Instead of leaving those ancient slabs of vinyl to moulder in the space above your car port, you can pop them in the oven until supple and then mold the now-limp record into a satin-candy crinkled fruit bowl. (You can turn your old 45s into snack bowls.) This project allows you to melt plastic on the good cookie sheets in the name of cleaning up junk. [GT]
It's not exactly free energy, but if you build your own USB hand-crank charger you can sit around watching Big Brother while absent-mindedly cranking power into your digicam or iPod. It does require a motor from a Lego Mindstorms kit (something I've wanted ever since they came out) but aside from that, the parts should be available at any high street electronics stockist. [GT]
In the spirit of hands-on decor this Christmas, why not make your own Christmas LED wreath? Snip snip, solder solder, program program, and then you can send it to Aunt Millie to thank her for this year's holiday punch handoff. While the picture doesn't quite get the message across (so to speak) it actually says 'MERRY XMAS' (though could be programmed to say 'FRUITCAKE HANGOVER' or 'COAL IN STOCKING' if you made it big enough). [GT]
In the spirit of hands-on decor this Christmas, why not make your own Christmas LED wreath? Snip snip, solder solder, program program, and then you can send it to Aunt Millie to thank her for this year's holiday punch handoff. While the picture doesn't quite get the message across (so to speak) it actually says 'MERRY XMAS' (though could be programmed to say 'FRUITCAKE HANGOVER' or 'COAL IN STOCKING' if you made it big enough). [GT]
I just threw out four empty CD spindles (who in high tech doesn't accumulate towers of these things? They look like they should be useful but damnit, they're recyclable garbage) and now I'm regretful, for I could've made the biggest one into a reusable toilet paper dispenser in five easy steps. You can even jazz it up to match your bathroom decor just by lining the transparent inside with something pretty or festive (leftover Christmas paper, perhaps). If you're simply practical and wondering why you should bother: it's a lot more waterproof and hygienic than your existing paper setup. If you've got kids with virus-encrusted fingers, or you've ever been so drunk that you've whizzed all over the bog roll, this is for you. [GT]
Recycle your empty CD holder into a reusable TP dispenser in 5 simple steps [via MAKE]
Most geek shacks of any size will have a box containing one to infinity's worth of old joysticks lying around. Like most obsolete tech, they cost a lot at the time and the brain doesn't want to concede their comparative worthlessness now, no matter how weird the old connector looks compared to sleek, modern USB or FireWire. Zedomax has a DIY allowing you to turn those old junky joysticks into drawing board controllers in five minutes (provided you have a circuit board and an LCD lying around... though I do have that dead Powerbook I also don't want to concede is now worthless...) [GT]
HOWTO Make a Digital Drawing Board with an old joystick in 5 minutes! [at Zedomax]
From: Apple tease Galaxy Note owners with iPhone stylus patent application