18th Aug 2014

X-Acto Guillotine

This is a simple tool but I wanted to share it since it has become so dear to me. It has performed so well over many years (for the intended...

15th Aug 2014

Ottawa Mini Makerfaire!

Ottawa Mini Makerfaire 2014 was a great success thanks to organizers, partners, makers and of course the general public! 170 Registered makers + 6000 people = party. My booth was Zen...

10th Aug 2014

Bed From Pallets

A friend of mine told me she is making a bed frame out of pallets! Making things from pallets is such a great idea. I think the next time I...

07th Aug 2014

Vermicomposting

As part of my fitness program I want to eat better. I started growing basil and chili-peppers and that’s been great. So I need to learn to feed plants now. I managed...

05th Aug 2014

CNC Laser

This is my CNC laser cutter. Here’s the machine in action. Chiller Radiator The chiller radiator has had a leak. The radiator consists of  aluminum tubing (.375″ 9.6mm outside diameter). There are 16...

04th Aug 2014

DIY Shoe Sole Protector

I figured out how to repair my own shoes. I even got to use a CNC machine to make a sole clamp. Of course you can do this by hand or use...

31st Jul 2014

Hack Challenge

July’s mystery component for the virtual contest was a pair of photocells! Next month is Let’s Make a Clock! Last month was Arduino Challenge. The cool thing about this contest is it’s...

30th Jul 2014

Glider Business Card

Business card in progress! This flyer can be flown by pushing air with your hands! There is an opportunity for printing on both the airplane and the card holder. Proof...

25th Jul 2014

Paper Planes!

I love to go to places like the Aviation and Space Museum and Science and Technolgy Museum to do gliders and paper planes. What fun! Here are a couple of paper...

24th Jul 2014

Ocu-LESS

Oculus Thrift is all the rage these days. It’s an elegant way to use your phone to emulate Oculus Rift using a bit of cardboard, lenses and magnets. Friends and...

10th Jul 2014

Arduino Challenge!

The Ottawa Arduino Challenge is a fun and friendly challenge organized by the Ottawa Arduino User Group. The contest is online so anyone can enter and vote but the support meetups are local to...

07th Jul 2014

Continuous Rotation Servo Hack

I needed motors for a small robot and I wanted to keep it simple and inexpensive. Ordinarily you need a DC motor with gearbox and an h-bridge or motor drivers. Lots...

28th Jun 2014

Single LED Clock

An example of this LED clock is installed in my 2014 rooster project. I’ve been thinking about making a single LED clock that uses color to display time for a little...

25th Jun 2014

In Love With Foam

For me the One-Nite DIY Foam Cutter was just the right machine to fall in love with foam. It was perfect for prototyping and experiment. It was multi-purpose with shaping and slicing capability. It was light,...

17th Jun 2014

Zen Glider

Walkalong gliders are super cool but I wanted a more accessible and convenient version of it. The main issue is transport since they get squashed. The other is you need...

17th Jun 2014

Coin Sorter

When I was a kid I occasionally wondered how vending machines differentiate coins. The thought comes up once in a while but I’ve not looked at it. Recently Dave brought...