How to Solder

How To : Hack a USB keyboard into a Google Reader pedal

Are you addicted to Google Reader? If so, you may be looking for an even faster way to scroll through all of your favorite RSS feeds. Well, Matt Richardson has the solution… It's called the Google Reader Pedal and it makes it easier to read the hottest news without ever touch ...more

How To : Circuit bend a battery-powered toy

Take your old electronics and make them scream with glitchy goodness. This an extremely easy project and makes a great project for first-time solderers. Circuit bending involves taking electronic devices that make multiple sounds and wiring in switches to set off glitches or l ...more

How To : Make a Glowing Orb with a Tennis Ball & LEDs

In this article, I'll show you how to make a glowing orb. The orb is a fun, round flashlight useful for lighting your path in a magical way. Consisting simply of LEDs, a tennis ball, a battery and a switch, it's a great simple project for beginners with electronics. Here's a v ...more

How To : Make the world's loudest alarm clock

In this video, we learn how to make the world's loudest alarm clock. If your alarm clock does not wake you up, this is for you! First, you will need to take apart your alarm clock and find the wires that are connected to the tiny speaker that is inside of it. After this, grab ...more

How To : Make light using a stepper motor generator

In this tutorial, we learn how to make light using a stepper motor generator. First, take the motor out of an old printer that you don't use anymore. After this, find a few LED lights. You will need to solder the LED lights, then connect them with a soldering iron to the print ...more

HowTo : Fix a Broken PS3...In Your Oven

If your PS3 is YLOD (flashing the Yellow/Red/Green Light Of Death), try sticking it in the oven. Why does this work? Instructables user formulajake88 explains what causes YLOD and why the oven re-flow method will (likely) work: "There are several prevailing theories, includin ...more

How To : Wire up crystal focus boards for Jedi lightsabers

Watch as Novastar and Gundamaniac demonstrate detailed wiring for a crystal focus board for Star Wars Lightsabers! Making your very own Jedi Light Saber may be a daunting task if you don't know what you're doing, but this four-part video tutorial will save the day from evil fo ...more

How To : Circuit bend a Yamaha PSS 140 synthesizer

In this video the man describes of the circuit bending of Yamaha pss 140 synthesizer. This is a good model it's a FM synthesizers. It got many songs , many cool rhythms,nice trumpets and it is working real nice.Here he states that it is important for power supply or else we do ...more

How To : Assemble an RC battery pack

Watch this three-part series on how to assemble battery cells for your radio controlled vehicle. First, see what is needed to assemble cells and to get them glued. Second, see how to solder an entire NiMH and NiCad LiPo cell pack. Then, see how to test the packs and do some ...more

HowTo : Read Your Own Mind

The days of trundling hoops, hopscotch and painted wooden rocking horses are long since past. The latest trend in toys? Biofeedback. Electroencephalography. A decade into the 21st century, the toy market is awash in products that incorporate functional neural sensors. One suc ...more

How To : Make your own solar panel

In this video, we learn how to make your own solar panel.The amorphous solar glass is the cheapest but it's also the least efficient. You can do anything you want with these and they are durable. The hexagon cells are the most efficient and most expensive as well. The poly cry ...more

Backwards Geocaching : How to Make a Reverse Geocache Box

If you've never heard of geocaching, it's kind of a grown-up treasure hunt you play everywhere in the world. GPS coordinates are given as clues and the players must find the cache box. There is usually a log book to write your name and a small toy or present to collect. The l ...more

How To : Things to Do on WonderHowTo (11/9 - 11/15)

WonderHowTo is made up 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. This week: mathematical sculptures, burning Xb ...more

How To : Turn a used TV into an oscilloscope

Leeann of Hierchiss explains how to turn a TV into an oscilloscope. Turn the TV on and make sure it works. First, unplug the power. Take the back off the television. Cut the four picture wires that attach to the circuit board. Strip the ends of the wires. Tape the remaining wi ...more

How To : Build a beeping electronic practical joke

Watch as Kipkay from MAKE Magazine shows you how to make something really cool for the office, with parts from RadioShack. One of the original practical jokes is the gravity activated subwoofer simulator, or better known as the Whoopee Cushion. See how to make a high tech pran ...more

How To : Install a water heater shut off valve

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to install an automatic shut off valve for a water heater. Steps: 1 Turn off the water to the water heater. 2 Drain the water heater using an electric pump and garden hose. 3 Shut off the gas, then disconnect the gas line from ...more

How To : Make homemade fuse blocks

If you have ever found yourself working on a car project at your home and ran out of fuses, this tutorial is for you. Instead of going out and paying around $30 to $40, make your very own. It's wasy and saves you time and money. If you need instructions on how to do this they ...more

How To : Fix an Xbox 360 Phillips Benq Drive

In this tutorial, we learn how to fix an Xbox 360 Phillips Benq Drive. First, you will open up the broken drive using a Philips head screw driver. Next, desolder the chip from the broken drive with a soldering iron. After you do this, you will be able to slide out the motherbo ...more

How To : Make a solar charging bag

Sometimes it's more than just inconvenient when your electronics lose power. Sometimes, losing power could be dangerous. Never worry about a dead cell phone again! Charge your portable electronics by harnessing the power of the sun. You Will Need *Solar-powered garden lights ...more

How To : Make an Arduino Shield

Two years ago, driven by a good friend of mine i decided to give it a try on timelapse photography. I had a DSLR camera but didn't had an intervalometer, so i assembled a small electronic circuit on top of an Arduino Uno, made some basic code and did my first timelapse movie. ...more

How To : Make a TV remote jammer

Televisions are an amazing innovation that allow for endless hours of entertainment and information dissemination, but sometimes you just want them off! Make a TV remote jammer as a joke, to get a few hours of quite or just for fun. Tired of remote control jockeys speeding th ...more

How To : Make your own lite-on probe for an Xbox 360

You like all things Xbox so instead of just playing with it try making your own stuff. You can make a your own Lite-on probe for your Xbox with items you can pick up at RadioShack or a comparable electronic store. Things you will need - DB9 serial connector - Female (pic abov ...more

How To : Build a mini fume extractor

Materials needed: Altoid mint tin, 9 volt batter and connector, switch, 7812 voltage regulator, 12 volt computer fan, carbon filter and 2 pieces of screen. Wire the battery connectors. Solder all of the following: Negative connector to the switch, wire to the switch, ground wi ...more

How To : Install a utility sink with This Old House

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to install a utility sink. Steps: 1. Turn off water 2. Cut section from existing drain pipe and install a new Wye-fitting 3. Assemble PVC pipe and fittings for new drain/vent system 4. Glue drain/vent system to existing vent s ...more

How To : Make an LED light brick

This video by makemagazine demonstrates a weekend project on how to make a LED light brick. The materials required for this project are listed on the link to the make magazine page in the info box or it can be orders as a kit from the make magazine store. Take the PCB (printed ...more

How To : Sweat copper pipes

Watch as a seasoned DIYer demonstrates the steps necessary to sweat (join and solder) copper pipes, including how to prepare them, what tools to use, and how to fix any mistakes you may make, in this free online video about home repair. Part 1 of 16 - How to Sweat copper pipes ...more

How To : Change the LED colors on your Xbox 360 power brick

CIA360MODS teaches you how to change the LED colors on your XBox 360 power brick. You need pliers, tweezers, a screwdriver, a soldering iron and smds. Unscrew the screws from the power brick and then take out the fan from inside. Follow the schematics and use the tweezer to gr ...more

How To : Install a car alarm on a Viper 5900

In this tutorial, we learn how to install a car alarm on a Viper 5900. First, read your manual and figure out which wires go where, then label them so you don't confuse them. Next, grab all the tools you will need and have them prepared and ready. After this, find the electric ...more

How To : Install an air valve for hot-water heating system

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to install an air valve for a hot-water heating system. Steps: 1. Turn off water leading to the boiler. 2. Mark the pipe for cutting, which allows the installation of the air valve. 3. Use reciprocating saw to cut out section ...more

How To : Fix the guitar for Guitar Hero

If you discover that your Guitar Hero guitar is having some difficulties, check out this video for instructions on how to rectify the problem! This is especially useful if you discover that your keys stop working, or something of the like. To do this, you will need a solder, ...more

How To : Circuit bend a plastic toy

In this how-to video, you will learn how to perform basic circuit bending. You will need a screw driver, alligator clips, solder, a soldering iron, wires, a wire stripper, a button or switch, and a drill. Open up the device you want to circuit bend. Once the side of the board ...more

How To : Make a pet blinky bug

A blinky bug is a small electro-mechanical insect that responds to stimulus, such as movement, vibrations, or air current, by blinking its LED eyes. This video will show you how to make a blinky bug for under 6 dollars and without having to solder.

How To : Fix a sweating toilet tank with This Old House

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to fix a sweating toilet. Steps: 1. Turn off water and drain the pipes. 2. Cut a tee-fitting into a nearby hot-water water pipe. 3. Dry-assemble the various copper pipes and fittings to the anti-sweat valve. 4. Solder together ...more

How To : Vent a bathroom fan with This Old House

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to vent a bathroom fan. Steps:1. Screw the humidifier to a wall near the furnace. 2. Cut away insulation from the duct using a utility knife. 3. Position the hole-cutting template onto side of duct. 4. Drill pilot hole through ...more

How To : Make and repair audio cables

In this video series, watch as professional sound engineer Kip Bradford teaches how to make and repair audio cables. Learn the tools needed to repair and make audio cables, learn what kind of solder to use, learn the types of connectors and wires to use, how to solder audio ca ...more

How To : Join steel and copper pipes with This Old House

Steps: 1. Turn off water and power to water heater. 2. Use garden hose to drain water from heater's tank. 3. Cut copper pipe just above the corroded connection using a tubing cutter. 4. Use two pipe wrenches to loosen the old union. 5. Remove the old union from the steel pipe ...more

How To : Install a frost proof faucet with This Old House

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to install a frost proof faucet. Steps: 1. Turn off the water and drain the old hose faucet, also called the sillcock. 2. Use emery cloth to clean the copper water pipe leading to the hose faucet. 3. Cut the pipe using a tubin ...more

News : Hack hard drives into working speakers

Old Hard Drive + MP3 player = Music This equation just doesn't make sense. If you're an iPod addict, the HD element is redundant! Well, take a second look at what constitutes a speaker and what a hard drive is made of. They are more alike than you'd think. Rip apart a junked ...more

How To : Sweat pipes for an air-tight connection

In this video tutorial, viewers will learn how to sweat pipes. The materials required for sauntering the sweat pipes are: M-APP gas, gauge, solder, solder paste, pipe cutter, brillow and copper pipes. Begin by cutting the copper pipe to a desired size. Then brush some plumber ...more

How To : Build a blubberbot

This video is a quick overview of the construction of a Blubberbot, an artificial "life form" that uses electronic sensors to seek out lights, sound, or cell phone signals. Blubberbots are typically sold with instructions, which should be used for detailed instructions. But i ...more

How To : Hack Skateboard for Virtual Reality

An accelerometer/gyro goes onto an Arduino board and transmits the angular motion of the skateboard via Bluetooth to a virtual reality game I made for Android phones and Google Cardboard. DIY Virtual Reality Skateboard Video: . This is a really fun and easy project that can b ...more

How To : Repair the Vivitar 285's Flash Foot

In this tutorial, we learn how to repair the Vivitar 285's Flash Foot. First, remove the flash foot using a soldering iron. Melt the solder just enough, don't ruin the wires or the backing. Now, set the iron down and then short the wires out, you will see the flash go off when ...more

How To : Easily make an electromagnet

Ready to play scientist? This video will show you how to make a cool electro magnet out of a 9 V battery, a 9 V battery connector and parts from a Nokia phone charger. Use a fully charged battery for stronger magnet. Then solder the two parts together and plug in your battery. ...more

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