Dave writes “This site has some amazing products of fancy knots. I was looking for some more detailed info for finishing off a turks head and found this site.” Here’s a great step by step on making star knots. There’s something really satisfying about tying a sturdy yet ascetically pleasing knot. Link.
Brad writes “I’ve always wanted to be a proud owner of some unnecessarily large light-up outdoor sign. Specifically I wanted some old sign that used to adorn the entrance of some dive bar somewhere. The problem is these signs are “collectors items” of sorts and if they’re in any working order then they’re gonna cost you quite a bit of money. On the other hand, if they don’t work, you’re still going to end up spending your life savings trying to fix what time and weather has done to these signs over the years. You’ll also need the know-how to do the work and a team of people to help move the sign since they generally weigh more than small cars. My solution was simple. I just needed to build what I wanted.” Link.
How to on making “Toynbee Tile Mosaics”, unique asphalt tile installations found all over North and South America. “This is a method for making colorful, permanent mosaic installations in asphalt roads and lots. Like glass, asphalt appears to be a solid but is actually a liquid. This means that a design affixed to it with more asphalt will eventually settle in and become a part of it. We owe our awareness of this technique to a nameless mystic we have never encountered in person.” Link.
Rick writes “This page shows how to make molds and do metal casting using rtv rubber and low temp metals, it also has sections on low cost plastic injection (very low cost) and styrofoam forming.” Link.
Brady writes “What you see is a homemade backpack flamethrower. I initially got interested after finding this page showing another guy’s plans on making one. I tried twice to make the main tank out of PVC, but for some reason the PVC just did not want to hold more than 50 PSI without leaking (the first one actually exploded at about 75 PSI). So I went the more expensive but safer route by using a metal tank. Also, with a metal tank you can use gasoline ($2.50/gallon) instead of denatured alcohol ($10/gallon) as the combustible liquid because gasoline eats PVC, so if I went the PVC route I’d have to use denatured alcohol.” Link.
Adnan writes “So what if your chances of ever becoming an astronaut are less than nil, you can still defy gravity using Oooms’s Anti Gravity Machine and you know it’s probably more fun. All you have to do is harness yourself on to the moving sea-saw contraption and voila, you can moonwalk like Neil Armstrong all over the Basketball court.” Looking at this counterweight machine, it wouldn’t be that hard to build, I’ll see if I can find (or make) a how-to. Link.
A honey extractor, made from old parts and bicycle wheels “There are few people more symbolic of rural African ingenuity than the bush mechanics. People with no formal training in mechanical repair, or engineering, who build strange contraptions to solve everyday problems and maintain fleets of ancient vehicles that keep Africa slowly moving forward…Dr Garth Cambray, a self professed ‘bush mechanic’ (and biotechnologist by profession) shows how he designed and built a very low cost honey extractor from readily available scrap parts.” [via] Link.
