Do it Yourself Tech gadgets

Here are some interesting projects I have found for our tech savy members who enjoy building their own things.
---------------------------------------
Control lights in your house with your computer

Have you ever wanted to control the lights in your house from your
computer? It's actually fairly affordable to do so. You can even control
sprinkler systems, automatic window blinds, motorized projection
screens, etc. You need two pieces of hardware to get started. A
controller, which connects to your computer; and a dimmer switch. I'm
using SmartHome Insteon products in this example.



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Control-lights-in-your-house-with-your-computer/
---------------------------------------
Mr. Buzz, the USB Solar Charger in a Cup

Mr.
Buzz is a solar powered USB charger in a cup! The lightweight and
flexible PowerFilm solar panel charges up the 2400mA battery pack so
you can recharge your USB device even without the sun.

What's so cool about Mr. Buzz?

• Uses flexible solar panels that are extremely light, unbreakable and can be mounted on nearly anything.
  
• Rechargeable batteries in the cup let you charge / power your device even if the sun isn't out.
  
• Total
  power storage of around 2,500 mA, more than enough for a full iPhone
  recharge, or multiple recharges for smaller devices, like a shuffle.
  
• Has a USB 'Type A' jack, the same jack that's on your computer, so you can connect to any USB device.
  

Mr. Buzz is available as a kit from Gadget Gangster



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Mr-Buzz-the-USB-Solar-Charger-in-a-Cup/


---------------------------------------
How To Build A Vacuum Tube Tesla Coil (VTTC)

Can't find a neon sign transformer? Want to build your first Tesla Coil
without facing the complexities of going solid state? Here's some good
news, vacuum tube Tesla Coils, which have mostly been overlooked in
recent years as obsolete, can be just as rewarding as any other type of
coil without breaking the bank.

Noteworthy: I am a freshman in high school as thus cannot afford an
expensive camera, some of the pictures in the instructable will not be
very good. Additionally, I was in eighth grade when I built this
project. Updates will come soon, hopefully including more detailed
instructions, higher quality pictures, and maybe even a video.

Also, while this project does work in its current form, I have detected
some problems and and working to fix them. You would best be advised to
postpone your building until then - it seems that theses tubes could
operate more efficiently at higher frequencies and my primary RLC tank
circuit's natural frequency is much higher than my secondary side RLC
circuit's natural frequency; a new secondary coil with a frequency of
approximately 1.5MHz is being designed and the primary circuit will be
retuned. I expect a great leap in performance, with sparks possibly as
long as 7" to 9".

3/10/10: I decided to try to estimate the resonant frequencies of my
primary and secondary circuits using deepfriedneon's formulas, and I
found that my coil is oscillating about 100kHz above my primary circuit.
I don't have any parts to fix tis now, but will add a capacitor or two
to the primary circuit to lower its frequency soon. IMPORTANT: I found a
6.3V at 12A Hammond power transformer and replaced my 5V computer power
supply - the results were truly impressive; I am getting better
performance with one tube than I ever got with two, filament voltage
really matters!



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Vacuum-Tube-Tesla-Coil-VTTC/


---------------------------------------
mmersive HMD (Head Mounted Display)

Introduction

Who hasn't played an FPS and wished they could have a HUD overlay in
real life? Maybe some of you, but I'm sure the true geeks reading this
have! I looked around and nothing fit my budget, so i decided to build
one. Rather than attempting to make a display that you could see
through, which seemed far too complicated for my taste, I decided to use
a camera and screens to do the job. This is the very first build of this
idea, using the cheapest components possible really. I have many
upgrades planned, which will be listed in the final section of this
instructable. Continue on to see how I did it!



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-DJ-Turntable-from-old-Computer-Parts/
---------------------------------------
Make a $2 Adjustable Smartphone Car Mount in 10 minutes

Do you ever wander the aisles at store after store looking for just the
right thing to hold your phone/GPS/mobile device while you're driving?
There are tons of these on the market but I've never managed to
find one that worked in my oddly shaped Scion XB. In California
you can't mount anything to the window, and my window is far out of
reach anyway. Belkin makes a charger/mount that goes in the
cigarette lighter but that puts the phone by my knee - definitely unsafe
for driving. Giant bean bag sliding around the top of the
dashboard seems like a silly waste of space. Some
"cradles" are ridiculously larger than the device you're
trying to hold. Suction cups pop off at the most inopportune
times. And who wants to put glue or holes in you car?

Luckily for me, the original (super boxy) XB has an assortment of odd
"spaces" in the dash. These make a perfect place to
attach a rock solid, quick and dirty $2 mount that'll take less than 10
minutes to make from stuff you likely already have around the house.
This mount is adjustable and easily completely moveable/removable
without harming your car in any way. It can also be adapted to any
hold any mobile device that weighs about one pound or less.




Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-2-Adjustable-Smartphone-Car-Mount-in-10-mi/
---------------------------------------
Outlets of the Future aka in-wall USB Charger

Your Iphone is dead, someone has run off with your Ipod wall
charger, if only it where the future and all outlets were USB!
This instructable will show you how to convert a standard outlet
into an inwall USB Charger. In about 30 minutes and for
under $10.00.

Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Outlets-of-the-Future-aka-in-wall-USB-Charger/
-Zero

Here is a little love for my fellow pyromaniacs.
-------------------------------
Flamethrower Gauntlet (VLPD)

**This instructable is meant purely for guiding purposes, therefore the
end product you create is yours, and has no legal ties to me. Please be careful.**

I'm a starving tinkerer with a lot of ideas, and would like to share
some of them with this VERY impressive community. Please be kind,
this is my first instructable!!

My intention is to show you the basic components of this device
to create your own unique version of it.

I originally built the first version of this simply to have a squirt gun
mounted on the palm of my hand. It was powered by a c02 paintball
tank and had a serious amount of power, but was very awkward to use.

This new "base" version is a stand alone unit mounted on the
forearm,
and can be operated with one hand. (after activating the safety)

I plan to create a few related instructables showing possible add-ons for
this device, including auxiliary tanks that can either be worn on the
bicep,
or on the back.

There are an infinite amount of possibilities available for this device. I've
included an example of such an upgrade here; my flame gauntlet upgrade.



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Flamethrower-Gauntlet-VLPD/

-------------------------------




PYRO DETONATOR 2 igniter detonator fireworks pyrotechnics

Device which can detonate or ignite just about anything you want it to.
Made for safe ignition of fireworks but with some skills you can make
this fine case and put anything you want on the end of it.



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/PYRO-DETONATOR-2------igniter-detonator-fireworks-/

-------------------------------




Ziplock CO2 Grenade

This is a design for a simple yet effective grenade. It uses vinegar and
baking soda to make Co2 which pops the bag.

This is my first Instructable so I hope its alright.



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Ziplock-CO2-Grenade/

-------------------------------




Beer Can Jet Engine: Mark II

***********************************************************************************************************
THIS INSTRUCTABLE IS NOT FINISHED, I HAVE SOME VIDEOS TO UPLOAD YET.
SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES.

LBO
***********************************************************************************************************

This is the new and improved version of my Mark I Origional Beer Can Jet
Engine. It has a far more severe throat in the air intake to aid
compression, a new power suply that is variable and works of mains
electricity (instead of a complex power pack) and an inline fuel
injection system that opposes the direction of air to improve the
fuel-air mixture.

The results were mixed, it wasnt the massive improvement in performance
i was expecting but i am pleased that it wasnt a complete failure, i
have learned alot about the construction and opperation during my
investigation and experimentation and hopefully in the Mark III Engine
the culmination of the two builds with result in one engine of definably
superior performance.



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Beer-Can-Jet-Engine-Mark-II/

-------------------------------
Match Rocket

How to make a match rocket that will fly from nothing to 12 feet (my
record), maybe more!
Very cheap to make!
I have perfected the match rocket!



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Match-Rocket/

-------------------------------
Fuse


..................................................................................................................................................................................


This instructable describes how to build a simple fuser to quickly and
efficently make hundreds of feet of pyrotechnic fuse. It requires very
basic materials and construction skills, and the entire process only
takes a matter of hours to get hundreds of feet of fuse.
I would like to give credit to both united nuclear and pyro
universe, because this design improves on and modifies both of their
ideas and techniques. This project will have much use in my other
projects requiring fuse, and as every pyrotechnic knows you can never
have enough fuse.



Full Readout: http://www.instructables.com/id/Fuse/

-Zero

Cool stuff! I was just thinking today while sitting at my desk... "I need a HUD!"

S7 Coolhand wrote:Cool stuff! I was just thinking today while sitting at my desk... "I need a HUD!"

And a Flamethrower Guantlet to go with it

I wanna try to convert one of my wall outlet to usb outlets that looks pretty good.