Is there anything LEGOs can’t do? The idea of building a working Rubik Cube has always appealed. Here the challenge is to create a mechanical device that has a number of degrees of freedom about a central point. It’s not easy! The cube consists of 12 edge pieces, 8 corner pieces and one central piece. All of these have to be interlocking, yet still be able to rotate about any axis at any time in any direction. Link.
Part one was the Weatherproof Wi-Fi camera rig– and now Mavromatic has posted their DIY: Outdoor wireless access point/signal repeater to get the signal to and from the Wireless camera. This how-to has a ton of great information if you ever wanted to get a signal across a large distance. “This project was installed about a year and a half ago and has been functioning since. There have been times I needed to reboot the repeater throughout the year, so it’s not like you can install it forget about it (unless you buy commercial products, not a Linksys). You also have to keep an eye out for growing shrubs and trees, since that will limit your signal over time“. Link.
Hal says “You guys mentioned welding a while back. Here are a few pages that involve making things out of metal“. How to Bend Tubing and Pipe by Hand– An overview of bending tubing and pipe using simple homemade tools. Tube coping calculator– prints a cutting pattern for joining two round tubes at an angle. Tube deflection calculator– calculates how much square tube will bend under load.
Here’s a follow up to our DIY Margarita Maker– this site has all the parts, construction tips and recipes you’ll need to make a maragartia maker out of a 5 gallon water cooler and a garbage disposal. Link.
No plans or how-to yet, but check out this homemade 3D printer “I’ve constructed a prototype turntable from Meccano that automatically lowers itself up to 60mm, currently at 0.75mm per revolution though this can be changed. This is intended for use in experiments in continuously extruding recycled HDPE…Recent fabrications include a 18mm high 19mm diameter cylinder with 0.85mm walls, and a 13mm high 43mm diameter cylinder with 1.75mm walls. Each layer is 0.25mm thick. It’s fascinating to watch in the same way as a potter is, at work on their wheel“. [Via Worldchanging] Link.
All lawn mowers have one basic flaw. Get rid of it and it’s much lighter, goes faster, goes under low branches and between bushes, turns on a dime, saves gas, mows in the rain and lets you have fun to as well. That flaw is the rider. So we made radio-control mowers. Here’s a good resource for making your own remote controlled lawnmowers. Link. Thanks Ken!
Carlo wrote in and said “Went to a bachelor party at a lake house Friday night. One of the guys brought a margarita that was made out of a gatorade cooler and a garbage disposal”. I’m curious how well this works. Seems like an interesting way to make a lot of margaritas. View image.
