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Make: Volume 46 – Hack Your Ride
Hack your ride! In this volume of Make:, you’ll find a 21-page special section on connected cars. You’ll also see the world’s cutest go-kart, DIY electric vehicles, 12 bike mods, and learn about custom dashboard computing. And if you can’t wait for the upcoming movie, build yourself a working, Star Wars-inspired, BB-8 droid! This issue also features skill builders on spray paint, choosing the right battery, and working with sheet metal and rivets. On top of that, you’ll find 40 projects, including:
- A 3D-printed RC race car
- The million-color flashlight
- Water balloon cannon
ON THE COVER: Roll over, R2-D2 — BB-8 is the new droid everyone wants to build.
Table of Contents
COLUMNS
Welcome
Dale Dougherty
Reinventing the first text message system.Page 08
Made on Earth
Explore the amazing world of backyard technology.Page 10
FEATURES
Space Chase
Nathan Hurst
The founders of Carbon Origins moved to the desert to build and launch rockets. Not so easy.Page 18
Maker Pro Q&A
DC Denison
Sugru inventor Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh talks about finding her product’s niche.Page 26
SPECIAL SECTION
Mad Hacks
Dale Dougherty and Matthew Billington
Your wheels are your identity, so car or bike, mod them to your satisfaction!Page 28
World’s Cutest Go-Kart
Charles Z Guan
Designing and building the electric Chibi-Mikuvan for the Power Racing Series.Page 30
Making the Switch
Peter Oliver and Jim McGreen
Build the Switch electric vehicle — a street-legal, Maker-ready kit and education system.Page 34
Evolutionary EVs
Peter Oliver and Jim McGreen
These DIY car makers are pushing past the electric-vehicle big boys.Page 35
Own Your Car
Benjamin Preston
Will a vague copyright law constrain what hobbyists and modders can do with their vehicles?Page 36
Maker’s Dashboard
Donald Bell
Why settle for a factory dash? Customize your cockpit with these projects.Page 40
Bike Hacks
Donald Bell
Personalize your ride with these clever pedal projects.Page 41
Electro-fy Your Bicycle
Parker Jardine
Finally, an e-bike conversion that anyone can do.Page 42
Bottle-Cap Bike Light
Nikos Marivakis
Upcycle soda bottles to make this long-lasting, waterproof, automatic flasher.Page 46
Inside the Monowheel
Dave Southall
Tips on fabricating this fun and unique rolling-hoop ride.Page 47
Cycle Chaser Bike Projector
Matt Richardson
Shine fun animations on the street that move depending on your speed!Page 48
SKILL BUILDER
Tips on Batteries, Rivets, Spray Paint, and More
Jordan Bunker
Explore the tools and techniques you need to take on those challenging projects.Page 49
PROJECTS
Building Your Own BB-8
Eric Boehlke
Three takes on making your own homebrew ball droid.Page 58
Chukudu Wooden Scooter
Doug Bradbury
Build the burly Congolese workhorse that can haul hundreds of pounds of cargo.Page 62
Million Color HSL Flashlight
Dan Rasmussen
Bring fun back to the flashlight with Arduino and full-color NeoPixel LEDs.Page 64
3D-Print a Badass R/C Race Car
Matt Stultz
Make this ripper with a motor, wireless microcontrollers, and a few bucks of filament.Page 68
Semi-Automatic Coffee Roaster
Larry Cotton
Three cordless screwdrivers and a microcontroller = perfect small-batch roasting.Page 72
1+2+3: Realistic Duct Tape Rose
Jason Poel Smith
Surprise your sweetheart with a handsome handmade flower.Page 73
Remaking History: Henry Bessemer and the Age of Steel
William Gurstelle
Learn how to heat-treat and toughen the metal that built our world: carbon steel.Page 74
Electronics Fun & Fundamentals: The Greenest Delay Timer
Charles Platt
Wire up a clever timer circuit that draws no current between cycles. What could be greener?Page 76
Amateur Scientist: Night Tracking Rockets
Forrest M. Mims III
Use LEDs to track nigh-tlaunched projectiles.Page 78
Water Balloon Cannon
Jason Fabbri
Build a simple PVC air cannon to help you win the water wars.Page 80
1+2+3: Custom Soda Cooler
Jason Poel Smith
Summer is hot. So why not make a custom cooler to keep your drinks cold?Page 81
Howtoons
Construct an easy homemade Pinewood Derby track.Page 82
Pixel Pals
Paul Gentile (The Hobby Guy)
Learn how to solder Chip and his Pixel Power base, then plug him into an Arduino.Page 84
Toy Inventor’s Notebook: Footstep Stampers
Bob Knetzger
Hack a pair of flip-flops so they make designs in the sand as you walk.Page 85
TOOLBOX
Tool Reviews
Unique and useful Maker tools, toys, and materials.Page 86
New Maker Tech
On the horizon for electronics and accessories.Page 88
Books
Text tools for your bench or bedside table.Page 90
3D Printer Review
Chris Yohe
Printrbot Metal Plus, thoroughly tested.Page 92
OVER THE TOP
A Brief History of 21st Century BattleMechs
James Tiberius Burke
If you were a MechWarrior fan in the ’90s, your dreams are about to come true.Page 96
