22 GREAT PROJECTS

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33
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76
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ISBN: 978-1-449-32765-1
+ LEARN CNC JOINERY // GROW INCENDIARY GHOST CHILIES
108

M33_CV1-CV4_F2.indd 1 12/14/12 11:55 AM

 BUILD
& RACE

A CELEBRATION OF AMAZING CREATIONS AND THE PARTS THAT MADE THEM POSSIBLE.

Use
Use a si
simp
m le cir
ircu
cuit
i , DC motors, and solar cells
l to build autonomous rac
acer
ers.
BEAM (biology, electronics, aesthetics, mechanics) is a type This type of solar engine is called a FLED-type, for “flashing
of robotic design that makes use of simple components LED.” The LED is not used as a light, but as a trigger to
and bits of techno-junk to create cool robo-critters, many dump the charge from our capacitors (or polyacene
of them inspired by nature. Clever circuit designs, analog battery). When the charge is high enough to flash the LED,
parts, and minimal components make it a perfect type of it becomes a conductor and allows the current to flow
robot-building for beginners and kids. through the circuit and turn the motor. When the charge is
dissipated, the resistance goes back up and the charging
One of the basic BEAM circuits is called the Solar Engine, a phase begins again.
simple means of collecting a solar cell’s output and using it
to power a motor. The Solar Engine can be used to drive all
riots
sorts of BEAMbots. In this project we’ll use it as the muscle Our Cha
vative
make inno
to power a little solar race car and a top-like spinner. me
use of so
ec hn o- ju nk” in
“t
co ns truc-
Let’s Get Started: their
uding
tion, incl
The list below includes enough parts to make two solar wheel
the roller
engines. To assemble each one, follow the diagram and wire om a po rtable
fr
et te pl ayer.
together all components as shown. Note that the flat sides cass
of the transistors face each other. (You can use heat-shrink
tubing to hold them together.)

Solar Chari
ots, ready
by biology for action.
and these BEAM is
mechanical inspired
sun-drench critters m
ed bugs. T ove like la
than rabbit- he y ar e more tortoi zy,
runners, bu se-crawler
t no less s
fun to race
!

M33_CV2-1_RadioShackAd_F1.indd CV2 12/11/12 9:28 AM

Whether you decide to build the Roller or Symet vehicle,
both are built using the same circuit design, modified to suit
their forms. These chariots are commonly referred to as
SOLAR CHARIOTS INCLUDE
a roller and a spinner, respectively. Other types of bots in THESE PARTS
the BEAM taxonomy include walkers, fliers, squirmers, and
sitters —— named for the type of movement they produce
(and yes, sitters simply sit).

BEAM robots are all about

experimentation. Use this same
circuit to power different style 4700μF
capacitors
vehicles. Fashion a “dragster” from
paper clips to create a lighter
Flashing
weight vehicle. Search for other LEDs
wacky “solaroller” designs online.
Most of all, have fun!

Transistors
2N3904,
If you’re building the Symet Solar Chariot, which uses 2N3906
three capacitors, you’ll want to attach three 4700μF
capacitors where one is shown in the diagram.

We have downloadable templates available on the

project page (makeprojects.com/project/b/1939) for
the wooden wheels we cut with a laser cutter. But you
2.2K
don’t need a high-tech machine. Stiff cardstock will resistor
work just as well. Just cut carefully!

When you’re done assembling the parts from the

template, you can attach the circuit to your motor and
the solar cell to your circuit. (Again, see the project Heat-shrink
tubing
online for details.) Now take your racers into the
sunlight and start your engines! The Symet will spin and
move when it releases its charge, and the Roller will
race forward like a solar-power dragster. For maximum
racing fun, build two Symets or two Rollers and race
against your friends. To see full build instructions, visit
To submit your own creation,
radioshackdiy.com/project-gallery/beam-solar-chariots. explore other great creations,
and get the hard-to-find parts you
By MAKE Editorial Director Gareth Branwyn, and Zach and Kim DeBord
need, visit RadioShack.com/DIY.
SCAN THIS QR CODE TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT
 Volume 33
COLUMNS FEATURES ON THE
8: Welcome
Geek sports!

10: Reader Input

24: Hack the Track
Move over Formula 1,
the Power Racing Series
is in town.
COVER
Rocket sugar-rush, drill press
safety, an energy-saving bear, 32: Going Pro
and a trip down memory lane. Makers are turning their
hand-soldered prototypes
12: Making Makers into consumer electronics.
Why make?
36: Building a Bot
14: Maker’s Calendar Ben, Kendra, and Monsieur
Events from around the world. Tux the cat tackle the Rovera
2W Arduino Robot Kit.
16: Made on Earth
The world of backyard 39: Victorian Microtech
technology. Adventures in antique
watch restoration.

44: Software for Makers

From tangible to digital
BEGINNE and back again.
36 R
‘DUINO BOTS: 51: Code Kids NEVER GROW UP: Peter Novotnak from Sector67
The new Rovera Start programming with
races Black Beauty at World Maker Faire New York 2012.
kit comes with SmallBasic Recipes.
Photograph by Andrew Kelly. Art Direction by Jason Babler.
fun included.
54: The Banana
Interface
Control your world with 32
Scratch and MaKey MaKey. DREAM BIG:
How Sifteo went
from prototype
to pro.

HOBBY HORSE:
Link Scratch to your bronco
for rockin’ good times.

56

Vol. 33, Jan 2013. MAKE (ISSN 1556-2336) is published quarterly by O’Reilly Media,
Inc. in the months of January, April, July, and October. O’Reilly Media is located at
1005 Gravenstein Hwy. North, Sebastopol, CA 95472, (707) 827-7000. SUBSCRIP-
TIONS: Send all subscription requests to MAKE, P.O. Box 17046, North Hollywood,
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at Sebastopol, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address
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Publications Mail Agreement Number 41129568. CANADA POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to: O’Reilly Media, PO Box 456, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6V2

2
 READ ME Always check
makezine.com/33 before
makezin
you get started. There
Volume 33
may be important
updates or corrections.

PROJECTS
PROJEC
58: Skill BBuilder:
CNC Panel Joinery
Make inter
interlocking, self-
aligning, aand demountable
flat stock.
joints in fla

66: Laser
Laser-Cut Book Covers
66 Use this ne
neat technique
to make plywood flexible.
HINGED LOGIC: 146
Make plywood flexible 68: Simple Soundboard
by employing a clever A getting-started project CHECKMATE: This new spin on the classic game
series of cuts. for Raspberry Pi. comes with plenty of geek cred.

72: DIY Welding Rod

108 Prepare for the apocalypse
by rolling your own.
88
CAT SCRATCH
FEEDER: 76: Panjolele
Build this post and Start a ukulele craze with this
save your furniture. great-sounding instrument
built from household parts.

87: 1+2+3: Dice Popper

88: Growing the Ghost
Bhut Jolokia peppers are 125
times hotter than jalapeños.

92: Electronics:
Fun & Fundamentals
Make a key-card door lock.

96: Optical Tremolo

Plug your guitar into light-
programmable waveforms.

104: Country Scientist

Explore your world through FIVE ALARM: “Spicy” is an understatement when
a pinhole. it comes to this killer pepper. Sketch by Evan Hughes.

108: Scratch-a-Treat 121: 1+2+3: Spray Bottle 140: Howtoons: Abacus

Build a snack-dispensing
scratching post to make Kitty 122: Kanpai! 142: Remaking History
forget the couch and curtains. Brew sake at home. Abraham Lincoln and the
political campaign torch.
118: Wii Nunchuk Mouse 127: Making Trouble
Bring console-style motion Build a solar-powered 146: Homebrew
control to your PC. roasting spit. Nixie tube chess set.

130: Vinyl-Cut PCB Resist 148: Toolbox

Etch your circuits the easy Sliver grippers, screw pliers,
way — with a resist pattern Typhoon burs, universal
you make on a vinyl cutter. clamps, books galore, and
the latest in Arduino.
134: Counting Box
Building a simple counting 160: Toy Inventor’s
circuit for kids. Notebook
Gnome math required!

4
 They met through
100kGarages.
Jens is a designer in Oslo.
slo
Lee's a fabber in Sugar Grove, Illinois.
-O Together, they're doing
s
Jen

distributed manufacturing.

Lee -
Ill Now they're
in business.
in
ois

Lee Bernard is a designer and fabber who's

worked for a number of years with natural
stone, wood and metals (his website:
cnc.rockspainc.com). Lee's digital fabrication
tool is a CNC router with 5'x 11' bed that he
designed and built himself.
He signed up on 100kGarages just a few
months ago. Lee says, "I searched the site
for possible collaborators, put the word out
to a handful, and connected with product
designer Jens Dyvik (www.dyvikdesign.com)
from Norway. We hit it off, and now we're
collaborating to fab his chairs for sale here
in the Midwest. We're excited to use the
distributed manufacturing business model!"

The third industrial revolution lives at 100kGarages.com. So be a part of it!

If you're looking for a custom product to be designed and fabbed, or if you're
a designer or fabber looking to make connections, 100kGarages is for you.

connect. collaborate. create.

100kGarages is a project of ShopBot Tools 
Ŕ ShopBotTools.com

“Beauty is more important
in computing than anywhere
else in technology because
software is so complicated.
Beauty is the ultimate defense FOUNDER & PUBLISHER
against complexity.” Dale Dougherty
—David Gelernter [email protected]

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MAKER-IN-CHIEF

Gareth Branwyn Sherry Huss
[email protected] [email protected]

EDITORIAL DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO SALES & ADVERTISING PUBLISHING &
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR SENIOR SALES MANAGER
DIRECTOR, CONTENT SERVICES
Mark Frauenfelder Jason Babler Katie Dougherty Kunde
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Melissa Morgan
[email protected]
PROJECTS EDITOR SENIOR DESIGNER SALES MANAGER
DIRECTOR, RETAIL MARKETING
Keith Hammond Katie Wilson Cecily Benzon & OPERATIONS
[email protected] [email protected]
SENIOR DESIGNER Heather Harmon Cochran
SENIOR EDITOR SALES MANAGER [email protected]
Juliann Brown
Goli Mohammadi Brigitte Kunde BUSINESS MANAGER
[email protected] ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR [email protected]
Gregory Hayes Rob DeMartin
SENIOR EDITOR CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER [email protected]
[email protected]
Stett Holbrook Sheena Stevens OPERATIONS MANAGER
VIDEOGRAPHER [email protected]
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Nat Wilson-Heckathorn Rob Bullington
SALES & MARKETING
Sean Michael Ragan COORDINATOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER
ASSISTANT EDITOR WEBSITE Gillian BenAry Eric Weinhoffer
Laura Cochrane WEB PRODUCER
MAKER SHED EVANGELIST
STAFF EDITOR
Jake Spurlock MARKETING
Michael Castor
[email protected] SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Arwen O’Reilly Griffith COMMUNITY MANAGER
Vickie Welch
COPY EDITOR MAKER FAIRE [email protected] John Baichtal
Laurie Barton PRODUCER
MARKETING COORDINATOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
EDITORS AT LARGE
Louise Glasgow Meg Mason Suzanne Huston
Phillip Torrone MARKETING & PR
David Pescovitz Bridgette Vanderlaan PUBLISHED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE
PROGRAM DIRECTOR O’REILLY MEDIA, INC. cs@readerservices.
Sabrina Merlo Tim O’Reilly, CEO makezine.com
SPONSOR RELATIONS
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COORDINATOR
Copyright © 2013 including change of address:
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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
All rights reserved. 866-289-8847 toll-free
William Gurstelle, Mister Jalopy, Brian Jepson, Reproduction without in U.S. and Canada
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Schumann Printers, Inc. Follow us on Twitter:
Tony Adams, Gabriel Bianconi, Alastair Bland, Phil Bowie,
Chris Connors, Larry Cotton, Rob Cullen, Gus Dassios, Saul Griffith, Visit us online: @make @makerfaire
Chris Hackett, Tim Hunkin, Daniel Kirk, Bob Knetzger, Lynn Langit, makezine.com @craft @makershed
Michael Margolis, David Merrill, Forrest M. Mims III, Gabriel Nagmay, Comments may be sent to: On Google+:
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Schmitz, Jason Poel Smith, AnnMarie Thomas, Marc de Vinck, On Facebook: makemagazine
Shawn Wallace, Doug Watson, Chester Winowiecki TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Kipp Bradford, Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, Limor Fried,
Nick Dragotta, Evan Hughes, Bob Knetzger, Timmy Kucynda, Joe Grand, Saul Griffith, William Gurstelle, Bunnie Huang, Tom Igoe,
Juan Leguizamon, Tim Lillis, Rob Nance, Shaw Nielsen, Mister Jalopy, Steve Lodefink, Erica Sadun, Marc de Vinck
Damien Scogin, Julie West INTERNS
ONLINE CONTRIBUTORS Uyen Cao (ecomm.), Eric Chu (engr.), Craig Couden (edit.),
John Baichtal, Michael Colombo, Stuart Deutsch, Adam Flaherty, Paloma Fautley (engr.), Sam Freeman (engr.), Gunther Kirsch (photo),
Travis Good, David Lang, Nick Normal, John Edgar Park, Courtney Lentz (mktg.), Brian Melani (engr.), Tyler Moskowite (video),
Shawn Wallace Bill Olson (web), Nick Parks (engr.), Daniel Spangler (engr.),
Karlee Tucker (sales/mktg.)

PLEASE NOTE: Technology, the laws, and limitations imposed by manufacturers and content owners are constantly changing. Thus,
MAKE CARES MAKE is printed on some of the projects described may not work, may be inconsistent with current laws or user agreements, or may damage or adversely
recycled, process-chlorine-free, acid-free affect some equipment. Your safety is your own responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining
paper with 30% post-consumer waste, whether you have adequate skill and experience. Power tools, electricity, and other resources used for these projects are dangerous,
certified by the Forest Stewardship Council unless used properly and with adequate precautions, including safety gear. Some illustrative photos do not depict safety precautions
and the Sustainable Forest Initiative, with soy-based inks or equipment, in order to show the project steps more clearly. These projects are not intended for use by children. Use of the instruc-
containing 22%–26% renewable raw materials. tions and suggestions in MAKE is at your own risk. O’Reilly Media, Inc., disclaims all responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or
expense. It is your responsibility to make sure that your activities comply with applicable laws, including copyright.

6
 CONTRIBUTORS

Shaw Nielsen (Software for Makers Chris Connors (Vinyl PCB Resist) likes Timmy Kucynda (Scratch-a-Treat
illustrations) is a pretty snazzy illustrator, to mix it up, try things that he’s not had illustration), known as “Tim” to his dog
if he does say so himself. He lives in Den- a chance to take on before, and “do the Munky, is a graphic artist practicing out
ver, Colo., and says, “I doodle during the most with the least amount of tools and of San Francisco’s Upper Haight. When
week and escape to the mountains on supplies.” He lives a mile from where he not changing pee pads and searing raw
the weekend with my dog and girlfriend.” grew up, in Duxbury, Mass., with his wife, food for his senior Chihuahua, Timmy
Not only does he like outdoor activities Liz, but they have taken their two daugh- provides illustrations for a variety of
such as hiking, camping, and skiing, ters to places as far-flung as Alaska and studios, agencies, and publications,
but he also loves beer, sunshine, and Malawi. Connors was a public school and is proud to have been a contributor
puppies. Nielsen enjoys making delicious teacher for 18 years, teaching fashion to MAKE magazine since its inception.
food (“usually by adding bacon to it”), illustration, principles of technology, Timmy would like to finish these 100
and is working on building “the world’s drafting, CAD, radio broadcasting, audio words or less by thanking the family,
best indoor winter herb garden.” As a production, communication, graphic friends, and all the talented people he
designer and big fan of all things web- design, printmaking, web design, C++, has worked with over the years. Their
and design-related, he’s happy to see Java, robotics, engineering, fashioning confidence and support has meant
that the web is really evolving as a much technology, and digital fabrication, to the world.
more richly designed environment. name a few subjects.

Tim Hunkin (Victorian Microtech) Sam Freeman (Make: Labs intern coor- Chris Hackett (DIY Welding Rod) is
trained as an engineer but then became dinator) describes himself as follows: an artist, founder and director of the
a cartoonist, drawing a strip for The “I spent 1,000 years frozen in an ancient Madagascar Institute (madagascar
Observer, a U.K. Sunday paper, called cryogenics lab, and was thawed out 12 institute.com), occasional television
“The Rudiments of Wisdom” for 15 years. years ago. I now enjoy traveling, hiking, presenter (most recently on Discovery’s
His next career was in television, writing and root beer floats. But I have a weird Stuck With Hackett), and sometimes
and presenting three series called The sense of humor.” He loves traveling, both teacher (adjunct professor at New York
Secret Life of Machines for Channel 4. the road trip and backpack variety, as University’s ITP). He’s usually slogging
For the next ten years he worked for well as photography and bike riding. He away at a couple of concurrent projects:
David Neff (Chris Connors)

museums, building interactive exhibits, thrives on variety. His project list “is long individual, personal, small-scale builds,
and curating and designing exhibitions. (and backed up), but somewhere on it is and larger, collaborative Madagascar
Since 2001, when not distracted by a raygun, an arcade console, and a six- Institute projects, like the Mandee
building enormous public clocks and foot-tall flaming tiki head.” MAKE duties Amplifier: a 14-foot-tall, fully mobile,
other entertaining projects, he’s been aside, he’s most thrilled by “the slightest clattering, singing construction of Awe-
obsessed with his amusement arcade possibility of cloning a Tasmanian tiger” some. Hackett likes his coffee strong,
on Southwold Pier called the Under the though he’d prefer that species stopped his physics Newtonian, and is a firm
Pier Show. going extinct in the first place. believer in “Build it, then measure it.”

makezine.com 7
 WELCOME

Geek Sports! Detroit (and has been at every Detroit Faire

since). Last year, the race made it to World
Maker Faire in New York, and it’ll likely be
coming to the Bay Area this year as well.
By Gareth Branwyn
With an ever-expanding roster of races and
racers, commercial sponsorship, and a grow-
Years ago, I was channel surfing and happened ing fanbase, the future of Power Racing looks
upon something I first thought was ridiculous. as bright as a jacked-up pink Barbie trike. See
ESPN2 was broadcasting Magic: The Gather- our eight-page feature in this issue (page 24)
ing World Championship. They had all of the to learn more about the history and ethos of
sport broadcast trappings: announcer, color Power Racing and how you can get involved in
commentator, referee, engrossed spectators this challenging and wacky sport.
in bleachers, scoreboard, and onscreen Some posit that the maker movement
graphics to reinforce the action. is partly driven by the need for all
An hour later, finding myself of us pixel-pushers to get up
enthralled and rooting for a from our computers and do
specific player and his unstop- something tangible, physi-
pable monstrous cave troll cal, and grounding. So we’ve
(or whatever), I didn’t think it ended up hardware hacking,
was so silly. Ever since then 3D printing, robot building,
I’ve been fascinated by the or stepping further away
concept of “brain sports” — from high-tech altogether and
fun, competitive games for into more traditional forms of
brainiacs and creative thinkers, making like woodworking, metal-
more inclusive and less cerebral (and working, and handicrafts. Often,
serious) than the original geek sport: chess. though, in pursuing some of these more physi-
Maker Faire, our large-scale DIY festival, cal forms of making, we find ourselves back
has done its part in hosting (and in some at our computers, using special software for
cases creating) such sport. At the very running our CNC cutters or 3D printers, or to
first Maker Faire Bay Area in 2006, we saw design our custom-printed circuit boards.
Segway polo matches. Since then we’ve In this issue of MAKE (starting on page 44),
witnessed human-powered Chariot Races, we take a look at the critical programs you
Model Warship Battles, Nerdy Derby (think: need to create CAD models, work with micro-
Pinewood Derby, only nerdier), Turtle Shell controllers, design circuit boards, and teach
Racers (3D-printed racing turtles), Death kids programming.
Defying Figure 8 Pedal Car races, and more. From hacking children’s toys into adult
And then there’s the Power Racing Series, a race cars, to programming robots and tiny
sport that grew out of a Chicago hackerspace computers, to growing painfully hot peppers
(Pumping Station: One) and has captured the and brewing your own sake (all detailed in this
imaginations of a growing number of hacker- issue), you can’t say that makers don’t have
Juan Leguizamon

spaces and individuals. diverse interests! a

Power Racing, which involves modifying and
racing electric Power Wheels kiddie vehicles,
made its big debut in 2009 at Maker Faire Gareth Branwyn is the editorial director at MAKE.
8
 READER
INPUT

Rocket sugar-rush, drill press safety,

an energy-saving bear, and a
trip down memory lane.
For more comments, mods, and tips on the
Compressed Air Rocket project, visit makezine.
com/go/carockets.

» I just made the “Charlie’s RFID Teddy Bear”

project from Volume 28 (makeprojects.com/
project/r/1411) for my 15-month-old daughter.
We’re attaching the RFID tags to pictures of
family members so she can hear their record-

ed voices, because all my family lives out

of town. It was my first MAKE project ever,
although I’m a longtime maker. It works great!
One easy and cheap add-on I highly recom-
 
mend is the Pololu Pushbutton Power Switch
(item #750 at pololu.com, $7). It lets you turn
the bear on and lets the software turn the bear
off automatically after a timeout of no use —
saves lots of batteries!
W
You can also modify it so the button can
only power the unit on, not off (see makezine.
com/go/polswitch). This makes it less con-
» I can’t thank you enough for putting this fusing for my daughter!
project [“Compressed Air Rocket,” Volume 15] —Stephen Schwartz-Fenwick, Chicago, Ill.
out here! I started out building the launcher
to entertain my two boys. The sugar-rush-like » I really enjoyed Donald Simanek’s article
symptoms it gave my inner child are just a on polarized light [“Screwy Light,” Volume 32].
bonus! I built ours using the tire valve and it When I was growing up in the 1950s, one of
seems to work very well. I have two tips for my best friends was Jay Ballance. His father
making the rockets that really made things owned a fascinating company, Technical
easier for me: Animations, Inc., in our hometown of Port
1. Use a spray bottle to mist the cardstock Washington, N.Y. Among other clever things,
lightly before forming the tube and cone, but he used a combination of polarized filters with
give them a minute to dry before taping. Scotch cellophane tape to create animated
2. After you have a finished cone that you’re representations of complicated mechanisms,
happy with, use it to form the moist cardstock fluid flows, etc., using the same color effects
over for the next one. pointed out in the MAKE article.
Thanks again! John Ballance, the father, died an untimely
—Robert Wade, Vancouver, Wash. death from a heart attack in the late 1950s,

10
but I see his wife followed up on his patents for
the technique (makezine.com/go/ballance). » Thanks to William Gurstelle for Volume
Evidently the company continued at least into 30’s “Keybanging” project. The Monster Guts
the 1970s based on additional patents, but Nerve Center is an interesting device but
I can’t find any later references. Thanks for a seems underpowered for $69. That’s the same
great article and a trip down memory lane! price as a basic Click PLC from Automation
—Walt Scrivens, Delray Beach, Fla. Direct. Whereas the Nerve Center offers but
one input and two outputs, the Click offers
» Figure 1h of Volume 31’s Fetch-O-Matic eight inputs and six outputs, with the option
build illustrates some very bad safety, and 1j of additional I/O modules. Further, the Click
isn’t much better. It’s interesting to learn that supports Modbus, allowing software like
a main accident mode of a drill press isn’t Mach3 to interface with it. Click PLCs can also
making a hole in your hand with the bit — it’s communicate with each other.
having the bit grab the work piece and spin On the other hand, I like the Nerve Center’s
it into you. audio feature, and the Click requires 24V DC,
It’s the same with many other tools. A whereas the Nerve Center can run on AC.
table saw blade can jam in a board and send And Click doesn’t come with a programming
it shooting across the shop so someone cable, although the software (it’s programmed
nowhere near the blade goes to the hospital. in relay ladder logic) is free. For most of my
There was a neat 2×4 hole in the wall way applications, the Click would be my choice.
behind our saw at school that was purpose- —Paul Anderson, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
fully never repaired.
Figure 1h has a couple of things wrong: Author William Gurstelle replies: Paul, thanks
for the tip! My goal in this article was to automate
1. A spade bit should never go in a press, without programming, so I skipped the PLCs in favor
because they are very prone to sticking in the of pushbutton simplicity. For more on programmable
work piece. The package they come in usually logic controllers, check out “Building with PLCs” in
MAKE Volume 23, page 104.
says “hand drill only,” or something similar.
2. The work piece should always be either
clamped to the table or placed against some-
thing that will stop it from spinning if the
bit grabs it. Often you can stick the piece I'm on
against the post — quick and easy! Figure 1h
looks like the work could have rested
a truck!
against the post and not the dude’s
hand (though really that bit should
be in a hand drill). In Figure 1j, the
piece might be too small to clamp,
but it could have been placed against
something clamped to the table.
All the really good safety lessons
I ever got about tools taught me
something that wasn’t obvious. I’ll
never forget to treat gas cylinders
with respect after hearing the story of
my welding instructor, who saw a gas B

cylinder go rocketing down the deck of

an aircraft carrier he was building during
WWII. Please keep encouraging your
readers to do dangerous things safely.
—Andrew Collins, Albuquerque, N.M.

makezine.com 11
 MAKING this? Am I doing this the right way? I’ve made
MAKERS Squishy Circuits (a method for using conduc-
tive play dough to sculpt working circuits) with
people of all ages, and I’ve rarely had a child
turn down the opportunity to try it out. With

Why Make? adults, though, I’ve often seen reticence or

protests of “I’m not good at that sort of thing.”
Making is about a willingness to try, and a
confidence in your ability to learn new things,
By AnnMarie Thomas
Engineer Educator often with help from others.
One of my greatest hopes for my daughters
Last year, I took a friend to her first Maker is that they can find the combination of curi-
Faire. We walked around looking at projects osity, passion, and confidence that will allow
and exhibits, and she had a question for me: them to see the world as a place they can
“Why?” She was impressed by what she saw, actively help create. Thus, whenever I meet a
but really curious about the motivation behind maker who has spent hours/days/years work-
it. Why do makers make? ing on a project simply because it brings them
The projects you flip through in this maga- joy, I often ask them about their childhood in
zine aren’t typically part of someone’s job or hopes of gleaning some parenting advice.
homework assignment. Rather, making is so Their stories often include a supportive
often the result of intrinsic motivation. Many adult who encouraged them in their projects
makers spend countless hours in the (even when the adult didn’t completely
library, lab, garage, or makerspace understand what the young maker
working, alone or in a group, on was doing). This supportive
projects that no one has told adult was also typically some-
them to take on. Projects that, one who pursued her own
truth be told, may never work. projects, which is key. If we
Projects that likely have no want to encourage children
due date, no entry rules, and to be makers, we need to
no complete how-to instruc- demonstrate it.
tions. Projects undertaken This is why I make a concerted
for the sheer joy of figuring out effort to work on my own projects,
whether something can be done, or even small ones, and to show my
because there’s a problem for which no one daughters what I’m doing. This is also why
has found a good solution, or because it’d be I recently brought my 4-year-old to her first
neat to have a light-up costume or pet robot. Maker Faire. While I was excited for her to take
Anyone who has ever been around a in the amazing projects, it was the makers
roomful of children with access to a pile of themselves that I most wanted her to see.
craft or building materials has likely seen I wonder whether, years from now, she’ll
the happiness that typically accompanies remember meeting the 11-year-old who cre-
such endeavor. Unbounded youthful creativ- ates her own maker how-to videos, or the man
ity combined with readily available materials who painstakingly recreates landmarks out of
often leads to an all-out whirlwind of wonder- toothpicks. I hope that one day she is equally
ful things. It usually doesn’t take much effort, passionate about her own work and takes the
or the creation of any incentives, to convince time to share it with some other inquisitive
Juan Leguizamon

young children to jump in and start making. little girl or boy. a

As the age of the group gets older, though,
the dynamic sometimes changes. We start AnnMarie Thomas, mother of two young makers, is the executive director of
to hear more questions: Why should we do the Maker Education Initiative (makered.org).
12
 MAR
APR
FEB
Mini Maker Faires
Community-based,
independently produced
Maker Faires are taking
place all over the globe.
For more information
on starting a Mini Maker
Our favorite events from around the world.
Compiled by William Gurstelle
Faire where you live, and
to see a complete listing
of upcoming Faires, head
to makerfaire.com.

Feb. 2, Las Vegas, Nev.

makerfairevegas.com
Mar. 23, Tyler, Texas
tylermakerfaire.com
Join the editors of MAKE on Google+ for
Apr. 7, Edinburgh, Scotland Hangouts on Air every Tue., Wed., Thurs.
makerfaireedinburgh.com @2pm PST / 5pm EST. google.com/+MAKE

TEDActive The Launch Festival

Feb. 25–Mar. 1, Palm Springs, Calif. Mar. 4–6, San Francisco
Big thinkers and change masters from around Individuals and companies present their new
the world present their ideas about work, product ideas and get feedback from experts.
play, and innovation. Aside from the signa- If the idea is good enough, it could be launched
ture 18-minute-long talks, participants attend into the big time. conference.launch.co
workshops on subjects such as bike building,
sculpting in cardboard, 3D printing, and home AXPONA
brewing beer. makezine.com/go/tedactive Mar. 8–10, Chicago
Thousands of attendees come to the Audio
DIY Santa Fe Expo of North America to hear the best
Mar. 1–31, Santa Fe, N.M. home audio equipment and software on the
Santa Fe’s famous creative community opens planet, showcased by hundreds of exhibitors.
the doors of their studios and workshops to Seminars include room acoustics, system
share their knowledge of painting, glass work- setup, and current music trends. axpona.com
ing, photography, and craft making. Visitors will
enjoy a variety of workshops, classes, and other Maker Faire UK
experiences. makezine.com/go/diysantafe Apr. 28–29, Newcastle, U.K.
Co-produced by O’Reilly Media UK and
Spring Classic Swamp Buggy Races the Centre for Life since 2009, this largest
Mar. 2–3, Naples, Fla. gathering of makers in Europe will showcase
These strange-looking vehicles feature big 300 maker exhibits and welcome upwards
engines, bigger tires, gun racks, and unusual of 10,000 visitors. makerfaireuk.com
names like “Dirt Dobber” and “Tumblebug.”
Gregory Hayes

Loud and inspiring, the handmade, one-of-a- IMPORTANT: All times, dates, locations, and events are uncon-
kind swamp buggies can move through the firmed and subject to change. Verify all information before mak-
ing plans to attend. Know of an event that should be included?
deepest and muckiest terrain imaginable. Send event listing for possible inclusion to: events@makezine.
swampbuggy.com com. Sorry, it is not possible to include all submitted events.

14
MADE ON EARTH
THE WORLD OF BACKYARD TECHNOLOGY

Sing with the Wind By Gregory Hayes lukejerram.com/aeolus

 The Aeolus acoustic wind pavilion, named
for the ancient Greek ruler of the winds,
could be described as a sculpture, a giant
aeolian harp, an optical pavilion, and even an
important artwork. Considering its genesis,
perhaps it would be more accurate to call
it a temple to the senses.
Luke Jerram, the artist behind the work,
got the idea during a visit to Iran. There,
desert well-diggers using only an axe will dig
straight down through the sand and rock
to the water table, then tunnel across to
transfer water from the wells to the towns.
Every 50 meters or so they’ll add an air vent.
“I spoke with a desert well-digger who had
been doing this his whole life,” says Jerram,
“and he talked about how sometimes the
wells would sing and make noise as the
wind blew over the top. That got me think-
ing about other pieces of architecture that
might create sound, and to indeed create
a building that would resonate and sing
with the wind.
“The geometry of this artwork is inspired
by visiting mosques, thinking about domes
of mosques, and how light is used and
considered in sacred architecture. And
Luke Jerram; Richard Deane (inset, left)

again, in the Basilica in Rome, they’ve got

a solar clock with a small hole in a window,
and at certain times of day the sun comes
through to create a huge spot on the nave
of the basilica.”
Aeolus echoes these experiences for
a visitor. Even when the wind isn’t blowing,
the tubes filter ambient sound, tuned to the
Aeolian scale. The same tubes are highly
polished inside and reflect the surrounding
landscape in brilliant abstractions.
MADE ON EARTH

Glittering Cloud
By Craig Couden incandescentcloud.wordpress.com

Inspired by light, communal art, and cloud- the Alberta College of Art and Design followed
gazing, artists Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne by four days (and late nights) of setup on-site
Garrett created Cloud, an interactive sculpture leading up to the festival.
composed of around 6,000 new and used light Brown and Garrett weren’t sure how people
bulbs donated from local homes, businesses, would react to the piece, because conven-
museums, and eco stations. The sculpture tional art protocol (and countless museum
stood for a single night in September as part signs) often stresses “do not touch.” However,
of the Nuit Blanche late-night arts festival in throughout the night many visitors played
Calgary, Alberta. with the ball-chain pull-strings, cut to different
Brown and Garrett attached thousands of lengths to resemble falling rain. One enterpris-
new and burnt-out incandescent light bulbs to ing group worked together to turn off as many
1-inch chicken wire and reinforced them with lights as possible — and then turn the entire
glue. This shell of bulbs formed the translucent sculpture on again with one coordinated tug.
cloud shape, while 250 compact fluorescent “It was pretty magical to watch — although
bulbs illuminated the structure from within. we definitely had to back away and give the
Each of these working bulbs was connected sculpture space from time to time,” says
Doug Wong

to a pull-string switch, so visitors could turn Brown. “It’s surprisingly hard to watch people
each light on and off individually. The team test the limits of endurance on something
spent three weeks working in a metal shop at you’ve spent a month building.”

18
 Split-Flap
Storytelling
By Matt Richardson
mechanicalflipbook.com

In a nod to Eadweard Muybridge’s contri-

bution to the early development of motion
pictures, Wendy Marvel and Mark Arnon
Rosen’s Mechanical Flip Books tell a very
short story in just 24 frames. These hand-
crafted boxes use a motor-driven spindle
that flips through distressed pages of an
animation in under four seconds.
Their first flip book was created from
scrapped inkjet printer parts. But the varia-
tions in discarded printer components made
it difficult to create a repeatable design. Since
then, they’ve sourced motors that have the
right electromechanical characteristics and
“sound just right.” Even the page material is
selected to ensure that they’ll flip gently and
yet won’t fray or wear out.
The mechanics and materials aren’t the
only challenge, however. The animation that
the box displays must be carefully considered.
After a few days of concept development,
they plan out the timing and make sure that
the composition fits well in the confines of the
box’s frame before they produce the pages.
The physical design has even evolved to allow
more complex storytelling: by adding sensors
and an Arduino, it’s possible to link several
boxes together and let the animation travel
from one box to another.
Marvel and Rosen were initially apprehen-
sive to show the Mechanical Flip Books at
Maker Faire Bay Area along with their fellow
members of L.A. hackerspace, Crash Space —
they didn’t know how they would be received.
But Maker Faire visitors loved them. “Seeing
so many people excited and full of questions
was an amazing adrenaline rush,” says Marvel.
Patrick Posta

“At night we were completely exhausted,

grinning like Cheshire cats as our heads hit
the pillows.”
MADE ON EARTH

Made of America
By Joe Sandor felionstudios.com/pans

Back in the old days, pioneers traveled with

round cast iron skillets. You could make round
pancakes, round eggs, and throw some rect-
angular strips of bacon on the side. But today,

Joe Sandor (egg), Paulius Musteikis ( pouring/welding), FeLion Studios (skillet map)
thanks to Alisa Toninato of FeLion Studios,
you can cook a quiche in the shape of your
home state.
Toninato made her first skillet in the famil-
iar shape of the great dairy state, Wisconsin,
in her own DIY backyard foundry at the first
annual “Pour’n Yer Heart Out” iron pour in
Milwaukee. Shortly after, while on a flight to
L.A., she used the inflight map in her seat to
draw out handles on all the states of the union,
thus giving birth to the Made In America cast
iron skillet map of the U.S.
Now FeLion Studios is in full swing pro-
duction, offering castings of any state in the
continental U.S. You could cook at least a
dozen steaks in Texas alone. Recently, she
ambitiously mapped out Canada with a whole
new set of land mass challenges. Though
the proportional sizes of Alaska and Hawaii
give her pause: “I see Hawaii as a muffin
tin instead of a skillet!”

20
 Pyrotechnic
Pillars
By William Gurstelle
fireworksnews.com/
product/175

Imagine a helicopter exploding and falling

up, and you’ll get the basic idea of a girandola,
an arcane type of firework. A girandola is a
whirling, spark-spitting fountain of burning
chemicals, paper, and bamboo that rises
as much as 100 feet into the air.
Among pyros, girandolas are considered
one of the most finicky, challenging, and (on
those occasions when they actually work)
satisfying of all fireworks. Sixty-four-year-old
Tom Dimock was hooked as soon as he built
his first one. Dimock, who splits his time
between Ithaca, N.Y. and Jamaica, is known
among his fireworks-making peers as a
master of the craft, and when it comes to
girandolas, he literally wrote the book.
To make his girandolas, Dimock builds a jig
around which he wraps bamboo, tying it into
place with tar-impregnated string. Next, he
builds the chemical drivers that lift the device
through the air: a sort of black powder rocket
motor, specially designed to provide enough
thrust to lift and spin the device, but not so
much that it tears the bamboo framework
apart. Finally, he attaches the drivers and
other carefully selected fireworks with more
tar string. A single large girandola, some of
which are nearly four feet across, takes him
John Morgan; Barbara Dimock (inset)

a week to make.
Since they are so complicated and exacting,
a girandola succeeds about half the time.
But that doesn’t get Dimock down. “When
girandolas do what they’re supposed to
do, they are wonderful and spectacular,” he
reflects. “And when they don’t work, they are
still wonderful and spectacular.”

makezine.com 21
MADE ON EARTH

John Edgar Park showcases his Arduino Grande

at Maker Faire New York, while co-founder
of the Arduino project, Massimo Banzi (back-
ground), holds the standard size.

Honey I Shrunk the Maker

By Laura Cochrane makezine.com/go/arduinogrande

“Arduino is going to be really big at Maker The result? Arduino Grande, a working
Gregory Hayes (top); John Edgar Park (bottom)

Faire this year.” As these words rang in MAKE microcontroller (thanks to a normal Uno
editor John Edgar Park’s ears, the thought mounted on the board) six times larger
occurred to him that he could make Arduino than life. In the top left corner (the loca-
even bigger — literally. tion where a regular-sized
Using 3D modeling soft- Arduino declares its Italian
ware, Park designed a giant origins), Arduino Grande
version of the Arduino Uno proudly announces, “Made
microcontroller board. He in Burbank” (Calif.). Park is
then turned his delightful pleased with his results: “The
dream into reality by laser first time I hoisted it up on
cutting, soldering, etching, my shoulder like a boombox
and painting. I was pretty darned psyched!”

22
 Fluid
Suspensions
By Laura Cochrane
behance.net/jacklongphoto

Sculpting liquid into exquisite, ephemeral “what if,” and constructing various mechani-
sculptures and capturing them on camera cal devices to direct the liquid in ways that will
requires a creative eye, mechanical know-how, achieve different looks. Some of his sculptures
precision, and most importantly, an abun- resemble real objects, like flowers in a vase
dance of patience. Jack Long of Milwaukee or jellyfish, while others are abstract and lend
possesses all of these qualities, thanks to his themselves to any number of interpretations.
experiences as a professional photographer “I took the basic forms I was getting and
and amateur tinkerer. He originally got into experimented with color, texture, and shape,”
high-speed photography a few years ago, he explains. The images are single capture,
when he was working on photographing non-composite photos, where Long is usu-
beverages flying through the air. As Long ally the sole stylist and photographer, which
experimented with creating more traditional translates to a painstaking process of several
liquid “splash” imagery for his professional days of preparation followed by one full day of
work, he became fascinated by the interesting shooting. He only recently commissioned an
shapes that liquid takes when airborne. associate to build him an Arduino-based elec-
Jack Long

Today, he regularly experiments with tronic timing device to help orchestrate events
capturing these split-second liquid sculptures during his elaborate shoots. “[It] has become
in his garage, constantly asking the question a near obsession,” Long admits.

makezine.com 23
FEATURES HACK THE TRACK

24 Make:
 MOVE OVER FORMULA 1,
THE POWER RACING Mo
hamma
di

SERIES IS IN TOWN.
TEAM CHALLENGE: Modify to oblivion an
by G
oli

existing ride-on electric toy of the Power Wheels

persuasion, on a budget of no more than $500.
Anne Petersen

Then compete in a series of races, while making

a rowdy crowd-pleasing spectacle and trying not
to catch on fire. It might just be the most fun
you’ve ever had. Wanna race? We caught up with
event organizer Jim Burke to get the
skinny on the (maker) world-famous
Power Racing Series.
 FEATURES HACK THE TRACK
How did the “Pow-Pow” Power Racing
Series (PPPRS) get its start?
We started the series in 2009, and held our Jim Burke
inaugural event in a dirt lot that the landlord
of our hackerspace owned. We had just six
teams, all from Pumping Station: One [a

Eric Stein (Jim Burke, Banana Car)

Chicago hackerspace], and the cars were
nearly stock machines. Friends and a bunch
of kids from the neighborhood showed up, but
it was a really small event. I don’t think more
than 60 people attended.
The main inspiration came from one rather
active evening when a member dragged a
discarded pink Jeep from the back alley into
PS: One. We shoved larger batteries in it and
drove on the roof of our space until somebody
suggested that having more of these around
would be fun. Then I said something about
racing them, and a few drinks later we pretty
much wrote the basic rules.
666
How many races have there been so far
and how have they evolved?
We’ve been adding more races to our calendar
since 2010, and we completed 2012 with
six races total (four sanctioned and two non-
points exhibitions). You could say that it really
Grave Digger
CAR#: 666
started expanding in 2011 when we added
HACKERSPACE: Milwaukee Makerspace
Kansas City to the calendar and the “champ-
(Milwaukee)
ionship” races finally meant attending more
ACTIVE: 2 seasons
than one race weekend.
WINS: 2
The one thing that has really changed is
BASE: Power Wheels Grave Digger
the level of creativity the teams are reaching.
FEATURES: Doors opened to fit driver Royce
The cars are getting really interesting. We have
Pipkins’ legs. Had no real brakes to speak of
wheelie-popping, trailer-hitching, power-
aside from a wooden plank with tire tread
sliding, drink-dispensing, water-
stapled to it. Earned namesake because
dousing $500 electric race cars,
it kept running over its own driver.
and every season some

Q PPPRS founded.

Q First race had only Q Cars were virtually

one round. All cars were stock, aside from
from the same team reinforcements to

timeline
PRS

(Pumping Station: One). accommodate larger

batteries.
PP

&notables 2009
26 Make:
hackerspace ups the ante. PPPRS Wisdom # 1: was a nice touch. Finally,
On the organizational “ Don't worry about not having our first night race
end, the biggest changes in Chicago was also a high-
we’ve seen have come from
knowing what you're light. The qualifying session
improving how we run the doing, because you're not for that race was actually
event. I’m a graphic design- alone; we don't either. ” intense, with cars coming
er, so event management within mere tenths of a sec-
is probably the farthest I could be from any ond between each other. Ambassador Carol
level of expertise. After a few years of trial and Moseley Braun presented the trophies.
error, I’d like to think we have things sort of,
mostly under control. Mostly. Besides driving fast, what else gets points
on the track?
Any memorable moments you can share Ah, the moxie points! Those are literally the
from this season? crowd favorite. Basically we have an Arduino-
First was Sector67 towing their secondary

313
car in the endurance race for 50-something
laps. The crowd got a kick out of that. The
fact that OmniCorpDetroit returned to Detroit
in 2012 by converting their Banana Car into
a rolling tiki bar was pretty fantastic as well.
The T-shirt cannon that fired denim cut-offs

Anne Petersen (Grave Digger, Little Pink Trike, Americar, man down)
Banana Car
CAR#: 313
HACKERSPACE: OmniCorpDetroit (Detroit)
ACTIVE: 2 seasons
WINS: 0
BASE: Little Tikes Hummer
FEATURES: Only car with more than two car
audio systems. Equipped with bar capable
of banana mixed drinks. Armed with T-shirt
cannons and rear pedestal for “hop-on” riders.
Stands 6' tall, not including disco ball.

Q First race Q First wheelie performed by Q First Endur- Q First electrical fire:
involving Milwaukee Makerspace’s Little ance Race, Americar goes ablaze in
multiple (five) Pink Trike, shockingly won demon-
hackerspaces which split by OmniCorp- stration
at Maker Faire in half upon Detroit, who run while
Detroit. landing. never pitted for piloted by
batteries. Bre Pettis.

2010
makezine.com 27
FEATURES HACK THE TRACK

67
controlled board of buttons that gets sent out
into the crowd, and next to each button is a
team. When the crowd pushes a button, that
team is rewarded actual race points for doing
whatever the crowd finds entertaining. It’s
up to the teams to find ways to entertain

PPPRS Wisdom # 2:
“ Tea ms are also given some hefty Fauxrarri
limitations so you masochistic CAR#: 67
engineers can pleasurably cry HACKERSPACE: Sector67 (Madison, Wis.)
yourselves to sleep at night.” ACTIVE: 1 season
WINS: 7
BASE: Power Wheels Ferrari
everyone. This can be comprised of acting
FEATURES: Custom Arduino-based motor con-
silly, popping wheelies, epic passes, or simply
troller dubbed Paragon. First car to utilize
catching on fire. The goal is to encourage
water-cooling system. Relies heavily on
social engineering; you want teams to not
regenerative braking. Acceleration from two
only work the mechanical end of this series,
unstoppably powerful 1970s electric lawn
you want them to figure out how to
mower engines. Has trailer hitch for wheelie
read a crowd. I think that social
bar. Clocked 0-18mph in 50 feet.
engineering is just as
essential to a hacker-
space competition as physical engineering. other data to their pit crew. I think it was also
equipped with GPS, but since that was over
What are some favorite cheap but budget it was disabled during the race.
awesome mods you’ve seen?
J-Squad, one of the first teams, built their car Why hack an existing platform instead of
around a $200 starter motor off a semi truck. building a machine from scratch?
There isn’t really much logic to this; the car Well the easy answer is: you can’t have a
is an automatic drifting machine. The crowd hackerspace motorsport without hacking!
really gets riled up when they see a kid’s toy I really think there’s massive value in building
power slide through turns. from scratch, but there’s also another larger Colin Parsons (Fauxrarri)

Sector67 started water-cooling their brush- series of benefits that come from taking apart
less motors last season. Now several teams something and repurposing it. We could just
are equipped with similar systems. In 2011 have people make electric go-karts and dump
they debuted the first wireless telemetry sys- as much money in them as possible and call it
tem that reported motor temperatures and a day. To me, that’s boring, and reserved for a

Q First time Q Digital Q First Q First Q First

PPPRS hosted moxie point real pit stop rain-affected car flip
two events in one system. for both race. Cost by Royce
year, with the batteries Sector67 Pipkins
opening round Q First year and tires. valuable in Kansas
in Kansas City. with over 20 lap time. City.
entrants.

2011
28 Make:
 PPPRS Wisdom # 3:
“ For every ounce of engineering there will be equal parts of tomfoolery."

03
more legitimate racing series. I want people
to take something that was never intended
to be modified in this way and use a minimal
budget to make it happen. Some of the best
bouts of creativity come from constraints, and
we live in a world full of constraints! We should
Eric Stein (raceway shots); Alfredo Castil (The Cannon, timeline shots)

just condition ourselves to try and fail and

then learn. Hacking apart stuff is pretty much
the easiest and cheapest way to do this. It’s
something we all need.
The Cannon
How did you get started making things CAR#: 3
and who are your inspirations? HACKERSPACE: i3 Detroit (Detroit)
I was raised in a home of making. My father ACTIVE: 3 seasons
is in the tech industry and a self-taught WINS: 8
automotive engineer, and my mother was in BASE: Power Wheels Jeep Wrangler
the printing industry and an illustrator. Both FEATURES: Odd camber setup catered to Karen
of these backgrounds cultivated my love of “Cannonball” Corbeill’s aggressive sitting
art and science. I used to build things out of stance. Built around low-hanging batteries
anything sitting around the house (mostly and dual 1000-watt motors. Dual disc brakes
various types of paper and cardstock) work occasionally. Relies on shifting body
and loved cars from a young age. weight to manage turns. One of the most
I really admired the artistry difficult cars to drive.
in engineering early on.

Q Timing Q Closest Q First full-on Q Four races in one

and scoring drag race ever, rain race at season (Kansas City,
become won by under Maker Faire Detroit, Chicago, New
electronic. 3". New York, York), plus two non-
Required video with i3 Detroit points exhibition races
review. victorious. in Florida and Indiana.

2012
makezine.com 29
FEATURES HACK THE TRACK

PPPRS Wisdom # 4:
“OK, so you’re taking these tiny
little plastic cars and modding
them with motors that push
them near 20mph and you’re
asking me if this is safe?
Methinks you need to wear the
helmet outside of the track.”
Having a mutual respect for both fields real-
ly shapes the kind of art projects you take on,
and honestly, when it comes down to it, I’ve
seen PPPRS as some sort of traveling hacker
art exhibit. Makers and artists are cut from the
same cloth as far as I’m concerned.

What do you think is the key factor in the

recent growth of hackerspaces?
Community. You need to have a strong
community. Variety is just as important.
Hackerspaces are an exponential force of
creativity and require a relatively healthy

314
mix of tinkerers, hobbyists, and pro-
fessionals to work. I also think the
modern economic climate has really
benefited from this growth. The lum-
bering state of our country, coupled with a
growing resentment of apathy and pessimism
in my generation has really helped too.
Makers my age seek the knowledge of the
past to look toward the future. We ask our
elders the long-forgotten trades and give
Eric Stein (raceway shots); Anne Petersen (Little Pink Trike)

Little Pink Trike these skills a renewed purpose. The econo-

mics of mass production has helped us
CAR#: 314
scale things down to a world of affordable
HACKERSPACE: Milwaukee Makerspace (Milwaukee)
customization. Frankly, if things keep going
ACTIVE: 2 seasons
the way they’re headed, you’ll see a rebirth of
WINS: 1
manufacturing in the U.S. the likes of which
BASE: Fisher-Price Barbie Trike
we’ve not seen previously. I honestly feel that
FEATURES: First entry with battery meter and
we’re on the verge of the next great cultural
fast-change battery pack for quick pit stops.
industrial revolution, and the seeds for this
First to pop wheelies. Fastest in a straight line
prosperity are right in our neighborhoods at
during seasons raced. Single most difficult
our local hackerspaces.
vehicle to drive (mad props to the over-6'-tall
Tom Gralewicz for nearly winning with it on
How has hosting the event at Maker Faires
several occasions).
affected the race?
MAKE magazine has literally helped make this

30 Make:
 sort of event even remotely possible. Between
all the staff, such as Sherry [Huss], Dale
[Dougherty], Louise [Glasgow], and Jonathan
[Maginn], we’ve had help from day one.
911
They’re fantastic to work with! They showed
us the ropes, gave us the advice and help
we needed, and then delivered the track and
logistics. We simply could not have done it on
our own. They really made sure we could per-
DUCT TAPE & ZIPTIES
CAR#: 911
form as we needed and taught us a great deal.
HACKERSPACE: CCCKC (Kansas City, Mo.)
I’m glad we reached out to them in Detroit
ACTIVE: 2 seasons
2010 because I feel every year we work with
WINS: 1
Maker Faire we become stronger and more
BASE: Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade
prepared to put on a good show. After all, at
FEATURES: Uses bicycle frames and tires for
the end of the day, it’s about going out there
chassis. Has unique “Flintstones” bottom-
and showing the crowd how fun making can
less floor so you can push with the power off
be. What better way than to get a bunch of
(during cautions in the Endurance Race) to
hackerspaces together at Maker Faire?
conserve battery. Made by two hacker families
and features several team members in high
Where do you hope to take
school (former FIRST robotics competitors).
the series, literally and
in essence?
I try to take things one year at a time, but I’ve up a few pages. Their enthusiasm keeps me
certainly considered what it would mean to going through the rough parts of organizing.
keep doing this for many years to come. If that I have to give a shout out to Patrick Callahan,
is a real possibility, I want to make this event though, who helps out tremendously.
an arena for education. Here’s something else important I’ve
With the help of sponsorships, I want to get learned: anyone can do this. Seriously, there’s
high schools into the series and have hacker- nothing stopping you from going out there
spaces mentor the development of their and doing something like this. Yes, you. This
teams. I want to help foster inexpensive and is really for anyone out there who’s swamped
fun education with real-world trial and error, in the doubt and uncertainty that never stops
all within the confines of a local hackerspace. bouncing around in your head — you just
I hope I can make that happen soon, as early need to silence those thoughts and do it. Get
as this coming season but as late as 2014. an idea, talk to people, refine it, fail a ton, and
Deep down, all I really want is for the hack- make it happen. There’s no time better than
erspace community to continue supple- now. Go find a community, get involved, and
menting education, with my little series be the person you’ve always wanted to be.
contributing toward a larger goal of having
hackerspaces — these great bastions of + Mod your own car and get in on the action
Alfredo Castil (Duct Tape + Zipties)

learning — teach communities. at an upcoming race: powerracingseries.org.

What’s the most important thing

you’ve learned about hosting an event
PPPRS Wisdom # 5:
of this magnitude?
“ We will laugh at you.
That it’s absolutely impossible to do this You'll get used to this or cry. Then
without friends or a community of people we'll laugh more. That's actually
who believe in you. If I were to list all of those written in the rules."
who have helped me over the years, it’d take

makezine.com 31
FEATURES SIFTEO

Going
PRO
By David Merrill
Makers are turning their
hand-soldered prototypes into
real consumer electronics.

32
Startups don’t make mass-market consumer Case Study: Sifteo Cubes
electronics products, only giant companies Jeevan Kalanithi and I didn’t realize we were
do. That’s what I used to think. Despite a few mapping out the next 6+ years of our lives
celebrated exceptions with DIY beginnings when we spent an afternoon in 2006 sketch-
like HP and Apple, it has historically been ing on printer paper in the kitchen. Longtime
tough for small companies to succeed mak- friends and then-graduate students at the
ing hardware products. The main barrier is MIT Media Lab, we were thinking about how
simple: it’s expensive and complicated to computer interfaces should be more hands-
manufacture physical things! on, more like a pile of Legos than a glass slate
Components and materials have to be and a keyboard. I love building useful physical
purchased in advance to guarantee availabil- things and am fascinated by how tools and
ity, each unit requires labor to assemble, and other objects augment creativity and help
transportation costs eat profit margins. This us think. The more we sketched, the more
all makes the financial barrier to entry daunt- Jeevan and I became obsessed with the idea
ing. On the flip side, desktop software, mobile of a computer interface made up of a bunch
apps, and web services are much cheaper to of little interactive pieces that would let hands
build and deploy these days, so a lot more and minds move in unison.
startups and venture investments s have We started with wit a simple idea: small
steered toward virtual products. physical
physica objects that could each
But recently something awe- represent a digital thing, like a
repres
some has been happening: more photo or an email. Arrange the
startups, like the company that objects and you arrange their
I co-founded, Sifteo (sifteo.com), virtual counterparts! There were
are making hardware products. a lot
lo of open questions, like:
Makers are turning their hand- what
wh capabilities should these
soldered prototypes into real devices
dev have? What will the
consumer electronics (CE) products cts “killer
“kille app” be? How “real” do
and selling them through retailers s our prototypes
pro need to be to learn
like Amazon and Best Buy. if this is a ggood idea? First, we made
Changes in manufacturing and distribution non-functional prototypes using wood and
power this new breed of lean CE startups. In acrylic, to try different sizes for the devices
the last year and a half at Sifteo, we launched and ideas for applications. We asked others
two generations of Sifteo Cubes, a hands-on what they thought they’d be good for. We
game platform built around a very different called our idea “the Siftable Computer,” or
(and fun) new interface, an expanding library “Siftables,” for short, and learned that they
of downloadable games, and a software devel- should have screens about an inch square
opment kit with an emulator for developers. and should be able to talk to each other
Sifteo Cubes are “inch-scale computers”: when placed side-by-side.
small, wireless tiles with color screens, accel- We bought color LCDs, infrared trans-
erometers, adjacency sensors, and touch ceivers, accelerometers, and microcontrollers
sensing that make classic play interactive from online electronics hobbyist shops and
— they’re like programmable magic dominos sent a circuit board design off for barebones,
that run brainy action-puzzle games. low-cost fabrication. When the first circuit
This article shares our founding story, the boards arrived, we assembled a handful of
evolution of our products, what has changed barely functional Siftables that kicked off two
in the market to make what we do possible, full years of trial and error. We made three
and my top five lessons for transitioning from generations of working prototypes, each gen-
hobbyist maker to entrepreneur. eration fixing the bugs of the previous and

makezine.com 33
FEATURES SIFTEO

too expensive to manufacture, and although

people who used them thought they were
neat, we still weren’t confident in their mass
appeal. Then an unexpected breakthrough
happened: I was invited to give a short “tech
demo” talk at the TED Conference. I almost
turned down the offer, thinking that we’d
have better demos to show a year later — but
decided that the opportunity might not exist
then! The audience loved the simple, brainy,
playful apps that I showed, like the physical
equation editor and the word game that I lik-
ened to an interactive form of Scrabble. When
allowing us to try new application ideas more my talk appeared online it went viral, and has
easily. We let people use them a lot along the now been viewed more than a million times.
way, and noticed something surprising and
exciting: our testers were having a lot of fun.
Early designs for charging
Rather than using them for work, they wanted and stowing cubes.
to play with Siftables.
By the third-gen prototype, we had gotten
it mostly right. The color display, Bluetooth
radio, neighbor sensing, 3-axis accelerometer,
and battery-charging circuits were all working
well. The downside? Each block cost more
than $200 in materials, and it took me four
hours to build a single one, soldering all the
components by hand.
By 2008, Siftables was a great research
platform, but it didn’t seem like it was des-
tined to be a commercial product. They were

Prototyping is easier. you out and give some can also spread the word
What’s Different Basic circuit boards can feedback. There are a about their product using
About Now? be fabricated cheap number of new hardware web video, enabling cus-
So why can a young and quick, facilities like incubator programs, and tomers to get comfortable
startup make a CE TechShop provide afford- the Bay Area now has enough to buy without
product these days? able access to expensive several Meetup groups experiencing it firsthand.
tools, and online suppliers focused on commercializ- Kickstarter is a fantastic
Costs are down, of DIY materials are more ing hardware products. tool that allows entrepre-
and quality is up. comprehensive and help- The mature internet. neurs to gauge demand
New Deal Designs (illustrations)

Components are cheaper ful than in the past. Products can connect before they commit to
than ever and manufac- CE startup founders to the internet, mean- building a product. The
turing capacity in Asia are helping each other. ing CE businesses like new revenue streams
(where Sifteo cubes are The web-entrepreneur Sifteo can have a second and message-spreading
now built) is plentiful, culture of sharing infor- revenue stream based capabilities allow CE
thanks mostly to the mation is spreading to CE on virtual goods (e.g. our startups to enjoy the kind
rise of the mobile phone startups — you’ll be sur- game store). I call this of steep growth potential
industry and other mass- prised at who will meet Connected CE, and it’s that attracts (or someday
market CE products. you for coffee to hear relatively new. Companies obsoletes?) investors.

34
 The response to my TED talk the had to stick close to their PC —
they
showed us that Siftables resonated people
pe really wanted it to be porta-
with a wide audience. People were excit-- ble
b so they could take it anywhere.
ed by their tactile nature — unlike any Jeevan
J and I work with a team of
technology they’d previously experienced, ed, 25
2 extremely talented makers, and
and they wanted to play. We started Sifteo teo we
w hunkered down together imme-
Inc. and were awarded a Small Business s diately
di to create the solution: a new
Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the Sifteo Cubes platform that is portable,
National Science Foundation. Funded by this developed in just under a year and with a
initial grant, we met venture capital firms True brand new SDK and cycle-accurate emulator
Ventures and Foundry Group and raised more that’s already released. We’re getting faster.
than $10 million in two rounds. One takeaway You can read more about how we did it at
from fundraising (which required serious time tech.sifteo.com, and download the SDK and
and effort) is that it’s better to find an inves- emulator for free at sifteo.com/developers.
tor who already believes in your vision rather Have a question about your CE startup or
than trying to convince one who doesn’t. idea that I might be able to help with? Send
With a funded startup, there was still a me an email at [email protected].
ton of work to do before we could release
a product to consumers. The game system Dave Merrill ([email protected]) builds hand tools for the digital age with
would have to be robust, affordable, and user- a bunch of smart makers at Sifteo. He is an entrepreneur, programmer,
friendly. We rewrote the code and rebuilt the self-taught electrical engineer, and geek dad.
hardware from the ground up. The finished
product, Sifteo Cubes, did not inherit a single
line of code or any hardware design from our
earlier MIT prototypes. The Original Sifteo
Cubes launched for the holidays in 2011 with
a growing library of games focused on intel-
ligent play. Users loved the tactile play experi-
ence, but the system was not user-friendly
enough! Since games ran from the computer,

Find out who your possible, but no leaner. as manufacturing,

Takeaways market is. You might Sifteo started in a base- PR, and retail-channel
for Makers think you already know ment where we paid relationships. Know
We have learned a who will buy your prod- $500 a month in rent. what you can do well,
lot over the past few uct, but entrepreneurs A good friend of mine and outsource the rest.
years. Here are some of are often surprised. Get regularly looks over Nobody is more
the most useful tidbits: feedback early and often, new designs and offers passionate than you
and learn to relish being feedback (thanks, Ivan!). about making your
A neat idea is not the proven wrong. Even after raising some idea real. You really have
same as a good prod- Know what kind of money, finding ways to to go for it, and you’ll
uct, and a good product company you want to keep expenses down will sacrifice other things
is not the same as a build. Do you want increase your chances along the way to building
great business. Don’t to build an exponential- of success because you’ll a successful company.
fall so deeply in love growth company, or not? have more time to find Extraordinary outcomes
with your idea that you It’s OK to say “nope” and your way there. At the require extraordinary
can’t evaluate whether a set your business up same time, we do pay efforts, and the startups
successful business can accordingly. for outside help in areas that succeed are the
actually be built around it. Keep it as lean as where we need it, such extraordinary ones.

makezine.com 35
FEATURES ROVERA ROBOT

Learning
TO BUILD A Bot
TO BUILD A
By Benjamin Bonner
and Kendra Markle

Friends Ben, Kendra, and Monsieur Tux

the cat tackle the Rovera Robot.

Gregory Hayes

36
 ours in different bowls. With lots of similar-
looking parts, pretty soon your desk will be
covered with tools, parts, wire clippings, and
solder bits, and that one lost component can
take forever to track down.
The Rovera Arduino library code was easy
to download from the Maker Shed and the
instructions were clear and helpful. Loading
and understanding the code wasn’t quite
interesting enough to hold Monsieur Tux’s
Kendra: With great anticipation, my favorite attention. He preferred to distract Benjamin
13-year-old, Benjamin Bonner, and I sat down while I set up the software environment.
to build MAKE’s Rovera 2W Arduino Robot Kit. The fun really begins after the robot is fully
With Monsieur Tux the cat closely monitoring assembled. The included code is just the
our efforts, we carefully unpacked the compo- beginning of the features and personality you
nents and laid everything out. The size of the can program for your bot. You’re only limited
companion book (Make an Arduino-Controlled by your imagination and patience for working
Robot) was daunting at first, but it has lots of through issues that come up. Monsieur Tux
color photos and illustrations, and moves you apparently has some great ideas for future
methodically through the build. It was easy additions and improvements.
to figure out what to do and in what order. While it’s possible for an intelligent eighth
We quickly had the chassis and wheels grader to build this bot alone, it’s complex
together and the power switch and battery enough that having a little help makes it more
case soldered on (you supply the batteries). enjoyable. We worked on it together for about
The instructions then show connecting the an hour every day after school for almost two
completed motor shield (a board that’s added weeks before it really came together. It took
to the Arduino to provide motor control). longer than we thought, mostly because we
After a moment of confusion, we discovered had to troubleshoot a few problems, which
that this was a separate kit (included with the are bound to happen with a project of this size
Rovera) with its own instructions. We found (you’re building a robot, after all). We also had
and followed those online. to re-buy parts that we managed to ruin, since
Benjamin had never soldered before no extras are provided.
and he got some really good practice on the
motor shield and Rovera’s printed circuit Benjamin: The Rovera is way better than
board, which has just enough components Lego! This was my first big electronics project
to be challenging but not too many to be — my only experience before this was making
overly intimidating. the robot cockroach kits [RoboRoach from
I highly recommend keeping all of the Backyard Brains]. It started to be really fun
components together in groups. We organized once I knew how to solder well. My favorite

makezine.com 37
FEATURES ROVERA ROBOT

to get all the way through this project. The

instructions say that you can build Rovera in
a weekend. That would be true for someone
who’s experienced in soldering and basic
robot construction, and may be true if you
don’t make any mistakes.
Monsieur Tux was a helpful member of our
team. He has a keen eye for detail and kept
our spirits up. I want to program the robot to
play with him. He’s a black cat so I think we
can program Rovera to follow him around,
which will, of course, annoy and confuse him.
He will be our test kitty. We’ll see if he and
Rovera become friends or enemies. a
part was soldering up the motor shield. The
board looks like a city, and adding compo- Besides being an eighth grader, Benjamin Bonner is an avid sci-fi reader
nents feels like adding buildings to your city. and has read the entire Doctor Who series. He loves model trains, building
Unfortunately, the biggest skill I ended up worlds in Minecraft, and sleeping in.
needing for this project was de-soldering.
I installed one of the 16-pin IC chips on the Kendra Markle builds tools for behavior change in the healthcare industry
(alteractions.org). She also makes wearable electronics, shoots portrait
motor shield backwards and it was so try-
photography, and spends much time letting the cat in and out.
ing on my nerves to de-solder all of it. But
I learned my lesson. In the future, I’ll always Monsieur Tux the cat is a keen artificer and excellent project manager with
make sure to install the chip as marked! an interest in robotics and opening the front door by himself. He loves to
You might need more time than you think solder and is the author of Making Things Meow. He is a relentless napper.

THE MAKE ROVERA ROBOT KIT is available

in two models: two-wheel drive (2W) and four-wheel drive
(4W). Both kits come with all the basic parts you need
to build the bot and include Michael Margolis’ companion
book, Make an Arduino-Controlled Robot. The book pro-
vides assembly instructions for the two robots, how to
program them, and has additional ideas for what you can
do with your new
bots. Rovera 2W and
Rovera 4W are
both available in
the Maker Shed
(makershed.com).

38
 Written and photographed by
Tim Hunkin

Victorian
MICROTECH Adventures in vintage
watch restoration.

I didn’t know much about watches until my such a valuable piece (I think worth roughly
aunt died and I inherited an astonishingly £1,000/$1,608) but one member, Ian Coote,
beautiful pocketwatch from her. Looking offered to take me on.
online, I found it was made in Switzerland The first surprise was the height of his
around 1800. It didn’t run, and when I opened workbench, almost at neck level. You rest your
the case I thought a small worm had gotten wrists on the edge of the bench, and the watch
trapped inside. On closer inspection it wasn’t movement is clamped in a holding block.
a worm but the tiniest chain I had ever seen, The screwdrivers are much more precise
a perfect microscopic bicycle chain with links than cheap jeweler’s drivers — they’re color-
smaller than half a millimeter (above right). coded and it’s important to hold them the
I really wanted to take the watch apart to right way and use exactly the right size for
see how it worked but I was nervous because each screw.
it was obviously worth a lot. So I emailed Once a screw is free, you remove it with
the local branch of the British Horological tweezers. But these aren’t ordinary twee-
Institute with photos of the watch, inquiring zers; they have super fine points made of
if any of their members would be willing super hard steel (the best ones are made by
Ian Coote

to tutor me. I had several replies saying a a company called Dumont and cost about
beginner should definitely not start with £30/$48). I never realized tweezers could do

makezine.com 39
FEATURES VICTORIAN MICROTECH

TIME PIECES: (Left) The verge escapement and (right) the fusee of old.

so much — they make picking up something putting all the parts in little wire baskets.
tiny, like a human hair, really easy. The danger Any sense of order I had as to where all the
is that because they’re so hard, it’s easy to parts fit was lost at this stage. The cleaning
scratch the watch — I scratched a few parts, machine immersed the parts and agitated
maybe decreasing the value of my heirloom. them in a series of different fluids. The
You aren’t supposed to touch anything with process took nearly an hour.
your fingers. Ian says I’m a good pupil apart I then started reassembling the watch with
from this failing — my fingerprints are now Ian’s guidance. With the help of the photos,
on almost every part. working out where everything went wasn't
quite as hard as I had thought. It gradually
I Lose a Part and Search for It struck me that all these tiny parts had been
With Ian’s encouragement I stripped the made by hand. I can’t imagine how the deli-
watch down to a mass of gears, plates, cate minute hand could have been filed, or
screws, and springs. Amazingly, nothing was how any of the parts were made so precisely.
seriously damaged, so it looked as if it might We then realized we had lost a part — the
be mendable. Every screw looked different to catch that locks the movement in the case.

Google Books (etchings) from Oxford University (verge), and Harvard University (fusee)
me, so I couldn’t see how we could possibly Ian’s workshop is full of stuff, not an easy
ever put it back together, but I had taken a place to find anything. We spent hours search-
few photos. ing and had just given up when it reappeared
Once stripped down, everything had to in a corner of a dark blue tray where I had
be put in the cleaning machine. This involved put some parts. By this time we were both
exhausted so I returned to finish the job
another day.

I Give My Watch a Lube Job

I hadn’t realized that the escapement was
a verge escapement (pictured above). This is
the escapement that was used on the very
first clocks. Verge escapements have a very
irregular “tick” and are never good timekeep-
ers. They were gradually abandoned in clocks
after the pendulum was invented in the early
17th century. As it was impossible to mount
a pendulum in a watch, the verge remained
for another 200 years.
The tiny chain I found when I first opened
the watch was part of a mechanism to make it
a bit more accurate, called the fusee (above).

40
The more you wind a watch, the stronger the I Put It Together and It Works! …
“pull” of the spring on the escapement. To Sort Of
even out the spring tension, the chain goes When we finally got the balance wheel back
from the spring barrel onto a wheel with a in place, the escapement showed no inclina-
spiral track. The chain was bent from being tion to tick, but tweaking two adjuster screws
squashed against the watchcase, so I thought eventually got it going. At the end of the
it was no good, but Ian confidently pulled it second day it felt very satisfying to replace
straight. Fitting it back in place was fiddly. the dial and case and hear the escapement
The other fiddly bit was replacing the top merrily ticking.
plate. All the gear shafts have reduced ends, Sadly, having adjusted everything possible,
called pivots, which fit into holes in the plate. it still runs wildly fast, gaining 3 minutes an
I could fit two, but while trying to get the last hour. Ian thinks the balance spring may have
one in, the others would pop out again. This broken and been shortened at some point.
was a relatively simple watch — some chiming It was still a great experience. Rather than
watches have 13 pivots to locate. I did eventu- owning a valuable watch that doesn’t do any-
ally succeed. thing and that I don’t understand, I now own
The top plate is fixed by four tiny tapered a slightly less valuable scratched watch, but
pins, pushed through holes in locating pillars. I know what makes it tick. I’m sure my aunt
One pin had snapped off, so the pillar (1.5mm would have approved.
diameter) had to be drilled out. Ian set up a
0.5mm spade bit in his watchmaker’s lathe, The Genius of the Lever Escapement
made a center mark on the pillar with the While I was working on my aunt’s pocket-
tweezers, and told me to drill by pushing the watch, Ian showed me some of his other
pillar against the spade bit. I never thought it watches. The very first watches appeared
would work, but it was surprisingly control- in the 1500s and apart from the addition of
lable and my hole went perfectly through the the balance spring, their basic design didn’t
center of the pillar. change much until the 19th century. Then
Then all the bearing holes had to be oiled. they went through a revolution — by 1850 the
Too much oil gums up the works and can verge escapement was obsolete, replaced
suck the oil out of the vital places by capillary by the lever escapement.
action. Watchmaker’s oilers ingeniously dis- The lever escapement solved a major prob-
pense one tiny drop at a time. lem. In a verge escapement the balance wheel
is always in contact with the watch gearing,
so any slight change in the friction of anything
in the watch influences the balance wheel.
The genius of the lever escapement is that
the balance wheel (omitted from the shaft
on the right of the drawing on the following
page) is completely detached from the rest of
the watch, except at the midpoint of its swing
when it releases the “lever” and moves the
escape wheel to the next position (making the
tick sound). It’s so much better that it doesn’t
need a fusee like the one inside my aunt’s
watch — a lever escapement will keep time
whatever the spring tension.
Shortly after the lever escapement was
introduced, an American engineer named
Aaron Dennison developed the first machines

makezine.com 41
FEATURES VICTORIAN MICROTECH

CATCHER AND RELEASE: Lever escapements

replaced verge escapements by 1850.

to mass-produce watch parts. At first his Round Two: Dissecting

companies kept going bankrupt, but some- a Waltham Railway Watch
how the same machines would reappear in I bought a beautiful Waltham pocketwatch
the next company. Eventually named the (below) on eBay for about £100/$161 (a
Waltham Watch Company, it became well model 645, made in 1908) to take to bits.
established and continued in operation until I thought it was a hopeless case because I
the 1950s. The Waltham Watch Company was couldn’t pull out the winder to change the
really proud of its achievements, and felt that time. Ian immediately solved this problem.
machine-made watches with interchangeable It was classed as a railway watch, and one
parts were “scientific” and greatly superior of the railway specifications was that it must
to European handmade ones. Its pride is very be impossible to change the time accident-
evident in the elaborate decoration of its ally. So, instead of pulling out the winder, the
watch movements. dial cover had to be unscrewed and a tiny
lever pulled out. Then the winder moved the

42
 Rather than owning a
valuable watch that doesn’t
do anything and that
I don’t understand, I now
own a slightly less valuable
scratched watch, but
I know what makes it tick.

hands perfectly. and marketed in 1972 as the Pulsar. It had an

Instead of two thin “watch plates,” Waltham LED display that lit only when a button was
watches are made of thick nickel-alloy plates, pressed for a few seconds, to avoid draining
with spaces milled out to accommodate the the batteries. The enthusiasm for digital
gears. All the screws go in much further and displays didn’t last.
it feels satisfyingly solid. It’s a joy discovering Today’s dial watches are electronic and
how carefully every detail is designed. battery powered (the first watch of this type
My watch had 21 jewel bearings, pale pink was introduced by Seiko in 1969). The hands
rubies. Most of them could stay in place, but are driven by a stepper motor, and the timing
the balance wheel and escape wheel had a is controlled by a quartz crystal oscillator.
double jewel on each end — one with a hole Quartz watches are typically accurate to with-
as the bearing and one plain disk as an end in half a second a day, about 10 times more
plate, or thrust bearing — and these had to accurate than any mechanical one.
be taken out, as dirt gets in the gap between Now almost everyone has a mobile phone
the two. After cleaning everything, we realized and there’s no need to have a watch at all, so
we had lost track of which jewel went where, today’s watches are basically jewelry. Simple
a bad case of divided responsibility. It took quartz watches are now amazingly cheap.
hours inspecting them all under a microscope Mechanical watches are also still made,
and trying them in different places. but it’s a strange business. At one end of the
Eventually we got the jewels in the right scale the Chinese mechanical watches on
positions. The satisfying thing about a lever eBay cost less than £10 ($16). I bought one
escapement is that it starts ticking instantly and it keeps good time. The Swiss watches
after the balance wheel is in place. Sadly my that feature in glossy magazine adverts (often
watch doesn’t keep ticking for a full day, and costing over £10,000/$16,080) also have
is only accurate if kept flat. Ian is confident he traditional lever escapements. They’re beauti-
could get it to work properly with effort, but fully made and every part is hand polished
still, not bad for a 100-year-old watch. — but it’s weird that people spend that much
on a watch that is less accurate than a simple
The End of the Pocketwatch quartz watch. a
Pocketwatches were gradually superseded by
wristwatches in the early 20th century. The Tim Hunkin trained as an engineer but became a cartoonist for a U.K.
movements were exactly the same, but half Sunday newspaper. He next made The Secret Life of Machines TV series
the size. The first digital electronic watch was and now runs an arcade of homemade coin-operated machines in
developed by the Hamilton Watch Company Southwold, England. He wrote “Building with PLCs” in MAKE Volume 23.
makezine.com 43
FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS
 E
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FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS

ELECTRONICS KICAD
DESIGN FREE \\ kicad-pcb.org
If you want a truly open source CAD program for
Software tools to help you design, laying out printed circuit boards, KiCad may be your
simulate, and analyze circuits, answer. It comes close to providing the workflow
as well as draw schematics and lay and functionality of closed-source CAD tools like
out printed circuit boards. EAGLE, but without the restrictions and cost. You
EAGLE may invest a little more in the learning curve, but
$69+ \\ cadsoftusa.com that could easily change in the near future.
If you’re creating a printed circuit board (PCB)
that’s more complex than an LED blinker, you’ll
need a CAD program to create the Gerber files CREATIVE CODING
that PCB manufacturers expect. EAGLE is currently Languages and libraries for artists,
the common coin of the open hardware crowd, designers, and musicians.
even though there’s a (small) price to entry for
commercial use. EAGLE offers a modular CAD tool, PROCESSING
but you’ll really just need the schematic and board FREE \\ processing.org
editors to get started laying out your own PCBs. This open source programming language is
ideal for working with graphics and for creating
FRITZING animations, interactive programs, and other visual
FREE \\ fritzing.org software. Although Processing is based on the Java
Fritzing is the name both of an open source initiative programming language, it’s much easier to learn,
to help create electronics and of a software package and a large number of artists, students, hobbyists,
for designing projects. The program includes many and designers have already mastered it.
common electronic components, as well as micro-
controllers, popular shields, and accessory boards OPENFRAMEWORKS
you can drag and drop into your designs. Fritzing FREE \\ openframeworks.cc
lets you switch between three views of your project: OpenFrameworks is a collection of C++ libraries
breadboard, schematic, and printed circuit board. for “creative coding“ that work on all computer
platforms and mobile devices. It presents a fairly
CIRCUITS.IO unified interface for doing multimedia, computer
FREE \\ circuits.io vision, Arduino, and more. Think Processing for
Circuits.io is a web-based electronics design tool, production.
but it’s also an online marketplace. You can design
your board using their free editor, order copies of PURE DATA
the board from them, or share your project for oth- FREE \\ puredata.info
ers to order. Circuits.io includes design verification, Pure Data (or Pd) is a visual programming environ-
so it’s very unlikely that you’ll design something ment for musicians who want to synthesize sounds
that can’t actually be manufactured. to create new interactive instruments and environ-
ments. Pd “patches” are programs created by link-
CIRCUITLAB ing audio inputs and outputs to graphical blocks
FREE \\ circuitlab.com that perform digital signal processing functions on
CircuitLab is both a circuit design tool/schematic the sounds flowing through them. Pd is an open
editor and a circuit simulator. After you lay out source work-alike to the Max/MSP environment.
your circuit, you can set the parameters of each
component and run a variety of simulations and
visualizations right in your browser. When your
design is complete, you can easily share it with
other users.

46
CINDER
FREE \\ libcinder.org
Cinder is a C++ framework for “creative coding“
by artists and designers. It's comparable to
Processing or openFrameworks but is targeted
at a professional audience. Coding in Cinder tends
to be a bit more complicated with the benefit of
better performance and higher quality results.

3D CAD
Useful and inexpensive software for
designing 3D models, for printing
or otherwise.
SKETCHUP drawing objects with your
FREE to $495 \\ sketchup.com mouse, you program their
Previously a Google project, SketchUp is now shapes using lines of code. For
owned by Trimble. It’s a design tool for modeling example, cube([10,10,10]) will
and presenting 3D objects. Out of the box, the free make a 10mm cube appear on-screen.
version isn’t suitable for generating output for 3D Using Boolean operators, you can combine,
printers, but there are many tutorials online for subtract, and intersect objects to create much
installing a plugin that lets you export your designs more complex models using constructive solid
to the req uired STL format. SketchUp presents a geometry. OpenSCAD can export your scripts
nice balance between ease-of-use and power. as STL models for 3D printing.

123D DESIGN
FREE \\ 123dapp.com
This is part of the free 123D suite of tools from
3D PRINTER
Autodesk. You can model objects using its easy-to- FRONT-ENDS
learn interface, prepare your models for printing, Utilities to control your 3D printer
export them to STL files, or send them directly to and to prepare your 3D models
many popular fabrication companies. for fabrication.
TINKERCAD REPLICATORG
$20+/month \\ tinkercad.com FREE \\ replicat.org
Tinkercad is a web-based modeling program. With ReplicatorG is a front-end for RepRap-based
a WebGL-enabled browser such as Google Chrome 3D printers such as the MakerBot Cupcake CNC,
or Firefox, you can run Tinkercad’s 3D user inter- Thing-O-Matic, and Replicator. It was originally
face directly in your browser. Build up your design, created to support MakerBot printers, but can also
save it online, and share it with others. You can also be used with other RepRap-based printers. You can
send files directly to popular 3D printing services or use ReplicatorG to load an STL model, then rotate,
download STL files for printing yourself. move, and/or resize it before “slicing," which pre-
pares the model for printing. Once you’ve sliced the
OPENSCAD file, you can send it directly to the printer or save it
FREE \\ openscad.org to an SD card for printing later.
If you like programming languages more than drag-
ging and dropping, you might prefer OpenSCAD
to the other modeling tools out there. Instead of

makezine.com 47
FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS
MAKERWARE
FREE \\ makerbot.com/makerware WEBSITE DESIGN
MakerWare is the latest front-end printing soft- Slick tools and tutorials to create
ware from MakerBot. It’s specifically designed attractive and highly functional
for their newer models: the Replicator and websites.
Replicator 2. However, MakerBot has indicated
that it may support the older Thing-O-Matic in a TREEHOUSE
future upgrade. Unlike ReplicatorG, MakerWare is $25–$49/month \\ teamtreehouse.com
not fully open source, but the parts that do the Earn achievement badges as you take interactive
heavy lifting (the mathematical calculations needed lessons in web and iOS design and development.
to “slice” the model) — the slicers Miracle Grue and Treehouse offers 700 instructional videos along
Skeinforge — are. Unlike ReplicatorG, MakerWare with accompanying quizzes and code challenges,
can load more than one STL at a time. with the goal of bringing affordable tech education
to the masses.
REPETIER-HOST
FREE \\ repetier.com POPCORN MAKER
This is a unique front-end for RepRap printers. Like FREE \\ popcorn.webmaker.org
the others, you can load STLs and arrange them as The goal of Mozilla’s Webmaker platform is to turn
you’d like, and then slice and print an entire “build web consumers into web makers. They’re working
plate“ all at once. Repetier-Host can slice models on several tools to make this happen, but Popcorn
using either Skeinforge or Slic3r. Unlike other front- Maker really hits the spot; it’s a tool for remixing
ends, Repetier-Host gives you three visualizations and remashing web video. If you think about how
of your model: the 3D STL view, the layer-by-layer much learning and skill sharing is moving into
view of the G-code instructions that comprise the video form, you’ll quickly realize the value of
sliced model, and the real-time build view of each Popcorn Maker.
line of material as it’s laid down. If you want to
explain how 3D printing works, give the demo PAPER.JS & PROCESSING.JS
using Repetier-Host. FREE \\ paperjs.org, processingjs.org
If you want to draw animated graphics on a web
PRINTRUN/PRONTERFACE page, you’ve got quite a few options. If you want
FREE \\ reprap.org/wiki/printrun to avoid Flash and have your animations work on
Easy to use and very fast, Printrun is a front-end for mobile devices, the field narrows considerably: the
RepRap 3D printers. It doesn’t have all the bells and JavaScript frameworks Paper.js and Processing.js
whistles of Repetier-Host, but its simplicity is quite are good options. Use Paper.js if you want interac-
appealing. You use Printrun to slice your model tivity; use Processing.js if you already know how
(by invoking Slic3r or Skeinforge), then send your to program in Processing.
model to the printer. In addition to a graphical user
interface, Printrun includes command-line tools for
working with print jobs.
ZEN CART language. If Processing took Java’s graphical power
FREE \\ zen-cart.com and made it easy for kids, artists, and designers,
Zen Cart is one of the world’s most popular open Arduino did the same thing with C++’s power to
source online store programs. A 2003 fork from make cool stuff with embedded devices.
osCommerce, it’s PHP-based, uses a MySQL
database, and is readily hacked and customized to
PROPELLER
FREE \\ parallax.com/tabid/832/Default.aspx
meet your particular needs, with a wide variety of
The Propeller is a microcontroller unlike any
features available either natively or through free
other; it has eight cores (called cogs) running
adds-on. Google its name, and the first three hits
independently, in parallel, sharing memory and
are from big commercial shopping cart providers
other resources. For quite a while you could only
who are trying to persuade you not to use it. What
program the Propeller in Assembly or in a higher-
better endorsement could you ask for? Our pals
level language called Spin. More recently Parallax
at Adafruit have been using it since 2005, and are
has provided tools for programming the Propeller
a great resource to help you get started.
using the open source C toolchain.
WORDPRESS VISUAL STUDIO
FREE \\ wordpress.org
WordPress (WP) is the most popular blogging and
EXPRESS/NETDUINO
FREE \\ netduino.com/downloads
online content management platform in the world
Despite the -duino suffix, Netduino is not Arduino.
today. It’s free, open source software, written in
You can’t grab the Arduino IDE, plug in a Netduino,
PHP, and using a MySQL backend, which allows it
and expect anything interesting to happen. The
to be installed on almost any web server. Overall,
“Net” in Netduino refers to .NET, Microsoft’s
WP achieves an amazing balance between user-
development platform. Many years ago, Microsoft
friendliness and advanced customizability. Themes
tried an experiment called SPOT (Smart Personal
control how content is visually presented on a page,
Object Technology) that was probably a bit ahead
plugins offer extended functionality like search
of its time. Instead of being crushed up and spit out,
engine optimization and rich commenting, and wid-
Microsoft decided to put the whole thing out under
gets allow for easy custom page layout. And WP’s
the Apache 2.0 open source license — compilers,
extremely active user community is constantly
runtime, and tools — as the .NET Micro Framework.
working to tweak and develop them all. Great
Even though it’s open source, you still need a devel-
mobile apps are available for WP, as well, so you
opment environment, which is where the closed-
can take your blogging on the go.
source Visual Studio IDE comes in. While it’s pos-
sible to develop Netduino programs with a 100%
open source toolchain (using the Mono Project), it’s
MICRO- painful. Visual Studio Express gives you an easy way
CONTROLLERS to develop and deploy Netduino programs.
Software to get the most out of your
Arduino or other microcontroller. ENERGIA (MSP430)
FREE \\ energia.nu
ARDUINO This is a port of the Arduino development environ-
FREE \\ arduino.cc ment (everything from the IDE to the compiler tools
This is the software package you need to get your that run under its hood) to the Texas Instruments
Arduino to do something other than run the pre- MSP430 microcontroller family. It feels just like
installed “Blink” sketch. You use the Arduino IDE Arduino, and you can pretty much use the same
(integrated development environment) to write pro- code you use on Arduino (though you’ll need to
grams (known as sketches among Arduino users), change your pin assignments to match the board
and load them onto your Arduino board. Within the you’re using). This is a great development envi-
Arduino IDE, you’ll use a prettied-up variant of C++ ronment for exploring the inexpensive MSP430
that was inspired and informed by the Processing LaunchPad from Texas Instruments.

makezine.com 49
 FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS

PROGRAMMING MIT APP INVENTOR

FREE \\ appinventor.mit.edu
FOR KIDS Inspired by Scratch, App Inventor is a project that
Entertaining and useful programs to was originally created at Google to bring Scratch-
pique kids’ interest in software and like programming to Android phones. Kids can drag
make programming accessible. and drop blocks together to create working pro-
grams, and then deploy them to Android devices.
PYTHON When the App Inventor project lead, Hal Abelson,
FREE \\ python.org finished his sabbatical at Google and returned to
Python is a great first programming language MIT, he brought it back with him.
(or scripting language). It’s clear, easy to get up and
running, and the Python community has created MODKIT
lots of libraries that will do what you need. Python is FREE \\ modk.it
an interpreted language, which means that you can Intended to be intuitive enough for kids to use,
write a program (or script) and execute it directly Modkit is a browser-based Scratch-like program-
rather than compiling it into machine code. ming platform for the Arduino. Once you write a
program by dragging and dropping colored blocks,
SCRATCH you can examine the Processing code it generates,
FREE \\ scratch.mit.edu and edit it directly in Processing.
This graphical programming language was
developed at MIT to teach kids how to program ALICE
and think creatively. By dragging, dropping, and FREE \\ alice.org
connecting colored blocks, you can create games Not just for kids (but perfectly suited to them),
with animation and sound effects. this educational software from Carnegie Mellon
University is aimed at teaching object-oriented
programming in a 3D environment. Using the drag-
“It is our responsibility to equip children and-drop interface, students visually learn to ani-
with the knowledge necessary to under- mate 3D objects and become engaged in
stand our world and to have a host of programming through storytelling.
options in it and I believe that programming
can play an integral part in this.”
HAPPY NERDS
FREE \\ happynerds.net
—Michael Kohl Austrian software engineer Michael Kohl has
put together this site as a resource dedicated solely
to programming for kids. Under each category
(Windows, Mac, Linux, Browser, and Books),
Kohl provides healthy lists and links to learning
resources. He writes, “It is our responsibility to
equip children with the knowledge necessary to
understand our world and to have a host of options
in it and I believe that programming can play an
integral part in this.”
By Lynn Langit

“Thinking like a programmer”

is a great way to interact with
h
your computer. Programming
itself is satisfying because
you can make whatever you
can imagine.
Breaking a problem down into concrete steps that
you can then test out one at a time is part of the
maker mentality. Thinking like a programmer will
help you in other places too; for example, when
you’re trying to solve math problems.
SmallBasic is an introductory programming lan-
guage, based on Microsoft .NET. The language and
its editor (also known as an integrated developmentt
environment, or IDE for short) is a free download.
SmallBasic recipes are free, fun lessons you can software downloads, recipes, tips, and answer keys
use to teach yourself how to program computer there. We also have videos of each recipe being
graphics, make simple games, and do other things. coded line-by-line in the Teachers section of the
Recipes are designed for kids ages 10 and up who TKP website.
have basic keyboarding skills.
In the screen shot (right), you can see an exam-
ple recipe called Pentagon Crazy.
To use recipes, you’ll also need to download the
SmallBasicFun extensions and follow the instruc-
tions for installing them inside SmallBasic. These
extensions add objects, examples, and more to
SmallBasic itself, making programming easier and
even more fun. Get them here: extendsmallbasic.
codeplex.com.
SmallBasic recipes are part of the “Learn to
Program Courseware” found at TeachingKids
Programming.org (TKP). You’ll find links to all of the

makezine.com 51
FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
All the steps are listed on the TKP website,
but we’ll also list them here:

1. Grab a PC with Windows XP, Vista, or 7 and

.NET 3.5 SP1 or greater.

2. Download and install SmallBasic and the exten-

sions on your PC, or download our SmallBasicOnUSB
zip file (makezine.com/go/smallbasiczip) onto
a flash drive, unzip it and plug it in to your PC. I’M STUCK
Then click the SB.exe file to get started (no When you get stuck, we’ve got many tips for you to
install required). try out. What to do depends on how you’re stuck.

3. Browse the SmallBasic recipe library and pick a Error Message

recipe to start with. Import the ID# into SmallBasic One kind of stuck is that you get some error mes-
and start translating the English comments into sage at the bottom of the IDE. For example, you see
SmallBasic code. We suggest you start with the that the error says “14,12: Operation ‘Tortoise.Turn’
SQUARE recipe and then work your way down the is supplied 0 arguments, but takes 1 arguments.”
recipes page (recipes are listed from easy to hard For this kind of stuck we suggest you double click
on that page). on the error message text (read it first!) and then
click on the line of SmallBasic code that is causing
4. After you’ve the error. Take a look at the example (right side

TIP Code with a friend:

translated each
(single) line
highlighted) and update as needed. You can even
copy and paste the example from the documenta-
this process of working is of English into tion if need be. We call this “fake it ‘till you make it.”
called “pair programming.” To SmallBasic code, Your goal here is to get your code to run.
do pair programming, just take RUN the code You can always also just “Undo” until you get
(using the F5 key) back into a state that will run and then try another
turns on the keyboard. One to make sure that SmallBasic word.
kid types while the other kid your translation
talks (that is, tells the kid who was correct. Unsure of What to Do
is typing what to type). Make Another kind of stuck is that you don’t know the
sure you swap roles regularly 5. Delete the English SmallBasic word(s) to use to translate one or more
— we suggest every 5 minutes comment after of the English comments. Here we suggest using
you’ve got your the Ctrl+Spacebar keys to get a list of all possible
or so. It’s best if you actually code right. words. If you know the Object (noun), but can’t find
stand up and switch places
the Operation (verb), try looking at other Objects
as you go along. 6. Pick your next to see if a more appropriate Operation is listed with
line to translate. that object. For example, if you need to center a
Pick a line you can test by running your program. shape at a given x,y location, you would want to
For example translate “Move the Tortoise 50 pixels” use the ShapeMaker object (rather than the Shapes
before “Make the Tortoise move as fast as pos- object) as ShapeMaker includes an operation
sible.” You can also watch a short video on coding named CenterShapeAt().
up a mini-recipe (called the Giant Tortoise) to see
coding with SmallBasic in action: makezine.com/ Weird Results
go/tortoise. Yet another kind of stuck is code that will run
(meaning there are no errors shown when you try to

52
Here’s an example of what you can turn a square into with just a few changes to your code.

run it), but runs in a weird way, such as an all-white ON MY OWN

program window where you had expected to see After you finish translating a particular recipe, you
the Tortoise or Turtle objects drawing something. can tinker with the code to make it into something
This can be caused by a number of errors, the most slightly (or even very) different than what you
common of which are incorrect End statements for started with, e.g., change a square into a spiral.
Loops, Conditionals, or Subroutines. Check the posi- Look at the “Variation Images and Information”
tion of your EndFor, EndIf, and EndSub statements. section for each recipe for suggestions, cheat
(Again, you may want to use the Undo feature to sheets, and more.
get back to a runnable state.)
You can also use the Cheat Sheet provided for BEYOND SMALLBASIC
each recipe, which shows you the SmallBasic code. If you click the “Graduate” button in the IDE it
It also indicates which lines of English should be will translate your code to VisualBasic.NET. To
translated into code first, so you can actually see edit VB.NET you’ll need the Visual Studio IDE.
the results as you go along. Download either VB Express (free), or sign up for
DreamSpark to get a full version of Visual Studio to
work with.
At the TKP site there are also recipes for other
programming languages (such as Java, T-SQL
for databases, and more). There are lessons for
Microsoft Kodu as well — a programming language
designed for children as young as 6 to get started
creating worlds and games via visual programming.
Enjoy working with SmallBasic Recipes!

We know that you'll be making cool stuff with SmallBasic, and we want to see and share what
you’ve done. You can publish your variations by clicking the Publish button in SmallBasic. Then
you’ll get an ID number. You can share that ID with your friends and they can see your varia-
tion and work together with you on making your program even cooler.

Lynn Langit is a professional programmer and technical educator, and is also co-founder of TKP, a U.S. nonprofit. She authors and teaches courseware for
data solutions. Lynn blogs at LynnLangit.com and TeachingKidsProgramming.org.
makezine.com 53
FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS

By Eric Rosenbaum and Amos Blanton

Kids get wide-eyed when they realize they can click and move the mouse cursor, too). You can play
make music just by tapping on a row of bananas. games on a controller drawn in pencil, make music
Adults start jamming out on classic tunes, and then with fruit, advance your PowerPoint slides by taking
inevitably somebody discovers that they can play bites from a pastry, take a picture of your cat when
a sound by connecting two people: a high-five, it takes a drink, or navigate Google Earth with your
or even a kiss, can trigger a cymbal crash. bare feet (check out the video at makeymakey.com
It’s all possible thanks to MaKey MaKey, a to see lots of fun examples).
new invention kit developed by Jay Silver and One of the most powerful ways to use MaKey
Eric Rosenbaum. First you alligator clip everyday MaKey is to combine it with Scratch, a free and
materials like bananas, Play-Doh, or your grandma easy-to-use graphical programming language we
to the MaKey MaKey circuit board. Then you helped create as part of the Lifelong Kindergarten
plug it into your computer, which thinks MaKey group at MIT Media Lab (see scratch.mit.edu).
MaKey is a USB keyboard. Now, when you complete Scratch lets you make stories, games, and ani-
a circuit through the bananas (or anything even mations just by snapping blocks together on the
a tiny bit electrically conductive), the computer screen. It’s easy to make things happen when a
thinks a key has been pressed. key is pressed. There are few limits to what you
MaKey MaKey works with just about any soft- can create with Scratch and MaKey MaKey. Here
ware you’ve already got, because it works like a are a few projects we made to get you started.
keyboard that lets you make your own keys (it can

54
BANANA PIANO

How do you make a banana into a piano key? First We made a piano in Scratch, with different notes
we’ll set up MaKey MaKey so you can complete a triggered by the up, down, left, and right arrow
circuit by touching a banana. keys, by the space bar, and by a mouse click. Each
Connect yourself to ground, banana is plugged into one
and a banana to “space” on the of those inputs on the
MaKey MaKey. Now, when MaKey MaKey. To connect
you touch the banana, the the person to ground so they
computer thinks the space can complete the circuit,
key was pressed. we like to use a lime.
Next we’ll set up Scratch to play a sound when What other musical instruments could you
you press the space key (or touch a banana). make? Lots of different types of fruit, vegetables,
Just put these blocks (above) together in Scratch, and other food will work for making pianos. You
and when you press the space key, it will play a can play with other sounds, too. Can you make a
piano note. drum kit out of cheese? How about a squishy sound
Now that you’ve got one banana working, we can effects machine made out of a few marshmallows?
set up some more keys and play some tunes!

makezine.com 55
FEATURES SOFTWARE FOR MAKERS

Each time the horse rocks

to the back or the front,
Scratch steps the animation
forward by one frame.

ROCK-AND-ROLL
ROCKING HORSE
Tired of the usual game controllers? We decided to We imported the GIF into Scratch, creating a sep-
make a wooden rocking horse into a whole new kind arate costume for each frame. (In Scratch, objects
of controller using MaKey MaKey and Scratch. First that perform functions are called sprites, and each
we made two simple switches frame of a sprite is a
that close when pressure is costume.) Then we used
applied — we made ours out Scratch blocks to advance
of clothespins and foil. We to the next costume at
attached one to the front and each rock, creating the illu-
one to the back of the rocking sion of movement — just
horse’s rail. When the horse as Muybridge discovered.
rocks, the clothespins press The faster you rock, the
together, completing a circuit faster the horse runs.
so that MaKey MaKey presses What else could you
yo control with your own rock-
a key. ing horse? Maybe it needs a carrot you can feed
For our Scratch animation, we used an animated to it, or some head-mounted lasers.
GIF of a horse running made from photographs cre- What other toys can you turn into controllers for
ated by Eadweard Muybridge back in the 1870s. your own games in Scratch?

56
Door Knocker
of Doom
We wanted to create an interactive Halloween scare at
the front door, using a MaKey MaKey and a computer
running Scratch showing in the window. We experiment-
ed with the brass door knocker and found that it was
conductive. Then we connected two clips to it: one on the
base, connected to ground on the MaKey MaKey, and the
other on the handle of the knocker, connected to “space.“
The knocker normally sits touching the base, so Scratch
will think you’re holding down the space key until you lift
the knocker. Our little Scratch program waits until you lift
the knocker, and then plays sound and animation.
Our example just makes the Scratch cat say “boo.”
What terrifying animations and sounds will you create?
You can draw scary scenes using Scratch’s built-in paint
editor, or import other photos and graphics, then make
them come to life using the motion and graphic effects
blocks. You can record your own horrifying sounds, or
find sounds online. You can also try connecting your com-
puter to a projector or speaker system for bigger, louder
effects. And of course, it’s not just about door knockers:
you can use anything that makes or breaks a circuit.

Other W
Oth Ways tto CConnectt SScratch
t h tto th
the Ph
Physical
i lW Worldld
MaKey MaKey isn’t the only way to create cool physical-digital projects with Scratch.
Here are two other Scratch-compatible tools.

PICOBOARD LEGO WEDO

The PicoBoard (aka Scratch Board) is an open The WeDo is a robotics kit developed by Lego for
source sensor board available from SparkFun. kids ages 7 and up. You can control your Scratch
It can sense levels of light and sound, the position projects with the WeDo’s distance and tilt sensors,
of its built-in slider knob, the state of its button, and and activate the WeDo’s motor to create moving
the resistance between each of its four electrical mechanisms. The WeDo is available online through
inputs (which come with wires and alligator clips). the Lego education website.
Scratchers have used PicoBoards to make every-
thing from controllers for interactive games to
sophisticated alarm systems.

Eric Rosenbaum is a Ph.D. student in the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT Media Lab. He’s a member of the Scratch team and co-creator of MaKey
MaKey. Amos Blanton is the online community coordinator for Scratch. He designs and sustains supportive learning environments for people with agency.

makezine.com 57
SKILL BUILDER

INTERMEDIATE

Gregory Hayes

58
 CNC Panel
Joinery
A guide to making interlocking, self-aligning,
and demountable joints in flat stock. By Sean Michael Ragan
I’VE BEEN COLLECTING CLEVER WAYS ing to. Generally, I’ve tried to use descriptive
OF SLOTTING flat stock together since I first terms instead of “proper” names to avoid con-
read Victor Papanek and James Hennessey’s fusion, but here and there I may have slipped
Nomadic Furniture back in 1999, well before up and called a rose by some other name.
the advent of the accessible hobby-class To simplify things, I’m only considering
CNC tools that make manufacturing parts joints between two panels, using all-the-way-
like these pretty easy today. Now the world through cuts, orthogonal to the plane of the
is full of people designing models, project stock. For a taste of how complex this subject
enclosures, sculpture, furniture, and all kinds can become without these limitations, check
of other cool stuff to be assembled from parts out Jochen Gros’ “50 Digital Wood Joints”
made on laser cutters and CNC routers. project at flexiblestream.org/project/
I keep expecting a definitive book or website 50-digital-wood-joints.
to emerge that covers the “bag of tricks” in
an organized way. So far, I haven’t found it. Laser vs. Rotary Cutters:
Perhaps this article can serve as a jumping- The Inside Corner Problemm
off point. Hobby-class laser cutters and CNC routers
In presenting this material, I want to first each have advantages and disadvantages.
acknowledge my respect for the world’s Laser cutters can cut much finer details
established and ancient traditions of joinery. because they have very small kerf, or width
I do not for a moment imagine that any of this of cut. On the other hand, they’re more expen-
is fundamentally new. But I do see a need to sive and can’t do partial-depth cutting or
organize this information to address the needs “pocketing” like a CNC router can. They also
of the small CNC tool operator who wants use heat, which can burn the substrate and/
Gregory Hayes

to make interlocking, self-aligning, and/or or generate nasty off-gassing. However, the

demountable joints in flat stock, for instance burning effect can be used decoratively.
plywood or sheet plastic. A CNC router can change bits and cut
I may abuse some terms without mean- complex relieved surfaces, or make cuts with

makezine.com 59
SKILL BUILDER

A B

C D

E F

mitered or otherwise profiled edges. I don’t this may be OK, but doing so leaves a void in
think either tool can be described as simply the center of the joint and concentrates stress
“better,” and with one minor caveat, all of the on the radiused corners.
techniques presented here can be used equal- A better solution is shown in Figure C.
ly well with either a laser cutter or a router. Now the inside faces of the edge laps mate
Because of its very small cutting channel, cleanly. On the other hand, the round divots
a laser cutter can produce an inside corner are visible in the assembled joint. If that both-
with a sharp angle, whereas a rotary cutter ers you, of course, you can also do it as shown
using a physical tool is limited to inside cor- in Figure D, if your cutter is narrow enough.
ners rounded at the cutting tool’s radius. The On average, this method offers the best com-
laser-cut version, with its sharp 90° corners, promise; the flat areas between the divots
is suitable for use in a simple edge-lap joint seat against each other firmly and the divots
(Figure A). themselves are concealed inside the joint.
Sean Michael Ragan

The router-cut version, however, just To simplify presentation, the joints in the
doesn’t work. The radiused corners bump rest of this article are presented with ideal
into each other and the part edges don’t line “laser cut” inside corners. But all of them
up (Figure B). You can cut each slot a bit should be readily adapted to rotary cutting
deeper, of course, and in some applications by using the divot method.

60
G H

I J

Biasing Cross (“X”) Joints

Many of these joints are symmetrical, and Figure G shows a version of the basic slotted
can be assembled in more than one way. The edge lap joint, in which one side has an integral
joint in Figure E, for instance, can be assem- snap-lock feature. The snap hooks are acces-
bled in two different ways (four, if approaches sible from the end of the joint. Insert a small,
from below are allowed). Which is correct? flat-blade screwdriver, pry a bit, and they can
Often it’s possible to deliberately break be popped loose and the joint opened again.
this symmetry so that the parts can only be But move the hook and the catch away
assembled in one way, or in fewer or more from the edges of the stock, and the snap-
obviously correct ways. For instance, the lock action becomes irreversible (Figure H).
joint in Figure F can still be assembled, but Note that both pieces of stock could include
the disfavored orientations are more clearly both hooks and catches. I’m only showing
wrong because the part edges no longer align. “one-sided” snapping joints for clarity.
This trick can be very handy in complex Replace the hook with a bulge, and the
structures, particularly for kit parts, to keep snap becomes a detent, meaning the part
end users from putting the joint together will stick in place but can be removed with
backwards. I call a joint that has its symmetry sufficient force (Figure I). The detent could
deliberately broken in this way biased. catch in one position, or many (Figure J).

makezine.com 61
SKILL BUILDER

Figure K (previous page) shows an unusual gravity can help keep the pieces engaged,
X joint that uses a radial interlocking motion. and may be biased or otherwise modified like
A biased version is also possible. Figure L the T joints described below.
shows an X joint with the symmetry broken:
shown disassembled (left), assembled in Tee (“T”) Joints
its “favored” orientation (middle), and in its Figure P shows examples of simple mortise
“disfavored” orientation (right). and tenon type joints, or T joints. We can split
Locks or detents can be added to the the mortise and tenon into two slots and tabs
stationary member (Figure M) and/or to the (or as many slots and tabs as we like). If we
rotated member (Figure N). Note, in this case, break the symmetry of the slots and tabs, the
that it doesn’t matter if the profile of the catch joint becomes biased. And if we extend the
is hooked or rounded; once the catch pops tab a small distance past the thickness of the
into the slot, it’ll be very hard to get out. stock, we can easily add snaps or detents that
Finally, in the case of X joints, if one member catch on the far side of the slotted part.
is narrower than the other, a full-width slotted Fasteners in the plane of one of the pieces
arrangement becomes possible (Figure O). can also be introduced. The captive square
Such joints may be useful especially for nut joint (Figure Q) is seen on a number of
shelves or other upright applications where commercial products featuring CNC-cut parts,

62
O P

Q R S

such as the Phlatformer vacuum former kit Corner (“L”) Joints

and several popular 3D printer kits. The arrangement of interlocking tabs
This particular configuration was the and slots at a 90° angle is ancient and
subject of a nomenclature debate on the rudimentary (Figure R). Most people call it
MAKE site, though no consensus was a box joint. It, too, can be biased by breaking
achieved. Interesting possibilities include symmetry, and it’s just as amenable to the
”captive nut joint,” “bedframe joint,” and bolted captive-nut arrangement (Figure S).
“Pettis joint” (my personal favorite, because
it observes Stigler’s Law*). There are almost
certainly other clever ways to incorporate
metal fasteners or other bits of common * Stigler’s Law of eponymy states that no scientific discovery is
hardware in this type of joinery that I haven’t named after its original discoverer. Allegedly discovered by Robert K.
seen, or that have not yet been invented. Merton, making Stigler’s Law exemplify itself.
makezine.com 63
SKILL BUILDER

T
W

U X

Oblique (“V”) Joints Coplanar (“I”) Joints

Though the captive-nut joint doesn’t really The classic finger joint is used to join mem-
work unless its two parts are at right angles to bers in the same plane for gluing (Figure V).
one another, generally L joints can be pressed The interlocking bulbed version in Figure W
into service for acute or obtuse angles, as doesn’t depend on glue for its strength in ten-
well (Figure T), making V joints. sion. If left unglued, of course, these flat joints
The bottoms of the slots no longer index require some means to keep the two pieces
closely against the surface of the stock, but if in the same plane when the joint is in use.
the members are held in alignment by some Figure X shows a variation of the bulb
other means, for example by glue or the intro- joint that allows for in-plane hinging action.
duction of a third panel, it may not matter. I want to call this a “Kanelba hinge,” for George
An interesting variation on this method, S. Kanelba of New York, whose Cube Desk
in which the fingers are rounded (Figure U), project in the 1984 Popular Science book
has been used by Belgian designer Sebastien 67 Prizewinning Plywood Projects is the only
Wierinck. Though rounded fingers may look place I’ve ever seen it. Kanelba hinges can be
better, it should be mentioned, they will limit daisy-chained to make “snakes” (Figure Y).
the surface area available to any adhesive The individual hinges, of course, can be set to
that might be used to glue the joint. stop at angles other than 90°.

64
Z

AA BB

Flexures will hav

have to be llonger tto achieve
hi th
the same
Though not strictly joints, there is a class degree of flexibility, because the router slots
of clever CNC tricks that meet the rules of will have to be considerably wider.
our game, and that are designed to exploit the Finally, Figure BB shows an oddball spiral
natural elasticity of the panel material itself technique, courtesy of PlasmaCAM. Originally
to create living hinges, springs, and other cut out from sheet steel using a CNC plasma
dynamic flexing elements. We have already cutter, a similar idea could work with a laser
broached the subject of integral flexures with cutter or a mill, in some other material.
our discussion of catches and detents.
Figure Z is an in-plane spring or living Final Thoughts
hinge element that is kind of like kerf-bending, This is a huge area, and this article only just
but with “thru” cuts. If not constrained to scratches the surface. While compiling it, new
motion in the plane, such a feature will be variations and ideas kept occurring to me, as
pretty unstable. I suspect they will to you, reading it. The rules
Figure AA shows a version more suitable of the game, again, are simple: all-the-way-
for out-of-plane bending. This is the some- through cuts, 90° to the surface of the stock,
what famous Snijlab living hinge technique only one or two cut parts involved. What
(which I believe should be called a sninge), an clever tricks have I missed? Let me know,
accordion-cut pattern that allows for stable in the comments of the original post at
out-of-plane flexing (see Laser-Cut Book makezine.com/go/cncpanel. a
Covers, page 66). It’s most commonly execut-
ed in laser-cut plywood, but there’s no reason Sean Michael Ragan is technical editor of MAKE magazine. His work has
it couldn’t be cut with a CNC mill and/or in appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall
other materials. A router-cut sninge, however, Street Journal.
makezine.com 65
PROJECTS LASER CUT BOOK COVERS

Use this neat

technique to make
plywood flexible.
By Christian Waber and
Jiskar Schmitz

a TIME: 1 HOUR a COMPLEXITY: EASY

Laser-Cut Book Covers

By making a pattern of laser cuts in a turn. That’s how the hinge we use here works.
flat piece of wood, you can easily create When you look closely you can see that the
cuts leave a pattern of interconnected small
hinges, clamps, and other features.
“sticks.” When you bend the cover, you’ll see
We made wooden booklets, each with a hinge them all twisting a little bit.
and a notepad holder. The hinge can be fully There are several patterns that will allow
bent in both directions repeatedly without bending. The simplest one is a set of shifted
breaking. How is that possible? First, wood cuts, as shown in Figure A. The longer or
has the strength to withstand repetitive bend- wider you make the piece, the softer it gets.
ing and twisting. It won’t break as long as the This pattern yields a very springy hinge that
stresses stay under a certain limit. you can move in all directions.
The trick to making the wood flexible is to To make the hinge stronger, you can add
break it up in a lot of small pieces that can all some tabs in each line (Figure B). This gives
twist a little. All these tiny twists add up so the hinge a lot more strength while still allow-
you can bend the sheet without stressing the ing you to bend it.
material too much. Inside the cover is a clamp that holds
Imagine it like this: when you twist a match- the notepad with two flexible “arms,” cut
Jiskar Schmitz

stick with your hands, you can twist it maybe so they're slightly smaller than the notepad
1 of a turn before it breaks. Imagine now (Figure C). When you insert the notepad,
you have a matchstick 10 times longer. You the arms press on the sides, keeping it
can twist it 10 times as far, more than a full firmly in place.

66
 MATERIALS & TOOLS
» Plywood, approx. 4mm Birch works best.
» Notepad, A7 size
» Rubber band
» Clear varnish
» Wood glue
» Sandpaper, 180 grit
» Laser cutter If you don’t own one, check
your local fab lab, hackerspace, TechShop,
or a commercial laser-cutting service.

1. Download the DXF files from

Thingiverse (thingiverse.com/thing:
12707). Load up your plywood, then
send the files to the laser cutter. A

2. When the pieces are ready,

sand them to get rid of the laser-
cutting marks.

3. Varnish both pieces to protect

them from dirt. Set aside to dry.

4. When dry, apply wood glue to B

the back of the clamp's middle
section and position it on the inside
of the cover. Take care not to put glue
under the ribbed “arms” of the clamp
because these need to move freely.
Put some weight on the clamp and
wait 2 hours for the glue to dry.

5. Carefully insert the notepad in the

clamp, insert the rubber band in the 2
slots at the bottom, and you’re done! a
C

Mod It!
Once you’ve downloaded the DXF
files, there’s nothing stopping you
from altering them to fit your own
needs. Go ahead and change the
shape to your liking, or laser cut your
name onto it. You can also extract
the hinge and use it in other projects
that need some bent wood. Happy
making and don’t forget to share
your work!
Gregory Hayes

Christian Waber and Jiskar Schmitz are from the Netherlands.

They founded the digital manufacturing company Snijlab
(snijlab.nl) to make the full power of digital fabrication acces-
sible for everyone. They love to design, make, and engineer.
makezine.com 67
 PROJECTS RASPBERRY PI
This project is from Getting
Started with Raspberry
Pi by Matt Richardson and
Shawn Wallace. It assumes
that you already know how
to set up and operate the
Raspberry Pi platform, and
that you know the basics
of the Python programming
language. If you want to
get up to speed quickly,
you can find all of the
above (and much more) in
Richardson and Wallace’s
book, available in the Maker
Shed (makershed.com).

68
 S
An introductory
exercise for

imple
Raspberry Pi.
By Matt Richardson
and Shawn Wallace

oundboard
a TIME: 1 HOUR a COMPLEXITY: INTERMEDIATE

In this simple breadboard build, we’ll 1. Breadboard the circuit.

use a Raspberry Pi and the sound Using a female-to-male jumper wire, connect
the Raspberry Pi’s ground pin to the negative
functions of the Pygame module in rail on your breadboard.
the Python programming language With another female-to-male jumper wire,
to make a soundboard. A soundboard connect the Raspberry Pi’s 3.3V pin to the
lets you trigger the playback of positive rail on your breadboard. Insert the 3
pushbutton switches into the breadboard, all
sounds when you push its buttons. straddling the center trench.
You’ll also need a few uncompressed sound Now with standard jumper wires or small
files, in WAV format. You can record or down- pieces of hookup wire, connect the positive
load your own, and there are a few sound rail of the breadboard to the top pin of each
files preloaded onto the Raspberry Pi in /usr/ button. Next, add the pulldown resistors.
share/sounds/alsa/ that you can use for test- Connect the bottom pin of each button to
ing. We even collected a few public domain ground with a 10K resistor.
sound effects from The Internet Archive that Connect each button’s bottom pin (the one
you can download at makeprojects.com/v/33. with the 10K resistor) to the Raspberry Pi’s
These will give you some fun files to play with GPIO pins using female-to-male jumper wires.
right away. For this project, we use pins 23, 24, and 25.

About Python
» Python (python.org) is a great to teach programming in the explicitly tell the computer
first programming language; elementary and secondary whether a variable is a number,
it’s clear and easy to get up and grade schools using Python. a list, or a string; the interpreter
running. More importantly, More than a decade later, this figures out the data types
there are a lot of other users is actually happening with the when you execute the script.
that you can share code with coming of the Raspberry Pi.
» The Python interpreter
and hit up for questions.
» Python is an interpreted can be run in 2 ways: as an
» Guido Van Rossum created language, which means that interactive shell to execute
Python, and very early on rec- you can write a program or individual commands, or as
ognized its use as an accessible script and execute it directly a command-line program to
first language for computing. In rather than compiling it into execute stand-alone scripts.
1999 Van Rossum put together machine code. Interpreted The integrated development
a widely read proposal called languages are a bit quicker environment (IDE) bundled
Gunther Kirsch

“Computer Programming for to program and have a few with Python and the Rasp-
Everybody” that laid out a side benefits. For example, berry Pi is called IDLE.
vision for an ambitious program in Python you don’t have to

makezine.com 69
PROJECTS RASPBERRY PI

NOTE While Pygame

is available for Python 3,
on the Raspberry Pi’s
default installation, it’s only
installed for Python 2.7.

MATERIALS
» Raspberry Pi with power,
keyboard, monitor, and network
connected
» Pushbutton switches (3)
,
» Jumper wires female-to-
male (5)
» Standard jumper wires (3)
or hookup wire cut to size
» Solderless breadboard
» Resistors, 10kΩ (3)
» Computer speakers or an HDMI
monitor that has built-in speakers

70
 2. Work on the code.
Create a new directory in your home directory called soundboard. Open that
folder and create a file there called soundboard.py. Open soundboard.py and
type in the following code (or download it from makeprojects.com/v/33):

import pygame.mixer
from time import sleep
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
from sys import exit

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
Initialize Pygame’s mixer.
GPIO.setup(23, GPIO.IN)
GPIO.setup(24, GPIO.IN)
Load the sounds.
GPIO.setup(25, GPIO.IN)

pygame.mixer.init(48000, -16, 1, 1024) Set up 3 channels, one for

each sound, so that we
sndA = pygame.mixer.Sound("buzzer.wav") can play different sounds
sndB = pygame.mixer.Sound("clap.wav") concurrently.
sndC = pygame.mixer.Sound("laugh.wav")
Let the user know the
soundChannelA = pygame.mixer.Channel(1)
soundboard is ready.
soundChannelB = pygame.mixer.Channel(2)
soundChannelC = pygame.mixer.Channel(3)
If the pin is high, execute
print "Soundboard Ready." the following line.

while True:
Play the sound.
try:
if (GPIO.input(23) == True):
soundChannelA.play(sndA) Don’t “peg” the processor by
checking the buttons faster
if (GPIO.input(24) == True): than we need to.
soundChannelB.play(sndB)
if (GPIO.input(25) == True):
soundChannelC.play(sndC) This will let us exit the script
cleanly when the user hits
sleep(.01)
CTRL+C, without showing the
except KeyboardInterrupt: traceback message.
exit()

Go to the command line and navigate to To send the audio through HDMI to the
the folder where you’ve saved soundboard.py monitor, use:
and execute the script with Python: $ sudo amixer cset numid=3 2
$ sudo python soundboard.py Of course, you aren’t limited to just 3
After you see “Soundboard Ready,” start sounds; you can add quite a few more. Just
pushing buttons to play the sound samples. add the files to the soundboard directory and
Depending on how your Raspberry Pi is set update the code accordingly. a
up, your sound might be sent via HDMI to your
display, or it may be sent to the 3.5mm analog
Matt Richardson is a contributing editor of MAKE and a Brooklyn-based
audio output jack on the board.
technophile, maker of things, photographer, and video producer. His work
Gregory Hayes

To change that, exit the script by typing

can be found at mattrichardson.com.
CTRL+C and executing the following com-
mand to use the analog audio output: Shawn Wallace edits books for MAKE and lives in Providence, R.I. His work
$ sudo amixer cset numid=3 1 can be found at fluxly.com.
makezine.com 71
PROJECTS DIY WELDING ROD

DIY
Welding
Rod
a TIME: 1 HOUR

Prepare for the

a COMPLEXITY: EASY

zombie apocalypse
There are a bunch of DIY welder articles and
how-tos out in the ether, ranging from the super
by rolling your own. simple, dumb, and brutally effective (3 car bat-
Written by Chris Hackett teries wired in series) to the high-tech and fancy
(TIG machines from microwave bits, oxyhydrogen
torches from split water and plumbing supplies).
It’s safe to say that experienced makers will be fusing
metal even if an exceptionally biblical catastrophe were to
strike the welding industry. If civilization and supply chains
collapse, the anti-zombie fences will still get built, and the
Thunderdome will be sturdy and made from steel.
However, all the DIY welders I’ve seen assume that you
have access to welding rod. For the less weld-informed,
a good, solid weld involves more than melting and fusing
metals — the weld zone needs to be free of oxygen, other-
wise the normal oxidation of metals that leads to rust,
patinas, and discoloration happens at a dizzyingly rapid
Becky Stern

rate, accelerated by the high heat. This is not just an aes-

thetic issue — the oxidation happens inside the weld, so
instead of a solid metal bond, you get a brittle foam filling.

72
Rod Research
» My first step was to look contact with the rod. The elec-
MATERIALS
» Silica gel packets (2–3) usually
up patents, which lay out the trodes are then dried out. labeled “Desiccant: Do Not Eat”
and packaged with electronics,
crucial core of a technology.
» The rod is the electrode and shoes, and other things that
Often, the making process is hate dampness
filler; the paper/sodium silicate
laid out as well, protecting the » Lye, 100% sold as drain cleaner
wrapper spews out shield-
inventor’s rights to the means, » Steel wire or coat hanger, 2'
ing gas upon combustion and or more to cut into welding rods
as well as the ends. This keeps
provides a path of plasma to » Newspaper
patent attorneys employed, » Plastic cups (3)
guide the arc. The rod does not
and provides a nice step-by- » Nitrile or latex gloves
deposit a protective ceramic
step for writers to rip off. » Stir sticks, plastic or wooden
slag like modern welding rods,
» I dug up the patent “Electrode but, as Mr. Smith stated in the
for Arc Welding,” filed in 1918
by Reuben Stanley Smith, a
patent, “I have found, also, that
the coating of slag produced by
TOOLS
» Digital pocket scale
prolific inventor and resident the use of known covered elec- » Hot plate to cook the lye and
of Milwaukee, Wis. Basically, trodes is not essential to the silica gel into sodium silicate
a steel rod is wrapped in cellu- production of eminently satis- » Pliers
lose (paper) soaked in sodium factory work.” I tweaked the » Safety glasses or goggles
» Cooking vessel, tempered
silicate, and the wrapping patent procedure a little to use glass or nonreactive ceramic
is crimped to maintain close commonly available materials. don't use metal or Bad Things
might happen
» Toaster oven to cook the rods.
A rod oven, or some time in the
sun, should do the trick as well.
» Mortar and pestle, or scrap
of metal round stock

CAUTION Wear gloves

and goggles, and weigh out the parts
individually. A little lye in the eye or
in a cut on your hand will ruin your day.
A B

Removing the oxygen is usually achieved by 1. Make the sodium silicate.

flooding the weld area with inert gas — regu- If you have some lying around, you can skip
lated, pressurized gas from a separate tank in this step. Empty out the silica gel packs until
the case of MIG and TIG welding, or gas cre- you have a pile of beads about the size of
ated from vaporizing flux in oxy-fuel, stick, and a large walnut.
flux-core welding. The standard, flux-coated Get smashy with the silica gel beads. A
arc-welding rod is the common currency of mortar and pestle work best here. I didn’t have
welding, used to hold the world together. You one, so I rolled the silica gel package with a
can get them everywhere. Until you can’t. metal rod (Figure A).
Even the finest DIY welder is useless without Time for some chemistry. Zero your scale.
welding rod. I did a bunch of research, and as Sodium silicate is made from water, silica gel,
far as I can tell no one has made their own and sodium hydroxide (lye). The proportions
welding rod and documented it online. A minor (by weight) are 6 parts silica gel (crushed as
but potentially crucial gap in the DIY world, best you can), 4–8 parts lye (4 will work, 8
solved here (and on the web at makeprojects. is stoichiometric, and anywhere in between
com/project/d/1712). is fine), and 10 parts water (Figure B).

makezine.com 73
PROJECTS DIY WELDING ROD

C D E

F G H

I J K

Heat the water, then slowly add the lye 2. Prepare the rods.
while stirring (Figure C). If you just dump the Straighten the coat hanger, then cut pieces
lye in, you’ll get a solid, hard lump of a caustic of welding-rod size: about 1' long will work.
base at the bottom of your heating vessel. The Hangers are usually covered with paint
only way I found to remove it was neutralizing or clear varnish, likely to avoid leaving your
it with some decently strong hydrochloric clothing stained with rust (I’ve never used a
acid. It totally looked like Science, but was hanger for the intended purpose). Sand away
an annoying waste of time. the varnish or paint until you’re left with a
Heat and stir until you get a clear but shiny rod of steel (Figures E and F).
ominously thick solution. Be wary, but not Cut paper strips a little shorter than your
too afraid — it can smell your fear. rod. Each strip should be wide enough for
This next part can be tricky — add the silica 8–10 wraps around the steel (Figure G).
gel powder to the lye/water solution, but just Paint a layer of sodium silicate onto the
a little bit at a time. Take the solution off the paper (Figure H). You want the paper to be
heat when you add the powder, then return it as saturated as possible. I found that painting
to the heat while you stir. If you leave it on the both sides allowed the sodium silicate to soak
heat for too long it will boil over in an instant. in nicely and evenly.
If it gets too cool the silica gel won’t go into Roll the saturated paper around the steel
solution, and will clump at the bottom. rod; again, 8–10 layers will do. Try to get it as
Done right, the result will be a gummy gel, consistently tight as possible. It’s harder than
sodium silicate (Figure D)! you’d think. Smooth the layers as you go, and
smoosh the trailing edge into the rest of the

74
 L M N

O P Q

R S T

wrap (Figures I, J, and K). the rod burned almost as well as an off-the-
Use pliers to crimp the gooey paper tightly shelf rod (Figure O). Tons of smoke, though,
and uniformly onto the rod to prevent the and the arc was not super stable.
coating from disintegrating faster on one side Then I welded with the homemade elec-
than another. trode (Figure P). It was splattery and ugly
(you can partially blame user error and a bit
3. Bake the rods. of a learning curve), but it definitely looks like
Cook the rods in a toaster oven at a low heat a weld (Figure Q). Notice the lack of ceramic
for about 15 minutes. This drives out moisture, slag — just some ash.
and also makes a carbonized shell that keeps I then brushed it to see the glory of my weld.
the rods intact when stored. You want them to Looks OK, in parts. The weld side is not pretty,
be totally dry and golden (Figures L and M). but the backside shows good penetration
(Figures R and S).
4. Weld. I chopped the weld up for a closer look,
You’re ready to test. I guess for maximum and success! No pitting, no craters, and total
punk-rock DIY points I should have tested fusion of the metal (Figure T). Welding, from
them using a car-battery welder, but the arc home-rigged rods. Take that, zombies.
welder was right there.
I used the recommended settings for a
r" rod: DCEP, around 100 amps (Figure N). Hackett is a teacher (adjunct professor at New York University), artist,
Striking an arc took a couple of tries, but once founder and director of the Madagascar Institute (madagascarinstitute.
I figured out the correct distance and angle, com), and television presenter (most recently on Stuck with Hackett).
makezine.com 75
PROJECTS PANJOLELE

The
Panjolele
Cake Pan
Ukulele
Start your own
ukulele craze with
this great-sounding
musical instrument
built from simple
household parts.
Written and photographed by
Chester Winowiecki
 a TIME: 2–3 DAYS a COMPLEXITY: MODERATE

I love making my own musical instruments.

Nothing beats the feeling of playing your own
tunes on an instrument you made yourself.
While the best instruments are made by skilled
craftspeople with high-quality materials, it
can be very rewarding to craft an instrument
with simple components at hand.
A few years ago I got interested in the idea of making
my own cigar box ukulele. I had a nice box and the wood to
make the neck but I needed a lot of other parts, like frets
and a slotted fretboard and tuners and strings, that I had
to order and wait for them to arrive. But I wanted it done
right then! So while I waited, I thought about how those
parts functioned and what I could substitute.
I remembered someone using toothpicks for frets on
cigar box guitars, and while I was wary of steel strings
cutting into the wooden frets, I thought a ukulele’s nylon
strings should be fine. Toothpicks for frets: check.
I’d also seen a lot of instruments built with cookie tins
for the body, so I headed to the local resale shop to look for
one. No tins, but what I did find was even better. Nice,
rigid aluminum cake pans, in two sizes. “Resophonic
instruments use aluminum cones, don’t they?”
I thought. Cake pans for the body: check.
I brought my treasures home and found a nice
piece of hardwood for the neck. Luckily, I had a set
of tuners and strings on hand. I got to work and
a few days later, I had a cake pan uke!
The name? Early in ukulele history, Alvin D.
Keech introduced a banjo ukulele that eventually
got the name banjolele. Looking like it does, it
seemed natural to call my instrument a Cake
Pan-jolele, or Panjolele for short.

makezine.com 77
 PROJECTS PANJOLELE

Piece
of Cake

The Panjolele is like many other

stringed musical instruments
and has the same types of parts.
In essence, they’re all variable-
frequency acoustic amplifiers!

Evan Hughes

COMPONENTS
A The neck is supported by F The resonator reflects some
your fretting hand and is the of the sound waves from the
platform for other parts: the back of the soundboard and
frets, the nut, and the tuners. gives the overall sound more
bass by creating a partial
B The brace goes through the enclosure.
body and is attached to the
neck. It supports the tension of G The nut stops the string
the strings so the soundboard vibration at one end, holds the
doesn’t have to. strings above the frets, and
has notches to keep the strings
C The strings are the primary spaced apart.
sound makers. When plucked,
they vibrate at a certain fre- H The frets are stopping points
quency based on their thickness, for the strings. By pressing the
tension, density, and length. string down to the fret, you
make its vibrating length shorter
D The bridge takes the vibra- and thus its pitch higher.
tions of the strings and trans-
fers them to the soundboard. I The tuners tension the
strings and allow them to be
E The soundboard acts as tuned to specific pitches.
an amplifier that makes the
vibrations louder with its
bigger surface area.

78
MATERIALS
From a hardware store: From a music store:
TOOLS
» Pencil
» Hardwood lumber, 1×2 » Ukulele friction tuners (set of » Ruler with e" marks
nominal, 36" length Actual 4) I’m using a basic $13 set, item » Marking pen, fine tip
size is ¾"×1½". Choose oak, #UP26 from Elderly Instruments » Square, adjustable
maple, poplar, or other hard- (elderly.com), but for just $15 » Handsaw or power miter saw
wood, as straight and as you can get better quality tuners, » Sanding block and sandpaper
knot-free as possible. Elderly #GUKNW. in various grits
» Wood screws, #6×1¼", » Ukulele strings, concert scale » Drill or drill press
Phillips head (3) length (set of 4) I’m using a » Drill bits: 5", 1", 6", 2",
» Wood glue basic $3 set of Hilo black nylon and #6 countersinking bit
» Spray lacquer or poly- strings, Elderly #HCU. For $5, » Screwdriver, Phillips head
urethane, clear (1 can) Aquila’s Nylgut set, Elderly » Spring clamps (2 or more)
» Sheet metal screw, 2", #ANCR, has the sound of old- » Hacksaw with fine-tooth blade
pan head fashioned gut strings. » Rotary tool with cut-off wheel
such as a Dremel
From a resale shop or From a grocery store: » Needle files including a trian-
department store: » Square wooden toothpicks (20) gular file
» Cake pans, aluminum or steel, You can also get these from Lego » Rasp or Surform plane/rasp
2" deep: 9" diameter (1) and Education (legoeducation.us), » Flush nippers, end cutters, toe-
8" diameter (1) Cake pans item #W751742. nail clippers, or a utility knife
have sides at right angles to the
bottom, and are deeper than
pie pans. Steel is OK, but rigid
aluminum pans are easier to cut
and have a better sound.

makezine.com 79
PROJECTS PANJOLELE

1. PREPARE THE
NECK AND BRACE
1a. Using a power or hand
miter saw, cut 2 lengths from
the 1×2 board: 13¾" for the
neck and 10½" for the brace.
Save the leftover piece for
other parts. 1a

1b. Decide which side will be

the fretted (top) side of the 33"
neck, and use a sanding block 2"
to sand it flat and smooth.
Start with coarser grits and
work up to finer grits. 45¡ 3¼"

1c. At one end of the topside 1c

of the neck, mark out the
cutout as shown. This is the
Panjolele's headstock.

1d. Carefully cut away the

wood from this area using
a handsaw and then sand
away any saw marks.
1d 1d
1e. Mark out the placement
of the tuner holes as shown.
Drill the holes all the way
1¼"
through the headstock using
a 6" drill bit. 2"

1f. Following the same holes, 2¾"

drill down 1" from the top
of the headstock with a 2"
2"
bit. Test the fit with one of
the tuners. 2"
½"
1e

TIP Mark the bit

with a piece of tape
to help you stop at
the right depth.

NOTE These
hole dimensions fit
the UP26 tuners.
Adjust if necessary
to fit your tuner’s
1f shaft and bushing.
80
2.ATTACH THE NECK
TO THE BRACE
2a. Mark out the areas where
the neck and brace will join.
Draw a line on the bottom of
the neck 1½" from the uncut
end. Make a similar mark 1½"
from one end of the brace. This 2a
is now the top of the brace.

2b. On the bottom of the

brace at this same end, mark 2"
TIP Alternately,
use a bit slightly
out the 3 holes as shown.
larger than the
2"
¾"
unthreaded part of
Drill the holes all the way the screw’s shaft,
through with a #6 screw 2" then use a larger bit
countersinking bit. to countersink the
1¼" top of the hole.
2b 2b
2c. Leaving one hole un-
covered, clamp the neck
and the brace together on a
workbench with the 2 marked
areas facing each other and
each edge squared up to the
marked lines.
Using the hole as a guide,
use the #6 bit to drill ½" into 2c 2d
the neck on the centerline,
fret side down, being careful
not to drill all the way through. 6" 6"
Install a #6 wood screw into
2"
this hole and tighten well.
2" 2" 2"
2d. Remove the clamp,
9" 9"
recheck the alignment of the
2 pieces, and drill the other 2
holes. Install the remaining
wood screws to check for fit,
then remove all the screws.

2e. At the other end of the 2e

brace, mark out the string

holes as shown in the diagram.
Using a 5" bit, drill the holes
all the way through the brace.

2f. Measure 5" from this

same end, and drill a 1" hole
through the brace, centered
from side to side. 2f

makezine.com 81
PROJECTS PANJOLELE

3.LAY OUT AND

GLUE THE FRETS
3a. Using a pencil, mark a line
on the topside of the neck
34" from the headstock end.
This is where you’ll glue
the nut.
3a
3b. Starting from this line,
mark out the placement of
each fret as shown in the
chart (below).
NOTE
Double-check your
measurements and
be sure the lines are
3c. With a very small amount square to one edge.
of wood glue, glue one tooth-
pick at the headstock side of
each line, and clamp carefully 3b
with a pair of spring clamps.
Allow the glue to set for a
couple of minutes, remove
the clamps, and carefully wipe
away any excess glue with a
damp rag.
Set aside to completely
dry overnight.
3c

Fret Placement Chart

Scale length: 15½"

Fret #
Inches from nut
(to nearest e)
TIP To keep
your fingers away
from freshly glued
1 4 frets and do the job
2 10 faster, stagger the
3 2p
gluing order: #1, #7,
#2, #8, #3, #9, etc.
4 36
5 34
6 4a
7 5t
8 5¾
3c
9 6u
10 6q
11 7u
12 7¾
13 86
14 8s
15 9
16 9i 3c

82
 How to Find the
Center of a Circle

4.PREPARE THE
CAKE PANS
4a. On the back of the 9"
Draw a line across the circle,
near the edge. Measure that
line and divide it in half,
cake pan, mark the center then use your adjustable
and drill a 6" hole. square to draw a second line
from the midpoint, perpen-
4b. On the back of the 8" dicular to the first.
cake pan, mark the center Do this 2 more times.
and draw a line through it, The 3 perpendicular lines
from edge to edge. Draw will intersect in the center
parallel lines ¾" on either of the circle.
side of this centerline.
Transfer these parallel
lines down each side.
Between these lines, mark
a base line on each side ½"
from the back of the pan, 4b

using the adjustable square.

4c. Using a hacksaw, cut a

notch in the side of the pan
along the parallel lines, from
the rolled top edge to your
base line.
Cut along the base line 4b 4b

with the rotary tool’s cutoff

wheel. (You might also be
able to score, bend, and
snap the piece off.)
Repeat on the other end
of the pan.

4d. File away any burrs 4c 4c

and test-fit the brace into

the notches. If necessary, file
enough metal away for the
brace to fit.

5.SAND
THE FRETS
5a. Using a saw, pair of 4d 4d

flush nippers, end cutters,

toenail clippers, or utility
knife, carefully trim the ends
TIP If you use a
saw like I did, clamp
off of the toothpicks. the toothpicks and cut
downward to avoid
pulling off the frets.

5a

makezine.com 83
PROJECTS PANJOLELE
5b. With medium-grit sand-
paper and a sanding block,
sand the edges of the tooth-
picks flush with the edges
of the neck. You can also
sand the ends of the frets
at a 45° angle.
5b 5c

5c. With fine sandpaper and

a block, sand the tops of the
frets so that they’re all level.
CAUTION
Don’t sand too much,
as this will change
5d. Sand the top edges of the maximum height
each fret to make them nice of the fret.
and round.

6. FINISH THE NECK 5d

AND BRACE
6a. Using a rasp or Surform
tool, ease over the corners of
NOTE Stay
about 1/2" away from
the neck, and round the back. the headstock area and
the area that will be
6b. From the leftover parts of screwed to the brace.
the 1×2 (or other hardwood
scrap), cut the nut and bridge 6a

pieces as shown. File the Bridge

notches with a triangular file. 13"
Glue the nut on the nut line
on the fretboard side of the ½"
¼" 2" 2" 2" ¼"
neck, the same way you glued
the frets.
Set the bridge aside; you’ll 2¼"
use it in the final assembly. 6b 6" 6b

Nut
6"
6c. Sand the entire neck
9"
smooth, removing all pencil 2"
lines and tool marks. Sand 1"
1½" 2"
the brace.
1"
2" 9"
6d. Attach the neck and brace
6b 6b 6"
with the 3 wood screws.

6e. Finish the entire neck/

brace assembly and the
bridge with spray lacquer
or polyurethane and allow
to dry completely.

6d 6e

84
7. FINAL
ASSEMBLY
7a. Press-fit the bushings into
the front of the headstock and
install the tuners.

7b. Put the 8" cake pan over

the brace, taking care not to
scrape the wood finish. 7a 7a

7c. Tie a knot in the end of

each ukulele string and thread
them through the holes in the
end of the brace. Check the
diagram to get the placement
just right.
Thread the strings through
the holes in the tuners and
knot them. Turn the tuners
to tighten the strings.

7d. Attach the 9" cake pan

to the back of the brace with
the 2" pan head screw.

7e. Put the bridge under

the strings and move it 153"
away from the nut. (The extra 7b
1" compensates for any
string stretch.) 2nd string
strin
string
ring ((tune
t e tto
tun o E)
E) 1stt st
strin
string
rin
ring
ing ((tune
tune
tu
tune tto
oAA))

TEST BUILDER:
Josie Rushton,
MAKE Labs

7c 3rd string (tune to C) 4th string (tune to G)

When he’s not diligently avoiding work, Chester

Winowiecki makes functional pottery and musi-
cal instruments from clay and other fun junk. He
lives a happy rural life with his artist wife, Cara
O’Brien, and their cat, Gizmo, in Whitehall, Mich. 7d 7e

makezine.com 85
PROJECTS PANJOLELE

Tuning up: Tune up your ukulele

with an electronic or online tuner,
tuning the strings G-C-E-A (most
popular) or A-D-F#-B. Ukulele
strings take a long time to stop
stretching, so you’ll need to keep FINAL
retuning for a couple days, but it’s ADJUSTMENTS,
good practice! If the tuners turn TUNING & PLAYING
back after you let them go, tighten
the screw at the end of the tuner.

Fine-tuning the action: If the Resonation

Nation
strings feel really hard to push
down to the frets, you can lower
the “action” at the nut and the
bridge. The bottom of the strings
should be about ⅓2" from the top
of the first fret and 3⁄32" from the
top of the twelfth fret. Deepen the
notches in the nut first and then
sand the bottom of the bridge. Do a
little at a time, and check frequent-
ly so you don’t overdo it. If you find
that the strings pop out of the nut
or bridge, use a precision knife to
cut deeper slots.

Playing tunes: Here are few

chords to get you started. For right-
handers: use the fingers of your
left hand to press the strings down
to the frets in the spots shown in
the diagrams. The numbers under
each string show which finger to
use. Strum all 4 strings with the
first finger or thumb of your right
hand. Lefties: reverse!

Going further: Use this same

method to make instruments
with longer scale lengths, more or
fewer strings, metal frets and steel
strings, or different sound boxes.
One of my favorite instruments
right now is a tenor banjo with
Cara O’Brien

4 steel strings, metal frets, a 21"

scale, and a cake-pan soundboard
and resonator.

86
 Dice Popper
By Gus Dassios Illustrations by Julie West

THIS IS MY VERSION OF A CLASSIC WAY

to “roll” the die for a board game. The key to
YOU WILL NEED: Plastic capsule, 2"
diameter » Die » Compression spring, ⅜"
making this special die agitator is the clear
diameter, 2"-long, .035" wire diameter »
plastic capsule. I found the right size, 2" diam-
Wood, ¼"-thick and ¾"-thick » Flathead wood
eter and 14" tall, in a vending machine — it’s
screws, #8×¾" (4) » Finishing nails, 1¾"-
the kind that holds inexpensive toys or trinkets.
long, small (4) » Electric drill and drill bits »
Hole saw » Saw » Hammer » Screwdriver
1. Cut the wood.
Parts A, C, and E are cut of ¼"-thick wood,
while parts B and D are ¾" thick. Cut all
5 pieces to 3½"×3½".

2. Drill the holes.

Holes have to be drilled in all pieces except
»
part E. For part A, cut a large hole in the
center, anywhere from 1⅞" to 2" in diameter,
depending on the size of the domed half of
your capsule. Then drill 4 countersink holes
about ½" in from each corner, for the wood
»
screws. For parts B and C, cut a 2⅛"-
diameter hole in each center. These holes
will house the bottom part of the capsule.
For part D, drill a ⅜"-diameter hole in the
center, which provides a guide for the spring.

3. Assemble.
Nail together parts B through E with the
finishing nails, avoiding the corners where
the screws will go. After this bottom block
is assembled, insert the spring. Place a die
into the capsule, snap it, and lower it into
the wood block. Part A will cap everything.
It requires a slight push to keep it in place
as you screw in the wood screws. After »
that, you’re ready to go. Good luck! a

Gus Dassios lives, designs, and builds in Toronto, Ontario.

makezine.com 87
PROJECTS GHOST CHILIES
The Bhut Jolokia
pepper is 125 times
hotter than a jalapeño.
Written and photographed by
Gabriel Nagmay
y Evan Hughes
Illustrated by

a TIME: SEVERAL MONTHS a COMPLEXITY: EASY

Right now, under some lights in my basement, sit several dozen
pots of soil. Out of each sprouts a small seedling, only a few
millimeters high — a humble beginning for plants that will grow
to produce one of the hottest peppers on the face of the Earth:
the Bhut Jolokia, commonly known as the ghost chili.
THE BHUT JOLOKIA FIRST CAME TO MY and setup ready by mid-February.
ATTENTION IN 2007, when Guinness World My indoor setup is simple. On a table in the
Records crowned it “world’s hottest chili basement, I have a seed starting tray, a heat-
pepper” (though it’s since been deposed by ing pad, and lights. The tray is divided into 72
another). Certified at well over 1,000,000 cells, each holding a few cubic inches of soil.
Scoville heat units, the fruit from this plant is Fill the cells with soil and place a single seed
125 times hotter than the spiciest jalapeño. on top of each. No need to cover them; all they
At the time, tracking down seed stock require for germination are the proper mois-
for the pepper was a challenge. I was lucky ture and temperature. Thoroughly water the
enough to have a friend of a friend who worked seeds and set the tray on the heating pad.
for New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Keep the soil moist and warm, between
Institute (chilepepperinstitute.org). 75°F–90°F. You can use a digital oven ther-
These days, seeds can be purchased from mometer to track the temperature. With luck,
online retailers or from private growers on roots should emerge from each seed in 7–14
Amazon and eBay. There are even “just add days. (Bhut Jolokia seeds will germinate at
water” kits. Skip these. Chili peppers are easy temperatures as cool as 65°F, but it’ll take
to grow — once you know a few tips. 30+ days, and many seeds may fail.)
Once they emerge, your tiny plants will

MATERIALS & TOOLS

» Bhut Jolokia chili pepper seeds available online
require a good source of light. Since you’re
doing this in the winter, indoor lighting is your
best option. Fluorescent tubes are inexpensive
» Seed starting tray with soil
» Pots, 3" or 4" (one per seedling) and efficient, and they work well. Hang them
» Fertilizer, nitrogen rich, such as 10-5-5 above the plants with wire so you can adjust
or composted manure
the height. It’s important to keep them only a
» Fertilizer, 5-10-10
» Heating pad few inches above the top of the peppers; any
» Grow lights higher, and the plants will grow spindly. Leave
» Digital oven thermometer
the lights on 24 hours a day to give your pep-
pers a jump-start on the season.
The first set of leaves will be tiny and round.
As each seedling establishes its root system,
a second set of leaves will appear. When these
“true leaves” emerge, transplant the peppers
into 3"–4" pots. Over the next couple months,
your plants will have room to grow a healthy
root system and several more sets of dark
green leaves.

2. Move the plants outdoors.

Peppers require full sun and well-drained soil.
I’ve found that raised beds or 2gal pots both
work well. After the last chance of frost, you
1. Start your seeds. can move your plants outside. Just be careful
Chili peppers require a long growing season — a single cold night (below 50°F) will deci-
to produce mature fruit. In northern climates, mate your chilies.
it’s best to start your seeds indoors up to 3 The most important tip to remember when
months before the last frost date, allowing the gardening: try to mimic the environment
plants plenty of time to germinate and grow a where your plants would thrive naturally.
few sets of leaves before they’re transplanted These peppers are from the Assam region of
outside. For me, this means getting my seeds India, where summer temperatures can reach

makezine.com 89
PROJECTS GHOST CHILIES

When transplanting your ghost

chilies outside, keep them cozy
with mini greenhouses made of
2-liter soda bottles.
Use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer
for the first month to promote
rapid foliage growth, giving
your peppers their best chance
of producing a bumper crop of
extreme hotness.

Ghost Sauce
This delicious Belizean-style hot
sauce will highlight your home-
grown Bhut Jolokia chilies. Adjust
the peppers to taste: 2.5oz gives
good heat without overpowering
the flavor. Any more, and you
may want a warning label.

100°F. They also do well with high humidity. If you live in 1. Sauté ½c white onion.
a northern part of the United States (like me), you might 2. Add 1c water, 2tbsp fresh lime
have to improvise. juice, 2tbsp white vinegar, ½tsp
If you don’t have row covers to keep the temperature salt, 1 chopped garlic clove, and
up, you can make a mini greenhouse for each plant. ½c shredded carrot. Bring to a
Cut the bottom off a clear, 2-liter soda bottle and place simmer, then turn off the stove.
it over each start. This has the added benefit of keeping 3. Add 2.5oz chilies, chopped.
out slugs, cutworms, and other pests. Just keep an eye Wear gloves when handling them.
on the temperature inside the bottle; too much heat
4. Blend and enjoy!
will turn the mini greenhouse into a solar oven. The cap
can be removed to provide ventilation.
During the first few weeks outdoors, a nitrogen-rich
fertilizer will help the plant grow tall and strong. At the
time of planting, apply either composted manure or
a slow-release fertilizer such as 10-5-5. These numbers
correspond to the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and
potassium (K) available in the fertilizer. The higher levels
of nitrogen will promote rapid foliage growth, giving
the plant a chance to thrive. You may soon need to add
a stake or cage to support the plant.

90
Each pepper is so potent that
even minimal contact can
numb your fingertips.

Regular watering and proper fertilization 3. Harvest your peppers.

throughout the hot summer months will Pick individual peppers as they ripen. A fully
ensure that your pepper plants continue ripe Bhut Jolokia pod is completely red and
to thrive. However, after the first month in has a glossy, wrinkled texture.
the ground, consider switching to a 5-10-10 At this point, your peppers have developed
fertilizer. This mixture contains half as much the maximum amount of capsaicin, so be
nitrogen as phosphate and potassium. High careful when handling them. Most of this heat
nitrogen promotes foliage growth, but it may chemical is contained on the ridges inside
do so at the cost of flower and fruit produc- the fruit where the seeds are held. However,
tion. You could easily end up with a huge green it’s a good idea to wear gloves when handling
plant that never produces a single pepper. the fruit. Each pepper is so potent that even
As summer comes to an end, you should minimal contact can numb your fingertips.
have a mature Bhut Jolokia plant covered in Another advantage of picking the peppers
2"–3"-long, distinctly wrinkled, green peppers. fully ripe is seed saving. Each mature fruit
Your goal is to let the peppers ripen on the contains about a dozen seeds. Carefully
vine, giving them time to produce the most collect these. They’ll stay viable for several
capsaicin — the chemical compound that years if stored in a cool, dry place.
makes peppers taste hot — but two things
can easily ruin your crop: frost and birds. 4. Use your ghost chilies.
Any temperature below 50°F may cause Armed with an arsenal of fully ripe ghost
the plant to drop fruit prematurely. On cool chilies, you now have many usage options to
nights, cover your peppers with a row cover or choose from. You can hang them around your
a thin sheet to trap warm air around the plant. home to protect from wild elephant attacks.
If extended cold weather is in the forecast, You can extract the capsaicin to produce a
you might even dig it up and bring it indoors. potent, homemade pepper spray. Or, like me,
The other enemy: birds. In India, people you can use them as the key ingredient in my
use these blazing-hot peppers to ward off kick-ass Ghost Sauce recipe. Enjoy!
elephants, but unfortunately birds seem to be
immune to capsaicin. Crows, ravens, and oth-
ers will be attracted to the bright red fruit and
will happily steal it as it begins to ripen. Try Gabriel Nagmay (gabriel.nagmay.com) is a web geek living in Portland, Ore.,
bird netting or other measures to deter them. who loves building tall bikes, brewing beer, and growing unusual edibles.
makezine.com 91
PROJECTS ELECTRONICS: FUN & FUNDAMENTALS

MATERIALS
» Phototransistors, visible spec-
trum (6) Everlight part #PT334-

Key-Card
6C or RadioShack #55053303
» LEDs, white, water-clear (3)
typical 3.3V forward voltage,
minimum, 5,000mcd with
30° dispersion; Kingbright

Door Lock
#WP7104VW1C or RadioShack
#55050632
» Slide switches, subminiature
DPDT (6) C&K #OS202013
MT5QN1
» Toggle switch, DPDT, center-
Pick-proof, programmable security off momentary, minimum 3A
without a microcontroller. Mountain Switch #108-0005-EVX
» Resistor arrays, bussed,
5.6K (2) Xicon #265-5.6K-RC
Written and illustrated by Charles Platt » Logic chip, triple 3-input
AND gates, type 74HC11 Texas
a TIME: 2 HOURS—2 DAYS
Instruments #SN74HC11N
a COMPLEXITY: MODERATE TO HIGH » Darlington transistor, 8A, type
2N6043 On Semiconductor
Almost anyone can learn to pick a typical door lock. #2N6043G
» Mini lever snap switches,
The most common method is to jiggle the tumblers SPDT, 5A (4) maximum 20g
by inserting a tool known as a “rake,” while apply- operating force, Mountain Switch
#101-1206-EV
ing turning force with a tension wrench. When the » Diodes, general purpose, 3A
(2) Vishay #SRP300G-E3/54
tumblers are aligned, the cylinder rotates and you » Voltage regulator, 5V, type
can walk right in. LM7805 Fairchild Semiconductor
#LM7805CT or RadioShack
When I first started thinking about a pick-proof elec- #276-1770
tronic lock, I imagined a totally automated system using » Capacitors, multilayer ceramic:
1μF (1), 0.1μF (1) for smoothing
a key card and a motor that would pull a deadbolt aside. the 5V output
However, a motor that was powerful enough to overcome » Gearmotor, 9V or 12V DC,
the likely friction would require either 115V AC (vulnerable minimum 10rpm ServoCity
#RZ12-300-10RPM or check
to power outages) or a substantial battery. eBay for substitutes
It would be cheaper and simpler to use an off-the-shelf » 9V battery
deadbolt that’s moved manually by turning an external
Optional, recommended
knob. I could block or unblock the movement of the dead- for testing:
bolt using a small, low-power DC gearmotor to turn a lever, » Breadboard
as shown in Figure A. » Jumper wires
For the key card, I imagined a plastic rectangle punched For the finished project:
with a unique pattern of holes. The card would slide into » Keyless deadbolt
a slot with a light source to shine through the holes to pho- » Opaque plastic to make key
cards and mounting panel
totransistors beneath. Additional electronics would decide for switches
whether the pattern was correct. If I needed to rekey the » Plywood, plastic, or aluminum
lock, I could make a new card with a different pattern, and sheet to fabricate card slot
reprogram the electronics to match.
The word “reprogram” suggested I’d need a microcon-
troller to complete this project. Or would I? Maybe a set of
TOOLS
» Multimeter and test leads
switches could do the job more simply and cheaply. The » Soldering iron and solder
first step toward figuring this out was to review the way in » Wire cutters and strippers
which phototransistors generally behave.

92
 Fig. A: In this simplified rendering, a deadbolt (blue)
is turned by an external knob (gray). The sliding shaft
(red) is either blocked or freed by a lever (yellow)
driven by a motor (purple) mounted inside the door.
Limit switches (green) stop the motor when the
lever reaches either end of its travel. A third switch
beneath the sliding shaft shuts down power when
the deadbolt retracts, to prevent the motor from
fouling it and burning out. A fixed block (gray) resists
the force transmitted through the lever if someone
tries to jimmy the closed lock.

Phototransistors Basics pattern is correct. This can be verified by

In Figure B (following page), the photo- ANDing all the phototransistor states via a
transistor is the circle with arrows suggesting logic chip, because an AND gate only outputs
incoming light. When the light is off, the photo- high if all its inputs are high.
transistor allows only a tiny leakage current A hardwired array of phototransistors is
between emitter and collector, and the voltage not reprogrammable, but I saw that a DPDT
between point X and ground is almost zero. switch could solve the problem, as shown
As the light increases, the phototransistor in Figure D. In its “up” position the switch
junction becomes saturated, just like an NPN emulates the circuit in Figure B. In its “down”
transistor when the base is highly biased. position the switch emulates the circuit in
The effective internal resistance drops, and Figure C. If the key card pattern is changed,
the voltage at point X rises close to the supply the switch positions are changed to match.
voltage (assuming any electronics attached Phototransistors and subminiature slide
to X have high impedance). I found a 5.6K switches are cheap, so the electronics for this
resistor worked well with the phototransistor project shouldn’t cost more than $20. The
I chose for this project. motor and deadbolt are extra, but I found
If the positions of the phototransistor and small DC motors on eBay for $5 or $6 each.
the resistor are reversed, the outcome is too.
In Figure C, when the phototransistor is dark Combinations
and blocks current, the voltage at X is high. Now to decide how many phototransistors to
When light shines on the phototransistor, the use. Sixteen in a 4×4 grid would allow 65,536
voltage at X goes low. possible combinations, which sounded rea-
So, depending on wiring, a phototransistor sonably secure. But 16 phototransistors, 16
can give a high output either in the light switches, and 32 resistors is a lot to wire. Then
(Figure B) or in the dark (Figure C). Thus, if I realized most of the holes in the card could
phototransistors are wired as in Figure B to be dummies. Six phototransistors would still
match the holes in a key card, and as in Figure provide 64 possible combinations for the lock.
C to match the blocked areas of the card, all I would be the only person who knew which
their outputs will go high when the card’s holes were dummies, and which were not.

makezine.com 93
PROJECTS ELECTRONICS: FUN & FUNDAMENTALS

5V DC 5V DC 5V DC

5.6K 5.6K

X
X

5.6K X

B C
5.6K
Fig. B: Voltage at point X is high when light falls on the
phototransistor, and low when the phototransistor is dark.
Fig. C: Voltage at point X is low when light falls on the D
phototransistor, and high when the phototransistor is dark.
Fig. D: A DPDT switch enables a single circuit to emulate until a key card is inserted. This switch should
both of the configurations in Figure B and Figure C. be positioned so the card closes it when slid
fully in.
Because the motor will burn out if it tries to
Next, how to AND 6 phototransistor out- turn the lever to block the deadbolt when the
puts? This is easy using a 74HC11 chip with deadbolt has already been retracted, I needed
three 3-input AND gates. Figure E shows how one more fail-safe switch. This is S8, which
they’re chained to give a single output. shuts off the power when the opening dead-
These phototransistors can be connected bolt rubs against it.
directly to the chip because they comply with
its requirement for a high input no less than More Details
3.5V and a low input no greater than 1V DC. If you use a really small gearmotor rated for
Use a meter to verify your phototransistors 9 or 12V DC, the whole lock can be powered
also meet this requirement. by a 9V battery. An LM7805 voltage regulator
(not shown) will reduce its output to the 5V
Additional Switches required by the phototransistors and the chip.
The chip’s output controls a Darlington tran- The LM7805 datasheet, online, will show you
sistor, which powers the motor (Figure F). The how it should be used in conjunction with a
motor stops itself at each end of its travel by couple of bypass capacitors.
opening one of a pair of limit switches, marked Because the motor is reversed by chang-
S5 and S6. (If you’re unclear about how limit ing the polarity of the power, I couldn’t add a
switches work, you’ll find a detailed explana- protection diode to divert the surge that the
tion in my book Make: Electronics.) motor takes when it starts or stops. If you find
S4 is a manual DPDT switch, spring-loaded that the power spike disturbs your logic chip,
to return to its center-off position. It starts the try putting a 0.1 microfarad (μF) capacitor
motor in one direction or the other by bypass- between the positive power supply to the chip,
ing either S5 or S6 through a rectifier diode. on pin 14, and the negative supply on pin 7.
If your motor doesn’t respond appropriately, The resistors in series with the phototrans-
just swap the wires to its inputs. istors are all 5.6K. To simplify wiring and save
The purpose of S7 is to minimize battery space, I used a pair of resistor arrays. Check
drain by keeping the circuit powered down the datasheet online for the resistor array to

94
 Fig. E: The internal arrangement of three
3-input AND gates in a 74HC11 chip, and how
Output Inputs from 3 they can be chained to AND 6 inputs.
phototransistors
Fig. F: The complete schematic. Three of the
phototransistors have been omitted to save

10
12
13
14

11
space, but are wired just like the other three.

8
Fig. G: Breadboard proof-of-concept. Six
phototransitors wired “light-high” are correctly
ANDed, illuminating the LED.

see how the resistors are wired inside.

6
4
3
2

7
1

You may want to add an LED indi-

“Always On”
unused input cator outside the lock, tied to the
Inputs from 3
phototransistors output from the Darlington transis-
tor, to let you know that the key has
E been accepted and the position of the
deadbolt can now be changed.
Last but not least, you’ll need a
5V DC light source to activate the phototran-
S1 S2 S3
sistors. Many phototransistors are
only sensitive to infrared, but the type
I chose will respond to a very broad
spectrum, so you should be able
to use 3 bright white LEDs to shine
down upon the key card. Wire them in
series, and you can power them with
220 9V DC and no additional load resistor.
S8 As for interfacing the motor with
74HC11 the deadbolt, this mechanical issue is
Gunther Kirsch (G)

S4
S7

outside the scope of this column, but

S5 S6
From other 3 the setup should look basically like
Motor phototransistor
circuits
Figure A. I leave it to you to determine
9V DC
F the details of fabricating a card slot
and mounting it in the door.
Can this lock be broken? Of course!
If someone uses enough brute force,
almost any door will yield. Still, the
electronic lock will be considerably
more secure than a traditional lock
containing mechanical tumblers.

Get Charles’ books, Make:

Electronics and the Encyclopedia of
Electronic Components Vol. 1 from
the Maker Shed: makershed.com.

An author and a contributing editor of MAKE, Charles Platt

G designs and builds medical equipment prototypes in Arizona.
makezine.com 95
PROJECTS OPTICAL TREMOLO
Plug your
guitar into light-
programmable
waveforms with

Optical
this unique
effects box.
Written and photographed
by Sean Michael Ragan

Tremolo Box
a TIME: 5 HOURS a COMPLEXITY: MODERATE

MAKE contributing editor Charles Platt proposed a ”Hypothetical Tremolo

Wheel” in his article about online DIY guitar stomp-box communities (MAKE
Volume 15, page 82, ”Stomp Box Basics: Tremolo and Fuzz”). Well, it’s hypo-
thetical no more. I took Platt’s cue and built this Optical Tremolo Box, which
reads a patterned disk with a light sensor to create a warbling volume effect
(tremolo) that you can custom-program with any pattern you like.
 100K
To To
Guitar Amp

Photoresistor

251

DPDT toggle 151 +3V

(center-off)

How It Works

OFF OFF OFF

How does tremolo work? What if you bridge the And here’s where Platt
So there’s your electric gui- 2 wires with a resistor had a clever idea: use a
tar, the amplifier it’s plugged instead? With a strong resistor that responds to
into, and the cable that runs resistor, nothing happens — light. Wave your hand in
between them. Open up that it’s still easier for the charge front of the photoresistor,
cable and you’ll find 2 wires to go through the amp. and the volume will respond
— one “ground” and one held With a really weak resistor, to the shadow of your hand.
at a positive voltage relative the sound cuts out. With a Mount a spinning disk with
to “ground.” The changing resistor in the middle range, alternating clear and opaque
electrical potential between the sound will be quieted, bands in front of it, and the
the wires, over time, is what but not completely muted, volume will follow the pat-
carries the sound signal. as the charge divides itself tern on the disk, repeating
Gregory Hayes; Rob Nance (illustration)

What happens if you between short and signal as it spins. That’s tremolo — a
short-circuit those wires, pathways. Use a variable repeating variation in volume
bridging them with a third resistor, and you have a over time.
wire? The sound goes away. crude volume control: turn Intrigued? Want to try
The charge can find its way the resistance way up, the building one? I thought you
home now, via the short, sound will be loud; turn it might. Let’s get started.
without ever bothering to way down, and the sound
go all the way through your will vanish.
amplifier. And so it does.

makezine.com 97
PROJECTS OPTICAL TREMOLO

MATERIALS
» Adhesive label, 8.5"×11", » Grommet, rubber, 2" ID
TOOLS
» Computer and printer
printable × 3" OD × ½" mounting hole » Drill and 1" drill bit
» Project enclosure, plastic, diameter » File
6"×3"×2" » Transparency film, printable, » Hacksaw
» Rheostat, 25Ω 8.5"×11" » Lighter
» Resistor, 15Ω » Terminal strip, 8-position, » Multimeter
» Control knobs, for ¼" shafts (2) European-style » Pliers, needlenose
» Hookup wire » Universal mounting hub for » Scissors
» Potentiometer, 10kΩ 3mm shafts, Pololu #1079 » Screwdrivers: Phillips
» CdS photoresistors (5-pack), » Battery holder, 2×AA, enclosed, and r" flat-blade
RadioShack #276-1657 with leads » Soldering iron and solder
» LED holder » DC power plug, coaxial, size M » Unibit aka step bit
» Switch, DPDT, with center » Heat-shrink tubing multicolor » Wire cutter/stripper
off position assortment » Wrenches, box end: 10mm,
» Adhesive tape, double- » Hook-and-loop fasteners, 11mm, 12mm, 14mm
sided, foam adhesive, coin shape, 3" » X-Acto knife
» Jack, DC power, size M aka velcro dots
» Jacks, ¼", TS/mono (2) » Power supply, wall adapter,
» Motor, 1.5–3 V DC 3V DC, with size M plug
» Plastic tubing, 2" long × 2mm » AA batteries (2)
ID × 3mm OD I used the ink tube » Cushion feet, jumbo,
from a Bic Soft Feel retractable self-stick (3)
ballpoint pen, medium point. » Micro flex light Coast model
» Wood screws, #4 size, 7578 series
¼" length (2)
B

2. MOUNT THE
RHEOSTAT
This knob controls the motor
speed. First, bend all 3 con-
tacts on the rheostat down
90°, parallel to the shaft. Then
turn the rheostat all the way
“down” (counterclockwise).
We add a 15Ω resistor,
in series, to bias the range
toward the slower speeds,
which are more useful for
A tremolo effects. Solder one
lead of the resistor to the

TIP A bit of
rubbing alcohol
1. DRILL THE ENCLOSURE
Download the drilling template from
rheostat center contact and
the other to a 3" length of
wire (Figure B).
can help if the makeprojects.com/v/33 and print it onto Use your multimeter to
templates don’t a full-page adhesive-backed mailing label. check the resistance between
come away cleanly.
Cut out the 4 template sections, peel off the center wire and each of
the backing, and affix them to the front, top, the other 2 rheostat con-
and sides of the enclosure box. tacts. One of them should
Drill the holes where marked. Start each read about 15Ω and the other
hole with a 1" brad-point bit, then switch about 40Ω. Solder a 4" length
to a unibit to drill the bigger holes (Figure A). of wire to the 40Ω contact.
Peel off the templates and discard. Cover the resistor and all

98
C D

soldered connections with heat-shrink

tubing, and shrink it in place.
Remove the nut and washer from
the rheostat, and insert it through
the hole in the enclosure from inside.
Fit the indexing tab into the alignment
hole, put the washer over the shaft,
and gently but firmly tighten the nut E

with a wrench. Fit the knob onto

the shaft and secure it in place by
tightening the setscrew with a small
flat-blade driver (Figure C).

3. MOUNT THE
AUDIO POT
This knob controls the intensity of
F

the tremolo effect. First, cut the shaft

to the same length as the rheostat
using a hacksaw. Then turn the pot all
4. ADD THE
PHOTORESISTOR
These photoresistors come in packs of 5
the way “down” (counterclockwise) with big, medium, and small sizes. We’ll use
and file a small flat surface on the side one of the medium-sized resistors and an
directly opposite the indexing tab. LED holder to mount it.
This will ensure that the shaft always Remove the rubber insert from the LED
turns with the knob (Figure D). holder. Guide the legs of the photoresistor
Again, identify the pot’s “high” through the holes in the insert until the
contact using the resistance setting resistor body is seated against the insert.
on your multimeter. Solder a 4" length Cut two 4" lengths of green wire. Strip
of wire to this contact, and then bend about ¾" of the insulation off each end, twist
and solder the other 2 contacts to a the copper strands together tightly, and tin
second 4" wire. As with the rheostat, one end. Solder the tinned ends to the photo-
the resistance across the 2 contacts resistor leads. Slip a piece of 2mm heat-shrink
should go from high to low as the tubing over each wire so it completely covers
knob is turned “up” (clockwise). the solder joints and exposed photoresistor
Mount the pot in the enclosure, leads. Shrink it in place (Figure F).
with its indexing tab in the alignment Push the insert back into the LED holder
hole. Secure the shaft in place with its until the photoresistor is seated in the open-
bundled flat washer and nut, tighten- ing. Put the LED holder through the enclosure
ing gently with a wrench (Figure E). panel from the front, and tighten down the

makezine.com 99
PROJECTS OPTICAL TREMOLO
hex nut and split washer from behind G

using a wrench (Figure G).

5. MOUNT
THE MOTOR
The hub we’re using to mount the
sweep disks has a 3mm arbor hole,
but our motor’s shaft is only 2mm
across. A short section of ink tube H

from a ballpoint pen makes a per-

fect adapter. Just push the shaft of
the motor into the tube and cut off
CAUTION
Don’t overtighten the
the excess with a sharp hobby knife screws, or you risk
(Figure H). stripping out the metal
Solder a 3" length of wire to each in the motor casing.
of the motor’s contacts. Then pass
the motor shaft through the hole in
the enclosure from the inside, and I

secure the motor in place with a

#4×¼" wood screw in each of the
2 mounting holes (Figure I). L2+ COM L1+

6.MOUNT
THE SWITCH
Strip about 1" of insulation from one L2– COM L1–
end of each of six 4" wires. Though
the colors don’t really matter, it’s J
helpful to have 3 wires in each of
2 colors. I used red and black.
Tin the stripped end of each wire
and wrap it around one of the 6 screw
terminals on the switch. Give the
wire a twist or two, tighten down the
screw, and insulate the connection
with heat-shrink tubing. One row of 3
contacts on the switch should be all
“red” and the other 3 all “black,” as
shown (Figure J).
To keep the switch from rotating,
apply 2 small pads of double-stick K

foam tape to the top — one on each L

side of the handle (Figure K). Peel
the backing off the tape and insert
the switch into the mounting hole
from inside the enclosure. Align it,
then press the tape into place. Slip
the label plate over the threaded shaft
and then add the panel nut. Tighten
it gently with a wrench (Figure L).

100
 7. ADD THE POWER &
PHONO JACKS
Attach 4" leads to the DC power
jack and each of the 2 phono jacks.
In each case, ground (black) goes to
the outer or “case” contact. Solder
and insulate the connections with
M heat-shrink tubing (Figure M).
Insert the DC power jack through
the mounting hole in the top panel,
from outside the enclosure, and
secure it inside with the bundled
washer and panel nut. Tighten gently
with a 14mm wrench.
Insert one of the phono jacks
through one of the mounting holes
N in the side panel, from inside the
enclosure, and secure outside with
the bundled washer and panel nut.
Repeat for the other jack. Tighten
gently with a wrench (Figure N).

8. INSTALL THE MICRO

FLEX LIGHT
Remove the D-ring from the end of
the micro flex light by using a pair of
needlenose pliers “in reverse”: close
the jaws, insert the nose into the ring,
O and then gently pull the handles apart
to pry the ring open. Then slide the
TIP A small flat-
blade screwdriver
lapel clip fitting off the end of the lamp
body (Figure O). Discard the ring and
may help with lifting clip or save them for another project.
and pushing the Fit the rubber grommet into the
rubber to get it in center-top hole in the front panel. It’s
just right. easy; just squish it in until the lip of
P the hole is cleanly engaged with the
groove in the grommet (Figure P).
Insert the bottom of the flex light
into the grommet from above and
push it into the enclosure (Figure Q).
This will take a bit of force, but not
much, and will hold the light securely
in place. You can adjust its position as
needed, or remove it completely to
replace the batteries.

makezine.com 101
PROJECTS OPTICAL TREMOLO

9. WIRING AND

Switch L1+/L2–
Switch L2+/L1–

Switch com –
ASSEMBLY

Audio pot
Photocell

Photocell
Wire up the circuits using an 8-

Rheostat

Rheostat
position terminal strip, as shown,
cutting the leads to length and strip-
ping the ends as you go (Figure R).
These “European-style” terminal
strips are nice because all you have
to do to make a connection is insert
the stripped wire end and tighten

Motor

Motor

Switch com +

Phono jack –

Power jack +

Audio pot

Phono jacks –

Phono jacks +
the screw. For ease of access and
assembly, the terminal strip is not
mounted to the enclosure, and just
hangs freely. By the time all 16 R

connections are made, it’s quite

secure and won’t wobble around.
Put the plastic bottom of the
TIP Three feet
are less likely
enclosure in place and secure it with to wobble on an
the 4 bundled screws. Then attach uneven surface
adhesive feet (Figure S). than 4.

10. POWER IT UP
To run the motor, 3V DC is supplied
through the power jack, which takes a S

size M plug. You can use a 3V wall wart

to run the unit from mains power.
You can also build a simple battery
pack with a ready-made 2×AA battery
holder, a size M coaxial plug, and a bit
of heat-shrink tubing. Attach it to the
outside of the enclosure with velcro
(Figure T).
T TIP If you’re
using a laser
11. MAKE THE
SWEEP DISKS
Download the sweep disk art from
printer, you may
notice that the
printed transparency
makeprojects.com/v/33 and print it acquires a slight
onto an 8.5"×11" transparency. If you curl from the heat.
want to design your own disk art, an To flatten it, simply
SVG version of this file is available.
flip the printed film
over and “print” a
Cut out each disk using sharp blank page on the
U
scissors. Then apply a 3"-diameter opposite side.
velcro dot to the center of each disk. V
Use the softer, “loop” velcro on the
sweep disks.
Apply a matching “hook” dot to the
top of the aluminum mounting hub
(Figure U).

102
 Going
Further
To take your Optical
Tremolo Box to the next
level, consider these
improvements to the
basic design:

1. Upgrade to a pulse-
width-modulation (PWM)
motor controller. A series
Slip the hub over the motor shaft. Make rheostat is a simple, cheap
sure the hub is high enough to clear the motor speed control, but it’s
screws when it rotates. Tighten the setscrew, inefficient, and does not
using the Allen wrench that came with the perform as well at low
hub, to secure it to the shaft (Figure V). speeds. Here’s a good
PWM circuit based on a

12. ROCK YOUR OPTICAL

TREMOLO BOX
Pick your favorite sweep disk and attach it
555 timer chip: dprg.org/
tutorials/2005-11a/

to the hub by joining the velcro dots. 2. If you use a PWM

Plug your sound source into one of the controller, switch to 9V
2 phono jacks, and your amplifier into the power (standard for FX
other. The tremolo circuit is symmetrical, pedals) and upgrade the
so it doesn’t matter which jacks you use. motor. Most 9V motors
Plug in the power supply. Turn on the flex (e.g. RadioShack #273-
light, then flip the switch in either direction. 256) are higher qual-
Which direction the disk turns may vary the ity than 3V motors, and
effect depending on the disk pattern. often have fully threaded
The knob on the right, above the switch, mounting holes.
controls the motor rotation speed. At low
positions, the motor may have a hard time 3. Add a DPDT “stomp
getting started. Try turning the speed up a switch” (e.g. SparkFun
bit and then adjusting it back down to get #COM-11151) so you can
the lower speeds. turn the effect on and
The knob on the left controls the intensity off with your foot.
of the tremolo effect. Turn it clockwise for
more tremolo, counterclockwise for less. The 4. Modify the box to
Gunther Kirsch (top; oppostie, Fig. V)

brightness of the light on the photoresistor operate using reflected

also affects the tremolo intensity, and though light, instead of transmit-
the high-intensity LED in the flex light provides ted light, so the sweep
plenty, you should experiment with other light disks can be printed on
sources. Especially the sun! plain white paper.

Sean Michael Ragan is technical editor of MAKE magazine. His work has We look forward to
appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall seeing what mods you
Street Journal. come up with.

makezine.com 103
PROJECTS COUNTRY SCIENTIST

Explore your
world through
a pinhole.
By Forrest M. Mims III

Digital Pinhole A sophisticated pinhole camera

can be quickly made from a digital

Photography
camera with a removable lens, a
camera body cap, a beverage can
(or aluminum foil), a straight pin,
and some tape.
a TIME: A FEW MINUTES a COMPLEXITY: EASY

Long before the digital photography era, I enjoyed mak- Fig. A: Three images of the sun
ing photographs with a 35mm film camera equipped and an arrow on a computer
screen, photographed through 3
with a pinhole instead of a lens. The editors of Popular pinholes mounted on a Canon 40D
Photography magazine liked the results and published digital camera. The largest pinhole
(the width of a 0.6mm-wide pin)
my article “The Pinhole: A ‘Lens’ that Just Won’t Quit.” produced the brightest but fuzziest
Much has happened since that article was published back images (at right). The smallest
pinhole (0.3mm) produced the dim-
Gregory Hayes; Forrest M. Mims III (pinhole shots)

in April 1974. A renaissance of sorts has occurred in pinhole

photography, and Justin Quinnell is among its leaders. His mest but sharpest images. Note:
website pinholephotography.org is loaded with hints, tips, and
all images except Figure C were
enhanced using Microsoft Digital
unique pinhole images. (See makezine.com/go/quinnell for
Image Pro software.
an inspirational video about Justin’s work).
Fig. B: Handheld beverage-can
Suitable Cameras pinhole image of barbed wire
illuminated by flash and the
Any camera with a removable lens has potential for pinhole
morning sun (1/60 sec., ISO 320).
photography. Conventional film cameras can be used, but digital
cameras with removable lenses are ideal. The exposure time Fig. C: Sun Spray, a handheld image
can be easily changed, and results are available instantly. A new
enhanced only by the crown burr
formed in the aluminum foil pinhole
entry-level digital SLR costs $500 or more, but you might find
(1/8 sec., ISO 100).
a used one for considerably less.

104
Characteristics of Pinhole
Pinhole Images Tips &
Pinhole images are fuzzier than those made Samples
through a lens, but that can be an asset. If
The best advice for the
the fuzz is excessive, you can sharpen your
new pinhole photographer
images by using a smaller pinhole or photo is one word: experiment.
processing software. Figure A shows the 1/20 sec., ISO 320 Try various pinhole sizes,
sharpening that resulted from reducing the mounting methods, and
pinhole size from 0.6mm to 0.3mm. distances from your cam-
Another characteristic of pinhole cameras era’s sensor. Be careful
is nearly infinite depth of field. Make a pin- to keep dust off your
hole photo of a very close object with a dis- camera’s sensor when
tant building or mountain in the background removing the lens to
install your pinhole.
— it’s all in focus. You can even use the sun
1/4 sec., ISO 320 As for subjects, the
for the distant object (Figure B), but it will
world is your limit. Unlike
be fuzzy unless the exposure is brief.
a camera with a lens,
Pinholes punched through foil or thin it’s easy to include the
metal leave behind a projection of torn sun in pinhole photos.
metal on the exit side known as a crown Just remember never to
burr (see makezine.com/go/astakhov). 1/5 sec., ISO 320 D look directly at the sun
Pinhole photographers often remove the through a pinhole camera.
burr with sandpaper. When left in place, the On the following pages
burr can cause uniquely beautiful effects, you will see pinhole
especially when making pinhole photos images of the sun during
the annular solar eclipse
of the sun, as shown in Figure C.
of May 20, 2012. Both
images were made simply
Pinhole Exposure Times by removing the camera
Pinholes admit much less light than a con- lens and holding a sheet of
ventional camera lens, so exposures must aluminum foil with a few
be longer. This usually means the camera dozen pinholes over the
must be mounted on a tripod or placed on lens opening.
a stable surface. But thanks to the high sen- Figure D shows three
sitivity of digital cameras, handheld photos dramatically different
are often possible when the scene is brightly views of a high-voltage
illuminated. I’ve made handheld pinhole power transmission
tower, all made without
photos at speeds from 1/30 second (bright
a tripod.
sunlight) to 1/8,000 second (the sun itself).

A B C

makezine.com 105
PROJECTS COUNTRY SCIENTIST

How to Make a
Foil Pinhole
The pinhole images I published
in Popular Photography and my
recent eclipse images (shown
here) were all made by pushing
an ordinary 0.6mm-diameter
pin entirely or partially through
aluminum foil. Here’s how:

1. Use scissors to cut a

square of aluminum foil large
enough to cover the lens
opening of your camera.
Heavy-duty foil is best, but
standard foil is OK.

2. Place the foil on a desk

protector, place mat, or
other flat substrate that has
a slightly resilient surface.
Smooth the foil by rubbing it
with the tip of your finger.

3. Carefully press the pin

into but not completely
through the foil. For initial
experiments, the diameter
of the hole should be about
half the diameter of the pin.

4. Remove the lens from

your camera and place the foil
over the lens opening with the
Gunther Kirsch (step shots)

pinhole roughly centered. The

topside of the foil should face
away from the camera. Use
masking tape to secure the
foil in place. Be sure no stray
light can enter the camera;
it will wash out your images.

106
How to Make a 1. Rinse out an empty bever-
Better Pinhole age can with water. Carefully
For optically cleaner images, cut the top and bottom off,
a pinhole formed in thin sheet cut lengthwise, and flatten to
metal is best. This method is create one metal sheet.
easiest to implement by mount-
ing the metal onto a camera
body cap that is placed over the
2. Use old scissors to cut
several 1" squares from the
lens opening when the lens is
removed. Aluminum or copper
flattened can.
sheet metal from a hobby store
will work, but the simplest and 3. Place a metal square on
cheapest source is an alumi- a flat wood surface.
num beverage can, pie tin, Put the point of a straight
or food tray. pin at the center of the square
Pinhole photographers and hold it in place with pliers.
use various methods to form Lightly strike the head of
pinholes in sheet metal (search the pin with a small hammer
Google for details). I prefer
so that the pin just pierces the
the “brute force” approach, as
metal to form a circular hole
detailed here at right.
about half the diameter of
the pin.
Experiment! 4. Place a sheet of 220-grit
Explore the tutorials at pin Make pinholes in several metal squares
holephotography.org and other sandpaper on a flat surface, so you can experiment with them.
pinhole photography websites. business side up. Rub the
After you learn the basics, backside of the metal square
mount your pinhole camera against the sandpaper to
on a rigid tripod and try mak- remove the crown burr, using
ing portraits of perfectly still circular strokes.
friends and relatives. Make a
time exposure of the move- 5. Look through the pinhole
ment of the stars across the
to check its uniformity. About
night sky. Or mount a pinhole
two-thirds of my pinholes
on a light-tight extension tube
to make a telephoto pinhole.
made in this fashion appear
Once you start making pinhole perfectly circular, which is
images, you’ll soon think of what you want.
many other ideas.
6. Bore a ¼" hole in the cen-
ter of the camera’s body cap.
A magnifier such as a 10x loupe is very
7. Place a metal square with helpful.
a pinhole over or behind the
body cap so the pinhole is
centered in the ¼" aperture.
Secure it tightly with
Forrest M. Mims III (forrestmims.org), an removable masking tape so
amateur scientist and Rolex Award winner, you can try other pinholes
was named by Discover magazine as one of later. When you find the best
the “50 Best Brains in Science.” His books
one, secure it with adhesive. a
have sold more than 7 million copies.
makezine.com 107
 PROJECTS SCRATCH-A-TREAT
Has your cat left scratch marks
on everything from grandmoth-
er’s kneecaps to your grandfather
clock? It’s time to train Kitty to
use this scratching post instead
of everything else in your home.
A catnip cup in the top will
attract your cat and place her in
natural scratching position. Each
time the cat claws downward on
the spring-loaded carpeted cylin-
der, this device will deliver up to
4 special treats. Because you con-
trol the number of treats, you can
keep your cat lean and gradually
wean her off the treats altogeth-
er as she becomes accustomed to
using the post, if you wish.
A catnip cup A attracts the cat
to pull down on a carpeted scratch
cylinder B causing the inner tube
C to press down on a plunger D
and also causing the wedges E
E
MOD ERAT to engage rotation pegs.
XIT Y:
a CO M PL E Pegs rotate a treat turntable F
END which releases treats through a
E: A WEEK hole in the treat disk G whence
a TIM
they fall onto a base tray H to
reward the cat.
A spring I attached to a retainer
J in the support tube K pulls

Cat
the plunger back up, raising the
scratch cylinder to the starting
position. The spring rebound is
limited by the strap L .

Scratch
Feeder
Build a snack-dispensing scratching post that
will make Kitty forget the couch and curtains.
Written and photographed by Phil Bowie and Larry Cotton

108
 A

K
B

E
D

G
Timmy Kucynda

makezine.com 109
 PROJECTS SCRATCH-A-TREAT
Dowel, Extension spring
acrylic 0.44"×10.25"×0.040",
¼" diameter, working load 1.4lb
Berber Dowel, wood 6" length such as Hillman #222,
carpet scrap ¼" diameter, from Lowe’s. You’ll
15"×16" 2" length cut it to 5¼", so shorter
Softwood versions will work if you
lumber 2×4 can find them.
Aluminum flat bar nominal, 12"
⅛"×½"×2" long length actually
measures 1½"×3½"

Materials
& Tools
PVC pipe Schedule 40,
1" nominal, 1.315" OD,
0.133" wall thickness,
15" length The outer
diameter is almost exactly
17", the wall thickness
between 1" and T".
For a table of typical PVC
PVC pipe dimensions see makezine.
Schedule 40, com/go/pvcdims.
3" nominal,
3½" OD,
PVC pipe 0.216" wall PVC pipe Schedule 40,
sewer & thickness, 1¼" nominal, 1.660"
Fabric strap drain type, 12" length OD, 0.140" wall thick-
non-stretching, 4" nominal, ness, 18" length This
¾" or 1" wide, 0.08" wall is approximately 13" OD,
thickness, 12" ID, T" wall thickness.
5¼" length
18" length

» Softwood shelving board, as Dritz, available as a kit » Hammer, small

¾"×11½"×18" » Various screws and brads » Pliers: needlenose and
» Softwood strip, ¼"×1"×50" » Table saw You can do this side cutting
» Softwood or plywood, project with hand tools, but » Metal-cutting shears
½"×4"×6" for top disk power tools will be more » Screwdrivers
» Screw eye, small accurate and save time. » Files
» HDPE (high-density polyeth- » Band saw » Square, small
ylene) sheet, 2mm We found » Center punch » Hot glue gun
Gunther Kirsch

90mm disks on eBay that » Drill press » Glues: wood glue, hot glue,
were perfect. You could also » Handheld drill cyanoacrylate glue (aka super
use furniture sliders or similar » Drill bits including spade bits glue), and spray adhesive
plastic material. and an adjustable (fly cutter) bit » Scrap wood for V-block and
» Fabric snaps, 3" OD (2) such » Power sander and sandpaper other drilling/sawing jigs

110
1a Base & edging 1b Support tube holder 2a Support tube
2×4 wood

EDGE:
1"×¼"
wood strips
1¾"
BASE:
11"×11"×¾"
plywood or 1"
wood shelving
15¼"
Hole: Drill using
13" fly cutter bit

22" square

NOTE Keep your adjustable

bit set at 1⅝" diameter for drilling
Section

other parts later.

3½" square

PVC tubing 13" OD, T" wall

1d

1. MAKE
THE BASE
1a. Cut the base square,
a press fit between the holder
and the support tube
tube.
h

Chamfer the holder’s edges

to the center of any face of
the holder with a wood screw.

mitering ¼" wood strips so

they form a lip all around
to help retain the dispensed
on a table saw or band saw.

1c. Fasten the support tube

2. MAKE THE
SUPPORT TUBE
COMPONENTS
treats. Fasten with brads holder to the center of the 2a. Cut the support tube
and a bit of wood glue. base with wood screws. from 1¼" PVC pipe, using
a table saw, following the
1b. Follow the support tube 1d. Insert a stub of 1¼" PVC diagram. To cut the slot in
holder diagram to build the pipe (13"-OD) into the hole the center of one end, hold
holder. For safety, drill the as a mask, then sand, prime, the pipe vertically and use
hole with a fly cutter before and paint the base a light wooden pushers at the
cutting the wood to size. The color so the cat treats will bottom and side as shown
hole is nominally 13", but drill show up on it. (ask a friend to help).
it slightly undersize to ensure Attach a male fabric snap

makezine.com 111
PROJECTS SCRATCH-A-TREAT
2b 1" 2e
Plunger Split ring
Small screw-eye Make 3 from 1¼" PVC.

1"×¾" ¾"
wood plug 2"

5"- 1"
1" PVC tubing
17" OD
¾"

Notch one ring near split,

2c Top spring retainer approx. half material
Make from "-wide aluminum. thickness deep.

14"
"×" cutout
on each end
6"

Drill 5" hole on centerline, 1" from bottom.

2d Spring

5"

2b. Make the plunger from corners before cutting the 2e. Make 3 split rings from
1" PVC pipe, following the part to final size. 1¼" PVC pipe per the split
plunger diagram. Cut the ring diagram.
1"-diameter wood disk on a 2d. Cut the extension spring Note that one has a notch
band saw, sand it to fit tightly down to 5¼" over the closed in its outside surface near
in the ring, and glue it in place. coils, per the spring diagram. the split, which can be rough-
Sand the top and bottom of Use needlenose pliers to cut with a band saw, and the
the plunger flat and square, bend out new hook coils on inside corners filed square.
then insert a small screw eye the ends, then cut them with Put the top spring retainer
in the center of one face. side-cutting pliers. Insert the in place. Then, expand one of
hook coils into the top spring the rings without the notch
2c. Make the top spring retainer and the plunger (it’s not easy) and push it over
retainer from the aluminum screw eye. Then insert that the top end of the support
bar, following the diagram, assembly into the support tube to hold the top spring
using a band saw. For safety, tube per the assembly dia- retainer in place.
drill the hole and notch the gram in step 4 on page 114.

112
Turntable & rotation pegs (shown at ¾ scale)
Use the full-sized turntable template provided at
IMPORTANT Center-punch
all hole locations before drilling.
makeprojects.com/v/33. Peg specs are in red.

Wood: 3" OD, ¾" thick

45˚ PVC: 3" ID, ¼" wall
22.5˚

45˚
3b

1.28"
or use
template

3"

Side View ¾"-thick wood

3c
2"
3d

Eight ¼" holes, ¼" deep 3½"

The turntable is just ¾" deep, but start with at least

3a a 12" length of pipe for safe cutting on a power saw.

3. MAKE THE TREAT

TURNTABLE
3a. Follow the diagram to
critical. The red lines indicate
peg locations; extend them
onto the sides of the PVC
set to stop at a depth of ¼",
drill the 8 peg holes.

make the turntable and rota- pipe. Draw a line around the 3d. Cut eight ½" rotation
tion pegs. When cutting the outside, centered between pegs from ¼" acrylic dowel,
¾" wood and 3" PVC pipe, the 2 faces. ensuring the ends are square
ensure that the cuts are and smooth. Tap them lightly
straight, parallel, and square 3c. Drill the center hole with a into the peg holes with a ham-
to the sides. The wood disk fly cutter bit. This hole should mer and glue them in place.
should fit tightly into the PVC initially fit snugly over the The ends of the pegs should
ring. Glue it in place and sand support tube. Drill the 8 treat just clear the ID of the 4" PVC
both faces smooth. holes using a spade bit. drain pipe.
Make a drill press jig for the You can radius the ends
3b. The positioning of the peg holes. Using a length of slightly on a sander to help
rotation pegs and the loca- the 1¼" pipe (13" OD) resting achieve a close fit.
tions of the treat holes are in a wood V-block, with the bit

makezine.com 113
PROJECTS SCRATCH-A-TREAT
3f Treat disk & bearing washer 4a

3½"

"
1.28"
13"

13" 2"
1"
Tab: 6"

4
Split ring
(before expanding)
Split ring
(before expanding)
Top spring
These retainer
parts fit Bearing washer
inside Spring
support
tube
These Turntable
Plunger parts fit
over
support
tube
Support
tube
Snap in Treat disk
center
of face
Support
tube
holder Notched split ring
(before expanding)

3e. After the turntable is com- Then cut out all the parts 4a. Press the notched split
pleted, sand the large center with shears. ring on last, so that the bent-
hole so it rotates freely on the Use side-cutting pliers to down tab on the treat disk will
support tube. snip the tab on the inside be trapped by the notch to
diameter of the treat disk, and keep it from turning.
3f. Cut the treat disk and carefully bend it down 90°. Position the bottom surface
bearing washer from 2mm of the treat disk 5½" from the
HPDE plastic, following the
diagram. (If you bought
90mm disks, they’re almost
4. ASSEMBLE THE
SUPPORT TUBE.
Following the assembly dia-
bottom of the support tube.

4b. Press the support tube

exactly the size of the treat gram, spread and slip the assembly into its holder on
disk.) Lay out the 2 parts on second notchless split ring the base without fastening
the plastic and drill both large onto the support tube from it. Don’t fasten the split rings
holes with the fly cutter bit. the bottom. Follow with the either, to allow for adjustment.
Use a ¾" spade bit for the bearing washer, the turntable,
smaller hole in the treat disk. and the treat disk.

114
5a Scratch cylinder 5c Top disk
17"

½"
¼" Drill & countersink
three R" holes
120˚ apart (start
anywhere on 4" OD
circumference). Make from ½"-thick wood.

16"
Hot-glue wedges
in place on the
back wall using
template.

1¼" Drill the R" strap

½"
attachment hole
(anywhere on
4" PVC
circumference).

5b

5. MAKE THE
SCRATCH
CYLINDER PARTS
of 4" PVC pipe. Temporarily
spray-glue the template to the
inside of one of the pieces,
them accurately.

5c. Using a band saw, make

5a. Cut the scratch cylinder, and cut 2 sets of wedges with the top disk and sand it to fit
following the diagram. a band saw. Super-glue the tightly into the top end of the
duplicate wedges together, scratch cylinder. Use the fly
5b. Cut the 2 sets of wedges doubling their thickness. cutter bit (reset to just under
using the full-sized template On another copy of the tem- 17") to drill its center hole.
at makeprojects.com/v/33. plate, cut out the wedge holes. Fasten the top disk to the
These will rotate the turn- Temporarily spray-glue this cylinder using 3 small flat-
table one-half position on template to the inside wall of head wood screws.
the downward stroke of the the scratch cylinder 1¼" from
scratch cylinder, and then the bottom end, anywhere on 5d. Wrap the scratch cylinder
one-half position on the the circumference. Hot-glue with Berber carpet hot-glued
upstroke, releasing the treat. the wedges in place, using the in place.
Split lengthwise an 8" piece negative template to position

makezine.com 115
PROJECTS SCRATCH-A-TREAT
6a Inner tube 6b
Nail holds
Make from 1" PVC
tube against
½"
fence
½"
Drill  holes straight
through both sides.

Tube holder
Cut slot 1" wide and
file to freely clear the
top spring retainer. 1"

13¼" 94"

NOTE: Tube looks widen Jig

identical from to 2" screw
both sides. 3"

30˚ 30˚

¾"
or less

7a Catnip disk, and disk pin

17"
Cut 1" diameter
from 5" or 1"
6c 1" plastic. " wood dowel

6. MAKE THE
INNER TUBE
6a. Following the diagram,
6c. On both sides of the tube,
widen 3" of the slot to 2" with
a band saw as shown. Use a
7b. Insert the catnip disk pin
through the end of the inner
tube, and glue the catnip disk
drill the ¼" holes in the 1" PVC wood wedge to hold the slot into place using the pin as
pipe (17" OD). Then make apart for easier blade access. a stop and gluing surface.
a wood jig and screw the pipe File the slot if necessary to
to it through the holes. make sure it clears the top 7c. Press and glue the inner
spring retainer during the tube into the cylinder top disk.
6b. On a table saw, cut the plunge stroke. It must be centered within the
top slot 1" wide. Allow for the scratch cylinder.
radius of the blade and the
thickness of the jig itself to
determine where to stop cut-
7.ASSEMBLE THE
SCRATCH CYLINDER
7a. Follow the diagram above
ting. Finish extending the top to make the catnip disk and
slot on a band saw to its full disk pin.
94" length.

116
8. TEST AND
TROUBLESHOOT
Load the turntable with treats, and drop the
Tame
scratch cylinder assembly over the support
tube assembly. The inner tube must slide
easily into the support tube.
That Kitty
Pull down on the scratch cylinder to cycle
your Scratch-a-Treat, testing for smooth oper-
ation and ensuring that treats are dispensed.
If you feel friction, there could be several
sources:
» Between the slot in the inner tube and the
top spring retainer. Try removing the scratch
cylinder, turning it 180°, and replacing it. Or
widen the slot slightly, especially at the top.
» Between the inner tube and support tube.
Remember that the inner tube must be When you first set up your Scratch-a-
centered in the scratch cylinder. Treat, use the strap’s end snap to limit
» Between the turntable and support tube. the spring’s bounce when Kitty releases
Sand the center turntable hole as necessary. the scratch cylinder. Use the shorter snap
» Between the rotation pegs and the wedges position to disable the plunge action alto-
inside the scratch cylinder. Smooth these gether when Kitty becomes accustomed
parts as necessary to reduce friction. to using Scratch-a-Treat as a proper
If treats aren’t dispensed, adjust the scratching post.
height of the turntable on the support tube You don’t need to remove the scratch
and/or turn the treat disk (and its split ring) cylinder to load treats. Simply unsnap the
so it releases all the treats reliably. strap, lift the scratch cylinder about 4",
rotate it clockwise, and let go. Load the
½" 2" treats into the turntable, then reverse the
process to drop the scratch cylinder back
3" fabric snaps into scratching position.
A variety of treats can be used. We
favor the crunchy, catnip-flavored
Cut 5¼" from ¾"–1" wide strap. Temptations brand.
9 Strap Rubbing a bit of catnip onto the carpet
will help attract your cat initially and

9. FINAL
ASSEMBLY
Remove the scratch cylinder and fasten the 2
encourage scratching.
As with all pet training, praise Kitty
generously when she uses the Scratch-
lower split rings to the support tube with short a-Treat, and administer a stern scolding
screws. These must not protrude inside the when she does not.
support tube. Grandma’s knees will be happy.
Make the fabric strap per the strap diagram
and screw it to the inside bottom wall of the Larry Cotton is a semi-retired power-tool designer and part-
scratch cylinder. Turn the support tube in its
time community college math instructor. He loves music and
musical instruments, computers, birds, electronics, furniture
holder to align the snaps. a
design, and his wife — not necessarily in that order.

Phil Bowie is a lifelong freelance magazine writer with three

TEST BUILDER: Isabella Ghirann, MAKE Labs suspense novels in print. He’s on the web at philbowie.com.
makezine.com 117
PROJECTS WII NUNCHUK MOUSE

Wii Nunchuk
Mouse
Bring console-style motion
control to your PC.
By Gabriel Bianconi
Gregory Hayes

118
 a TIME: 1 HOUR a COMPLEXITY: EASY MATERIALS
Today, more and more devices are using motion » Nintendo Wii Nunchuk
con-troller $17; third-party
control. From tablets to cellphones to game consoles, controllers may not work.
people are getting used to interacting with electronics » Arduino Uno microcontroller
item #MKSP11 from Maker Shed
using gestures. Personal computers, however, have (makershed.com), $35
» 140mm male/male jumper
lagged behind a bit. Unable to find a suitable gestural wires (4) item #MKSEEED3
controller for my Windows PC on the consumer from Maker Shed, $9/65

market, I set out to build my own.

I based my design on the Wii Nunchuk controller TOOLS
for several reasons. First, it’s a versatile, comfortable, » Windows PC Mac/Linux
users will have to adapt the
well-designed controller; second, it‘s cheap and easy Python script.
to find; and third, its native I2C serial protocol is easy
to interface with Arduino. As a bonus, the connector
will accept standard jumper wires, so there’s no need
to cut up the cable or use a dedicated adapter.
The Arduino runs a sketch that reads data from
the controller and prints to the computer’s serial port.
The computer runs a Python script, which receives
serial data and emulates a mouse.

1. Install the 1c. Download Python 2.7.2 for 1e. Download pywin32 at
software. Windows at python.org/ftp/ makezine.com/go/pywin32
1a. Download the Arduino IDE python/2.7.2/python-2.7.2.msi and run the installer.
for Windows at arduino.cc/ and run the installer. You can
en/Main/Software. Extract find IDLE, the Python IDE, at 2. Connect the con-
the arduino-1.0 folder to your Start → Python 2.7 or launch troller to the Arduino.
hard drive. Inside this folder it at C:\Python27\Lib\idlelib\ 2a. We’ll use 4 colors of
you’ll find arduino.exe. idle.pyw. jumper wires to simplify
the instructions. Insert the
1b. Download the
ArduinoNunchuk library at
github.com/GabrielBianconi/
NOTE You should not download
Python 3. The script used in this project
jumpers into the Wii Nun-
chuk’s connector as shown
in Figure A, page 120.
won’t work with this version.
ArduinoNunchuk. Extract
the ArduinoNunchuk folder 1d. Download the pyserial 2b. On your Arduino, connect
to your hard drive. Open the module at pypi.python.org/ the red wire to +3.3V and the
Arduino IDE and select File → pypi/pyserial. Extract the black wire to GND. Connect
Preferences. Note the folder pyserial-2.6 folder to C:\. the green wire to A5 and the
under Sketchbook folder and Launch the command prompt yellow wire to A4 (Figure B).
open it in Windows Explorer. window at Start → Accessories
Look for a folder named → Command Prompt. Type 3. Upload the
libraries. If there isn’t one, cd /d c:\pyserial-2.6 Arduino sketch.
you should create it. Move and hit enter. Now type c:\ 3a. Connect your Arduino
the ArduinoNunchuk folder Python27\python setup.py to your computer via USB.
into libraries. install and hit enter again. If this is the first time, you’ll

makezine.com 119
PROJECTS WII NUNCHUK MOUSE
need to install the required
driver. Windows will not be
able to install it automatically,
ANALOG GND
RESOURCES
» Python 2.7.2
IN A5 python.org
so you’ll need to select it in » Pyserial module
arduino-1.0/drivers. pypi.python.org/pypi/
pyserial
» Pywin32 extension
3b. Open the Windows makezine.com/go/
Control Panel and search for pywin32
the Device Manager. You can » Arduino IDE arduino.
POWER ANALOG cc/en/Main/Software
find the port in which your 3.3V IN A4 » ArduinoNunchuk
Arduino is inserted under Library github.com/
Ports (COM & LPT). Open the A GabrielBianconi/
ArduinoNunchuk
Arduino IDE and select the » “ArduinoNunchuk —
correct port under Tools → Wii Nunchuk library for
Serial Port. Arduino” gabriel
bianconi.com/projects/
arduinonunchuk/
3c. Relaunch Arduino. Select » “How to hook up a Wii
your Arduino model under Nunchuk to an Arduino
Mega” gabrielbianconi.
Tools → Board. com/blog/how-to-
hook-up-wii-nunchuk-
3d. The ArduinoNunchuk arduino-mega/
library that you’ve installed
has an example sketch that
prints the data from the Wii
Nunchuk to the computer’s
serial port. Open the exam-
ple file by selecting File → B
Examples → ArduinoNunchuk
→ ArduinoNunchukDemo.
Upload this sketch to your
Arduino. TIPS If you can’t find the
example sketch, try relaunching the
4b. Open it with IDLE (Right-
click → Edit with IDLE). Look
for the line which says port
3e. Open the Serial Monitor.
IDE. If this doesn’t fix the problem, = ‘arduino_port’ and write
you probably didn’t install the
At the bottom right, change library correctly. the correct port (leave the
9600 baud to 19200 baud quotes). It should look like
If you don’t see the numbers, you
and wait a few seconds. You probably did something wrong or port = ‘COM10’ (use the
should see 7 columns of skipped a step. Make sure that the same port as set up in the
values that change if you wires are connected properly and Arduino IDE). Save the script
move the Wii Nunchuk, move the baud rate and serial port are (File → Save or Ctrl+S).
the analog stick, or press a set up correctly.
button. If it’s working correct- If you get an error when trying to 4c. Press F5 to run the file
ly, close the serial monitor. run the file, make sure that the and wait a few seconds. Enjoy
port was correctly set up and both
using the Wii Nunchuk as
pyserial and pywin32 installed. If
4. Set up the script. this doesn’t solve the problem, try a computer mouse! a
4a. Download the Python restarting IDLE and your Arduino.
Gunther Kirsch

script at makezine.com/ If it still doesn’t work, restart your Gabriel Bianconi is a high school student in
go/nunchuk. computer.
São Paulo, Brazil. He is interested in technology,
especially programming, and wants to study
computer science in college.
120
 Omnidirectional
Spray Bottle
By Jason Poel Smith Illustrations by Julie West

MODIFY A SPRAY BOTTLE SO IT WORKS

WHEN HELD AT ANY ANGLE. If you replace
YOU WILL NEED: Spray bottle, 16oz or
bigger » Flexible tubing, ⅛" ID, ¼" OD, such
the hard suction tube with flexible tubing and
as aquarium air line » Stainless steel nuts,
a weight on the end, the tubing will naturally
¼" (5) » Scissors » Glue (optional)
fall to the lowest point of the container.

1. Cut the tubes to length.

Cut the original spray bottle tube, leaving
about 1" sticking out past the screw cap.
Then cut the flex tubing about 1" longer
than the cut portion of the original tube.

2. Attach the 2 cut tubes.

The suction tube on a typical spray bottle
has an outer diameter between ⅛" and ¼",
so the flex tubing should make a good seal
without any adhesive. Slide it onto the origi-
nal tube until you get a firm seal, with at
»
least ¼" of overlap. If you don't get a satis-
factory seal, use glue. With both tubes clean
and dry, apply a thin layer of glue around the
lower ½" of the original tube. Slide the flex
tubing onto the original tube, overlapping by NOTE: Even stainless steel
at least ½", and slowly twist the flex tube to eventually corrodes. After
help spread the glue evenly. Let the adhesive each use, remove the sprayer
completely cure before continuing. assembly to dry.

3. Add the weight.

Twist a nut onto the end of the flex tubing
and turn the sprayer upside down to see
how low the tube hangs. Add nuts until the
tube hangs almost down to the cap. The
stiffer the tubing, the more nuts you’ll need.
I used 5.

USE IT
Fill the bottle with liquid and enjoy spraying
up, down, and upside down! If the tube gets
stuck, give the bottle a gentle shake. a

Jason Poel Smith is a helicopter tooling engineer. When he’s not inventing,
he’s spending time with his amazing family.
makezine.com 121
 PROJECTS BREWING SAKE

a TIME: 2–5 WEEKS

Kanpai!
a COMPLEXITY: MODERATE

Brew sake The bottles are slender and elegant and

at home. colored a frosty white or baby blue, alcohol
levels usually hover in the mid-teens, and
By Alastair Bland
the price tags often exceed 30 or 40 bucks.
For these reasons, sake has gained a reputation among many
Gregory Hayes

Westerners as the Eastern equivalent of fine wine — something

rare and precious, to be consumed in tiny portions, and more
often than not simply out of reach.
122
 MATERIALS
For 1 gallon of sake:
» Short-grain rice, white, 3.3lbs
» Cold Mountain koji, 20oz tub
Check your local Japantown
(I got mine from Nijiya Market in
San Francisco), or order online
from Pacific Mercantile (pacific
eastwest.com) and select the
quickest shipping since it needs
to be kept cool.
» Yeast, champagne or dry white
wine variety, 1g
» Water, 4qt

TOOLS
Specialty brewing items are
available at most homebrewing
and winemaking supply stores.
» Brewing bucket, 5gal typically
But this favored table beverage of Japan is actually a 12" OD × 17½" tall
» Airlock and rubber stopper
simple grain-based brew, much like beer. And while it’s adds about 5" to bucket height
true that good sake, often called “rice wine,” is expensive, » Mini-fridge (optional) to fit
there’s an easy way around the price tag: make it at your bucket and airlock, with a
temperature range that goes up
home. It takes just 4 ingredients, and anyone, using only to 55°F–65°F. We used a Vissani
the most basic of beer-making equipment, can trans- 52-Bottle Wine Cooler, Home Depot
form a sack of pearly white rice into fragrant, perfumey item #MVWC52B (homedepot.com).
If weather permits, omit the fridge
sake in as little as 12 to 15 days. and leave your brewing bucket in a
Born in China some 4,000 years ago as rice cultiva- cool garage or basement where the
tion took root, sake culture found its way to Japan about temperature is a steady 55°F–65°F.
» Measuring cup
2,000 years later, where it bloomed into a refined and » Scale for measuring rice, yeast
hallowed tradition. Over time, rice varieties would be » Colander, stainless steel
bred specifically for use in brewing, and today those who » Large pot for steaming the rice
» Cotton towels
make sake — often in tiny microbreweries with their own » Funnel
proprietary yeasts and rice strains — are esteemed as » Ladle
among the greatest of craftsmen. » Glass jug, 1gal for secondary
fermentation
Brewing sake requires rice, water, yeast, and, finally, » Sanitizing agents One Step
one more essential component: a mold native to East No Rinse Cleanser or iodine
Asia called Aspergillus oryzae. We have this critter to » Rubber tube for siphoning
» Beer bottles
thank for black bean sauce, soy sauce, miso, and other » Bottle caps
cultured food products of Asia. A. oryzae releases an » Hand-operated bottle capper
enzyme that breaks down complex carbohydrates into » Siphoning pump (optional)
» Bottling valve (optional)
simple sugar. Since sugar is what yeast turns into etha-
nol, the first step in making sake is to convert steamed
rice into a sticky, sweet porridge.
Purists may wish to start from scratch by buying
spores of the A. oryzae mold and sprinkling it over a
Gunther Kirsch

batch of steamed rice. Here, the mold blooms and does

its magic: the grain turns as sweet as candy. The rice is
now called malt-rice, or koji, and can be dried or frozen
and stored for months until needed for brewing.

makezine.com 123
PROJECTS BREWING SAKE

1. Wash, soak, and steam.

Rinse the rice with cold water through a colan-
der until the water drains out clear (Figure A).
Soak the rice for 90 minutes. Fully wrap the
B rice in a clean cotton towel (Figure B), then
place it in a colander within a large pot. Add
Most sake homebrewers opt to purchase about ½" of water and simmer over low heat,
dried, premade koji ready to use. A favored making sure the lid closes tightly and the pot
product is that of Cold Mountain, which sells doesn’t dry out and burn. Cook the rice for
20oz plastic containers full of dried rice inocu- 1 hour or more, adding water as needed.
lated with A. oryzae. When finished, properly steam-cooked rice
You’ll also need yeast, and many beer and will be sticky and a bit rubbery between the
wine yeasts do just fine. In advanced sake teeth — and palatable. If it's still al dente, keep
brewing, the water and its particular mineral steaming it.
content are a matter of concern, but begin-
ners can use clean tap water. 2. Sanitize.
Finally, there’s the rice. Brown rice is com- Sterilize your brewing bucket, lid, measuring
monly advised against, since the outer layers cup, rubber stopper, airlock, and your hands
of each unhusked kernel contain proteins with either iodine or One Step No Rinse
and fats that can, by some opinions, produce Cleanser. If using One Step, make a solution
off-flavors. Commercial brewers use specially of 1 tablespoon per gallon of water according
bred sake rice varieties, but these are expen- to the instructions, throw in everything above,
sive. Fortunately, table rice can make very slosh water over all the equipment, making
respectable sake. sure everything is covered, and remove it all
The magic moment of brewing arrives when after 2 minutes.
the lid of the bucket is removed. Here, where Cap the bucket with the lid and airlock,
2 weeks before was a slurry of rice, fungi, and and shake the bucket to coat the insides with
warm water, is now a naturally transformed the solution. Dump the solution out after 2
beverage. If all went well, the aromas should minutes. Sloshing some boiling water in the
be beautiful — stone fruits and guava and brewing vessel afterward can’t hurt.
flower petals — and to think that they all
came from polished white pearls of rice can 3. Mix.
be astounding. To see firsthand that sake Combine the 4qt of cold water, steamed rice,
can easily be produced in a bucket in one’s 20oz of koji, and gram of yeast in the brewing
kitchen is just as thrilling. Here’s how. bucket. Secure the lid (Figure C).

124
D E

NOTE Any
material or surface
(hands included)
that may come
into contact with
the sake should be
considered poten-
tially “infected.”
Sterilize everything
thoroughly just
F before use. H

4. Ferment. The sake will be relatively clear and can be

The starch-to-sugar conversion and fermen- carefully (don’t stir up those funky sediments
tation will begin at once and simultaneously. at the bottom!) poured or ladled through
If you’ve plugged your brewing bucket with an a cotton cloth into a carafe (Figure E) for
airlock (Figure D), bubbling will start within immediate consumption in case you’re thirsty.
hours, and the glugs will come increasingly Squeeze out the sake from the rice by
rapidly. Put the bucket in a cool place to keep twisting the cloth (Figure F).
the sake at 55°F–65°F.
The fermentation, and the pace of the 6. Ferment some more.
glugging, will probably peak between day Secondary fermentation is an important
3 and day 7. When it slows to one glug every step that clears up your sake and allows
15 minutes or so, after about 2 weeks, the bad-tasting esters to settle out. First, the sake
sake is mostly finished. remaining among the soupy bottom dregs
must be separated from the foul-tasting yeast
5. Sample. sediment. To do so, pour or siphon the boozy
Open the lid and you should see the rice float- muck, again filtering out the rice, into a sani-
ing on top and yeast settled to the bottom. tized glass gallon jug (Figures G and H). This

makezine.com 125
PROJECTS BREWING SAKE

How to Serve Sake

TIP Wrap a cloth
around the tip of the
At last, the night will arrive when your home-
brewed sake comes to the table. Reverence
and respect must be shown, but don’t overdo
siphoning pump to
it. For one thing, you don’t need to “pair” it
keep rice from clog-
ging it (Figure J). with sushi. While sake and sushi are often
J
seen hand in hand, that’s only by convention
and tradition — like two villagers married in
is your secondary fermenter (Figure I).
an arranged ceremony, never knowing that
Here, the last kicks of fermentation will their true soul-mates were living somewhere
peter out as the sediments precipitate to the far away. So cook whatever you want — Indian
bottom. This may take several weeks, with the curry, Greek dolmatas, Mexican tacos, French
jug kept at about 55°F. (Some brewers just put cheeses. Sake likes them all.
it right into their near-freezing kitchen fridge.) Secondly, you can serve your sake from
square cedar cups — or just keep it real and use
7. Bottle. the stemware in your cupboard. In fact, you
When the sake is clear, with a thick layer want a glass that’s wide enough to swirl, set-
of sediment on the bottom, siphon it into ting aloft those lovely aromas.
sanitized beer bottles. (A bottling valve, Finally, for Pete’s sake, don’t drink your
which only flows when pressed to the bottom sake warm or hot. This has long been a trick
for masking off-flavors in lower-quality sake
of the bottle, makes it easier.)
— and your homebrew is anything but.
Seal the bottles with sanitized caps using
the hand-operated capper. Drink within weeks
or months. When it hits 140°F, consider the drink sterilized.
Now cap the bottles and stash them away.
Gregory Hayes (serving)

8. Age (optional). You might even age some for years. a

If you wish to age your sake, you should
pasteurize it prior to bottling by placing the Alastair Bland is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. He writes
filled-but-not-yet-capped bottles into a pot frequently of food, science, and the environment. He travels frequently —
of boiling water. Using a clean thermometer, often by bicycle — and his journeys can be followed at his blog “Off the
monitor the rising temperature of the sake. Road” (blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure).
126
 Solar Make the event

Powered memorable
with a DIY wood-
fired rotisserie.

Roasting By Saul Griffith

Author Saul (left) and his friend Dan
(right) assemble the drive mechanism
from a bicycle wheel, a windshield

Spit
wiper motor, and a loop of kite string.

a TIME: A WEEKEND a COMPLEXITY: MODERATE

Not only do I enjoy making things, I also love making food, so any
opportunity that combines both is hard to pass up. Friends of mine
were getting married, and being the beautiful and unusual people
Courtesy Saul Griffith

they are, planned a potluck wedding. I decided to do what I’d been

hoping to do for years: cook an entire animal on a spit. My wife and
I had a small lamb and pig both spit-roasted at our wedding and it
was a culinary highlight. How hard could it be to do myself?
makezine.com 127
PROJECTS MAKING TROUBLE

A FEW FRIENDS VOLUNTEERED TO HELP as the butcher, having just completed salting
(thanks Pete Lynn, Dan Benoit, Joe Brock, and preparing “the beast,” brought it out slung
and infinitely Mose O’Griffin). At the local over his shoulder. I think everyone in the shop
farmer’s market I met the lovely people from came to me with some comment or story of
Fatted Calf, a San Francisco charcuterie. They shared excitement, jealousy, or encourage-
were delighted to supply me with a lamb, and ment. I knew at this point that despite having
also recommended a great book, The River no idea what I was doing, this particular cook-
Cottage Meat Book, that included directions ing experience was the type of making that
for making a spit and cooking on it. brings communities and people together in
It was the Thursday evening before the a social experience.
wedding when I went to pick up the lamb. The That evening we elected to build the rotis-
store was full of people buying sausage or serie spit that I thought would be the simplest,
some prosciutto. The store went dead quiet most easily transported, and easiest to store.

128
 7 A.M. Wedding day — cells through an inverter to

MATERIALS
I get up, but have my 3-year- produce 12V. There are prob-
old son and 3-month-old lems with both the inverter
puppy to look after. (My wife and the drive mechanism.
» Sheet metal for the fire pans and
is baking the wedding cake.)
drippings trough. We used a 4'×8' sheet
of 16-gauge mild steel.
10:05 Our friction drive
» Metal rods or pipes (3) to hold the pans 9:00 I’m now worried; made of a BMX bike peg
and trough together I haven’t made progress on against the bike tire doesn’t
» Adjustable sawhorses (2) to support the anything, and from reading work well, and doesn’t give
rotisserie, height-adjustable for temperature the book I’m estimating a 6- us enough gear reduction.
control (good idea, Dan) or 7-hour cooking time with The motor moves about
» Steel pipe, Schedule 40, 1½" a 5 p.m. eating target. Mose 100rpm, and the friction
diameter, 10' length for the spit arrives. Sigh of relief. drive is only about 20:1.
» Baling wire to hold the roast on
» Windshield wiper motor, high torque,
low speed to drive the spit
9:05 We get the fire 10:20 Switch to using
» Solar panel to power the rotisserie started in the 2 fire pans. the battery of a 1959 dune
(thanks, Fenix International) We have enough old euca- buggy. This turns out to be a
» Bicycle wheel to gear down the lyptus logs to cook a bunch bad idea but is awfully fun.
rotisserie speed of animals, even though it
» Steel pipe flange fitting does consume a surprising 10:30 Back to solar
» Scrap of wood or metal to adapt the amount of wood. panels, and with the arrival
flange to your bike wheel of Joe Brock we have a new
» Eye bolts (2) longer than pipe diameter
» Various wood screws, nails, kite string, etc.
9:15 Start preparing the idea: a capstan drive. Itworks
animal itself; we decide to perfectly. Fortunately I have
figure out how to spin the brought a splicing tool and

BUILD IT
animal once it’s on the spit. some old kite string that
makes an excellent belt. We
9:20 Read hilarious sec- just wrap a few turns of the
1. Cut the sheet metal into three tion of River Cottage Meat string around the motor axle.
Book: “Let’s not be delicate
8'-long pieces: two 18"-wide for the
fire pans, and one 12"-wide for the
here, the pole goes in the 10:40 Everything now
a**hole and out the mouth.” appears to be working. The
drippings trough. Cut holes to thread Learned that there is indeed lamb is moving at 2–3rpm
the pipe through. nothing delicate about cook- and the only thing to do now
ing a whole animal. is tend the fire. And baste
2. Cut the metal pipes to size and 9:25 We use too much
the animal. And drink.

assemble the 3 troughs. Bend the baling wire and my hands 4:40 P.M. Still basting
drippings trough deeply and the fire are bleeding, but the lamb and drinking, but it’s now
pans shallowly. is tied to the pole. All I did time to go watch our friends
to prepare the pipe was drill get married. Quickly check
3. Bolt the eye bolts to the top of some holes for pushing wire
through. You should think a
the temperature with a meat
thermometer: 140°F deep
the sawhorses. lot more about how to keep in the thigh. Perfect.
the lamb from rolling around.
4. Drill and tap the flange to match Systems with orthogonal 5:10 They’re married!
the hole spacing of the disc brake tabs spikes seem very popular. I’m ready to carve. So is
Mose. People line up, and
on the bike hub.
9:45 Lamb goes onto the it’s done. I can’t believe
spit above the coals. We’re 75 pounds of animal can
5. Connect the flange and hub/wheel cooking at last. Seven hours disappear so quickly.
to the Schedule 40 pipe. To adapt the until dinner; if everything
flange to your disc brake or hub, drill goes according to plan we’ll Sometimes making is soli-
have minutes to spare! tary, sometimes it's social.
a disc of wood or metal to match the
Both are beautiful things. a
hole patterns of both parts. 9:55 We attempt to drive
the spit at a recommended Saul Griffith is chief troublemaker at
6. Improvise. 1–3rpm by connecting solar otherlab.com.
makezine.com 129
PROJECTS VINYL PCB RESIST

VINYL
PCB
RESIST
MATERIALS
» Adhesive-backed vinyl
Etch your circuits the easy way — with a
resist pattern you make on a vinyl cutter.
sheets if you don’t have a
vinyl cutter, send your design
to a sign-making service or
By Chris Connors
custom sticker company.
» Copper circuit board blank There are lots of ways to etch a circuit board, but
» Kitchen scrub pad, sand- all of them create a path for electricity by preserving
paper, or steel wool for
scuffing the copper and removing portions of the copper coating on the
» Masking tape or transfer
tape or similar low-tack tape board. You might have tried drawing a circuit on
» Etching chemicals such copper with a pen or grease pencil, or silk-screening
as ferric chloride, or muriatic
(hydrochloric) acid with it, or transferring toner from a laser printer, and then
hydrogen peroxide
chemically etching the board. A substance used in

TOOLS
» Gloves, rubber or vinyl
this way is called a resist because it resists the
etchant and protects the copper.
» Safety glasses One of the easiest and most reliable resists I’ve found is
» Tray or jar, nonmetallic
such as glass or ceramic adhesive-backed vinyl produced on a sign cutter. This is done
Gregory Hayes

» Tweezers (fine) or other by sticking your circuit trace image directly onto the board,
sharp tool like a hobby knife, and then immersing the board in a chemical bath. The exposed
utility knife, or pushpin for
“weeding” vinyl stickers copper is removed, leaving just the copper traces you want for
» CNC vinyl cutter/plotter your circuit. Here’s how I do it.

130
 1. Get a circuit board design. a TIME: 1–2 HOURS a COMPLEXITY: EASY
You can design your own circuit traces, or use
existing artwork of proven designs. Search the
Open Circuits wiki, Adafruit’s Github reposito-
ry, and hobbyist websites like diystompboxes.
com to get a taste of what’s out there for free.
And remember, you can also transform
schematic diagrams into circuit board layouts
using free software tools (see page 44).
We designed this board as a super-sized
version of the MAKE Learn to Solder robot pin.
It’s got huge traces, but people also use this A
method to make fine traces.

2. Cut your design in vinyl.

Convert your board design into an image
IMPORTANT
Double-check that your
format your vinyl cutter can use. If you bring
design is the right size, and
that you left all the correct
the design to a shop, they’ll tell you what parts on the sticker when
formats to use. you weeded it!
Cut the design into the vinyl with the vinyl
cutter (Figure A). If you’re using a service, B
make sure the cut is scaled accurately. If the
design isn’t the right size, your parts may
not fit properly.

3. “Weed” your vinyl stickers.

Carefully remove the unwanted vinyl bits
where you want the copper stripped from the
board. Leave behind the parts where you want
to protect the copper (Figure B). C D
Some services will weed the sticker for you;
others may not. When we ordered some from
TAP Plastics, they came back weeded.
Most vinyl cutters come with fancy, sharp
tweezers, but you can use a utility knife or a
pushpin taped into the barrel of an old pen to
pick out the parts of the vinyl you don’t want.

4. Transfer the vinyl to E F

the copper board.
Scuff the board so the etchant will be able masking tape. If you use very sticky tape, the
to reach the copper easily (Figure C). Circuit vinyl won’t stay on your circuit board.
board blanks are treated with a clear coating Use the transfer tape to lift your vinyl sticker
that keeps the copper from oxidizing in the off its backing (Figure D) and place it onto the
air. If this coating has been removed for any copper face of the board (Figure E). Smooth
Gunther Kirsch

amount of time, you’ll see dark spots. These it down firmly everywhere to get the best
spots shouldn’t affect your etching. adhesion you can. Then remove the transfer
Place your weeded sticker on a flat surface tape (Figure F).
and cover it with low-tack transfer tape or

makezine.com 131
PROJECTS VINYL PCB RESIST
5. Prepare the etchant bath.
Put your etchant into a nonmetallic tray
or jar with a tight-fitting lid.
ETCHING TIPS
Using a smaller container will
Wear safety goggles and rubber or vinyl
help you to use less liquid and
still cover the board.
gloves, to keep the etchant chemicals out
of your eyes and off your skin. If your etching liquid is warm,
it will act faster on the copper,
Most people use ferric chloride. Other reducing your etching time.
chemicals will also work, such as muriatic G You can prepare a warming tray
(hydrochloric) acid and hydrogen peroxide. filled with hot water, and place
For detailed tutorials on both methods check your etching tray or jar in it to
out MAKE’s Circuit Board etching video at raise the temperature. Make
sure you don’t overheat it.
makeprojects.com/project/b/651 and
The Real Elliot’s tutorial on Instructables. If you etch in a small jar, you
can seal the lid and shake it
gently to agitate it with less
6. Etch the circuit board. risk of spilling.
Immerse the circuit board in the bath of
etchant (Figure G). Agitate the board from H
time to time, to keep fresh etchant working
on the copper.
Remove the board frequently to check
its progress (Figure H). If you etch for too
long, you could etch away the circuit traces.
However, over-etching is much less likely with
this technique, since the vinyl makes a very
tight bond with the board.
It’s done when the copper is completely
removed from the areas not covered by vinyl.
Take the board out of the etchant and rinse I
it under cold running water.

7. Peel the vinyl off.

Once you’re sure the copper is cleared to your
satisfaction, peel the vinyl resist off the board
(Figure I). It should come off easily.
If you really need to etch it some more, you
can, but placing the vinyl back on may be a
challenge. It’s best to leave the vinyl on until
you're sure the copper is removed.
Admire your new circuit board (Figure J). J

8. Use your new circuit board. Grab this robot

Compare your circuit board to the original circuit board design
artwork. If everything is to your satisfaction, at makezine.com/go/
robotresist and etch
you can now drill out the holes for your com-
your own. Then follow
ponents or surface mount them as we did. a the directions there to
solder a flashing-eyed
robot circuit!
MAKE contributor Chris Connors is a teacher who loves to learn with curious
people who are interested in inventing the future. He wrote the “Mendocino
Motor” project in MAKE Volume 31.
132
Laser Engraving, Cutting, and Marking Systems from Epilog Laser.

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TORMACH MAKER PROFILE - STERADIAN TECH

Playing laser tag for
the past seventeen
Tormach PCNC mills are the ultimate years, Tom Baker of
maker machines. Whether you’re a
maker, fabber, innovator, or builder, a Lafayette, Indiana has turned a
Tormach PCNC will enable your ideas with
real CNC capability and precision. Don’t
teenage hobby into a successful
let your tools hold back your innovation – business – all while innovating the future of
visit www.tormach.com. the game he loves. Baker and business partner Alex
Moon are co-owners of Steradian Tech, a manufacturer
Tormach PCNC 1100 Series 3
starting at: of next-generation indoor and outdoor laser tag guns
$8480 and equipment.
(plus shipping)

“The PCNC 1100 really expands our ability to develop new

products. Now we can make exactly what we want, how we want
it, without compromise. And for our business, it ends up being
cheaper than we could buy outright and modify.”

Shown here with optional

stand, LCD, machine arm,
and keyboard.

● Read the full story at: www.tormach.com/lasertag

BUILD NOTES THE COUNTING BOX

The
Counting
Box
134
A

How I built a
simple counting
circuit housed
in bamboo for
my son.
Written and
photographed by
Nathan Pryor

More than a few times I’ve peeked in at night to

find my son in bed with a calculator in one hand
and a flashlight in the other, sound asleep after
pushing “1 + = = =” and watching the numbers
climb until he couldn’t keep his eyes open. So,
for his fourth birthday I decided to build him a
dedicated machine that would do nothing but
count up and count down at his command.
My initial idea was simple: a large multi-digit
seven-segment LED display, two big arcade
buttons to add and subtract, and a 10-position
rotary switch in the middle. Turn the rotary
switch to choose a value from one to 10, then
push a button to increase the number displayed
on the LEDs by that amount. Push the other
button and it would go down by the same.
The Circuit
The circuit came first in this project, since the size
of the case would depend on the size of the finished
electronics package (Figure A).
At the core of it all is an ATmega328, one of the most
common Arduino processors. A pair of 4-digit LED clock
displays show the number, driven by a Maxim MAX7219

makezine.com 135
BUILD NOTES THE COUNTING BOX
LED display driver chip capable of handling 64 The LED display is on its own board, con-
LEDs, or 8 seven-segment digits, using only 3 nected by ribbon cable to the main processor
output pins on the ATmega. board. The 99,999,999 count that the 8 digits
After building the circuit on a breadboard allow is definitely overkill, but using the 4-digit
and writing a basic test program, I had my first LED displays saved a lot of wiring and solder-
introduction to switch bounce, the electronic ing compared to using individual digits.
noise or chatter on the millisecond level as a For power, I planned on using rechargeable
switch’s contacts open or close. What seems AA batteries.
like one button push to us can be read by a
microprocessor as dozens, hundreds, or more. The Software
Fortunately, the arcade buttons I ordered hap- The software has 3 primary functions: han-
pened to be double-throw switches. These dling button pushes to increase and decrease
allow a fairly simple debounce solution in the number by the selected amount, display-
hardware using 2 NAND logic gates for each ing the number, and storing the number
switch. A 74HC00 integrated circuit provided to memory.
all 4 required gates in one chip. Button pushes come through as interrupts,
The rotary switch was binary coded, so it which do pretty much what it sounds like they
was only a matter of connecting its 4 pins — would — interrupt any other actions taking
one for each of the bits required to count to place in the program. The alternative to this is
10 — to the ATmega’s input to constantly poll the button
pins, reading each and com- to see if it’s being pressed, but
bining them, then converting The Counting this is inefficient compared
to decimal. Box can be used to essentially asking the but-
Now that the circuit could ton to let you know when it’s
count, I needed a way to
to help introduce being pressed.
store the current value of the mathematical When a button is pressed,
display. You don’t want to get concepts like skip the program reads the value
your Counting Box up to an of the rotary switch, adds or
amazingly high number only counting. subtracts that amount from
to lose it when you turn the the variable, then breaks it
power off. This should be an easy job for the into individual digits to send to the MAX7219
ATmega’s internal EEPROM, but when I looked for display. In every loop, the program com-
at the specs it was only rated for 100,000 pares the current value of the variable to the
write cycles. With a display that could go up to value of the variable on the previous loop. If
99,999,999, that seemed inadequate. Instead they’re different it stores the new value to the
I found the 24LC256 EEPROM memory chip EEPROM memory chip.
with 1,000,000 write cycles — still not as high You can zero the Counting Box by setting
as the Counting Box could reach, but a lot the number selector to 8 and holding down
closer. In actual use, though, the ATmega’s the decrease button when you power it on.
onboard memory would more than likely be Similarly, setting the number selector to 3 and
sufficient. holding the increment button during power-
I did my prototyping and programming up will display statistics such as highest and
with an Arduino Duemilanove, but for the final lowest numbers reached and total number of
build I used the same ATmega chip to build button presses over the life of the box.
a standalone circuit on stripboard. I prefer To save power, the ATmega goes to sleep
a standalone microcontroller in my projects and the LED display goes dark if no buttons
because it uses less space than building in an are pushed for one minute. Pushing either
entire Arduino board, costs less, and leaves button will wake the system.
my Arduino free for the next project.

136
 Two weeks later a package arrived with
the crisply cut wood (Figure C). The pieces
were beautiful, but they didn’t fit together. I’d
specified too wide of a kerf (the width of a cut),
and in compensating for that the BoxMaker
program had adjusted the widths of the notch-
es to close up gaps that didn’t exist. With a file
and some sandpaper I was able to widen the
notches enough to get the box together.
I glued the joints, sanded a radius on all the
corners, then finished the wood with a poly-
B urethane gloss for protection and to give the
Building the Box bamboo a warm, amber glow.
With the circuit and software done, I set The red acrylic window covering the LEDs
them both aside. They could definitely stand was laser-cut at the same time as the wood.
some further optimization, but their only real I was hoping for a tight fit that wouldn’t
requirement was that they work. The box, require any glue so I made 6 different versions
though, would be seen every day and had to of the window, each sized a few hundredths
look as good as it could. It had to be friendly of an inch larger than the last, and used the
to young hands and resilient enough to with- one that fit best.
stand the occasional drop. Wood was the As I started putting it all together, I realized
perfect material, but I don’t have the precision I wasn’t happy with the way the AA batteries
woodworking skills or shop to build what fit into the case. They were ugly, and taking
I wanted. Laser cutting to the rescue! them out for charging would be a hassle. To
To lay out the pattern of joints on the cor- replace them, I used a lithium-ion battery
ners, I used an online utility called BoxMaker pack and USB charger (Figure D), both from
(boxmaker.rahulbotics.com). Enter the outer Adafruit (adafruit.com). The 3.7V battery
width, depth, and height of your finished box, feeds into a voltage step-up circuit to provide
the thickness of the material, and the kerf (the the 5V needed.
width of material removed by the cut), and
it generates a PDF of all the required pieces.
I imported this PDF to Adobe Illustrator,
made a few minor tweaks to the spacing
for symmetry between left and right sides,
and placed the elements like the window
cutout and buttonholes.
Before uploading for cutting, I printed the
plans and spray-mounted them onto ¼" foam
core board, then cut out and assembled the C
pieces (Figure B). Foam board is a lot cheaper
than laser-cutting, so this stage is a much D

better place to find errors (like a tab where

a slot should be, or a box not deep enough
to hold a button).
Not only did the mockup fit together,
but all of the components fit into it. With that
final check done, I uploaded the design to
Ponoko (ponoko.com) to be laser-cut from
bamboo plywood.
BUILD NOTES THE COUNTING BOX

E F

Like a lot of us, my son likes to look inside up with games to play with the Counting Box.
things and see how they work. The last-minute Ask questions like, “How can you get to 49 in
power supply change let me put the circuit the fewest button pushes? Can you do it with
facing outward where the batteries would have the selector switch set to the same value the
been, allowing the door on the back to serve entire time?” The Counting Box can also be
as a window for him to peek at the electronics used to help introduce mathematical con-
inside. To keep fragile wires safe, I covered the cepts like skip counting. More advanced ideas
circuit with a piece of clear acrylic cut to size like multiplication and division come quickly
and held by standoffs (Figure E). when it’s made apparent that they’re nothing
The door in the back of the box is held on more than repeated addition or subtraction.
by four 3mm neodymium magnets epoxied I’m not sure who’s learned more, me in
into holes drilled into the door panel and the building it or my son in playing with it, but
frame (Figure F). The magnets are strong either way the Counting Box adds up to a lot
enough to keep the door secure in regular use, of fun. a
but they give when pried open using the half-
moon cutouts on each side. More at hahabird.com.

Using the Counting Box Nathan Pryor is a software developer and graphic designer who enjoys turn-
In addition to the obvious thrill of seeing how ing off the computer and building things with his hands. He has a hard time
high the numbers can get, it’s easy to come remembering to clean up after his last project before starting the next.
138
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PROJECTS HOWTOONS

140
makezine.com 141
PROJECTS REMAKING HISTORY

Presidential political campaigns were much

different in the nineteenth century, and
to many people, (me included) they sound
like much more fun. Instead of ceaseless
televised debates and commercials, scripted
sound bites, and never-ending media analy-
sis, the key political tool was the parade.

Abraham
Lincoln
and the

Political
Campaign
Gunther Kirsch

Torch By William Gurstelle

 WHILE EVERYONE MAY STILL LOVE A
PARADE, Americans of 150 years ago, it
seems, were absolutely enamored of them.
Imagine for a moment you're a member of
the “Wide Awakes,” one of many political
marching clubs organized to drum up support
for political candidates. Since marching is
what you do, you and your fellow Wide Awakes
do it often and are very good at it. Everyone
in the group (and there are thousands) owns
a torch. Your torch — a new gimbal-mounted,
nickel-plated tin torch in the shape of a Union
Army musket — is particularly eye-catching.
When an evening march is organized
on behalf of your presidential candidate,
Abraham Lincoln, your club takes to the
streets, waving torches with pride and art-
istry, even using them in the manner of rifles,
presenting a display of close order drill to the
crowds lining the streets. It’s very exciting.
Mr. Lincoln himself rarely attended actual
parades, because at the time, candidates did Keeping Safety in Mind
not campaign personally. They stayed home
and let others make speeches on their behalf. 1. Use only outdoors.
But on Aug. 8, 1860, Lincoln did participate 2. Kerosene is not as flammable as gasoline
in a rally near his home in Springfield, Illinois. but extreme caution is still required. It must
He was mobbed by an enthusiastic crowd and be stored in an approved container.
was lucky not to have been injured. 3. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. Use
These parades often lasted two to three extreme caution when lighting, handling,
hours. The costumed or uniformed participants filling, or holding the torch. Never fill the
sang campaign songs and shouted slogans as torch while hot.
they marched. To satisfy the need for parade 4. Check often to make sure the can is
torches, scores of small manufacturing com- securely attached to the dowel.
panies sprang up across the United States
5. Do not hold the torch too much off vertical
to fabricate them. Their factories ran at full
or it might drip kerosene.
steam, stamping out hundreds of thousands
of unusually shaped torches — from rifle look-
alikes for the aforementioned close order drill 1860s and 1870s, strategies such as parades
ceremonies, to torches built in the shape of were the best way to reach people of all social
faces, animals, capital letters (“L” for Lincoln), status. However, as literacy rates rose and
hats, pinecones, brooms, and pick axes. newspapers became less politically biased (at
Night after night, all over the country, least overtly) political campaigning became
Courtesy HarpWeek

people marched by torchlight, hoping less spectacular and more educational. By

the bright lights held aloft would awaken 1900, the importance and frequency of the
sympathetic feelings in onlookers and carry torchlight parade declined dramatically, and
their candidate to victory. But the era of such the torch-manufacturing industry slid into a
campaigning tactics was soon to wane. In the steep decline from which it never recovered.

makezine.com 143
PROJECTS REMAKING HISTORY 1

How to Make
a Parade Torch
No nineteenth century political
candidate worth his salt would allow
supporters to march on his behalf
without making sure there was a
blazing torch in everyone’s hands. 4
Here’s how to make your own.

NOTE
If desired, you can
whittle the other end
2 of the dowel to a point
so the torch can be
staked in the ground in
your backyard.

a TIME: AN AFTERNOON a COMPLEXITY: EASY

1. Drill a 3" hole centered in 5. Wrap the can with alumi-

MATERIALS
» Metal can, small and clean
the lid of the clean metal can. num foil or high-temperature
aluminum tape, forming a
with screw-on or replaceable
push-on lid
2. Using JB Weld or other skirt around the can.
» JB Weld or other high- high-temperature epoxy, make
temperature epoxy adhesive a wick collar by gluing the hex Using the Torch
» Hex nut, 3" nut over the hole, as shown. Outdoors, fill the can one-
» Cotton rope, ½" diameter,
2½" to 4" long depending quarter to one-third full with
on can height 3. Using high-temperature kerosene, using a fill spout.
» Wooden dowel, 1" diameter, epoxy, glue the can to the Make sure the lid is pressed
3' long
» Kerosene Do NOT use alcohol wooden dowel. Let the epoxy down securely or screwed
or gasoline. harden before continuing to tightly after filling, with a ½"
» Aluminum foil or high- Step 4. Check label directions wick of rope sticking out.
temperature aluminum tape
for curing time. Let the rope wick draw

TOOLS
» Drill with 3" bit
4. Trim the rope to fit the
can and insert it through the
kerosene up. After 1–2
minutes, light the wick using
a long-handled lighter or
» Fill spout for the kerosene hex nut so that ½" of rope fireplace match. a
» Long-handled lighter
or fireplace match sticks out of the lid. It should
Julie West

» Fire extinguisher fit snugly.

William Gurstelle is a contributing editor of MAKE. The new and improved edition of his book Backyard Ballistics has just been released.
144
PROJECTS HOMEBREW

146
A Nixie tube clock I’VE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED BY
morphs into the glow of ionized gases, but never
something new: got around to putting together a Nixie
tube clock — the whole craze of the last
checkmate. decade seemed to pass me by. When
Written and photographed by I finally decided to make one, I knew
it would have to be something a little
Tony Adams
different to stand out. I wanted to do it
without wires, not just hidden but wire-
less, powered inductively by coils acting
as an air-cored transformer.
Building the first single-digit modules,
I thought they looked a little like chess
pieces. A crazy idea started to form, one
that wouldn’t go away even though it
seemed impossible to make it work.
Using this design, 64 coils would need
over 50 watts. Was there any way to
make it work with less? I guessed that
the power consumption would need
to be kept below 25 watts to prevent
overheating. Some feverish redesigning
resulted in a single-coil prototype, which
drew 20 milliamps. Yes, it could be done,
but how practical would a chessboard
with 64 individual transformers and
driver circuits be?
I bought a full-size sheet of copper
laminate and cut out a 14-inch-square
board. The winding of the coils pro-
gressed slowly over the next few days.
The case and pieces took a couple more
weeks. Finally, I set it up one evening
on the kitchen table, blogged it, and
waited for the comments. I still haven’t
recovered from the shock. Hits on my
blog exploded and I had to scramble to
change to a host that could handle the
load. I just shipped the first round of kits,
and we still don’t have a completed Nixie
clock in the house. a

Tony Adams is a freelance electronics engineer. He has been building

circuits since he was 6 years old, and has spent the last 15 years
repairing industrial lasers to keep the bills paid. He now also makes
Nixie tube chess set kits. lasermad.com

makezine.com 147
 TOOLBOX
Red Clouds Collective Coffin Tool Roll $45 redcloudscollective.com
» I'll admit I’m a sucker for anything made out of waxed canvas and leather. The pockets
of this beautiful soft case weren't quite the right shape for my sculpting loops, so I evicted
them and replaced them with my leather-working tools — skivers, bevelers, awls, and such
— which have proven to be much happier tenants. The thick 10oz canvas was made to hold
its own against sharp slicey-dicey tools. The brass zipper pocket is roomy enough to hold
extra blades and various bric-a-brac, and the simple tie makes me feel a bit more bucolic
every time I tuck in … er … wrap up my tools at night.  —Jason Babler

Gregory Hayes

148
 UNCLE BILL’S SLIVER GRIPPERS
$6 slivergripper.com
These tweezers are the Platonic ideal; I’m not actually sure
why other tweezers exist, unless you need superbly coiffed
eyebrows. These are absolutely perfect for removing splinters,
glass, hard plastic, metal shards, ticks, bee stingers, thorns, and
anything else you could conceivably lodge in your skin. Honed
to a needle-sharp point, they let you dig in to get really tiny
splinters exposed, and then the angled tip means you can grip
it perfectly for quick removal. (Nothing is better for a bee sting,
since you can remove the stinger without squeezing the poison
sac into the wound.) Since my Aussie husband insists on going
barefoot in his shop, and our young son follows suit as often
as possible, I use them on a regular basis. I bought half a dozen
of them; you should too. —Arwen Griffith

Big Gator Drill Guide $25 tapguide.com

I’ll haul my drill press out of storage for big

projects, but it’s a pain when I just need a few
small, precise holes. Big Gator’s U.S.-made
drill guide is a handy gadget that ensures
my cordless drill bores straight and true. It’s
a wedge-shaped piece of special-alloy steel
with a row of 17 holes 1" to 2" in diameter.
A V-groove down the bottom allows it to
be used on corners and round stock, but
I mainly use it on flat surfaces. It needs to
be clamped in place, first. A metric version
is also available. —Stuart Deutsch

makezine.com 149
TOOLBOX

Engineer Pocket
Sheet Metal
Bender
$59 iheartengineering.com

Typhoon Spherical
Tungsten Carbide Bur
$16 foredom.net

In the cluttered field of third-party Dremel

accessories, Foredom’s Typhoon bits stand out.
I loaded one of the tungsten carbide bits into There are several ways to bend small
my trusty rotary tool — the bits are Dremel- pieces of sheet metal. A quick option
compatible but fit similar products — and dug is to use a mallet, a clamp, and a
into a hunk of wood. It tore right in, creating wooden block, but this method can lead
a surprisingly smooth groove that shows off to large-radius and unsightly bends. A
the product’s biggest boast: that they leave metal bending brake is your best bet for
a smoother finish than the competition. sharp, good-looking bends, but even the
Helping you create the smoothest effect smallest and most economical brakes
possible, Typhoons come in two grits. The must be mounted to a dedicated spot
blue bits are fine grit; the red bits are coarse. on your workbench.
Both eagerly tackled my wood block, but This compact Japanese-made hand-
Foredom claims the burs work well on fiber- held sheet metal bender can be used
glass, plaster, rubber, and acrylic, as well as to bend aluminum up to 1.5mm (0.06")
hard and soft wood. thick and 5cm (2") wide. It's ideally used
On the downside, their spherical business for making small brackets, holders, and
end limits them to a specific role — they’re enclosures that require clean 90° bends.
not really for precision work, but rather for Because of its limitations in size and
removing a lot of material very quickly without design, the Engineer pocket bender is
leaving rough edges. Many other shapes are more of a specialty tool than a general
available through the Foredom website. purpose one. Even so, it produces better
—John Baichtal bends than can typically be achieved
without a bench-top brake. —SD

150
 Engraver’s
Universal Clamp
$30 micromark.com

Being a tabletop wargame miniature modeler,

I’ve coveted this tool in the Micro-Mark
catalog for years. Like many other miniature
modelers, I use wine corks, temporarily glued
to the bases of minis, to hold work while it’s
being painted, modded, and detailed.
The Universal Clamp uses metal pins
slotted into 60 available holes, which are
sunk into two metal semicircles that thread
together to tighten the work between the pins.
This configuration allows you to clamp and
hold all sorts of odd-shaped objects. I tested
it by clamping 28mm Warhammer 40K figures
for making modifications and detail painting.
I love the feel of the hardwood handle and the
stability and degrees of freedom it affords. It
feels much easier to paint fussy highlights and
tiny details holding the piece in this device.
The only drawback, especially when having
to really tighten for drilling, gap-filling, and
other jobs that require pressure, is that you
run the risk of bending plastic mini bases. The
eight pins it comes with are also easily lost.
Stowage in the wooden base would have been
Gregory Hayes

a nice touch. Overall, I’m happy with the tool,

but will likely use it mainly for painting.
—Gareth Branwyn

makezine.com 151
TOOLBOX

Ingersoll Rand 2132G Half-Inch

Edge Series Air Impactool
$159 ingersollrandproducts.com

This impact wrench is designed for quiet operation. My dad,

now in his 70s, has been hard of hearing since a noisy air
tool damaged his ears during a garage renovation 20 years
ago, and this feature influenced my choice of the 2132G to
replace his old Allied Pneumatic.
First, the highlights: I liked the feel of the 2132G better
than the hand-me-down tool. Though it weighs about
the same, it's better balanced, more compact, and easier
to maneuver. I was also impressed by the documentation,
which includes an exploded diagram and a detailed parts list.
The 2132G features forward-driving power adjustable
through four stops, and only develops 100% power in the
reverse direction — ensuring that you will always be able to
loosen any bolt you tighten with it.
On the downside, though the 2132G was quieter than
my old driver when operated with no load, I could hear
little difference when actually changing a tire. Also disap-
pointing is the lack of an oil port on the tool itself; the direc-
tions specify an inline lubricator, but I sometimes use my

Gunther Kirsch
compressor for spray painting and don’t want oil in the line.
Nonetheless, this is a great, comfortable, high-performing
tool at a fantastic price point, and I’m pleased with the swap.
—Sean Ragan

EXCALIBUR 9-TRAY
FOOD DEHYDRATOR
$250 excaliburdehydrator.com
Over the years, I’ve gotten more and more
interested in food preservation. There’s noth-
ing more satisfying than seeing rows of gleam-
ing jams and tomato sauce. The next step, of
course, is dehydration. Dried apple rings lead
to racks of fragrant dried herbs, then cotton-
candy-like dried watermelon, then jerky, then Trail, largely subsisting on meals he had dehy-
fruit leathers. Now we seem to spend pretty drated himself. “We started out with cheapo
much every weekend in summer and autumn dehydrators,” he told us, “but we seemed to
either standing over steaming pots on the go through one a year. Just start out with an
stove or loading up trays in our dehydrator, Excalibur — you’ll end up saving money.” We
ready to reap the rewards all winter. opted not to get the timer model; it’s easy
I first heard about Excalibur from a friend’s enough to hook up to a cheap timer from the
cousin, who had just walked the Pacific Crest hardware store. —AG

152
Engineer TAMIYA PLANETARY GEAR BOX SET
$24 tamiyausa.com

Screw Pliers This is an ideal kit for a tinkering child, aspiring kinetic
artist, or young engineer. All of the components are
$34 iheartengineering.com made of plastic, but that doesn’t take much away from
the quality of the kit — it’s very well made and fun to
These 6¼" combination pliers have
assemble. By interchanging gear stages, you can get
uniquely shaped and grooved jaws
eight different ratios between 4:1 and 400:1 from the
specially designed to ease the stub-
included 3V DC motor.
born tasks of positioning, inserting, and
The primarily photo-based assembly instructions are
removing small machine screws. You can
very clear, making it easy for you to switch between
use them on truss-head fasteners up to
different gear ratios and output shaft attachments. 
M4 and #8, as well as round and pan-
I found that tightening the stages together wasn’t the
head fasteners up to M5 and #10 in size.
best option — the motor would only run when there was
These pliers are darned comfortable
a bit of slack in the system. Tamiya includes grease with
to use and have become my favorite
the kit, which would perform just fine on a real robotic
go-to tool for small assembly projects.
or artistic platform.  —Eric Weinhoffer
Although usually lauded for their screw-
head gripping power, the pliers perform
superbly in general wire-cutting, parts-
gripping, and twisting applications. That
the pliers have super soft and grippy
elastomer-coated spring-action handles
is icing on the cake.
I have completed many projects over
the years without these pliers, but good
luck getting me to give ‘em up now.
Get your own! —SD

makezine.com 153
TOOLBOX

The Care and

Material Matters: New Use of Japanese
Materials in Design Reader Player One Woodworking Tools
by Philip Howes and Zoe Laughlin by Ernest Cline by Kip Mesirow and Ron Herman
$30 Black Dog Publishing $14 Broadway $20 Stone Bridge Press

This veritable catalog of A good work of science fiction I’m a huge fan of the few
materials familiar and fan- should be on every maker’s Japanese saws that I own —
tastic is both a gorgeous nightstand. Ready Player nothing else really compares
coffee table tome and an One is on mine. Thirty years in terms of versatility and
information-packed reference. in the future, life takes place ease of use. I was thrilled
For each material, properties, in Oasis, a vast online utopia when I found this book,
applications, and sources of developed by eccentric bil- geared toward hobbyists like
more information are listed lionaire James Halliday. After myself as well as experienced
alongside full-color images his death, he leaves three woodcrafters looking to make
and short paragraphs of over- keys hidden in the game, a transition to Japanese
view text. Interspersed are which unlock the door to his tools. This elegantly illustrat-
profiles of particularly inter- fortune. Protagonist Wade ed introduction to the art of
esting usages, like “Shaping Watts, or Parzival, as his maintenance makes it clear
with Magnetic Force.” Expand avatar is named, is taken on that good habits and an
your materials horizons and an 80s pop culture adven- intimate knowledge of how
step into the realm of spray- ture spanning movies, video your tools work are key
on fabric and metal micro- games, music, and more. to tool longevity.
lattice, the lightest solid on —Jake Spurlock —Meara O’Reilly
Earth. —Goli Mohammadi

154
 I STILL HAVE New from
ALL MY FINGERS MAKE and
O'Reilly

I Still Have All My Super Scratch

Fingers by Dan Pollino Programming Encyclopedia of
$30 Inverse Engineering Press
Adventure! Electronic
In this manual for building
a 72-inch amateur rocket,
by the LEAD Project Components
$25 No Starch
everything but the parachute
is repurposed or scratch-built, The most useful thing about
by Charles Platt
$25 O’Reilly Media
including the motor and pro- this book was that I learned
pellant. The rocket acceler- how each block in Scratch Perfect for teachers, hob-
ates to over 400 miles per works. The way that the byists, engineers, and
hour in 3 seconds and travels author explains things is clear, students of all ages, this
to an altitude of 6,000 feet. but you have to read and reference by Charles
The book, like the rocket, fol- do all of the projects to fully Platt — longtime MAKE
lows a modular plan. Detailed, understand Scratch. I think contributing editor and
well-written instructions and it would have been better if author of the popular
a clear photo explain each there was a glossary or table Make: Electronics book —
step. More than a cookbook, explaining the use of each demystifies the world of
nearly every step explains block. The example projects electronic components.
why. Technique, tool, or mate- are, however, helpful. The Beginners will quickly
rial options are given for many programming is at a good grasp what each compo-
steps, giving experienced level, but the themes and nent does and why, and
rocketeers flexibility. This is comic-strip stories were a bit more experienced users
not a project for a beginner, young for an 11-year-old (like will find a handy detailed
but if you're at all interested myself). Overall, I would rate quick reference.
in amateur rocketry, it’s good the book a 7.5 out of 10.
reading. —Daniel Kirk —William Sidle

makezine.com 155
TOOLBOX

What’s Cool
in Arduino By Marc de Vinck

Arduino Due
$50 makershed.com #MKSP16
The Arduino community has been growing at a steady pace
since its introduction just a few short years ago. Most users
will be eternally happy with the little 8-bit microcontroller,
but there is a growing community of super-users who have
been yearning for more power. The Arduino Due, a 32-bit ARM
Cortex-M3 based microcontroller may look like the Arduino
Mega, but its handsome looks and pin-compatible layout are ROVERA ARDUINO
where the similarities end. The Due features 54 digital I/O
pins (16 of which can be used for PWM), 12 analog inputs,
ROBOT KIT
$170 (2W), $195 (4W)
4 UARTS, 2 DACs, and 2 USB connectors, one for external makershed.com
peripherals like a keyboard or mouse, and one for debugging. Our new Arduino-powered
Yes, debugging! robot kit and develop-
ment platform. See the
full review on page 36.

156
 Make Your Arduino
Talk with the EMIC 2
TEXT-TO-SPEECH MODULE
$60 makershed.com #MKPX25
Give your Arduino a voice with the Emic 2
Text-to-Speech Module designed by Joe

Make Your Arduino Grand of Grand Idea Studio, Inc. Simply

pass the module a little code from your
Plug and Play with the ESPLORA
Learn more at arduino.cc.
Arduino and it will speak, or even sing,
your text. It includes nine pre-defined
Your Arduino just got a joystick. Based voice styles with dynamic control of pitch,
on the Arduino Leonardo, this new board speaking rate, and word emphasis. It
contains many of the most common sounds great! Be sure to check out the
components used by makers, including product page for a video of the shield in
sensors for sound, temperature, and light, action, including a bit of singing.
as well as a three-axis accelerometer and
more. With an onboard joystick, D-pad-
like pushbutton arrangement, LCD screen
socket, and multiple TinkerKit inputs
and outputs, it’s instant gratification for
gamers and tinkerers alike!

Make Your Arduino Connect

with the ARDUINO WIFI SHIELD
$85 makershed.com #MKSP18
Introduced in August, the official wi-fi
shield from Arduino makes going wire-
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ily — fast! Our backyard garden gnome was To lay out the circles on felt, I tied loops
the inspiration: I’d make felt gnome hats for on each end of a piece of string 12" long.
everyone. All I needed to make the pattern I pinned one end to the felt as a center. I put
was a little math and a piece of string. a pen through the other loop and, keeping
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M33_CV1-CV4_F2.indd 1 12/14/12 11:55 AM