Motors. The word screams of complexity. They're everywhere and in everything, from car engines to airplanes to toys and electric wristwatches. But sometimes the most complex things can be really simple, as in the case of the homopolar motor, where the main point is a magnetic ...more
It’s just a few steps to make a toy motor. Take a battery of any brand, then take two safety pins. Attach them to both the sides of battery as they act as positive and negative. Then take a magnet, keep it on the battery. Now take a strip, which is rolled into a circle, and ta ...more
In this video, we learn how to make a small windmill from a permanent magnet motor. You will need: a motor, a rotor, and a stand to make this. First, you need to find a motor that has permanent magnets on it, like one from a printer. Then, grab a windmill like one from the gar ...more
You can make a very simple homopolar motor using just a basic clamp, two strong magnets, a battery and a little bit of wire. Once you've completed the circuit, you'll be able to suspend a drywall screw between the battery and the magnet. Then watch it go!
Wow! No longer do you have to buy those huge marble machine roller coaster toys — you can DIY one! This video covers the materials, tools and techniques used to make a homemade rolling ball marble machine. If you haven't seen this rolling ball marble machine toy in action yet, ...more
Video showing how a battery-magnet-wire motor creates a rotating electro magnetic field. Watch the hanging bar magnet react to the rotations. You need a battery, magnet & copper wire.
Learn how to build your very own motor, but not just one motor, three motors. These motors you will learn to make a very simple, and the materials needed are minimum. Just watch to see how to make simple homemade battery-driven motors. For the first motor, you'll need a batte ...more
This video shows how to build a simple motor using a battery, magnet, a screw, and some wire. This is a fun project for children. Build simple motor. Click through to watch this video on helpfulvideo.com
If you've ever been inside of a real laboratory, you probably noticed how expensive the equipment is. You'd never be able to afford even just one of those ultra high-tech machines required to splice genes or split atoms. Even the lesser machines can be prohibitively costly, in ...more
Build a faraday motor with tips from this how-to video. In the early 1800s, physicist Michael Faraday invented the first device to convert electrical energy into mechanical motion. This is an easily built version of his motor. The magnet sets up a magnetic field, and the elect ...more
You can build almost everything out of LEGOS. They are versatile and fun toys and great learning tools. In this video, learn how to build a motor car out of LEGOS. You Will Need: *2 6x1 stud beams *1 detail 2x1 flat brick *black smooth pieces, and pieces to make a spoiler. *2 ...more
Want to make a simple electric motor at home? Andy and Mike show you how in just a few easy steps, using a block of wood, two paperclips, a AA battery, some insulated copper wire, and a magnet. This is a fun and simple science experiment that anyone can do at home. Wrap the wi ...more
In this Education video tutorial you will learn how to conduct a viscous remanent magnetization (VRM) experiment. The purpose of this experiment is to measure the VRM decay vs time. You have to take two Orbo rotor magnets and mount them on a base. Mount two samples of the ferr ...more
This video shows you how to make a homopolar motor. First of all things you need to make motor are AA battery, couple of magnets and copper wire. Now take magnet and attach it to the negative end of battery, now take a copper wire and bend it to the shape shown in the video an ...more
Turn yourself into an electromagnetism maestro with one of the simplest motors known to man—the homopolar motor. It's the "simplest motor" because of its absent polarity change. The magnetic field does not change the direction or strength. It consists of only three parts; copp ...more
What Is Ferrofluid? Ferrofluid is a black, solvent-based liquid, that, in the presence of a magnetic field, becomes strongly magnetized. The fluid is made up of nanomagnetic particles coated with an "anti-stick" or surfactant compound, suspended in a "carrier", commonly an or ...more
Since the invention of the mechanical clock, enclosure of the commons, and proletarianization of labor, the alarm clock has been the bane of our existence. While not actually evil, it does represent the constant and uncompromising glare of our owners shaking a patronizing fing ...more
Is perpetual energy possible? The debate rages on. And they just keep trying. This particular device may not be perpetual, but it is far more efficient than, say a homopolar motor. The magnet in this device, the creation of our friend HowieD, propels the rotation, powering ...more
For this project, you will need a magnet, two AA batteries, two keys, a metal plate, and a copper wire coil. Video: .
Back in 2007, YouTube user HouseholdHacker posted a parody video on how to make a high-def speaker for under a buck. MythBusters took on the challenge and busted it. Although that particular method doesn't seem to work, that doesn't mean you can't make your own speaker for le ...more
Harness the power of magnets to create perpetural motion which powers engines for 400 years.
With just sticks, some magnets, and a bit of Sugru, you too can be the proud owner of an awesome set of magnetic construction toys! The idea is very straightforward. Simply bond magnets onto the tips of thin sticks using Sugru, but the results look like a whole lot of fun. Vid ...more
Ian uses round magnets, pencil, clay and glass slide to work his magic science experiment. Magentic levitation is said to be a solution for energy costs of trains because it cuts down friction and creates what is mythically regarded as a perpetual energy motor. This is an inte ...more
F for FAKE. This video has been labeled a "Faux-To". Commonly contested as bogus science, we believe this video to be a hoax. What's your opinion? Comment below. Regardless of what this is called, this free energy looks amazing when demonstrated. This video tutorial will show ...more
See how to build a pulse motor with just one transistor and one diode. A pulse motor will not have the torque that a normal AC motor has. However, this does not mean that a pulse motor is worthless in everyday usages. Torque is going to equal the amperage input to the coil pe ...more
What is it about boys and toy cars? Speed, motors, and lots of fun! In this video, Kipkay shows us how to make a mini toy car launcher that is powered by rubber bands. Make sure an adult supervises this project, as power drills are required. Once it's completed, your kid will ...more
Homopolar motors tend to be typecast as simplistic in nature, and that's true for the most part. The bare minimum requirements are a battery, conductor, and magnetic field, but when it comes to Valentine's Day, they're nothing short of complex. At least, when it comes to the ...more
If you had to answer the following statement, which answer would you choose? Water is: A) Attracted by a magnet B) Repelled by a magnet C) Completely non-magnetic Most would choose "C" - but really, water is slightly repelled by magnets. Watch this science video tutorial fr ...more
K'NEX is one of the most popular construction toys on the market, right next to Lincoln Logs and LEGOs, but what makes K'NEX stand out is the fact that children can build mechanically derived toys. Instead of blocks or little logs, kids use interconnecting plastic rods and con ...more
Build this ultra-simple AC electric generator from magnets, wire, and cardboard. (And a big nail!) Light a small lightbulb, or flash a red LED. This demonstrates how generators work. Now if you want a more useful device, use a small DC motor as a generator, since it has much ...more
Worried about your baby or toddler either wrecking or wrecking themselves in your home? Baby proofing time! Make sure your house is safe and secure for your child when they start exploring their turf. You Will Need: • Blankets • A smoke and carbon monoxide detector • Batte ...more
Make an antigravity toy with just some magnets, a pyrex bowl, coper wire, a playing card and some aluminium foil. This is really cool! You can even interact with the flying card when the bowl is shut! Put 3 magnets somewhere, making a circle,over them, place a bowl, then wrap ...more
Valentine's Day is almost here, and if you're like me, you're scurrying to do something special for your mate. The standard chocolates and flowers just isn't cutting it anymore, and you can only make so many homemade cards before it becomes banal and meaningless. So, what can ...more
See the assembly and run of a very basic electric motor. Just get all that you need and put it together, just like in this video. The battery, the coil, the magnets -- they're all just waiting for you to make a motor out of them.
Need to rev up the speed of that electric toothbrush? Try using some rare earth magnets to increase the speed of an electric motor. Increase the speed of an electric toothbrush motor. Click through to watch this video on tricklife.com
It's best known as a children's toy, but kids aren't the only ones who can appreciate the unique and marvelous properties of Silly Putty. It's an incredibly fun silicone polymer that almost seems like a scientific anomaly, thanks to its viscoelastic non-Newtonian flow. This am ...more
In this video Mr.G puts a new spin on magnets and bare copper wire with just a simple battery. Motion via magic? Not quite, but pretty darn close! Join Mr. G, and build your own motor with its own unique new spin. This is a fun, easy, do it at home experiment.
MrfixitRick shows how to make hydro-electric power using faucet water pressure, a Tesla CD Turbine, and a Subaru radiator fan motor. The Tesla CD Turbine is home-made from recycled CD's, CD cakebox, and neodymium magnets.
Watch and learn how to make this awesome DIY toy car that runs off solar power. This makeshift mini-vehicle is made from a plastic bottle, small motor, tires, supports and a solar panel. See if you can replicate this interesting solar toy, or see if you can come up with a bett ...more
If you want to become a great robotics engineer, then you need to start out small, and this robot is a great first-time project. It's the simplest kind of robot, with only one motor and a gear box, but it moves really interesting, capable of shimmying across a rope. You can se ...more
Here's another fun summertime craft for your budding engineer - make a spinning paper pinwheel or fan! You'll need a C-battery, a toy motor, two soda caps, a popsicle stick, foil paper, copper wire, a small sheet of foam, a sharp pencil, a hot glue gun and some safety scissors.
Make a cool piece of jewelry out of magnets with help from this video! Learn how to make this adjustable bracelet, that doubles as a fun toy, for under five dollars! Get dressed in unique homemade creations and begin your journey into DIY fashion here.
In this video, we learn how to build a magnetic stirring device. First you will need: a block of 1 inch thick Styrofoam, a piece of cardboard, 2 magnets, a small electric motor, a piece of non-magnetic metal, a hot glue gun, and a soldering iron. First, draw the shape of your ...more
Arvind Gupta is an Indian educator and inventor who makes whimsical, elegant toys from simple and inexpensive materials. His site has hundreds of free project tutorials, with simply outlined instructions in the categories of science, math, astronomy and more. Below, peruse the ...more
Seems just about anything can be constructed with LEGOs these days. You name it- a printer, an engine, an ATM, guns... even a house! Dave and John Xandega's circular saw is made with LEGO bricks, but the blade is definitely real: "She's got a Lego 9V Battery Housing and Moto ...more
So, your children have the same old boring Fisher-Price Power Wheels that all the other kids on the block have. Do you really want your child to be like all of the rest? No, I didn't think so. Turn those miniature Power Wheels, Dumar or Peg Perego vehicles into a little bit of ...more
K'NEX is one of the most popular construction toys on the market, right next to Lincoln Logs and LEGOs, but what makes K'NEX stand out is the fact that children can build mechanically derived toys. Instead of blocks or little logs, kids use interconnecting plastic rods and con ...more
Testing products for a living is a bit more complicated than it sounds. You Will Need * A field of interest * A college degree Step 1: Pick a field Pick a field. Do you want to test toys? Evaluate appliances? Judge new ice cream flavors? The area that interests you will deter ...more
Around the world, X-People (yes... there are X-Women, too) are under attack from an intolerant sapiencentric ruling class. Integration without equality is a farce. Autonomy is denied outright. Human prejudice cannot abide a mutant state. Human fear, born to hate, imposes itsel ...more
Who doesn't love Star Wars? No one, that's who. And if you love Stars Wars, logic would follow that you like lightsabers, so central are they to the tale's mythology. It's part sword, part laser, and makes a sound like a humming motor have multigasms. If I saw one in real life ...more
F for FAKE. This video has been labeled a "Faux-To". Commonly contested as bogus science, we believe this video to be a hoax. What's your opinion? Comment below. Using some magnets and a pyrex bowl you can make an amusing anti-gravity chamber with an aluminum card inside that ...more
Artist Zimoun creates amazing sound sculptures using motors, magnets, compressed air, hoses, woodworms and other materials. Some of the sculptures recreate everyday sounds (rain and sprinklers), others have an unidentifiable, industrial sound to them. The sculptures are truly ...more
I love robots. They have the potential to evolve into Asimovian destroyers of the human species, but have only just mastered the art of cleaning my rug. They have an ever increasing cool factor and a growing number of cheap and simple components that let the hobby roboticist r ...more
Arachnophilia and technosexuals rejoice. This whimsical, skittering robot takes only 5 minutes of tinkering. This simple toy is made possible with a bit of solder, AAA battery, copper wire and an old mobile phone's vibrating motor. Like the EvilMadScientist's Bristlebot, this ...more
For this project, I decided to rip apart a microwave I found in my neighbor's garbage can to see what was inside. With permission, of course! True story! Video: . The saying goes, "one man's trash is another man's treasure", and with all the parts I found in this abandoned app ...more
Thanks to its open-source platform and easy-to-use hardware and software, there's literally thousands of Arduino projects detailed online for anyone to make—a magic mirror, DIY polygraph machine, and hotel-hacking dry erase marker just being a few examples. Hell, you can even ...more
Bonafide How-It's-Done (not exactly a HowTo) on remote-controlling your car via iPhone and Power Wheels. Brought to you by some crazy Texans, over at Waterloo Labs. Says Hack A Day, "Brake and gas pedals are actuated using a wrench connected to a motor bolted to the floorboa ...more
It feels strange to be walking through an open field in a small village in the English countryside. There's no one else around — just the four of us: me, my husband, my 12-year-old son, and my adult niece. The day is spectacular, particularly for England. The sun is shining, a ...more
Already a dominant force at the box office, Marvel Studios appears intent on establishing itself as the ruler of augmented reality media as well. After licensing Iron Man to Hasbro for the Hero Vision Iron Man AR Helmet as a tie-in to Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel has return ...more
For those about to rock, Live Nation salutes you, now with augmented reality. This week, at the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival of Creativity in France, the live entertainment giant unveiled a suite of AR experiences that music festivals and their sponsors will be able to d ...more