The Do-it-Yourself Thread: A Home for Handymen and Artisans

[Ajacks]

My girlfriend is paranoid her door is going to get kicked in, which is a well founded fear, so I have to design her a cheap reinforcement kit along with fabricated a door brace. Should make the damn thing impenetrable. Going to be fun.There are a lot of products out there but they would cost about $120 to get a brace and reinforcement plates. I'd like to do it for free with scrap.

[Metallics]

[QUOTE=Ajacks;46943039]My girlfriend is paranoid her door is going to get kicked in, which is a well founded fear, so I have to design her a cheap reinforcement kit along with fabricated a door brace. Should make the damn thing impenetrable. Going to be fun.There are a lot of products out there but they would cost about $120 to get a brace and reinforcement plates. I'd like to do it for free with scrap.[/QUOTE]

And no doubt it will still be a work of art! Would be interested to see pictures when you are done.

[Ajacks]

[QUOTE=metallics;46944896]And no doubt it will still be a work of art! Would be interested to see pictures when you are done.[/QUOTE]

I think after looking at it, I'm going to design a new threshold plate that has the brace slot incorperated. Should be the least obtrusive way to do it.

[peep]

[QUOTE=ToastedBread;46927529]If someone is handy with greasemonkey, it would be nice to have a faux subforum that groups maker mate related stuff..[/QUOTE]

[url]http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1446687[/url] or [url]http://eeeeeeeeee.org[/url]
pick your poison

[Lapsus]

[t]http://i.imgur.com/oREE1qv.jpg[/t]

Had another left mouse button die after a few months of use, but I really really like my g502, so I pulled the right-click microswitch from a friend's old razer deathadder that suffered from the same issue a couple years ago, and it seems to be working perfectly again!

[The_D]

Hello! I need help with a little something, I figured the folks at DIY would know a bit about electronics...and with the forum changes I'm even less sure where to ask for help...

My parents gave me an electric Casio piano when I was little and I never touched it too much because the batteries would run out and I didn't want to waste money getting more. Well, I just found out that I can attach an AC adapter to the thing, but I've searched all over the house for the original adapter and I can't find it anywhere, and money is kinda tight so... On the back, it's asking for:

AC adapter DC 9V_850mA

Well, I managed to find one with 800mA laying around and it didn't seem to do much... So I took the adapter from my guitar pedal which is 9V _ 1,3A and actually managed to turn it on. But I'm afraid of damaging the instrument so I turned it back off.

Should I save up and buy a new adapter? Or would it be safe to use this one?

So I'm not too off topic... here's a flute I made a while ago:

[t]http://i.imgur.com/nXu1ktg.jpg[/t]

[Ajacks]

More current than required from a higher amperage is not going to hurt your piano. Under current would though, it'd cause it to possibly overheat, as long as your voltage is the same as required you'll be fine.

What model Casio is it?

[The_D]

Thanks buddy! It's a... CTK-80. It's good enough to mess around with :P The sound tends to get a bit fuzzy when I try to put it a bit louder, but other than that, it's in pretty good condition I think.

I wonder if if needs new speakers or just a good cleaning... It gathered lots of dust over the years.

[Metallics]

What the current rating on the adaptor means is what that adaptor will supply up to - that's why the 1.3A is fine - it is only supplying the 850mA it wants. The 800mA won't do anything because it can't supply enough - hard to say exactly what it would do (dependant on the internal workings of the adaptor) but it's likely an internal over current limit would stop it from working to prevent hazards such as fire.

[Ajacks]

I'm thinking about restoring a Kitchen-aid dishwasher that my girlfriends mom is getting rid of, It had some sort of minor fire years ago and never was touched again, but It doesn't look to bad, I'll see when I take it out, but apparently they were regarded as the best dishwashers ever made. The door alone weighs about 4 times what a normal dishwasher door weighs. All metal construction, not a single bit of plastic, Downside is that it is a 60's/70's 'harvest yellow' color and I'd like to do it up either white, black or stainless.

Anyone here ever worked on a dishwasher?

[TheTrainRider]

[QUOTE=Ajacks;46968146], Downside is that it is a 60's/70's 'harvest yellow' color and I'd like to do it up either white, black or stainless.[/QUOTE]

Or paint it with black strips for that post-modern industrial hazard look and get all of the hipster cred you can desire!

Edit: Harvest Yellow with black strips.

[dead60]

I was wondering if anyone can help me out here. I originally posted this in the creative work megathread, but unfortunately I got no response.

[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/OkeO1kp.jpg[/thumb]
So I was thinking of doing a little bit of block printing in my spare time, I've made this small tester piece on the laser cutter. I realise the depth of the engrave is too shallow so next time I'm going to engrave it 2mm deep. The problem I've come across is what inks or paints to use and what sealer or varnish to use on the plywood. The sealers/varnishes I have are: danish oil, raw linseed oil, pure beeswax, button polish/shellac and cellulose sanding-sealer. Of course if I were to use danish oil-which contains 50% tung (which is highly water-resistant) wouldn't the inks just flow off the printing block? And if I were to use acrylics, what sealer would work best to stop the wood from simply absorbing the acrylic like a sponge.

[Ajacks]

[QUOTE=dead60;46973695]I was wondering if anyone can help me out here. I originally posted this in the creative work megathread, but unfortunately I got no response.

[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/OkeO1kp.jpg[/thumb]
So I was thinking of doing a little bit of block printing in my spare time, I've made this small tester piece on the laser cutter. I realise the depth of the engrave is too shallow so next time I'm going to engrave it 2mm deep. The problem I've come across is what inks or paints to use and what sealer or varnish to use on the plywood. The sealers/varnishes I have are: danish oil, raw linseed oil, pure beeswax, button polish/shellac and cellulose sanding-sealer. Of course if I were to use danish oil-which contains 50% tung (which is highly water-resistant) wouldn't the inks just flow off the printing block? And if I were to use acrylics, what sealer would work best to stop the wood from simply absorbing the acrylic like a sponge.[/QUOTE]

Use relief ink, and don't worry about absorbing, it doesn't matter. I've done my fair share of printmaking, and relief was my favorite.

[Serj22]

Well since we don't have proper threads to put anything in anymore, I'll dump a lot of stuff here. It's all "small" I guess, but I'll start out with the fact that I up and renovated my entire living room and moved all the furniture around.

I put my repainted and hot-rodded westinghouse oscillating fan on the wall and threw away the modern floor stander. I'll buy some nice in-wall romex to hard wire this fan up to a box to use with my radio control light remote, and turn on and off with my Harmony like the rest of the lighting system.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_180656_zps729247b3.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_180656_zps729247b3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I moved my '48 Firestone console radio from the back wall under the projector and moved one of my couches there and put it on my B-17 wall. I'm thinking of painting over my mural and painting one directly above the radio with the plane flying straight forward on it - so all you'd see is the fuselage, front windows, wings, engines, and the rudder sticking above it all. I think it would look better than the perspective piece I did. The (plane's) left wing is actually only about a foot and a half long, and the other wing is about 2 1/2 feet long. But as you can see looking at it dead on they look the same. I also did too much. I think it looked better with less detail, and without the outline.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_182415_zps33104611.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_182415_zps33104611.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I also got around to modifying a spot light that i found in a dumpster at my old work. It works fine, but one of the mounting screws was missing, so I just replaced that with a bolt, and all was well.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_170642_zpsec1c7acc.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_170642_zpsec1c7acc.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I pulled the sealed beam lamp out of it because it was too bright, and was going to get too hot and use way more power than I'd like for "accent" lighting. I cut everything out and rigged in a regular lamp socket from a floor lamp that i just threw away (salvaged the wire and socket).

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_170808_zpse7d38d76.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_170808_zpse7d38d76.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_172438_zps1c10740a.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_172438_zps1c10740a.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I broke apart and cut the mesh glass protector, and epoxied the bulb socket into the center(ish) of the mesh. I then put a bulb in, and ran the wiring out, soldered my plug on the end, and hooked it up to my lighting remote system since there's no switch.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_175726_zps5a3dfa20.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_175726_zps5a3dfa20.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I think it looks alright - kind of reverse can lighting. IT also fits my Atomic and movie theme.

In work news, I rolled the 26' Chris Craft over.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_131405_zps3abca3d8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_131405_zps3abca3d8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Set it down on foam on the ground, lashed some straps to one side and up it went.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_141059_zps84e6dd8b.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_141059_zps84e6dd8b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Trapped behind/ underneath it...

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/06385064-a2b6-4bfb-b7c0-55652ffad7e7_zpsdcaeb73d.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/06385064-a2b6-4bfb-b7c0-55652ffad7e7_zpsdcaeb73d.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

It was a successful flip though with only a little bit of cussing and yelling between us.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150120_145103_zpsb3e4dab8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150120_145103_zpsb3e4dab8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

And for my "charity" work for the city of Martinez, we have gotten about 4 coats of varnish onto the "Joltin Joe" which was Joe Dimaggio's boat awarded to him as a gift from the New York Yankees. He also likely banged Marilyn Monroe in this boat. It's a U-22, so it's almost the same as the other Chris' I'm working on, but smaller.

[URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/user/serj22/media/Fans/IMG_20150117_105244_zps99a42028.jpg.html][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Fans/IMG_20150117_105244_zps99a42028.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[woidoi]

made a little frame for this 7" LCD screen, which works pretty well. I might stick my raspberry on it too

(sorry for the terrible picture quality)
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43645231/photos/electro/2015-01-22 01.39.38.jpg[/t]
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43645231/photos/electro/2015-01-22 01.40.01.jpg[/t]
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43645231/photos/electro/2015-01-22 01.40.16.jpg[/t]

The screen can be tilted as well I just realized, which helps as the vertical viewing angle isn't very large.

sadly enough I forgot my password (or it pooped itself after multiple times having it's power ripped out) so I can't do shit with it until I reinstall everything :I

Once I get a small keyboard of some kind I might combine that with the frame so it's a single unit. Eventually I want to print a frame for it, either to put on my wall/hang from my shelf/modify my lamp to hold it instead.

[dead60]

Had a bit of ''free time'' at work today, so I had an idea to test out butterfly joints on the laser cutter. Now, I know I done the butterfly joint wrong - but I wanted to see what it would look like if I matched the grain up. Normally the butterfly has the grain running horizontally and the two bits of wood you want to join, the grain runs vertically.

Here's my first ever attempt, front:
[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/EwFgPei.jpg[/thumb]

On reverse.
[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/jHd6WxP.jpg[/thumb]

The problem I found with our laser is that the focusing length of the laser is very shallow. This basically means that the laser finds it hard to focus/ or cut beyond 9mm. Of course you can easily change out the lenses but seeing we rarely cut anything beyond 6mm on our laser it's never been a problem. In short, cutting through thicker material creates a V shaped cut. A bit more tweaking needs to be done, as you can see due to the V cut at the top the butterfly joint is pushing the two bits of wood apart.

[Death King83]

Started working on a Valentine's gift for the girl I'm seeing. It's fairly simple and will be a pendant probably on a simple chain when it's done. Here's where I'm at so far.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/haErz2W.jpg[/IMG]

It's made from a steel shell casing, with a brass casing inside, and the hole in the middle filled with molten paracord.

I now realize I should have drilled a hole to run the chain before all of this as for the moment I can't wrap my head around how to drill a hole through the cylindrical sides.

The pictures really don't look that good, but its prettier in person. I'm hoping it comes together in the end, I only started it today.

[woolio1]

[QUOTE=Death King83;47038538]Started working on a Valentine's gift for the girl I'm seeing. It's fairly simple and will be a pendant probably on a simple chain when it's done. Here's where I'm at so far.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/haErz2W.jpg[/IMG]

It's made from a steel shell casing, with a brass casing inside, and the hole in the middle filled with molten paracord.

I now realize I should have drilled a hole to run the chain before all of this as for the moment I can't wrap my head around how to drill a hole through the cylindrical sides.

The pictures really don't look that good, but its prettier in person. I'm hoping it comes together in the end, I only started it today.[/QUOTE]

Clamp. Drill press. Water.

[Ajacks]

Use a punch to set the start of the hole, and then clamp it down and just use a hand power drill or a press.

[img]http://solar1.net/images/center_punch.jpg[/img]

Those tools are like $4 at Harbor Freight and well worth it. You don't need it, but it would really make it easier for the bit to catch.

I patched my walls in my bedroom with Spackle today, fixing a few long standing issues. Girlfriend comes in last night and the first thing she does is poke a white spot on my wall to see if it was hardened, it wasn't...in all honesty it was pretty funny.

[Ajacks]

Dug out my old VL Triad paintball gun from when I was 14, I broke it trying to take it apart when I was 14 or 15, and never could get it to work. I decided to have a look at it now, and realized I had lost a crucial part, the Spring guide for the striker. Of course for a gun like this no replacements are available, so going off the diagram in the manual I fabricated my own out of a bolt. Works perfect again, really satisfying fix since it always irritated me that I broke it so many years ago. Not like it's a good gun or anything, but fixing something always feels good, especially when it involves fabricating a part.

[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a345/ajackss/1sz_zpsskb1rnmt.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a345/ajackss/sda2_zpszdobbbw5.jpg[/img]

[Falkok15]

That would make a fantastic looking sci-fi weapon.

[HiddenMyst]

I've been doing some serious thinking about the new version of that keyboard I built. Originally it was just going to be sort of the same but with a machined case, better key matrix and a larger screen, but now I'm shifting direction.
(Original design)
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/62766551/Norseboard/P4060257.jpg[/t]

I am going to go much larger on the new one, moving into a 2 panel angled design like a Moog Prodigy sort of thing.
[t]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qi-IAdMBfw/UAXEAZy4rKI/AAAAAAAEznM/nHzSiPHbOUc/s1600/MoogProdigy-Front-Angle.jpg[/t]
This larger design will allow me to add a synth module inside, which is something I had always intended to put in the first design but ran out of space for. I was thinking one of the Meeblip chips, although they don't seem to be in production right now so if anyone else knows of a relatively cheap, single board MIDI synth, I'd love to know.
I'll also be able to go with a larger HDMI-based touch screen, meaning that the internal computer won't be permanently limited to a Raspberry Pi.

I'll need to start looking for small-run PCB manufacturers for the key matrix. OSHPark seemed alright but the size of the board means it's going to be pretty expensive.

[Ajacks]

I just got my hole pattern figured out for my table. Drilling through 1/4" steel flat bar as a test. I've got most the metal working already done for the table besides having the holes drilled.

[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a345/ajackss/rensa_zps8d0de6f0.png[/img]

[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a345/ajackss/IMG_2831zz_zpseckpn5qk.jpg[/img]

Really simple way to get spot on holes. I just tape the template to the metal.

[Metallics]

[QUOTE=Ajacks;47061506]I just got my hole pattern figured out for my table. Drilling through 1/4" steel flat bar as a test. I've got most the metal working already done for the table besides having the holes drilled.

[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a345/ajackss/rensa_zps8d0de6f0.png[/img]

[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a345/ajackss/IMG_2831zz_zpseckpn5qk.jpg[/img]

Really simple way to get spot on holes. I just tape the template to the metal.[/QUOTE]

Tape works ok with flat stuff but I often use a cheap glue stick to glue my templates down

[Ajacks]

I debating using a spray contact adhesive, but the cutting fluid didn't gel with it very well. Then again, I really absolutely don't need to drill with the template on because I only need it for lining up the punch, I could take it off after. If I had to do some cutting though I'd try a glue though.

[Thereddragon]

Jut testing things out for a project I'm working on.
[thumb]http://i.gyazo.com/8eb33fdcddfe5da10e35a116ef7054f1.jpg[/thumb]
[thumb]http://i.gyazo.com/fa889e03e215deb9676b4af1eab18c27.jpg[/thumb]
I think it looks pretty cool

[Ajacks]

Laser cutter lust.

[Rivindtre]

After I got my hands on a good amount of leather I decided to make my self an apron, so I can wear proper protection while working the forge.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SUiiGZ6dxc&[/media]

[Ajacks]

Is that your video?

[Rivindtre]

[QUOTE=Ajacks;47135426]Is that your video?[/QUOTE]

jup that is me