tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18506312107695851252024-03-08T14:06:14.522-08:00Do It Yourself For Fucks Sake!ya know, in case you're bored sometime.Michael Castellanos!http://www.blogger.com/profile/11724079219614003970noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-5321938670696746072011-01-18T18:25:00.000-08:002011-01-18T18:58:09.370-08:00Whooo buddy, its been a long time...I know none of you out there have missed me, as there are none of you out there to do the missing. However, I've decided to kick this back up again and see if we can't get just a small handful of people to read our shite.<br /><br />Up first (again), one of my favourite little projects that never get old.<br />There are a bunch of videos floating around demostrating these nifty handheld fireballs, so i just googled and grabbed one.<br /><br />Take the jump for the vid and instructions!<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />(apologies for the less than attractive woman speaking...)<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UkvBFk8oSJ4?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UkvBFk8oSJ4?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><strong>Summarised Instructions:</strong><br />Now, there isn't really much to this project. All you have to do is get your hands on the following:<br /><ul><li>Cotton, Wool, or some other flame-resistant(ish) fabric. An <strong>old t-shirt </strong>works great.</li><br /><li><strong>Naphtha</strong> (lighter fluid) or <strong>Kerosene</strong>. I've only tried with Ronsonol and Zippo.. the only observable difference is the former is cheaper.</li><br /><li>A <span style="font-weight:bold;">needle</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">string</span> (it would be smart to have cotton string).</li></ul><br />Roll the fabric up, sew it into a ball-like shape, soak it in fluids, light up, tune in, turn off, drop out, and explode.<br /><br /><br />In all seriousness, though, it <em>will</em> take a little practice for your fingers to get used to the heat, so try to keep them moving, and try your first few over a sink or frying pan or father's trophy or some other non-flammable surface. These things are <em>hard</em> to put out, and--<em>trust me</em>--you do not want them rolling all over the carpet..<br /><br /><br /><br />courtesy of Dr. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D (that's a mouthful)@ <a href="http://chemistry.about.com/od/funfireprojects/a/fireballs.htm">About.com</a>.Andréshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683251584229817938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-13421010171816486912010-02-26T08:52:00.001-08:002010-02-26T09:19:13.849-08:00Captain James West, U.S. Secret ServiceThough certainly not the origin, Will Smith's 1999 movie, <span style="font-style: italic;">Wild Wild West</span>, opened the eyes of many to the world of<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">steam·punk</span> - <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">n.</span><br /><blockquote>a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner." It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes.</blockquote><br /><br />Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you:<br />(jump to find out!)<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />The most awesome looking keyboard you'll ever see.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://steampunkworkshop.com/images/Kb45.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://steampunkworkshop.com/images/Kb45.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now, okay, I'll be honest. This is one awesome project I will probably never even attempt. As such, I'm not even going to bother summarising the metric assload of steps involved. (To be honest, there are a few "do-able" projects, just dont get too caught up looking through the workshop.. you'll never leave.)<br /><br /><br />nabbed from Jake von Slatt @ <a href="http://steampunkworkshop.com/">The Steampunk Workshop</a>.Andréshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683251584229817938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-34518581160526720792010-01-28T13:10:00.000-08:002010-01-28T16:17:51.632-08:00Find your keys!So, Jimmy flies into Middleofnowherevilletown, Michigan, and his friend Eugene picks him up from the aeroport. Though proud of the way he's handled his facebook seperation anxiety thus far, Jimmy's itching to get on the internet. Upon arrival at Eugene's house, Jimmy opens up the laptop he's been clutching to his chest.<br />"Hey, whats your WEP key?"<br />"My wuh?"<br /><br />..shit.<br /><br />So Jimmy asks to use Eugene's computer.<br />"My.. internet broke?"<br /><br />..double shit.<br /><br />How to avoid getting Jimmy'd, after the hop<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />I found out about this neat little util whilst travelling with my family in Chile.<br />We'd just arrived at my grandaunt[?]'s house and while she had a wireless router, neither she nor her husband knew the key. (a friend had set it all up for them)<br /><br />..Long story short, she had a laptop which had the key in its cache and so automatically connected. Of course, my mom wanted to get on facebook with her ipod, my sister wanted to get on facebook on our laptop, and my grandaunt wanted her laptop back! So, seizing possession of the laptop, I googled, and came across two utils that have since resided on my flashdrive.<br /><br />Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html">WirelessKeyView</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html">ProduKey</a></li></ul>These awesome utilities dig up the cached keys to wireless networks, Microsoft Office, and even the copy of Windows installed on a machine!<br /><br /><br /><br />Read up @ <a href="http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html">NirSoft</a> for more<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">NOTE</span> that when using WirelessViewKey to dig up WPA keys from an XP registry, it will only be found in HEX. this is because XP automatically converts it when storing; however, you can use this just like any other key, if you dont mind typing 64 digits into your iphone that is. In Vista [and probably 7, too] WPA keys are stored as ASCII [yes. it IS pronounced ASS KEY. now let me get back to my point] all WEP keys are stored as ASCII <i>and</i> HEX.Andréshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683251584229817938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-56687067152776089402010-01-24T01:32:00.000-08:002010-01-25T04:41:02.739-08:00Cheap-ass Virtual Whiteboard<span style="font-family:modern;">So I figured I'd start this off with a project that I've actually tried.<br />This post comes to you from the brilliant mind of Mr. Johnny Chung Lee, creator of the <a href="http://steadycam.org/">$14 "Poor Man's Steadycam"</a>.<br />Anywhoo, what we're trying to do here is mimic a $1000+ SMARTboard, cheesy music and all.<br /><br />Take the jump for a video sample of the "real" SMARTboard and slightly more complete instructions.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0U05WeXPGlk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0U05WeXPGlk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object><br /><br />Unfortunately, unless you already own a wii [or at least just a wii-mote] this project will cost you a little more than it did me.<br />The magic behind this project is that the wii-mote "sensor" is actually an infrared camera capable of tracking up to four IR dots. Therefore, by setting your wiimote on a stand, it can be used to track, say, what you're pointing to on a screen, and relay that back to a computer connected through bluetooth.<br /><br />Now for the DIY part:<br />Since Johnny's been so kind as to provide the software for us, all we need on our end is:<br /><ul><li>1 Wii-mote</li><br /><li>1 Computer, Bluetooth enabled of course</li><br /><li>1 Something to stand your Wii-mote on [mic stand?]</li><br /><li>1 IR "light pen"</li></ul><br />To build your own light pen, you'll need:<br /><ul><li>1 IR LED [anything from the <a href="http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Ntt=*TSAL6400*&N=1323038&Ntx=mode%2bmatchall&Ns=P_SField&OriginalKeyword=TSAL6400&Ntk=Mouser_Wildcards">Vishay TSAL6400s</a> that Johnny recommends, to my cheap-ass LED ripped outta an old remote control.]</li><br /><li>A source of power [battery OR <u>USB!</u>]</li><br /><li>Resistor [may be optional, depending on your incoming voltage. See schematic below.]</li><br /><li>Some wire [once again, in an effort to be a complete Jew, I used come crappy copper wire that i found lying around my room.]</li><br /><li>A momentary [SPST] push switch [I'm too embarrassed to even explain how I pulled this one off with household items. Suffice to say it was... unorthodox. and should NOT be replicated.]</li><br /><li>Pen casing [AKA old gutted EXPO marker.]</li></ul><br />Following this simplified schematic,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/pen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 142px;" src="http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/pen.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />go ahead and build your own ghetto pen and see if you can make it work. Bask in the warm fuzziness of success when you do get it, then leave this pen on your desk untouched until the messheap claims it and you lose it forever. At least you'll have done it.<br /><br /><br />Stolen from <a href="http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/">johnnylee.net</a><br />head there for more useful tips.<br /></span>Andréshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683251584229817938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-81922692699260285472010-01-23T21:56:00.000-08:002010-01-27T06:13:42.351-08:00Super-Powered Laser Pointer -Update-Okay be honest, laser pointers are only fun/useful for so long before you get bored (unless you own a cat.)<br />
How much would you totally dig a laser pointer that burned more than your retinas?<br />
Materials and directions after the jump<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
This DIY project consists of the following materials:<br />
Average Laser Pointer<br />
Tiny Screwdriver<br />
<br />
First, just disassemble that bad boy,<br />
look for the variable resistor (looks like a small phillips-head screw),<br />
tighten the resister just a bit (not too much, you'll burn out your laser!),<br />
and finally reassemble that sucker.<br />
<br />
Disassemble, Tighten, Reassemble, Burninate.<br />
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<br />
Directions @ <a href="http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Amp_Up_a_Laser_Pointer">Wired.com</a><br />
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<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>UPDATE: i bought a cheap laser pointer at a thrift store today,</b><br />
<b>and i failed to find any variable resistor. So i have nothing to tune....<br />
So this project may only work with select laser pointers.</b>Michael Castellanos!http://www.blogger.com/profile/11724079219614003970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-50142443839676273252010-01-22T00:21:00.000-08:002010-01-24T15:15:58.500-08:00me.<span style="font-family:modern;">So, uh...<br />..I guess I'm, uh, s'posed to introduce myself.<br />*stares at toes*<br /><br />...or sum`in..<br />*silence*<br /><br /><br />aww screw it.<br />I'm Andrés, or you can call me wedge for short.<br />I like to build things, take things apart, blow things up, and sing.<br />Hopefully this little venture of ours will help you kill some time, save some money, and maybe even learn something! [dont count on that last one though]<br /><br />And remember, if you hurt yourself attempting a project, TOO BAD! <b>its not our fault</b>.<br />(maybe we can come up with a difficulty rating system though.. thoughts?)<br /><br />-wedge<br /></span>Andréshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683251584229817938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850631210769585125.post-31074274893496375412010-01-20T00:22:00.000-08:002010-01-27T06:12:06.682-08:00Welcome!hello there visitor!<br />
allow me to introduce this website.<br />
here you find a collection of various Do It Yourself projects or that would be fun to work on in your spare time just for the hell of it, or to save money.<br />
these projects can range anywhere from small program tweaks to make your computer or programs run better, or differently, or all the way to a hefty hardware store visit to make yourself something technical and fantastic.<br />
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most of these DIY projects will not be attempted by myself, this is not a DIY project review site either.<br />
i am merely a gateway and organizer to various DIY stuff i find online, or is told to me from friends.<br />
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i very much hope you find this website both intriguing, comedic, and distracting.<br />
i would also love it if some of these projects save you some money <br />
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thanks for visiting,<br />
Michael Castellanos!Michael Castellanos!http://www.blogger.com/profile/11724079219614003970noreply@blogger.com0