"a Backyard"

How To : Make Your Own Charcoal

Hello, all. In this article, I will be showing you how to make one of the most useful products known to man. I am talking, of course, about charcoal. You might be surprised at just how many uses this stuff has. You can use it to purify your drinking water, replace your aquari ...more

News : Recycle an old satellite dish into a WiFi booster

Struggling to keep up your wireless signal? If you're struggling to stream Hulu from the backyard DocZee's got an idea. Pull that old DirecTV satellite dish off the roof. Mod it into a 2.4GHz 802.11 WiFi booster antenna. Oh make that an antenna, that swivels! This hack is a ...more

How To : Make a Hairspray-Fueled PVC Rocket Cannon

This week, I've been working on a project that sort of takes a spin off an old-style potato gun. Using PVC pipe and the rapid combustion of hairspray, we can launch a rocket hundreds of feet into the sky. As usual for my projects, I tried to use only materials and parts that a ...more

How To : Build a 2/5th scale M60 tank

This instructional video series is on how to build any type of 2/5th (40%) scale, fully functional tank. The specific model demonstrated is the M60 Patton. An MBT. A destructive force. If you have any questions about your backyard tank build, please address them to "Dave's Tan ...more

How To : Build a Laser Trip Wire Alarm System

Building a DIY Alarm System: The Concept So, you want to protect your property, or maybe a room, car, or even your backyard. The concept of an alarm system is to notify the "alarm administrator" that there is an intruder entering the previously designated boundaries. The trig ...more

How To : 10 Helpful Non-Kitty Uses for Cat Litter

Whether or not you have a feline companion at home, a bag of cat litter makes for a handy household staple that can help prevent grease fires, add traction to slippery icy steps, remove grease spots, preserve your fresh flowers, and clear algae from your backyard koi pond. No ...more

How To : Recreate Freddy Krueger's burnt skin makeup

Okay you saw the super-detailed reproduction of Freddy Krueger's clawed glove, now complete the Freddy costume with this "burning" makeup tutorial. In celebration of the return of "A Nightmare On Elm Street", starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger, Indy Mogul's BFX brou ...more

How To : Make a fake pregnancy belly prop on a budget

If you're a filmmaker on a budget and you've got some farce up your sleeve, this video is for you. Watch Indy Mogul's Backyard FX explain how to build a really realistic looking latex pregnancy belly, so that your romantic comedy can grow!

How To : Build a fake sword prop

It's medieval mayhem and you need a sword prop. Maybe you're larping, or maybe you just need a fake, dull movie prop blade for your action epic. Either way, this is a great weapons build project for a cool replica wooden sword. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a ...more

How To : Clean a green swimming pool

Spring is here and you are excited to use your in-ground swimming pool again. Problem is, you find your pool filled with green water after opening it. What do you do? Watch this two-part video tutorial to learn how to backwash your pool filter and clear up that swampy green po ...more

How To : Make an All-Night Campfire with Just One Log

The next time you're out camping, whether it's outdoors in the wilderness or right outside in your own backyard, try this hack out for an effortless campfire all night long. While there is definitely some prep work involved, it's well worth it if you don't need a huge bonfire, ...more

How To : Tie an eye splice loop into the end of a rope

An eye splice is the best way to create a permanent loop on the end of a multi-strand rope. Whether you need an eye splice loop to hold a hammock up in your backyard or need one for your nautical voyages, this survival training video will teach you step by step how to tie one. ...more

How To : Build a fake rock movie prop

We all know that movies now-a-days don't use real rocks, but fake rocks for their film sets. Why? Because it's safer, lighter, easier to movie, and you can design them exactly how you want them. So if you need a rock for your indie film project, make it yourself. There's nothi ...more

How To : Make a teepee from an inexpensive tarp

Ever wanted to build a backyard teepee? Here's your chance! In this two-part tutorial, learn how to contruct an inexpensive teepee out of a tarp. Easy to set-up, this teepee is roomy and fun to play in no matter what age you are! If in the wilderness, use this teepee for relia ...more

How To : Prune blueberry bushes

Blueberries are one of the tastiest berries around, and if you just happen to have a blueberry bush in your backyard, consider yourself lucky. But you can't just let a blueberry bush fend for itself—it's needs help—it needs pruning. This video will outline how to prune your b ...more

How To : Build a cheap and portable green screen

This video tutorial from IndyMogul shows you how to build a cheap and portable green screen. This week on Backyard FX, Indy Mogul build a portable green screen for under $40 that you can take with you on shoots. Erik also gives you the basics on how to correctly light a green ...more

How To : Build a deck step by step with Lowe's

If you're not an everyday woodworker, then building a deck may be a challenge for you. But it's not as hard as it might seem. If you follow all of the required steps for deck building, you'll have one of the best ones on the block, and be pretty darn proud of it, too! So, che ...more

How To : Make a Homemade PVC Rocket

This homemade hairspray-powered PVC rocket takes less than an hour to construct and only costs about 20 dollars to make. Check out my video below for the step-by-step instructions on building your own backyard rocket, and follow the written guide below for reference. Video: . ...more

How To : Build a fire pit out of cinder blocks

In this how-to video, you will learn how to build a fire pit. This will be useful if you want to enhance your backyard. You will need the required fire pit tools such as 55 york blocks, 25 wall caps, two tubes of masonry adhesive, ten 50 pound bags of crushed rock, 6 50 pound ...more

How To : Things to Do on WonderHowTo (04/04 - 04/10)

WonderHowTo is made up of niche communities called Worlds. If you've yet to join one (or create your own), get a taste below of what's going on in the community. Check in every Wednesday for a roundup of new activities and projects. Thanks to all of our active moderators and ...more

How To : Make Shredded Chicken in Seconds with a Mixer

We love shredded chicken in our tacos, casseroles, quesadillas, salads, sandwiches... okay, we just love shredded chicken. What we don't love is the actual process of shredding it. Don't Miss: Save Money by Breaking Down Your Own Chicken Often, we use the ol' forks method o ...more

How To : Make a realistic werewolf claw

You can't have a werewolf movie without a werewolf, but how do you make one. Well, you should start of small. Try your hands at the wolf claws. To create these furry werewolf claws, you'll need a glove and some other materials. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a ...more

How To : 6 Clever Ways to Hide Your Spare Keys Outdoors

If you're ever paranoid about locking yourself out of your house, the worst thing you can do is to hide your spare key in an obvious spot, like under the doormat, under a planter, or anywhere near the front door. One of the most fool-proof ways to hide your keys is to give a ...more

How To : Build a small downdraft kiln with Simon Leach

In this 2 part how-to video, Simon Leach, who normally shows you how to make pottery, instead shows you something else. In this tutorial, Leach shows you how to make and build a small propane downdraft kiln. Follow along with Simon Leach, and you too could be building your own ...more

How To : Make a fake brain

This video from Backyard FX and Indy Mogul shows you how to make a fake brain. Making a brain is not hard but it does take time and creativity. You can make cauliflower brains, gelatin brains or the one I am going to show you out of bread and glue.

How To : Grow an Avocado Tree at Home

While it is convenient to buy avocados from the local supermarket, you can also start investing in the long-term goal of having free avocados coming from your own backyard by growing an avocado tree straight from the pit. To get started, remove the seed from the avocado fruit ...more

How To : Build a Tommy Gun prop on a budget

If you're looking to give your Mafia movie a real, authentic, look, but don't have a ton of cash check out this great Indy Mogul Backyard FX video to learn how to build a Tommy Gun. It may not fire bullets, but this fifty dollar prop packs some real punch.

How To : Build a fake cardboard security camera

Home security is as important as having a job. You have to protect your family and your valuables. If you can't afford a high tech security system, then maybe a fake security camera will do the trick. This security camera dud is also a cheap alternative for a film prop. Watch ...more

How To : Build a lightsaber prop for film making

Backyard FX shows how to build a real lightsaber. Erik Beck unearths the original lightsaber blueprints from the special effects creator for Star Wars, and show you how to buy parts to a real lightsaber so you can have your own custom Star Wars weapon. In the test film you'll ...more

How To : Things to Do on WonderHowTo (05/02 - 05/08)

WonderHowTo is a how-to website made up of niche communities called Worlds, with topics ranging from Minecraft to science experiments to Scrabble and everything in-between. Check in every Wednesday evening for a roundup of user-run activities and how-to projects from the most ...more

News : Jerry Andrus and His Impossible Box

Below is a great video that shows a classic illusion designed and built by Jerry Andrus.  Jerry is a backyard magician and illusionist who created his own kind of special magic tricks for his entire life, up until his death in 2007. Jerry Andrus and his amazing illusions, feat ...more

How To : Make a fake movie prop brick

A fake brick is a great movie prop for any action film. You can break through brick walls, smash a brick in two, or throw a brick at someone without being charged with murder. The majority of this fake brick is made of foam. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a fak ...more

How To : Make a prop movie bomb

Dynamite your way to movie success with an explosive bomb. A fake explosive bomb, of course. TNT on a timer is a great movie effect for you action flick. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a prop movie bomb. ParkersTutorials is a DIY filmmaking show for all of you ...more

How To : Make a movie prop grenade

A grenade is the best way to make your indie action war flick more realistic, but anyway you try it, it's not going to be completely "realistic". You need a prop grenade, and you can eerily make it yourself out of cheap household materials. Watch this video tutorial to learn h ...more

How To : Use the mask tool in Sony Vegas Pro 9

Have Sony Vegas, but don't know all that it can do, like masking? Well, this video tutorial about masking in Vegas Pro 9 will get you started in movie visual effects. As in the video, you can give an illusion that there is a real tank in your backyard with masking. See how to ...more

How To : Build a "Ghostbusters" Ghost Trap Prop

What's a proton pack without a ghost trap? Useless, that's what. Don't pay megabucks for some fake Ghostbusters costume when you can build your own with household materials. This is a perfect movie prop for your indie Ghostbusters fan flick. Watch this video from Parker's Tut ...more

How To : Do a trampoline misty 540 trick

Trampolines are just for backyard fun… there's skill involved, so let Trampoline Tricks 1080 show you some cool trampoline tricks. This short video tutorial will show you how to do a trampoline misty 540 trick. It is an off axis 540 degree rotation with a sweet grab. Do the M ...more

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