Fun DIY

Here's a few projects that look fun or useful from this week:

Hackaday Extols the joys of using ARM processors
32bit all the things

3d Printed Multimeter stand improves usefulness on the bench

Radial Solenoid Engine Made with Hand Tools, Including the solenoids
This is a no shortcuts kind of build, such a sweet result though!

What's Next 10/8/2015

What's Next: A quick look into future technology news

Pricey but interesting:

Instead of One Lense and One finely tuned and adjusted sensor, the Light L16 proposes to make great photos by use of 16 Lenses (each good at something different) and 16 Sensors each tuned a different way. Also TONS of Math! On the back is a touchscreen to adjust pictures after they are snapped, specifically the really neat trick the Lytro camera pulled off, tweaking depth of field AFTER the picture is snapped. 

Dear Light Co., 

If you'd like a fair balanced and honest review I'd be happy to put a demo unit through its paces. 

http://www.light.co/

DIY'ers did it first:

Dremel has released a new tool. The VRT1, powered not by batteries or electricity, but by the vacuum generated by the shopvac you already have. Awesome Bonus: The vacuum sucks in all the dust, also No batteries or cords EVER. 

Though I admit, a $30 tool with Dremel's backing and things like a warranty and easy availability 

 make for some solid benefits. It's hard not to think this was a DIYer's design first. Behold! 

Turbine Rotary Tool (from ~ 2yrs ago)

Would probably cost $30 to source the shaft, collet and bearings. :P

Kudos to Dremel for bringing a cool idea to market (they just can't take too much credit is all)

What's Next 10/8/2015

What's Next: A quick look into future technology news

Impressive new "Toys"

Just in case you've never thought "Kids these days are SOOO Lucky"

Impressive Laptops:

A new Dell is not for me, but I respect them finally bringing their specs to an acceptable level.

This sports a 4K Lcd with a barely there bezel and enough battery life to make a Macbook Air blush.

While still putting in work using a Skylake Core i7 processor and up to 16Gb of Ram.

Random Instructables 9/24/15

Instructables of the Day:

We're gonna get in more than 2 today..

Repair broken hinges of a laptop:

I have a forehead smack reaction to this one, why didnt I think of that. This looks like exactly the same model of laptop that my sister recently broke in exactly this way..

Host a Repair Cafe

Hey look, a guide to that thing I've been talking about doing at Mobile Makerspace for a year.

Walnut and Aluminum Lamp

A very handsome lamp. The instructions are more of a school report than actual instructions, but still a nice project.

When a Phillips is not a Phillips

A useful instructable about screws fasteners.

Washer Bracelets

Looks like an easy craft.

Ring Roller

A DIY machine that can bend serious steel into hoops or curves, sweet.

X mounts

This uses actobotics grommets and modular beams to mount phones and gadgets, but its totally diy-able too..

DIY Big Peg Board Shelving

This is a very attractive and easy build, doesn't get much better..

Polishing metal the easy way..

Lifehacker sent along a tip on how to make a non-toxic metal polish with stuff you almost certainly have in your kitchen (they are cheap and easy to get if you don't)...

Make a nontoxic metal polish from pantry staples

I generally avoid polishing metals because a. the elbow grease involved and b. what caustic nasty chemical to use.

I might actually give this a try though.

Homemade Laser

Homemade Ultraviolet Lasers
Found on Make: and Hackaday 

Who knew lasers were so easy to build?..

I remember reading How the Laser Happened recently.
In it Charles Townes said it was amazing no one figured out just the right mix of known physics and conditions to make a laser 30yrs before him. (if I still had the book that would be a direct quote).

Magnetic Levitator

This is a DIY magnetic levitator project.

The amazing thing about this project is the extremely low parts count, including no microprocessor. 

Plus: Lego==Awesome

Via: Hackaday

Portable/Consolidated Workbenches

Make: Ran a picture of a portable electronics workbench recently and previously an instructive piece on how to build a handy bench/toolbox.

I can't decide if I'd rather have my tools and supplies all in the same place or have a separate tool storage and supplies storage. Right now mine are segregated Tools/Supplies. I've been moving my stuff into my house and shed the last couple of weeks. Soon I will be finally unloading all the hardware and parts and bits I have into some drawers/storage. When I get around to it....

Essay about Machining and Making things

Mikey turned in an excellent essay about how he ended up knowing how to machine and what satisfaction is in it for him.

Honest - all I ever wanted to do was make some stuff ...

I didn’t set out to be a machinist, hobby or any other kind.  I simply had a whole slew of other interests that I was involved with and machining was supposed to be a supporting activity.  I realized that it was a major advantage to be able to repair almost anything, make something that is difficult to find or doesn’t even exist, or improve something that could be made better.  So rather than make do, I decided to make parts.

It's a great story and effectively explains while many DIYer's do what we do.

I also perused the blog/website that posted this.

Machinist's Blog 

It looks to be an excellent source of machining information.

Btw, I got there via Make: (as usual)

Blowing away the mess

Dust is a recurring problem for anyone willing to open a computer case. No matter how careful you are with your computer's environment or conditions modern air cooled systems are eventually going to need the dust cleared out.

The normal route for this hassle is to take a can of compressed air and spray the computer out. These cans are $3.50 per can and you might get 3 cleanings out of a can, if things aren't too dirty and you dont try to actually really eradicate the dust. But I like to really clean things, so I would be lucky to get 2 cleanings. That gets expensive fast.

Two common solutions that I've personally used are Vacuums and Air Compressors. Unfortunately vacuum cleaners can build up static and air compressors often spray water or oil instead of just air....Internet proof here.. Of course with my experience working in a shop I've seen water spray out of the air system plenty of times.. Dunno about the vacuum=static thing. I love my shopvac, better not to risk it though.

So what to do?

This would work great. It's portable and from what I understand the same hookup as a paintball CO2 can. So you can avoid the big box price for a new can. You can get these cans here and I've heard refills at a paintball store are only a couple of dollars (more internet proof). I had always hoped if I could work out the right set of adapters and regulators I could get under lowes' $90 price but in looking into it tonight it looks like a regulator is about $40 and the can is $10 and add in more fittings/adapters and it could easily reach Lowes' price.

Although this instructable is an interesting setup. But less portable than I would like for blowing out computers.

SO that brings me to what brought this whole blog post on...
Hardocp is urging everyone to clean their PCs this weekend. I was gonna post in the comments that I just did last week before I finally got my desktop installed in my house. In the comments I found a reference to the ED-500.

The ED-500 is a 500W electric blower designed for blowing out electronics. Looks like the best way to go. Glad to finally have that resolved. :)