For a luau-themed software launch party at meltmedia, we wanted to be able to play Cornhole. I don’t know that Cornhole is a regular game played at traditional luaus, but at meltmedia luaus it is. As I am the Chief Tinkerer (see proof on Instagram) at meltmedia, I volunteered to build the game parts for the festivities. If you’re not familiar with Cornhole, it’s a very simple game: Toss little corn-feed-filled cloth bags at a 6″ hole in 24″ x 48″ board that’s about 30′ away from you. For all the official rules, go to (I’m not kidding, here) the Official Cornhole Rules page at the American Cornhole Association website. It’s hard not to giggle.
If you have even the most basic of woodworking skills and tools, you can do this.
At the meltmedia office we’re making a video podcast once a week. Our design team made a cool backdrop for the little studio area we use. It’s a big-ass inkjet direct-print on a full 8′ by 4′ sheet of foam core. As you can guess, it was a bit floppy and needed some kind of support behind it. It also needed to be lightweight because we wanted to be able to hang it on the whiteboard behind us so we could easily remove it and replace it when we needed the whiteboard. I looked around the garage and all I had that was long enough was an 8′ 2×4. So, the entire frame is made from that single pine 2×4. I ripped three 1″ strips from it. to get the top, bottom and sides. The sides are just a long piece cut in half.
What is electric, goes somewhere between 15 and 20 miles per hour and has an Ikea chair on it?
The Office Chairiot Mark II is the second generation of motorized office chair brought to you by yours truly. Why motorize an office chair? That’s a silly question and I will not dignify it with an answer. Office chairs are boring. Plus, on a hot summer day, I walk too slowly between our office buildings in ARIZONA. The Office Chairiot Mark II can do it in a fraction of the time and I sweat far less driving it.
I’ve had a number of requests from readers to see my workbench in its entirety, as most photos of it are just backgrounds to projects. So, I thought I’d post some photos and explanations in an article. Maybe someone will get some helpful hints or perhaps someone will lend me some helpful advice. First off, […]
I threw together a video of the warp core’s control circuit and eight stupidly bright white SMD LED strips for the rings. The original rings were going to be through-hole bright LEDs, but I realized how much soldering and drilling would be required for that. That is dumb and painful. So, factory-built strips of LEDs, […]
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 […]
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:
UPDATE: Want a PCB and components for your own project? I’ve had a deluge of requests for the PCBs for this project. If you’re interested, please contact me through this blog. I’m trying to figure out whether it’s worth it to sell the boards alone or maybe as a kit with the LEDs and resistors (or […]
I finally finished my own UME Mark II for my own desk for me! Woohoo! My flavor of useless machines ever has a “presidential” look, as some have put it.
A car stereo, some extra car stereo speakers, some hardwood, and a ATX power supply for a computer and SHAZAM! You get a garage stereo that can play your iPod, XM radio, CDs, and AM/FM radio. This project was easy and only a little tedious to make. It was fun and it sounds awesome. Plus, the little speakers I had in my garage cabinet are not the greatest, but they’re not bad. With a 500 or 600 watt power supply, I can beef it up someday if I get the energy.