[Chris] sent us this fantastic tutorial, introducing beginners to H-bridge motor drivers. While many of you will consider this stuff basic, those who are trying to expand from building only things the arduino board can handle to bigger more expansive (and powerful) projects will find this quite helpful.  [Chris's] tutorial is very in depth, not only going through the construction of the basic circuit but also showing you how to make your own PCB.  Pop on over there and learn some theory and some practice. Then you can build that battle bot you’ve always been dreaming of!

Wireless controller, more powerful custom-made motors, stronger frame, and with a name like DeathBlades, we can’t think of a single reason why you would prefer heel treads, well everyone was young at one time.

[Charleg] has been testing out a slightly new frame, despite having only half the motors necessary, and is getting great results hitting around 23Wh/mi. If you’re looking to build your own, his blog has a post for nearly every aspect of the design.

[Thanks Jerome Demers]

[HP Friedrichs] wrote in to tell us about an upcoming book titled Marvelous Magnetic Machines. Ordinarily, we skip over promotional hype. After watching his promo video though, we couldn’t help but share. We want a copy of this book. In this book you’ll find details on how to build a number of different motors from scrap. You can see several variations in the promo video. He also notes that the music was created by himself and some friends a few years ago. If [H.P. Friedrichs] sounds familiar, it is because he’s been sending us fantastic projects since at least 2006.

Here’s something that the R/C airplane crowd might think of as old news.  These directions show us how to rework floppy drive and CD Rom motors to be high power airplane motors.  There are several listed, with details on each, but those unfamiliar might want to start with the most basic CD Rom version. It covers winding your own copper and installing the magnets in the “bell”, putting it all together and mounting it. This is a great writeup for those who haven’t seen this done before. If you want something even simpler though, you might enjoy the homopolar motor post. If you’re more advanced, they have tips for you too on machining and balancing the motors as well as winding density.

[Steven Laurie] is a native of Whitby, Ontario, where a local art gallery called the Station Gallery is exhibiting his motor-powered artwork. There [Laurie] demonstrated his Posi-Track Burnout Machine, which looks something like a souped-up lawnmower sitting on top of a car axle. Instead of being pushed along the grass, though, the burnout machine revs against the pavement creating skid marks on the asphalt as it pulls forward against the grip of the driver.

Another of Laurie’s machines, the Handheld Rubber Burner, does much the same thing as the Burnout Machine, except instead of making long skid marks, it is intended to create user-designed skid marks. This custom machine is small enough to be held and directed using two hands. He also designed a similar device called the Stationary Rubber Burner (also called the Donut Machine) with the same purpose in mind, but it can only create circular skid marks since it pivots around center post. All three machines create skid marks, but the true art is in the performance, with the tires squealing, the engine revving, and the smell and the smoke of burning rubber fill the air.

For the pure visceral sensation of revving engine sounds, Laurie created the Boom Tube. It is a lawnmower engine mounted on a stand with an exhaust tube jutting upward. It does nothing more than idle and create a distinctive sound.

A slightly more interactive take on the concept is his Stationary Revving Machine. It is little more than an engine with a gas pedal, but like his other creations, it is intended to evoke the sounds and smells associated with muscle cars.

Laurie is nothing if not thorough, as evidenced by a smaller revving machine he named Wild Thing. It’s just a chainsaw with a large exhaust tip and no cutting ability.

Two other machines, the Ape Hanger Rumbler and the Grass Ripping/Grave Diggin’ Machine are also part of the exhibit. Even though we know you like machines that do practical things, we recommend that you contemplate your gear lust at this exhibit if you’re in the Ontario area. If not, check out [Steven Laurie]‘s Flickr stream.