Candles can be pretty expensive, which is why most of you probably resort to flashlights during a power outage. But when your batteries run out, you're out of luck, unless you know one of these methods for making a DIY emergency candle out of household junk.
With only a day left until Halloween, a full and detailed costume is too much to throw together for most people. But you still have to dress up as something, right? No one will give you candy or let you into a Halloween party if you don't even put in some effort.
There are tons of ways to make your own pinhole camera out of everything from a juice box to a pine nut. If you have a DSLR, you can make a DIY pinhole lens for it for just a few bucks. David O'Sullivan over on DIY Photography made this one using a cheap body cap and an aluminum can. Here's how to make your own. David put up a template you can follow to make things easier, so start off by downloading it, then use a ruler to draw a line directly through the center of the body cap. Cut out the ...
There's no doubt going to be a lot of Steves running around this Halloween, as Minecraft still has a huge community, but those posers are probably just buying their Minecraft costumes. Isn't the best part about Minecraft creating? So why let someone else create your costume?
Fingers are very useful for many things in life—but fingers get dirty. With most smartphone and tablets using touchscreen technology, our fingers have become our greatest technological asset. But if you want to keep your phone or tablet from looking like this: Then you can try some of these awesome and easy DIY styluses.
If you bike a lot and live in a small room or apartment, it can be tough to find the space to store your wheels. There are tons of bicycle racks and mounts you can buy, but where's the fun in that when they're so easy to DIY? Here are some of the best inexpensive solutions for your bike storage woes.
Whether you want to use it to keep your guests safe or just to see who's the most drunk, it's always fun to have your own breathalyzer at a party. We've seen DIY breathalyzers before, like this one by Craig Smith, but how about an Arduino breathalyzer?
A spectrometer is a device that splits light into all of the different colors it's composed of that can't be seen with the naked eye. It does this by using a prism to refract or bend the light. Jeffrey Warren over at Public Labs created a tutorial showing how you can make your own video spectrometer and create spectra like the one pictured below. Any guesses as to what the subject is? Believe it or not, that's what whipped cream looks like when viewed through a spectrometer. You can do this w...
Invented by Philadelphia tinsmith John L. Manson in 1858 for canning and preserving perishables, mason jars are experiencing a major resurgence in the DIY community. In addition to being a handy storage device for both food and non-food items, its old-timey, quaintly antiquated look also makes for good drinking glasses, candle holders, flower vases and eye-pleasing decorations.
Shooting a photo or video in a car can be rather difficult without a proper mount, and if you want to secure your camera outside the car, it can be just plain expensive. Luckily, there are tons of DIY camera mounts for both inside and outside your vehicle, and most of them are pretty cheap to make. Here are some of the best.
In 1958, Patrick Flanagan invented the Neurophone, a device patented in 1962 that allows radio signals to be picked up by the human nervous system. The skin is the organ that receives the signal, converting it into a modulated molecular vibration, which the brain interprets into sound. Basically, it gives one the ability to 'hear' through the skin, making it sound like the audio you're hearing is actually in your head. It's kind of like having headphones in your brain. The only problem was th...
Magnetic ink is generally used by the banking industry to allow computers to read information off of a check, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fun with it. The guys over at openMaterials have figured out a great recipe for a DIY magnetic ink that you can use for an interesting art project—or just to mess around.
What’s better in the summer than playing around in the water? Lounging in the pool, water balloon fights, and playing in the sprinklers helps us forget how much it sucks to be outside in 100+ degree weather.
First off—Happy Independence Day! Since it's the 4th of July, let's make this week's roundup short and sweet, so you can all get back to your holiday festivities.
Hak5 isn't your ordinary tech show. It's hacking in the old-school sense, covering everything from network security, open source and forensics, to DIY modding and the homebrew scene. Damn the warranties, it's time to Trust your Technolust. In this episode, see how to extract Windows executables from packet captures.
This short video tutorial will outline the process of making acoustic wall panels using a simple wooden frame and rockwool insulation. These DIY broadband acoustic panels, or bass traps for treating music studio rooms, performance rooms or home theater rooms, will save you tons of money.
St. Valentine's Day is coming up soon in February, but do you have a special outfit planned for that special someone? Well, even if you don't have a valentine, this tattered heart black shirt will show the world you care. See how to make a tattered heart Valentine's Day T-shirt in this video from GiannyL.
One of the most important things in a person's life is sleep (some of us don't get enough of it, and some of us get too much). Why not make it one of the most comfortable things, too? Having the right sleeping attire is great for comfort, especially when you make them custom yourself. See how to make pajama tank top in this video from GiannyL.
Sleep is one of the most important things in a person's life. So why not make it one of the most comfortable things, too? Having the right sleeping attire is great for comfort, especially when you make them custom yourself. See how to make pajama pants in this video from GiannyL.
Attention photography lovers! Put down the digital camera for a day and try this DIY project out, constructing a camera that dates back to as early as 4th century BC.
Ever desired your very own masquerade mask? ThreadBanger takes us through the fun, multiple steps to acquire your very own custom-fit plaster mask! Materials needed include plaster wrap cloth, water, scissors, petroleum jelly, spray paint (in your color choice), sand paper, paint sealer spray, and decorative additions to personalize your mask! This project will need to dry overnight, so be sure to leave enough time before your party or event.
Steal Lady Gaga's eccentric look from MTV's 2009 VMA Awards for your next big costume party with help from ThreadBanger. You will need some poster board, red spray paint, flesh-colored stretch fabric, an excessive amount of red lace, sewing skills... and about four hours. Blonde ratty wig not required, but a big plus!
Remember the Rocketeer? The rocket jet pack that he wore? Jet packs are the coolest sci-fi props that haven't been perfected in "real life" yet. Almost, but not quite. For now, film rocket belts or rocket packs will do. Like in the Bond flick "Thunderball" and in the Star Wars movies "Attack of the Clones" and "Return of the Jedi". It's even in "Fahrenheit 451" and "Minority Report". But your homemade DIY jet pack might be the best of all. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a jet...
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast.
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episodes from this Revision3 show.
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episodes from this Revision3 show.
While Leap Motion has given makers a DIY solution for building their own augmented reality headset with Project North Star, a self-described "AR wonk" has taken the blueprints one step further by creating an untethered version.
You've done it, I've done it, almost everyone who owns a car has done it: they've gone an locked themselves out. Well, this good how-to shows how to get back into your older model car with nothing more than a coat hanger. It will requre some trial and error to get it done, but this video is a good primer.
Cavities are an unfortunate sideeffect of our sugar-infused society, and getting them filled is time-consuming, expensive, and requires a trip to the dentist. Do you have some serious courage and want your dental work done on the cheap? Watch this video for an amazing guide to filling your own tooth cavity at home using simple and cheap ingredients. It's amazing what you can do with a little DIY know-how.
The internet has created amazing new standards for how closely information can be followed. If you want a portable analog unit that will monitor one important piece of online info continuously and have some DIY electrical knowhow, watch this video. It will show you how to use an Arduino Ethernet Shield to make an internet meter to monitor email, stocks, and other online info on a simple analog display. You will need to know some PHP to make this work.
When replacing your brake pads on your Ford Explorer, you first need to jack up the vehicle and remove the tire. This will give you access to the brakes. Locate the caliper, remove the two bolts and slide the caliper off. Inside the calipers are the brake pads. Pry out the outside brake pad off first, then the inside pad. Then it's time to reverse the process!
Back in the day, musicians used candles as metronomes to keep time. Now, you can too, cause in the music industry, it's better to burn out than to fade away.
Discover the power of raspberries! Literally. In this NurdRage science video, learn how some crushed raspberries and some titanium dioxide (TiO2) can create a powered dye-sensitized solar cell. Inside a raspberry is something called anthocyanin, which is a flavonoid pigment. Commercially purchased solar cells are way more powerful than this DIY solar cell, but with a little improvement, who knows. Nurd Rage also lets you know how this works.
Even princesses need help getting pretty. Take one of our favorite (faux) princesses, Princess Mia from "The Princess Diaries," who walked around sans makeup and with pore strip on nose before a big event (which she then speedily - and painfully - ripped off when Michael came in the room).
Starcraft 2, like it's predecessor before it, has a very robust level editor that allows you, the DIY modder, to create nearly any scenario within the bounds of the Starcraft 2 engine that you could imagine. We have compiled videos on how to do all sorts of fun things with it, from making RPG's and Tower Defense games to just making you dream Starcraft 2 level. This video will teach you how to create a condition in a custom map where waves of zerglings will attack the heroes continuously. If ...
If you haven't made your own PCB (printed circuit board) yet, perhaps you we're just missing the proper instructions. But now, watch and learn from AP Digital light! They show you a fast and easy prototyping technique using a laster printer, photo paper, and a regular household iron. It's the heat toner transfer method of making PCBs.
Starcraft 2, like it's predecessor before it, has a very robust level editor that allows you, the DIY modder, to create nearly any scenario within the bounds of the Starcraft 2 engine that you could imagine. We have compiled videos on how to do all sorts of fun things with it, from making RPG's and Tower Defense games to just making you dream Starcraft 2 level. This video will teach you how to make a hero you've created be revivable after they die by means of items or levels. This is current ...
Starcraft 2, like it's predecessor before it, has a very robust level editor called Galaxy Editor that allows you, the DIY modder, to create nearly any scenario within the bounds of the Starcraft 2 engine that you could imagine. We have compiled videos on how to do all sorts of fun things with it, from making RPG's and Tower Defense games to just making you dream Starcraft 2 level. This video will teach you how to import custom 3D models into the Galaxy Editor and then use them in your custom...
In this tutorial, we learn how to lay out and plan your drywall with Myron Ferguson. First, check the wall to make sure there is proper access inside to see what layout you're dealing with. Next, plan out what kind of materials you are going to have to deal with. Measure the ceiling and windows that are in the building and do the math to figure out how much drywall you need. Next, check for possible problems with the wall, so you can make sure your drywall will attach correctly and not pop ou...
Film and television cinematographers love sliding camera shots, especially since ER made them a standard device for television dramas. A professional sliding camera setup is expensive though. Why not make one yourself? This video will show you how to turn $20 into a high-quality filmmaking tool that you can use to give your films some very professional-looking shots. Now get out there and follow that gurney with the camera!
