Domain: instructables.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to instructables.com.
Comments · 389
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Charging-only cable adapters
This is one reason why charging-only cables or cable adapters which do not carry the "data lines" should be cheap and just as widely-available and widely-marketed as other USB cables.
Bonus points if they are transparent so the end user can visually verify that the only connected lines are the power and ground lines.
OBDIYHACK: http://www.instructables.com/i...
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Re: Very original
Probably could combine a HEPA filter with a charcoal filter to get both particles and volatile chemicals.
Like this:
http://www.instructables.com/i...
Or:
http://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-A...
Lots more here:
http://www.grainger.com/catego... -
Re:Only because they're stupid.
Of course, the FBI has way too many people that need to deal with technology that really don't understand it in the slightest. Years ago I had to disappoint an FBI agent that I was helping by explaining to him how things really worked. He was getting samples from all the different printers so that they could make a database to identify what printer printed something like they used to do with typewriters. I had to explain to him that the fonts are totally programmable and have no unique characteristics to that printer. Also, that the inks and toners are actually made by only a handful of companies, and are again, not unique to the printer. He was very disappointing with the information.
Maybe that's why some printers add secret watermarks to their output?
http://www.pcworld.com/article... http://www.instructables.com/i...
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Re:Completely useless for me.
I live in the US and open flame cooking is not allowed where I live, in fact some are trying to say that no cooking is allowed to make me go out and blow all my dough on restaurants, but I use electric cooking.
I use a microwave for potatoes, a hotplate for frying then cooking rice, and for eggs either a microwave to make omelets in like 2.5 minutes babysitting it, or I have a Crofton egg-cooker that cooks slowly while I eat and makes a batch of 7 boiled eggs I keep in the fridge for next time. http://www.amazon.com/Kalorik-... I bought mine for a lot less on sale a few years back. The nice thing is that an alarm goes off when it's done, so you don't have to babysit it like the microwave or hotplate, which, if you go on the internet and leave them running, will fill your place with smoke and set off the smoke alarms. Never ever leave the hotplate, unplug the hotplate when done. The microwave at least has a timer that cuts off even if it turns on by accident, plus it makes a lot of noise and the lights are on, but a hotplate can be very stealthy and sly, so keep it unplugged as soon as you're done.
I was trying to boil some city tap water the other day in this 5 gallon pot, to see if it can be made drinkable - btw George Carlin says that he's amused how everywhere he goes, people don't trust their public utility supply water for drinking. It took forever to get it to boil, and I assume it was mostly due thermal conduction resistance and contact between the hotplate and the pot. The hotplate sounds like it keeps self-regulating the temperature, and it cuts off if the heating elements overheat, then turns back on, then cuts off, etc., you can hear it click as it rubs under the pot as it suddenly thermally expands and gets glowing red hot, then it cools back to black, then goes red again. So against this on/off bullshit I was thinking about doctoring a microwave transformer like it shows on this page, http://www.instructables.com/i... and just dipping the about to melt red-hot copper wire directly inside the pot - that should get a lot of heat transfer. The transformer is kind of an impedance-matching device between the 2V / 800A heating section and the 110V / 16A wall socket. 2 volts on a #2 AWG gauge copper wire is kind of safe against electric shocks, just be careful what you touch it against, not to melt it or instantly vaporize it. In fact 0.25 volts and really fat copper or silver bars might be even better. Unfortunately boiling coffee and soup might be difficult with this, as the suspended solid stuff might cake and char onto the heating element if dipped directly into the soup, so you'd need some kind of large fin setup that covers the whole volume of the pot with fins for large surface area direct heat transfer, and an incandescent bulb light dimmer variable resistor on the wall socket side of the transformer to regulate power input slowed down to whatever still works. But for clean water going with 2V and 800 Amps through a #2 gauge of #0 or #00 copper wire coil is probably as fast as you can get that 1800 watts of power into the water at full wattage, instead of cutting on and off. By the way 1800 watts is your maximum allowed energy out of the wall socket, the transformer doesn't magically change that, it only makes the heat transfer more efficient by lowering the voltage to 2 volts or less and direct conduit contact with the water. You can't really stick a 110 V heating element into the water, because the pot will shock you, plus the electricity will bypass the high resistance heating element and go directly through the water, causing a short and blowing your fuse on the whole house or more like throwing your circuit breakers that need to be reset. -
Re: "Swap out" - LOL
teh google - http://www.instructables.com/i... 47 builds for inspiration -http://makezine.com/2013/04/14/47-raspberry-pi-projects-to-inspire-your-next-build/
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Re:i dont know how much more i can take.
This should help http://www.instructables.com/i...
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Re:have you tried whiteboard paint?
I think if you do it right, you can lay down a layer (or layers) of magnetic paint, and then a layer (or layers) of whiteboard paint.
And Google confirms, though that may not be the absolutely best DIY instructions (I have no idea).
So, run wild, do the whole living room.
;-) -
Banning Knowledge next?
So will they also ban the knowledge of howto make your own? Call you a terrorist just for knowing how.. or telling others?
Aside from being braindead simple for an EE to do it in their sleep:
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Re:DIY Oscilloscopes
This one looks promising:
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Try Googling Arduino Oscilloscope
Here's one. http://www.instructables.com/i... There is more stuff in the comments, such as https://github.com/hitchcme/Gi... Don't know if they would fit your requirements, but something to look at.
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DIY Oscilloscopes
http://www.instructables.com/t...
Take your pick.
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Looks remarkably like something I saw years ago
http://www.instructables.com/i...
I think that is the one I read about before.
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Re:One word answer:
Yes, I know, you can build a bamboo frame bicycle that performs well, but it's expensive and a novelty. When it's not done well....recoil in horror: http://www.instructables.com/i...
You know, that looks amazingly ugly, but bicycles built that way are within a few percentage points of the weight of bicycles built "properly", and just as strong. I've been to Calfee and that's how bicycles are actually prototyped, basically. They use carbon fiber tubes and carbon fiber ribbon, but it's the same process. Cut and scallop the tubes, stick them together with epoxy putty, once that sets you wrap it in the ribbon while applying epoxy with a brush. Done and done.
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One word answer:
No.
Longer answer: No and it's not as eco-friendly as people would like you to believe.
1. You need to farm it. Farms in general are never eco-friendly as they eliminate habitat.
2. You still need to use epoxy to bond the strands together. This epoxy is nearly identical to the epoxy used in carbon fiber and fiberglass and is just as nasty.
3. The claim that it would break down in landfills is bogus. Material decomposition in landfills is slow due to the anaerobic nature of landfills. Also, bamboo encased in epoxy isn't going to decompose like typical un-worked bamboo.
And since bamboo is weaker than carbon fiber, but more expensive than fiberglass, I expect it to never take the place of either, except in decorative modes.
Yes, I know, you can build a bamboo frame bicycle that performs well, but it's expensive and a novelty. When it's not done well....recoil in horror: http://www.instructables.com/i...
Yeah, I'll take a steel frame, plox.
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BMO -
Re:How long before ...
How long before wearing one of these makes you a potential terrorist in the eyes of the police, FBI, etc.?
They wouldn't arrest Batman, would they?
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Re:I slowly realized this after buying a house
Before I even moved in, every organization with foreknowledge of the sale apparently sold my information to whoever was paying. My mailbox was PACKED with junk mail in my name before I even moved in!
If you can think of a better way to heat your new house next winter, I'd love to hear it.
(Also still impressed with google predictive search: "roll paper in" becomes "roll paper into firewood".)
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Catch the drone with a Net Gun !
The best answer would be a Net Gun.
From market or DIY. That's $400 or $60-$80.
I think many of the catched drone parts can be salvaged, after the fall.
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I use 3d-printing, but I outsource it
3d printers are still expensive, and occupy space in your house. Unless you do a lot of it, it's still more economical to send it out to a place like Shapeways.
The first time I used 3-d printing was to repair an otherwise-unrepairable tool: http://www.instructables.com/i...
I'm also prototyping a toy for a friend. A printer capable of the resolution I need would cost far more than a simple home hobbiest printer.
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Re:Easy Switchover
Just microwave it: to kill the chip.
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Re:Some requests should be ignored
"I want to stop all electronic devices from passively collecting visible light but still desire riders' eyes to passively collect visible light."
A requirement worded that way still leaves a loophole for mechanical film cameras without light meters like the Nikkormat FS or even a simple pinhole camera.
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Re: Why just look near Earth?
Why waste time with that? For smelting, pretty much all you need is a good fresnel lens.
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Bioluminescent light bulbs are the answer!
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Re:Definition of "Dark"
The kind of photography discussed in the article uses active illumination. That changes things quite a bit; I have no problems taking pictures in a wedding with what i call the "IKEA Fong sphere" on top of my camera, I can even do it at f/2.8 @ ISO 200.
See this for an example photo and how to build one yourself. -
Early 2008 17" Macbook Pro
I have an early 2008 17" Macbook Pro that still does everything I need -- just max out the RAM and swap in a SSD, and it will keep up with modern-day work. The battery is still swappable, and batteries can still be bought for cheap. The display is crisp and very bright, which is handy when using it outdoors. Adding a right mouse button to the touchpad is a very simple mod: http://www.instructables.com/id/Adding-a-right-mouse-button-to-a-Macbook/ The whole thing cost around $500, plus half that in two broken laptops for spares.
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Re:Scope is still critical
Look into ways to make PCBs at home. I prefer the glossy paper/clothes iron toner transfer method, but direct milling is easier if you have a CNC minimill. With a little practice, toner and etchant gives finer features than milling.
For those who, like me, hadn't even heard of this until recently when I saw these articles. (The first is just a version of the second with the text cleaned up for readability -- English isn't second article author's native tongue.)
As for the rest, I like your list. Often overlooked, since it's just sitting there covered with all the other stuff, is a nice (anti-) static mat.
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(Not another) Raspbery Pi comment...
Can't wait to see if this is possible to see this effect with the Raspberry Pi and a Pi NoIR camera, given that you can
use the material from inside a floppy disk as a visible light filter -
Re:LED pumpkins
Can't fix your diagram, but this works.
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Re:How Safe Is Cycling?
http://www.instructables.com/id/Trigger-GREEN-Traffic-Lights/?ALLSTEPS
Kip Kay says differently and has video proof of it. So lumpy is correct.
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Where do I send money?
They're trying to sell something that does the same as this for a lot more? Awesome.
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Re:News For Nerds
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Re:It's about time
The iPod mini used CompactFlash, not SD.
http://www.radekw.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/hifi/20120303-001.jpg
http://www.instructables.com/id/Upgrade-Your-iPod-Mini-With-Flash-Memory---No-More/
etc. -
Re:First
Why bother "tampering" with it? That just leaves messy evidence everywhere.
Meanwhile, HERF gun instructions have been available on the internet for over a decade. (The link provided is merely a near-the-top Google result, not necessarily the best one out there.) Many of them even have explanations of all of the math involved in building a proper waveguide.
And due to the fact that a "black box" has to be separate from all of the other ECU's due to "safety reasons" (so they can swap it out while they investigate you), it's quite easy to target without much collateral damage. Any challenge-response interlock with it can likely also be bypassed by a bit of simple circuitry.
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Re:So?
Not if he bought a fake.
Even if he bought a real one, the vast majority of them don't work very well. If you really want to prepare for the zombie apocalypse, stick with good old rechargeable AA or AAAs, a programmable charger, and either a generator or a large regulated solar panel. -
Get a used Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner
from Craig's list or your local goodwill/SVdP store and then go here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Hacking-Your-iRobot/ and many other sites on the web that deal with modifying Roombas. Most of the mechanical stuff is taken care of for you so you can concentrate on programming and adding/reading/using sensors and actuators.
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Re:smaller version?
There's a wealth of information on the net regarding DIY wind turbines.
Check this out:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-1000-watt-wind-turbine/A few years ago it was quite common for people to use the motor out of Fisher and Paykel washing machines:
http://www.yourgreendream.com/diy_fp_findthem.phpHave fun buddy!
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Re:Risk vs. Reward?
How about a HERF gun....pop them with that and they just fall out of the sky...
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Re:Can money be donated?
Relevant Link: http://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Tor-relay/
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Re:!DRM
Except this isn't a management of digital rights, but physical rights.
Good catch. While trying to decide how to word that I went off and did something else and you beat me to it, and well. Equally, you could use motors and gears (or what have you) to build a chair that would fall apart, and you could pay to put it back together again... or you get to keep all the pieces. Today, there would be no financial incentive to build a thing like that, because it would cost too much to assemble, and it would be too easy to take apart, but I can see it happening in some dark future in which we're not allowed to own our own 3d printers. I guess I'll call it "Fahrenheit 95" unless someone can think of a better temperature (heated enclosures for 3d printers... there's a patent for that.)
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Re:i like to limit my DHCP scope
I don't quite get the problem here.
There's an individual outside of his home, who is accessing the wifi *in* his home.
Everyone is talking about potential countermeasures.
What about the obvious ones?
1) wire everything. That doesn't work so good for tablets, laptops in random places, etc.
2) Make it so he can't connect. Reduce the power (if possible). Pick a noisy channel, so he'll get too much interference. Shield the antenna from the direction the intruder is.
I've had to move so many access points, because people put them under desks, or with something in between Point A and B. Nope, RF doesn't pass very well through the refrigerator, filing cabinet, or the other numerous things they love to put in the way to complain. Detune it. Put the AP under the desk, so there's just enough power to reach the couch (or wherever).
Worst case, anti-wifi wallpaper, or even the always stylish wire screen or aluminum foil.
I vote for an all-out Faraday cage. Not only will it stop the wifi thief, but it'll keep the government mind control out...
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Re:Wow
How about an alcohol stove? Just don't drink the fuel. =)
Alcohol isn't just for drinking or burning, it's good for sterilizing wounds too. -
You just need to know where to look
People like this are the modern day inventors.
[0] - http://makerfaire.com/
[1] - http://makerspace.com/
[2] - http://www.instructables.com/index -
Re:Wouldn't it be nice...
If Google voluntarily encrypted messages between Google users (Gmail, GApps), and any message stored on their servers
He's talking about user to gmail server, https covers that. What you're talking about is something like pgp: http://www.instructables.com/id/Encrypt-your-Gmail-Email/ . Both users need it set up for it to work, but that's how encryption typically works, and it's there if you need it.
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Re:Nylon?
You mean the same Nylon that was tested and didn't even come close to any levels that could be considered toxic?
http://www.instructables.com/id/Is-3D-Printing-Safe-or-DIY-Testing-for-HCN-from-/
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Re:Princess Peach Pointillism
I made a 3' x 4' Princess Peach out of 980+ painted soda bottle caps:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Princess-Peach-Pointillism
My wife wouldn't even let me hang it over the fireplace!
So I guess asking your wife to cosplay Peach is right out then?
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Princess Peach Pointillism
I made a 3' x 4' Princess Peach out of 980 painted soda bottle caps: http://www.instructables.com/id/Princess-Peach-Pointillism [Helps if I log in before I post.]
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Do it today for under $5
You can do this with a 50/50 mix of corn starch and clear silicone. There are several refinements of this idea around the internet, here is one. What works even better IMHO is to use the moulded material to make the plugs stay in your ear, then a foam material (cutoff foam earplugs) on the tips to maintain a tight seal.
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DIY Cat Ears ( for the DIY inclined )
Makers Unite: Here are instructions for those who would like to make their own cat ears:
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Re:A couple of suggestions
Spinning off the breadboard idea, a friend of mine built a light-sensitive theramin on a cheap Radio Shack proto board. Normally theramins are played with movement of your hands around an antenna, but the light sensitive one plays different notes as you cover the photo resistors. Here's a great source of info: http://www.instructables.com/id/Light-Theremin/. He'll probable have more fun building it, but the fun of having one may not be apparent until he sees it in action.
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Captured blueprints
Perhaps they could use these as a blueprint.
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Re:What will they think of next?
Not full size, but you can make a replica yourself out of a magnetic globe.