The Do-it-Yourself Thread: A Home for Handymen and Artisans
2,576 replies, posted
Quick question, where would be best to get lights to do something a long the lines of this?
(Would be looking for something that plugs straight into a wall socket.)
[img]http://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/dual-monitors-mounted-directly-onto-wall-computer-setup.jpg[/img]
Looking for like an LED bar or something.
[QUOTE=Antec;40290759]Quick question, where would be best to get lights to do something a long the lines of this?
(Would be looking for something that plugs straight into a wall socket.)
[img]http://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/dual-monitors-mounted-directly-onto-wall-computer-setup.jpg[/img]
Looking for like an LED bar or something.[/QUOTE]
IKEA's got some great LED light strips you can plug into a wall socket.
[QUOTE=woolio1;40293394]IKEA's got some great LED light strips you can plug into a wall socket.[/QUOTE]
+1 for IKEAs LED strips, got some on the underside of a shelf. Give off plenty of light (I use mine for reading etc) and come in a few different styles (Theres a set of four rigid strips, one long flexible strip or four small round clusters) Plus they have a full colour spectrum changing option!
[url]http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00202324/[/url]
Bit pricey at £30 though they do a white light only set for £20...
Fuck ikea, [url]http://viewitem.eim.ebay.se/5M-30LEDM-5050-RGB-NonWaterproof-Strip24Key-72W-Allinone-ControllerAdapter/150947144153/item[/url]
Excuse the swedish link but this is 5 meters of 14.4w/m ~400lm/m RGB led strip + power supply and controll unit for $28
This isn't nessecarily the best purchase for you but it does include a the actual strip and power supply and controll unit. If you buy all three separately you'll end up paying more but you can get a nicer controll unit and a more reliable PSU.
Have a look around ebay and dx.com for this kinda stuff, or simply buy the item I linked. It's a pretty good price. Once you get it you cut it to length along the designated cut lines and if nessecary solder together multiple pieces (I can help you with this if you want) and then simply connect everything.
I'm currently using this stuff to make some decorative lighting in my sisters apartment so I'd be happy to help you out with this, just hit me up on steam.
Thanks guys! I'm going to go with the LED Bars though as its a small space I have. Ill post progress photos at some point. :smile:
Bought a First Act Guitar Amp today at goodwill for $5.00 (Xbox controller to show how small it is.)
[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41960555/Portable%20amp%20DIY/IMG_0125.JPG[/img]
[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41960555/Portable%20amp%20DIY/IMG_0126.JPG[/img]
After finding out it didn't have a power supply I was surprised to find it an odd one. 14 volts DC with 500 MA. So after saying screw it to buying a new one, I decided to make a portable power pack!
[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41960555/Portable%20amp%20DIY/IMG_0127.JPG[/img]
Just two (4) AA battery holders, insulated crimps, and a 2.1 mm ID jack head and... tada!
[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41960555/Portable%20amp%20DIY/IMG_0129.JPG[/img]
Portable Amp!
[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41960555/Portable%20amp%20DIY/IMG_0132.JPG[/img]
That's 12 volts, but still, good find, and that's a clever solution. Just needs a back cover for that spot now. :D
[QUOTE=rcdraco;40309298]That's 12 volts, but still, good find, and that's a clever solution. Just needs a back cover for that spot now. :D[/QUOTE]
I know, but it really only needs the amperage. It works quite well, thanks!
The batteries won't last very long at that current though, assuming you get really good 3000mAh batteries that's still only 6 hours of on time (assuming worst case current draw anyway) if you wanted a bit more life you could double up on batteries in series too, but that's a pretty ridiculous number of batteries to be using...
Would be pretty neat to see if you could set up a recharageble power pack (whether that be just an array of AAs or otherwise) and mains charging when it's plugged in!
[QUOTE=metallics;40311889]The batteries won't last very long at that current though, assuming you get really good 3000mAh batteries that's still only 6 hours of on time (assuming worst case current draw anyway) if you wanted a bit more life you could double up on batteries in series too, but that's a pretty ridiculous number of batteries to be using...
Would be pretty neat to see if you could set up a recharageble power pack (whether that be just an array of AAs or otherwise) and mains charging when it's plugged in![/QUOTE]
Actually I was looking into a smaller laptop battery for that same reason, I want a rechargeable amp that can be plugged and unplugged. Though 6 hours is a lot of jam time.
[QUOTE=Phaselancer;40313666]Actually I was looking into a smaller laptop battery for that same reason, I want a rechargeable amp that can be plugged and unplugged. Though 6 hours is a lot of jam time.[/QUOTE]
In one go yes, but how much does 8AA batteries cost? Rechargable is a good idea!
[QUOTE=metallics;40313808]In one go yes, but how much does 8AA batteries cost? Rechargable is a good idea![/QUOTE]
He should attempt building a solar rechargeable system for his portable amp.
Edit: Why rated funny?
[QUOTE=Waffle Boxes;40102979]Hey guys, I'm making a gift for my girlfriend as her birthday is the 8th. She loves fallout and collecting shiny things in it so I'm making her a few Nukacola Quantums. Now, for those who don't know, tonic water glows blue when exposed to a blacklight.
My problem is that tonic water is completely clear so it doesn't really take the light very well. Can anyone think of something I can mix into the tonic water to make it a little opaque so that the light can still shine all the way through it but will pick up the light better? It doesn't really need to be edible as I doubt she'd want to drink it rather than keep it on display.
My friend had no idea either but threw the idea of powdered chalk to me. It sounds like a somewhat good idea or a good place to start at least but it'd sink to the bottom eventually, wouldn't it?[/QUOTE]
I know I'm super late on this, but laundry detergent and fabric softener also illuminate under a blacklight, and would probably make it cloudy.
[QUOTE=fenwick;40332582]I know I'm super late on this, but laundry detergent and fabric softener also illuminate under a blacklight, and would probably make it cloudy.[/QUOTE]
This would explain why my pants always look splotchy under a blacklight...
[IMG]http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a545/dax364/photo2_zpsc1950f28.jpg[/IMG]
i made a small usb powered lamp today :smile:
[IMG]http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a545/dax364/photo3_zps5dbbd84e.jpg[/IMG]
its not very bright, but im happy with my self since its the first time iv used a soldering iron
Some coasters I've made out of anodised aluminium chainmail, the red and white one is part of a pair i'm doing for a friend, the yellow and black one I'm doing just for fun and for me. Yellow & Black one is a stylised radiation symbol, the red and white one a stylised fictional corporation logo.
[t]http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14054906/evilcorp.jpg[/t] [t]http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14054906/nukeacoaster.jpg[/t]
[QUOTE=RayvenQ;40358098]Some coasters I've made out of anodised aluminium chainmail, the red and white one is part of a pair i'm doing for a friend, the yellow and black one I'm doing just for fun and for me. Yellow & Black one is a stylised radiation symbol, the red and white one a stylised fictional corporation logo.
[t]http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14054906/evilcorp.jpg[/t] [t]http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14054906/nukeacoaster.jpg[/t][/QUOTE]
I've never thought about making chainmail coasters....
I got like 3-400 black rings that I have no idea what to do with.
i'm currently working on some super budget-tight Lamellar armour for a Larp
[IMG]http://puu.sh/2E4pj.jpg[/IMG]
$25 worth of scrap aluminium, $4 worth of aluminium cutting blades, leather scabbed off a roadside couch, no past metal-working experience and a limited set of shit-tier tools.
it's not done yet, but how it looks so far exceeded my expectation.
having to cut, drill and file 264 plates was a bitch though.
[QUOTE=Ldesu;40360165]I've never thought about making chainmail coasters....
I got like 3-400 black rings that I have no idea what to do with.[/QUOTE]
You should be able to make a 2 if you do the same as i do (triangles going from 6 to 1)
They're pretty easy to make too, its just 6 of the triangles, joined by "45 degree" seems (they're actually more like 60) and then 7 rings in the middle.
Just wall mounting my monitors. Boxing everything in to hide cabling and shit...
WARNING: Photo took with an iPhone so its massive in size.
[quote][img]http://files.1337upload.net/Photo_21-04-2013_01_22_09_PM_1.jpg[/img][/quote]
Still needs to be painted and finished.
Got my stuff moved over to the larger bedroom, so now I'm all set to start work on my new office space. I'll post pics once I get the wall painted, the countertops and cabinets installed, and everything finalized.
Installed speakers in my helmet yesterday.
I took the speakers of a cheap KOSS headset I got from school, and put them in two small "pockets" on the inside of my helmet. At that point, the speakers were sticking out a little bit, and the wires were hanging out of the helmet and made it a little difficult to put the helmet on, so I decided to route the wires behind the cloth inside the helmet, so now you can't see the wires nor the speakers (though you can see the wires in some holes in the cloth), and the plug barely sticks out at the front of the helmet (on the inside), where I plan to put in a microphone (kinda needed for when I'm practice riding, as I need to maintain radio contact with my instructor) which should plug into my phone.
The speakers deliver much better audio now than they ever did on the headset, though I can hear that there's a difference in sound levels between the left and right channel, almost as if the right channel is out, but it's just that the right speaker is a little bit off. I've also ordered a microphone/headphone adapter for my phone, which should get here sometime next week (according to the seller, I'm expecting it to be more like 2 weeks)
Video:
[video=youtube;lgy5FQ1fMQI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgy5FQ1fMQI[/video]
Pictures!
[B]The inside of the helmet[/B]
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7644905/2013-04-21%2013.27.54.jpg[/t]
[B]The plug that should go into the microphone[/B]
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7644905/2013-04-21%2013.28.32.jpg[/t]
[img]http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/936772_10200887863616950_815216542_n.jpg[/img]
finished the lamellar and a helmet... it's about time i went on a peasant-smashing spree!
I'v been thinking about making a steampunk styled bass guitar. does anyone know of decent and relatively cheap components for it?
[QUOTE=chiefcoyote;40459640]I'v been thinking about making a steampunk styled bass guitar. does anyone know of decent and relatively cheap components for it?[/QUOTE]
Second hand and/or broken mechanical clocks and copper plumbing supplies.
[QUOTE=chiefcoyote;40459640]I'v been thinking about making a steampunk styled bass guitar. does anyone know of decent and relatively cheap components for it?[/QUOTE]
Just glue some gears on it and call it steampunk.
Just finished my coffee table for the front room of my house, its actually course work for my GCSE but meh.
[broken link]
Off to add a bit of danish oil on to top and wax it.
Last night I made a little cart for my compressor out of scrap metal and a couple of old bike wheels. Works pretty well. Sure beats carrying that compressor everywhere.
[img]http://imageshack.us/a/img20/5783/photo2eoo.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=Nerdrage;40453519][img]http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/936772_10200887863616950_815216542_n.jpg[/img]
finished the lamellar and a helmet... it's about time i went on a peasant-smashing spree![/QUOTE]
thats so gay
[B]edit[/B]
haha just look at him
