RFID cards are becoming a fairly common way to purchase goods, but they're already widely used to pay fares on buses, trains, subways, and trolleys across various cities. TAP cards are quick and reliable, but it can be a real pain to remember to bring them with you, especially if you weren't planning on using public transportation that day. Luckily, an intrepid tinkerer at Adafruit has managed to find a way to embed an RFID card into her phone, something you're far less likely to leave at home.
Wow! No longer do you have to buy those huge marble machine roller coaster toys — you can DIY one! This video covers the materials, tools and techniques used to make a homemade rolling ball marble machine. If you haven't seen this rolling ball marble machine toy in action yet, WATCH IT. It's a looping rolling marble machine made with wood, rebar tie wire and polyurethane tubing, featuring a magnetic elevator.
Bread doesn't have a long shelf life, as most of you probably know quite well from firsthand. You get it home from the store and before you know it, the loaf has turned from soft and perfectly pliable to hard and crumbly—and maybe even moldy! So what's the best way to keep your bread from going bad before you've finished off every delicious slice? Put it in your freezer. It's a simple solution that you've probably heard many times before, but one you probably don't use very often because you ...
Do you have a major mosquito problem? Well, here's a solution used by the military to drastically cut down their numbers.
Believe it or not, you can put your money to use very efficiently in a new way: your credit or debit card can serve as a blade in desperate situations. (It might even be handier than dental floss as a brilliant substitution for specialized kitchen tools.) While I wouldn't take bets on it slicing a New York strip steak, there are definitely many other foods it will easily slice through. What Is It Made Of?
This video shows us the method to make a universal motion alarm to protect your home. You will need a reed switch with an alternating contact, a 9V battery with a battery clip, a switch, a buzzer, a small plastic box and a magnet. When a magnet is brought near the reed switch, it switches to the other contact and the switch is open. If the magnet is removed, the switch is closed and the buzzer starts ringing. Make the circuit with correct polarity for battery and the buzzer. Make a hole in th...
Tired of always having to ask tall folks to help you get stuff down from the top shelf? In this tutorial from Make Magazine, Kipkay teaches you how to build your own stilts. But while these stilts will make you taller, we don't suggest wearing them on the basketball court.
To determine what is causing your windshield wipers to malfunction and not work, it is important to investigate the wiper motor and switch to determine if either is causing the problem.
Well, you're all ready to play basketball, or dodgeball or football or kickball, but, your ball is flat. To make matters worse, you don't have a pump. To make matters even worse, you don't have the needle you'd normally use to inflate your flat ball. Well, this how to video shows you a simple life hack to get your balls up and bouncing again in no time. What you'll need is a can of compressed air, commonly used for cleaning keyboards, or other tech equipment. These cans come with plastic 'tub...
This SUPER cool video shows how to make some fantastic percussion instruments out of items you can easily find around your house, or for cheap around your neighborhood. From plastic pails, PVC pipes, tin cans, buckets, 45 gallon drums and more. This video is short, but very inspiring when you see what cool things you can build on your own. Musical instruments can cost thousands of dollars, but with this video you can make dozens of instruments from items around your home!
Got a fireplace? Then you'll be doing it injustice if you don't festoon it and dress it to the nines for the holiday season. But don't take the easy way out and purchase cheapo plastic ornaments and fake greenery at the store. Instead, check out this video to learn how to make it simply drip with glamour.
During the holidays, many recipes call for cracked black peppercorn (it's much fresher and much tastier than regular pepper in a plastic seasoning jar).
In this tutorial, we learn how to make homemade valentine's hot chocolate stones. First, take 8 oz of a good dark chocolate and chop it up. Place this in a bowl, then add in 1/8 tsp of chipotle peppers. Also add in a pinch of salt, then add in 1/2 c of heavy cream to a skillet and bring to a boil. After it boils, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for around 3 minutes. Then, give it a stir until it's completely smooth and beautiful. Pour this onto plastic wrap, then roll into a log sha...
In this tutorial, we learn how to start an urban living indoor garden during the winter. You can easily place a shelving unit over the side of a window sill. This will also need a fastener attached to it to give it extra support. After this, you will need to install florescent tubes at the top of the shelving to help your indoor garden grow. Use small plastic bins to plant your seedlings in. These are perfect for a small greenhouse that you can place on the shelves and leave to grow with just...
Are your boobs not cutting it anymore? How do you increase your bust size without plastic surgery? There are some tricks and tips to acquiring more cleavage, so watch and learn. Your rack will thank you. So will the guys.
In this video, we learn how to make your own dry skin remedy at home. If you are already using a hydrating moisturizer and your skin doesn't react to it, this is a great remedy. The first ingredient you will need is extra virgin olive oil, then organic honey. You will also need regular sugar that you have around the house. Now, pour three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a plastic container, then add in 2 tbsp of organic honey and mix together. After this, add in 1/2 c of sugar and ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to grow strawberries easily in a container. First, you will need your refrigerated bare root strawberries laid out in front of you. Next, prepare your soil by using a high quality potting mix and adding 1/3 compost to the mixture. Take your soil and place it into a plastic bin, then add in some water. Mix the water with a trowel, then place your soil into a strawberry jar up to the first row of pockets. Next, plant your strawberries into the pockets on the side ...
This video will teach you how to do a trick that you can use to win money off of your friends when they cannot do it. The task at hand is holding a plastic bottle cap in the thumb-forefinger gap in each hand and switch the caps without letting go of them. This video will show you the exact technique for making it work, which you friends will probably not know, rendering them completely unable to do this, frustrated, upset with you, and less however much money you bet them.
Do you admire the look of vintage photographs? How about the production of the old plastic cameras like the Diana and Holga? You can create that same photo effect with your digital photographs through the use of Adobe Photoshop! In this video, learn how to create a faux lomography effect also known as the "lomo effect". By using Blend Modes and Adjustments Layers you can achieve a pretty cool effect that can be used on any photo!
In this how-to video, you will learn how to make a pin back button. First, you will need a button and cloth. Download the sheet of buttons you want to use. Cut out each button, or use a punch. Now, take the image to the button pressing machine. Place the silver part in first, followed by the image. Lastly, place the plastic outer layer on top. Once these are set, place the ring on the other side. Press down for the first step and then rotate and press down for the second. Now your pin back bu...
In this how-to video, you will learn how to perform basic circuit bending. You will need a screw driver, alligator clips, solder, a soldering iron, wires, a wire stripper, a button or switch, and a drill. Open up the device you want to circuit bend. Once the side of the board with the solder points is exposed, take your alligator clips and find two solder points that make an interesting noise. Be careful of areas where the battery is connected, as you might shock your self or destroy the devi...
This video is a demonstration of how to play a drinking game called flip cup. You'll need a stack of 16 oz. plastic beer cups, a long table, and beer. First pick two teams of four to ten players. Teams stand on opposite sides of the table and fill the cups with beer. The lead players drink, then set the cup down so that part of it is off the edge of the table. Then they flip the cups so that they land upside down on the table. The next player on each team has to wait until their teammate has ...
In this how to video, you will learn how open an iPod classic. Notice that the sides of the interior of the bottom case have tabs. There are metal locking clips at the bottom of these. The plastic clips on the front cover engage these to lock the cover into place. This means you will need a pry tool in order to remove the cover. First, you will need to use the pry tool and insert it into the side of the device. Try to get under the clip and pry it from the front base plate. Work around the si...
Fruit flies are the biggest pain in the you know what. They come out of nowhere, swarm in packs and are virtually impossible to get rid of without tearing your kitchen apart. Don't you wish there was a simpler way to rid yourself of these annoying pests?
This video shows you how to clean a Thanksgiving Turkey. For this, you will need a turkey. Place the turkey in a clean sink. Remove the plastic bag. Carefully remove the contents from the belly of the turkey. Reach into the belly of the turkey, with your hand and remove the packets. It will likely contain the turkey’s heart, liver, giblets, and neck. When you remove these items, set them aside to be used later. They can be incorporated into the other Thanksgiving recipes, including dressing/s...
Okay you saw the super-detailed reproduction of Freddy Krueger's clawed glove, now complete the Freddy costume with this "burning" makeup tutorial. In celebration of the return of "A Nightmare On Elm Street", starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger, Indy Mogul's BFX brought out the pain with burnt skin, but they won't burn a hole in your wallet. This burned up skin makeup recreation is the perfect companion for the knived glove. Complete the horrific Freddy look.
CHOW gives advice on how to prevent an avocado from browning. You might have noticed that an avocado, when it's cut, starts browning pretty rapidly. The best thing to prevent it from browning is red onion. Cut up a big red onion into chunks and put them in a bowl. Put the cut avocado in the bowl on top of the onions and cover. This works better than plastic wrap or lemon juice or any other method to keep the avocado from browning.
What a perfect project for a rainy day! Or, of course, a boring summer vacation. And all you need is a paper towel tube, some shiny objects, plastic wrap and tape, so you can make this fun kaleidoscope anywhere.
There's probably a reason that laser pointers are banned from most schools: They're just to fun to put down! Whether you're using them as a pointer, to distract your classmates, or to very wickedly point them in people's eyes, they are toys that are quite addicting.
Add some fizzle and sizzle to bath time with a homemade bath bomb. Bath bombs make great holiday or birthday gifts.
"Easy gingerbread house" may sound like an oxymoron, but our step-by-step guide turns this daunting holiday project into a cakewalk.
Take the stress out of your Thanksgiving dinner showpiece when you roast up a moist, golden bird. Learn how to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey.
It's time for Halloween, maybe it's time for your ultimate independent horror movie you've been dying to make, whatever the case may be, you're going to need some blood, you're going to need some weapons... you're going to need a bloody knife wound.
There just isn't enough space on airplanes for any one, even those on the shorter end of the spectrum. Top flight nightmares are usually being seated next to a screaming child, a person of large girth, or behind that jerk who reclines their seat for the entire flight. Most people aren't going to respond well to even polite request for courtesy, so that's when a little chair subterfuge comes in handy. Come prepared with a plastic zip tie and this simple trick. Watch this pranking tutorial and ...
There are about fifteen states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, plasma, et cetera. Plasma is commonly found in stars, and is a rare natural phenomenon here on Earth. In this video, I show you how to make artificial plasma in your microwave.
Immortalize your pregnancy by making a cast of your belly. Watch this video to learn how to Make a pregnancy-belt cast.
Learn how to use an airbrush. Marble allowed Michelangelo to create his David. An airbrush will allow you to draw a dragon on a conversion van.
Ant problem? If the ants have come marching two by two—or, God forbid, 10 by 10—it’s time to put an end to the parade. Here’s how. How to get rid of ants, a guide by Howcast:
Don't just leave your kid with a sad plastic bag this Valentine's Day to store valentines from his or her classmates! Make the giving and receiving of valentines special this year by crafting this paper Valentine's Day card mailbox.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make your very own moon shine. You will first need to take some sugar and mix it with some water. After these are combined, add in yeast to this mixture along with cinnamon and additional water. After this, you will need to pump some CO2 into the mixture and seal it tightly. Now, store this in a warm and dry place for 10 days without disturbing it. When finished, you will strain this mixture out and place into a pot with a pipe coming out of it. Once this is ...
