelphia area maker Jenn Hall improved the visual quality of her motorcycle helmet by turning it into a R2D2 helmet. The process included scuffing up the existing paint job and adding consecutive coats of spray paint and laboriously cut masking tape. The whole thing is finished off with some PVC tubing, some blinking lights, and plenty of clear coat. What a great way to liven up an otherwise mundane safety apparatus.
