This might come in handy on your next automotive project. Here is an extensive thread on how to build a TIG welder using scavenged parts. The setup uses a 130 amp alternator connected to an air compressor motor. The negative side of the alternator is attached to the torch and the positive to the ground clamp. The alternator field is supplied by a battery with a headlight dimmer to regulate the input power which in turn regulates the output amperage. People have been using similar setups like this to do track side repairs for many years. The pictures have disappeared from the thread a while ago, but here is a link to a site that stole them wholesale.

[thanks Phinh]

Continue reading “Junkyard TIG Welder” →

It’s been a while since we’ve featured a hardware project and I thought this one looked pretty simple. It was originally intended as a Christmas ornament. If you follow the schematics and burn the provide source you’ll end up with an 8×8 animated display. Not really sure what your going to do with it after that, but a flashing sign is sure to clue in the general populace to your dorkitude.

[thanks camzmac]

Continue reading “Animated 8×8 LED Toy” →

shbazjinkens had originally linked to Dan’s workshop when commenting on the backyard aluminum foundry. Dan uses a lost foam technique for casting his parts: the foam burns out of the mold to be replaced by metal. To make the initial foam pieces he built this hot wire based foam cutting lathe (out of cast parts natch). Nice little specialized tool that you definitely wouldn’t find easily. Dan is also responsible for the hot air pencil we mentioned the other day. Needless to say, there is a lot of good stuff on his site so have a look around.

Continue reading “Foam Cutting Lathe” →

otherpower.com has a great write up on building and flying this 17 foot monster. The turbine features 25 pounds of magnets in the rotors and 16 pounds of copper wire in the stator. It’s a really interesting process going from bearing assembly, to coil mock-up, resin casting the rotors and stator, blade assembly and finally raising the tower. The result is a turbine that can stand up to winds over 60 mph and has been known to produce 3.8kW. It’s a good project and also fun to read because of all of the warnings about not severing your fingers with high powered magnets.

[thanks John Heylin]

Continue reading “Homebrew Wind Turbine” →

The Crazy J is a completely computer controlled acoustic guitar. Spawned as a Georgia Tech graduate class project it features 6 picks and 23 fingertips. These combine to generate 29 individual notes. The whole setup is controlled through a MIDI interface. There are several sample mp3s on the site. How does it sound? Well, let’s just say I hope in the future our robot overlords can play an instrument without making it sound like a harpsichord.

[thanks nullset]

Continue reading “Mechatronic Guitar” →

Here are some really simple projects for building guitar effects pedals. I mean REALLY simple. I’m sure that a little more than this goes into the brightly colored commercial boxes and there is always room for some gouging. Unfortunately this site seems to have stagnated. I’d like to see more simple effects like this, but I’m guessing the curator got a little burnt out building circuits using pixel art.

[thanks alex]

Continue reading “Guitar Effects Pedals” →

Here’s a good 4th of July project: Chris Garrison sent in his portable peltier based beer cooler. He saw a cheap peltier junction for sale and decided to build a mini-fridge. It holds 14 cans and is portable enough to place wherever needed. He does comment that his power supply isn’t quite up to snuff, but it does a passable job for only spending $35 on the project.

Continue reading “Peltier Beer Cooler” →