The new MacBook Air from Apple may be one of the thinnest notebooks on the market, but don't let its size full you— it's a fortress, an impenetrable laptop designed to discourage user modifications, just like the Apple iPad.
Join the Pilot program and learn how to fly! But you're not going to be flying airplanes in this Pilot program, you'll be trying your hands at Google's first laptop computer.
Solving a Dilemma This is a simple how-to for a cost effective drip irrigation system for your garden. My motivation to set up my garden for drip irrigation was pretty simple. In the summer, it gets to 90+ degrees outside, and my 50’ garden hose didn’t reach the far extents where I have the majority of my large trees. I noticed a large amount of the water I applied to the trees just ran off and did absolutely nothing. This was a huge waste of resources.
I am writing this quick post in response to the recent earthquakes and tsunamis that are affecting Japan. As soon as the news broke, and we began to hear of tsunami warning for our area, I immediately realized how under prepared I was for a natural disaster. The thing that drove this point home even deeper was the number of people asking me for advice on what they could do to prepare for the possibility that we are hit by one of the resultant tsunamis. Many thoughts raced through my mind, and...
Thinking of trying something new this weekend? How about wind surfing? Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to assemble and rig up your board for windsurfing. The board has a lot of parts to it, so be sure to follow these instructions step by step as it meticulously details all of the essential components you'll need to wind surf. This tutorial also covers how to rig steer and tacking so you can change course as you wind surf. Terminology is also explained in this tutorial. A...
Move over NASA— SpaceX is taking over. Well, not really. But today, the privately funded spacecraft company broke all expectations when their Dragon capsule fell to a soft landing in the Pacific Ocean, completing an undoubtedly successful demo flight of nearly two full trips around Earth. It was the first re-entry of a commercial spacecraft ever, bringing commercial space transportation closer to reality.
Homemade circuits are amazing. You can build any kind of circuit on a simple perfboard, as we have seen in previous projects. However, some projects require very tiny circuit boards. We could special order some boards from a printed circuit board (PCB) factory, but that will most likely involve a high price per board and a few thousand miles of delivery service to pay for.
Making your own circuit boards can be a daunting challenge. You have to design a schematic, test it on a breadboard, design the board layout, and then after all of that, you still have to print and etch a board!
Whenever we make a homemade circuit, we use what are called through-hole components. Any components with long metal leads is a through-hole component. They are great for soldering to, but it's tough to fit enough through-hole resistors and capacitors into a smartphone. To get those last microns, we have surface-mount components for SMDs (surface-mount devices). These are all of those teeny, tiny things you see when you crack open your digital camera or laptop case.
Reduce the risk of blown fuses, blown sensors, shorted wires, and even possibly increase shift times on an automatic and possibly increase horsepower with a grounding kit! All you need is some wire, terminal ends and electrical tape or heat shrink. To make this work, all you have to do is run ground wires from essential components to a good ground area, such as the strut tower.
The DIY industry is booming, despite the desperate blackmailing of society by finance capitalists. Companies like Adafruit and Makerbot are grossing well over a million dollars a year, and Evil Mad Science Laboratories just recently dedicated themselves to running a full-time kit business. Making kits is fun, but starting a business can be scary. If you already enjoy making gadgets and want to take the plunge into selling your own kits online, this article is for you.
INTRODUCTION The everyday PC user doesn't think much about its PC and problems that can cause critical damage to their data or other stuffs stored on Hard drive and other electronic parts until the problem actually occurs. Once a failure happens, the repairs can be costly and very time-consuming and one also have to sacrifice their data stored on hard drives if the damage is more severe!
The guys at Poor Man Mods show you how to vent your hood to reduce engine bay temperatures, which can lead to lower intake temperatures and protection to components in your engine bay. To do this, they just take a few coupler nuts and screw them onto the studs on the hood where the hinge is. Doing so, they create about a 1 inch gap in-between the hinge and the hood itself, which raises the rear of the hood up, allowing hot air to escape. Near the turbo, this help reduce engine bay temps by 12...
Overclocking is quite an awesome thing. When computer components are designed, they are made to run at a certain speed, otherwise known as their clock and bus speeds. These limits are not actually limits. You can overclock components, which essentially makes them go faster than their set limitations. This can save you a lot of cash when newer components come out and you don't have enough money to upgrade. However, when you overclock components, you must be careful and make sure that the machi...
This Revit software tutorial shows how to array a series of voids to create a changing truss system. Rather than thinking of the modeling in components what we are doing here is modeling a solid and using Revit’s cut geometry tool to slice a solid into stick members. The only catch to this techniques is that each truss has a slight slant on the top and bottom. This is something we can look past since it will be lost in the line weight. Once this model needs to transfer to a higher lever of pr...
In this Rhino 3D software tutorial covers how to make scaling circular patterns based on the distance between points. You will be using the Grasshopper (Explicit History) plug-in for Rhino in this tutorial.
In this Rhino tutorial we cover how to make an exponential curve with with Explicit History (Grasshopper). This is an intro to using scalar parameters in Rhino to driving geometry with math. Also covered, is how to use the range components in Rhino to make collections of objects, in this case points. By learning the simplest commands in Rhino, you can start to build on them and combine them for more complex results. This tutorial is best viewed at full screen. Make an exponential curve with G...
This tutorial covers some very basic elements of Maya, but if you haven't used the software and plan to do polygonal modeling, then watch and learn how to manipulate polygons using edges, faces and other components. A great tutorial for beginner modelers! Manipulate a polygon in Maya.
To catch a lot of bluegill fish, the best way is with a slip float rig. The weight is all at the bottom of the line. Wade Bourne, host of Wade's World on MyOutdoorTV, shows you how to use a slip bobber rig when panfishing.
Introduction In the competitive world of today's video game scene, PC gamers are known to squeeze out the best possible visuals in their games. Every few months a new video card rolls out, and RAM is ever increasing; constant upgrading is the norm of staying ahead the curve. One of the most important things a PC gamer looks at is how many FPS (frames per second) he gets. It defines his gaming experience.
In this Rhino video tutorial we cover how to make a sine and cosine curve with Explicit History (Grasshopper). The initial set up for this Rhino tutorial can be used to test any of the math functions. We set up a a simple interface to drive range parameters which can then connect to many of the scalar components. Get better at your math skills for modeling in Rhino with this 3D software tutorial. This Rhino video is best viewed full screen. Make a sine & cosine curve Rhino's Explicit history.
Check out this instructional cycling video that explains aerodynamic concepts in bicycle fit and wheels to go faster. The bike fitters at Fit Werx talk about all the components of a triathlon bike fit and how it relates to aerodynamics and the individual. This cycling tutorial video covers the following topics to help you pedal faster on a bike:
When storing your pressure washer for more than 30 days, it is important to take preventative steps to protect the pump and other components from damage caused by the cold temperatures. This home and harden How-to video will show you how to protect and store you pressure washer during the winter. Use a fuel stabilizer for your engine and remove all water from your washer before storing it. Protect and store a pressure washer during the winter.
I first heard the term molecular gastronomy while watching an episode of Bravo's Top Chef a few seasons back. Intrigued by the concept, I sought to find out more about this modern, deconstructed type of cookery. If you happen to be around foodies and the topic of molecular gastronomy comes up (which very likely will at some point) you'll want to have a few points to contribute and maybe even give them a run for their money.
Here's a fun little hack you can try at home with your kids. The purpose of this tutorial is to teach you how to make this fun toy gun. It's a very simple and economical project. Tools and Materials:
Infiniti is like no other car, it has emotion, it has soul, it inspires. There's a difference between being physically transported and emotionally moved, and you can tell them apart when you sit inside this magnificent automobile. Although the Infiniti is like a dream car, it has its problems just like any other brand of vehicle. There's maintenance, minor repairs, major repairs, needed replacement parts, oil changes, headlight adjustment, low tires, transmission and everything else you can t...
Having numerous components and wires attached to your TV can make an awful clutter. Learn how to distribute wireless video content throughout your home in this free video. Distribute wireless video content throughout your home - Part 1 of 15.
When I was attending college, my friends had a phantom thief in their dormitory. Almost every night, a different item of food would go missing, never to be seen again. There was constant speculation as to whom the thief was and how to catch them. Security cameras were deemed too invasive, but none could think of another method of surveillance... until today.
When you buy computer parts, it can be a tough decision where you want to put all of your hard earned dollars into. Not only that, but when you buy a top of the line component, 3 months later (at most), your hardware will likely be outdated. This puts consumers like us in a bit of a pickle when it comes to purchasing, especially on a tight budget.
You're lost. You're cold, thirsty— you're hungry. What if you're not much of a hunter? Maybe you're a gatherer. So, then you'll eat plants. But what if you eat something poisonous? What if you're allergic to it?
Since the invention of the mechanical clock, enclosure of the commons, and proletarianization of labor, the alarm clock has been the bane of our existence. While not actually evil, it does represent the constant and uncompromising glare of our owners shaking a patronizing finger at us, telling us to get to work so they can use our labor to grant themselves bonuses.
Microcontrollers are great. You can do anything from water your garden to catch wildlife trash diggers in the act—and on the cheap. I prefer to use the Arduino microcontroller because of the large and helpful community built around the website. Though it is my favorite, there are some drawbacks to using an Arduino board in every project. It gets expensive, the board can take up too much space, and the rat's nest of breadboard wires are a pain to repair.
Welcome to Microwave Energy—the next part of my Making Electromagnetic Weapons series. For the Electromagnetic Pulse Generator, check out the last three articles (One, Two and Three).
Graffiti is a great way of getting your message out to the masses. The earliest known graffiti dates back to 30,000 years ago and used the traditional apply-paint-to-wall technique. Though our paint now comes in cans and not from scavenged berries, the actual graffiti process hasn't really evolved from those first cave paintings.
Direct current (DC) by definition flows in one direction. Alternating current (AC), on the other hand, periodically changes direction, or reverses polarity. It is indeed possible for a portion of a circuit that is normally DC to periodically change direction, or reverse polarity like an AC circuit.
It turns out that the popularity of soft circuit electronics has leaked out of the interwebs and into the hands of the U.S. military. Soft circuit electronics allow you to literally sew electronics circuits into fabric using flexible conductive thread instead of wire. Soft circuits can be used for all sorts of fun projects, like the TV-B-Gone Hoodie and the Heartbeat Headband.
MAME/SNES/GENESIS/NES/+ Arcade style 2 player cabinet. Features
Who could resist a retro SCRABBLE board game for two bucks? Suereal definitely couldn't, especially with the challenge of totally revamping a board game into something genuine and creative. Craftster's Craft Challenge #51 last June was meant to bring life back to an old board game with the following expectations:
In this how to video, Darren Baensch talks about erecting wall frames. He identifies the key components and divulges some handy tips on erecting wall frames. Watch this tutorial and you can erect your wall frames safely and properly. Erect wall frames.
Phillip Bourton explains how to open a computer and replace an optical drive without damaging any important components. He explains what characteristics should be considered when upgrading an optical drive, like type of drive and speed. Install an optical drive in a computer.
