Stuff Andy Makes – DIY, make, tinker, play

DODOcase for iPad 2 DIY Magnet Upgrade

Jul 27

AndyProjects, Swank-n-Funk, Upgrades/Hacks Apple, DODOcase, hack, iPad 2, magnet, modify, tape, upgrade No Comments

I LOVE my iPad 2. To protect it, I HIGHLY recommend the DODOcase (http://www.dodocase.com/products/dodocase-for-ipad2). My only complaint would be the lack of a magnet in the case to activate/deactivate the iPad through its little magnetic sensor, which is used by other cases, like the foldy-flippy one from Apple (http://www.apple.com/ipad/smart-cover/).

What to do? Hack, of course! But, first, I emailed the DODOcase peeps and suggested the feature to them and even sent them links to my source of delicious rare earth magnets, K & J Magnetics (http://www.kjmagnetics.com/). There are thin little rectangular magnets that can easily be embedded into the cardboard cover underneath the backing.

For now, my magnet sits on top of the inside cover:

Magnet added to DODOcase

More

Domo Wobbly Balancing Robot Thing

Apr 24

AndyElectronics, Projects, Woodworking/Shop domo kun, hack, rc, remote control, Robot, wobbly 2 Comments

Completed Domo Wobbly Bot and Remote

The Short Attention Span version: I ripped apart a cheap remote controlled car and repurposed most of the parts into a self-balancing robot based on the Domo character because I thought one of the partners of the company I work for would enjoy it, as he seems to enjoy Domo stuff. I got the idea from a coworker who suggested I build this for the Domo partner.

The idea is not original to me. I was sent a link to Instructables.com that showed one in action. I didn’t follow the directions, so the engineering is my own brew. But, I will say, that’s an ingenius way to make an upright, two-wheeled roboto-doo-dad.

More

Hack the SparkFun Big Red Dome Button!

Jan 08

AndyElectronics, Projects button, dome, hack, led, sparkfun, upgrade 2 Comments

Needs more shine! The light bulb inside is medium OK in its ability to attract insects and people with ADD, but I wanted a little better (not too much, though). I also wanted signage. This is a super-simple project that anyone with even questionable soldering skills can pull off. Plus, there is enough room behind the red part of the button to put most any LED you like.

Finished Dome Button Upgrade: Lower power, better

More

USB Foam Dart Launcher Assimilated (Partially)

Jan 07

AndyElectronics, Projects atmega, avr, darts, hack, launcher, man cave, upgrade, usb No Comments

A coworker walked up to my desk and handed me this USB-controlled Nerf-esque dart launcher thing from Think Geek because it wasn’t working. If it was dead, I thought I’d at least get a number of little motors and gears and whatnot. I took it home, removed all the screws and completely dismantled it to see how it works. It’s ingenious inside. I won’t get into it, but it’s pretty cool.

More

12VAC Power Supply from Ikea Wall Wart Light Power Supply

Dec 06

AndyElectronics, Projects, Woodworking/Shop 12V, hack, lighting, power, salvage 1 Comment

I recently rebuilt the lighting in my office because the crappy 12-volt strung lighting from Ikea that the previous owner installed was insufficient for working comfortably in my Man Cave™. Here’s the NEW lighting above the sound-proffed barn door window shade things:

New Man Cave™ Lighting

More

Ventilation Upgrade

Jul 21

AndyMiscellaneous air conditioning, hack, office, sewing, silly, upgrade, ventilation No Comments

My new seating location at work is awesome. I have a great view of many of my coworkers. This, by itself, would not normally be big news, except that we make heavy use of Nerf® guns. I’m at the end of a line of desks facing down the line, so I have tactical advantage in Nerf® wars.

The only drawback to my position is its location relative to the giant windows for the patio. These windows are not particularly well insulated. In Tempe, AZ, summer temperatures reach the high 100-teens. The windows radiate the wonderful desert sun’s heat right into my personal space. I get hot even when the air conditioning in the office is set as low as 72°F.

Luckily, there is a vent above the desk.

The A/C vent before the upgrade

More

Turn a Servo Into an Inexpensive Geared Motor

Apr 29

AndyElectronics, Projects hack, servo, upgrade 1 Comment

In my UME Mark II’s (UME = “Useless Machine Ever”), originally I would program an Atmel AVR microcontroller to turn an RC servo forward and backward using timed pulses like you’re supposed to. But, when you want to build many machines, microcontrollers are not the way to go. Simple polarity-changing circuits are the way to go. But, you still want the RPMs of a servo without the hassle of the pulsing control. So, you hack the servo and make it a geared motor. Easy! Here’s how…

Futaba S3004 servo intact

More

Cigar Coolidor (Wine Cooler + Humidor = Coolidor)

Apr 29

AndyElectronics, Projects automatic, cigars, fridge, hack, humidor, spanish cedar, upgrade, wine, woorworking 1 Comment

This is one of the first “major” projects I built that involved electricity and electronics. This project makes it super-simple for me to manage my expensive (for me) cigar collection with minimal effort. It uses a 6-bottle wine fridge, some custom-cut Spanish cedar, and a Cigar Oasis XL electronic humidor humidifier.

Completed coolidor, initial test run

The fridge was about $99 on-line (I may have gotten it at Wal-mart’s website, I can’t remember). The Cigar Oasis was about $90 on-line. The Spanish cedar was the expensive part. I think I spent about $160 for a 6′ piece of uncut and unfinished wood. I had to have the people at Woodworker’s Source (Phoenix area, near my home) rip the big plank down to nice and thin planks with which I could line the fridge. The cutting part was about as much as the plank of cedar.

I kinda rushed this project, as you can see. The shelves are not completely level and don’t fit perfectly. Most of my time was spent measuring and shaping the pieces so that they would fit without needing glue or fasteners. It turned out well enough to do the job.

The electronics weren’t too tough. It was my first project that involved busting open a device that used wall power. That was unnerving. But, it isn’t rocket science. I just opened up the back of the fridge, found where the power supply fed the electronics of the fridge at ~5V and tapped the power cord of the Cigar Oasis into that line. The Cigar Oasis doesn’t draw a lot of power, so it seemed the power supply wouldn’t mind. Er, at least, in the two or three years it’s been running in my Man Cave™, it hasn’t quit or caught fire.

Like I just said, it’s been running for about two or three years and I’ve filled the Cigar Oasis maybe twice. Other than that, I haven’t touched the humidor for maintenance, only to select cigars to enjoy. The fridge keeps the temperature at 70 degrees fahrenheit and the Cigar Oasis keeps the humidity inside the fridge at about 70%.

Coolidor after 2 or 3 years, loaded, happy, working

The photo above is the coolidor after about two or three years. I’ve loaded and unloaded lots o’ cigars. The little readouts on the Cigar Oasis and the little electronic hygrometer don’t ever match. The cigars smoke perfectly, so the “63%” showing on the gadget there is low because, when you open a humidor in Arizona, the humidity escapes rapidly… Because we’re in a desert. But, when it reads about 65% upwards to %68, the cigars are happiest in my experience. To get the optimum humidity, I have to keep the Oasis set at about 68%.

This project is easy to do. If you’re a cigar geek, I highly recommend taking a little time to build a humidor that can manage itself. Set and forget. It’s awesome.