DO IT: Projects, Plans and How-tos

In my search for pizza perfection, I recently got a Mario Batali cast iron pizza pan. Last night, for a trial run (but not following the regular directions), I placed it in my broiler, pre-heated it on high for 20 minutes, then prepped a pizza using Trader Joe’s pizza dough (left out for a couple hours to warm up). Normally their dough is too sweet for my liking, so I gave it a fair salt and peppering before adding sauce and toppings (still no cheese in my diet, and still loving it). Milled some Cento tomatoes (They’re the most consistently good canned tomatoes I’ve found — I even have a “subscription” for them from Amazon, get a case every two months), and added a few kalamata olives, basil, and a small section of tofurky sausage.

Cooked it for 4 minutes 45 seconds on “high” broil setting.

The results were phenomenal. Crispy outside, doughy interior. Nice amount of puff. The bottom toasted nicely.

Interesting to compare the results of this iron pan to a pizza stone. I’m not really using it the way it’s intended, but by putting in the broiler, it just works.  I’ve tried the same thing with a pizza stone, but it heats too high and burns the dough. I may have to test that again, but for now, I think I’ve found my new “quickie-pizza-fix” solution.

Check out some pics:

Click to continue »

(Makers and DIY’ers: Make sure to add me on twitter and subscribe to my feed.)

BoltDepot has a great selection of charts used to identify and explain the wide variety of screws, bolts, nuts, washers and other pieces used for building just about every project you can imagine. Wood screws, machine screws, carriage bolts, lag bolts, square heads, torx, ogee washers and more.

There’s even a section about the grade/strength types of the different materials used for the fasteners. Very handy indeed.

Types of Screws

Types and Styles of Screw Heads

Screw Drive Types

Nut Types

Washer Type

Click to continue »

When it comes to safety, sometimes you gotta spell it out loud and clear. “This machine will sever your hand at the wrist. This machine will crush your fingers like a garbage disposal.” You get the idea.

Paper Trebuchet — a fun project for you projectile fans. Kill some time at work by printing the template, cutting it out, and folding it up. Then lay siege to your coworker’s sharpie collection.

This isn’t a traditional trebuchet in that it doesn’t use gravity to actuate the throwing arm, but it nonetheless mimics and demonstrates the motion involved. And it launches little projectiles pretty far! Great for a kid’s project, or homework assignment for you science or history teachers. I used it in a class I taught last summer and the kids loved building it.

Full instructions for assembly and operation are available here: The Paper Trebuchet on Instructables. By Kiteman

From the site: “You will also need two cocktail sticks, gluestick, a paperclip, stickytape, pliers, sewing thread and small weights such as nuts or modelling clay.”

Click the template to download the PDF.

HDE Infrared Thermometer on Amazon: $16 (free shipping if your order comes is over $25). Regular Price, $71 — that’s a $55 discount.

Infrared thermometers are great. Like laser rangefinders, they have a very useful function, but also are addictively fun in that childishly awesome way. Point it at something, pull the trigger and — “beep” —  you immediately know how hot or cold it is.

I already have two of these and might pick up a third based on this undeniably low price. $16, no shipping charges. Goes up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit, and has a handy laser pointer to help direct the beam. I don’t know what the spot ratio is for it, but at this price, even the lower end would be OK.

These are great for pizza ovens. Fire it up, get the walls and floor up to temperature, and cook away. Similarly, put your pizza stone in your broiler and you should be able to get some great results too. Unless you have a high-end wood fired oven that rages hot, you should be covered by this thing. Otherwise, look for one that goes over 1000 (this one goes to 3000ºF, but you can find some deals on stuff the high-900F range. I got one like that at Harbor Freight).

DIY Steadicam by StudioAmarelo. Tutorial on construction below.

Steadicams are like handheld tripods that hold a videocamera on a swiveling base, so that almost any movement you make is isolated from the camera. The resulting shots are flowing, dreamy, and somewhat ethereal (sorta like this).The big wheel scene in The Shining is one of the classic examples, although they used a modified system (also: the notes about the way Stanley Kubrick and director of photography Garret Brown set up the shots for that film is a fascinating read)

Large, Hollywood-quality steadicam rigs cost $60,000. Smaller professional units are available, with compact consumer level units like the Merlin retailing for a bit under $1000.

For many hobbyists, even the consumer price is beyond their budget. So people began to tinker and many DIY alternatives were developed. Johnny Chung Lee made himself famous with his $14 Steadicam website, detailing a simple design that uses a counterweighted pole to shift the center of gravity and help smooth the jitters, although it excludes the concept that makes a “true” steadicam, the gimbal.

The gimbal is a key part to the movement that defines steadicams–it’s basically the pivot point that allows the handle of the system to move separately from the camera it’s connected to. Able to tilt forward/backward, side to side, and rotate in circles, the gimbal isolates most jerking movements, except up/down. A counterweight system helps control that by increasing the mass of the whole package, so any up/down movement has a deadened effect.

The most simple gimbal construction is a cup that balances on a pin, with the camera platform attached to the top of the cup structure. More commonly, it’s made from three bearings that can rotate independent of each other. Many DIY gimbal units started off using three short segments of PVC pipe stacked into each other (from small to large diameter) and connected together other through their middles with a rod. Inside the the smallest of the pipes, a skateboard bearing is affixed that allows for the rotational movement. A photo illustrates this much more easily:

The PVC gimbal from YB2Normal.com's DIY steadicam. Click to check their build.

The problem with the PVC gimbal is getting precise holes drilled in the center of the pipe, and then using PVC as the rotational surface. A new technique was devised using the universal joint from an RC car drive shaft (the Traxxis 5151 seems to be the most sought after unit). Still using a skate bearing for rotation, it reduced size while increasing accuracy. A few build details on this design can be found here and here.

Use this RC car driveshaft to stabilize your camera tilt problems

The beauty of these efforts is that now there are many writeups and tutorials on how to build your own mock-Merlin steadicam, at a fraction of the cost. One of my favorites is by Vimeo user StudioAmarelo, and uses parts sourced almost entirely at Home Depot, costing approximately $30. The video below steps you through the process.

MAIN BODY COMPONENTS:
2 x Electrical Ground Clamps
1 x Approx. 7″ Curved PVC Conduit Elbow
1 x Male (Threaded) PVC Adapter
 
MAIN BODY HARDWARE:
1 x Extra Large Ladder Hook (Approx. 15″ High x 10″ Deep)
2 x Universal Brackets, 1.5″ Wide, 2″ High
2 x 1.5″-1/4″ Flathead Screws
1 x 1″-1/4″ Flathead Screw
2 x 6″-1/4″ Bolts (Smooth Shaft)
2 x 1.5″ U Clamp
1 x 4″-Wide Double Eye Tension Rod
2 x 3.5″-1/4″ Screws (Fully Threaded)
8 x 1/4″ Locking Nuts (Nylon Locks)
4 x 1/4″ Regular Nuts
3 x 1/4″ Wing Nut Locks
1 x Zap Strap
2 x 1/2″ Washers with 1/4″ hole
2 x 1″ Washers with 1/4″ hole
36 x 1.5″ Washers with 1/4″ hole
 
GIMBAL COMPONENTS:
Adapted from “WSCLATER” YouTube Design
2 x Traxxas T-Maxx 2.5R – 3.3 F/R Center Driveshafts (#5151) – get on eBay
2 x 1″ (Diameter) Skateboard Bearings
1 x 1″ (Diameter) Male (Threaded) PVC Adapter (for top of gimbal)
1 x 1″ (Diameter), 1.5″ long PVC Straight Connector (No Threads, for bottom of gimbal)
2 x PVC “Shims”
1 x 1″ (Diameter) Screw-on Hose Cap
2 x Small Screw + Washer (To Mount Driveshafts to Bearings)
 
OPTIONAL:
1 x Manfrotto 323 RC2 Quick Release Plate (w/ 200PL-14 Plate)
1 x 1/4″-to-3/8″ Step Up Screw Adapter
1 x Rubber Bike Grip
 
“LADDER HOOK/STORAGE HANGER” ONLINE
**similar but with 90 degree bend on end, except for 2nd Aubuchon link that looks to be the same one I found, but sold in bulk

Of all the Leatherman tools I’ve used, the Skeletool is my favorite. Ergonomic and light, with enough tool options to be useful for almost any situation. I paid a lot more than this and have no regrets about it whatsoever. With the holidays coming up, I suggest you grab a few of these for all the handipeople you know. And if you know any adventurers, order a copy of 127 Hours to go with it.

Leatherman Skeletool on Amazon: $35

Vimeo user and new iPhone 4s owner Benjamin Dowie (check him on Facebook here) posted a fantastic demonstration of the much-improved video capabilities of the iPhone 4s. As someone who is still blown away with the quality of the camera on the iPhone 4, I have to say this footage looks stunning. Smooth, crisp, fantastic depth-of-field. It’s going to be hard to determine what camera our shows and movies are shot on pretty soon. Still doesn’t appear to be as high quality as the compact Canon Powershot S95 (which adds in additional parameters like 24p frame rate), but that has a bigger lens and possibly larger sensor, and will cost you an additional $340.

You’ll have to click through to Vimeo to experience this in its full-HD glory (unless someone would like to buy Benjamin the gift of Vimeo Plus…).

From Benjamin:

Holy cow. Time to throw my 7D in the bin.
 
Got an iPhone 4S yesterday and got up this morning to go for a surf. No surf, so thought I’d shoot some stuff to see what the new camera is like on the 4S. Got home, looked at the footage, and couldn’t believe it came out of a phone. Was so excited so thought I’d quickly cut a vid to share the goodness.
 
It’s actually amazing. The automatic stabilisation seems to work wonders, and gets rid of most the jello. Depth of field is flipping awesome. Colours are really good straight out the camera, but I did give this footage a slight grade.
 
Yesssssss //////////
 
Cut with Final Cut 7.
 
Music: ‘Blach’ by ‘Elks of Envy’
 
©2011

And make sure to check out some of his other pieces–I like “Morning Surf.”

Here are some screenshots from Benjamin’s iPhone 4s demonstration video–click any to see enlarged.

This goes a bit beyond the scope of your average at-home DIY project, but is definitely something that should inspire us to keep pushing our limits.

© 2011 ksl.com | KSL Broadcasting Salt Lake City UT
 
SALT LAKE CITY — Visualize a robot that can mirror your exact movements, but with remarkable strength and dexterity.
 
Utah’s premier robot builders have come up with yet another machine that could change the way humans work in dangerous environments.
 
Engineers at Raytheon-Sarcos in Salt Lake City demonstrated a unique set of tele-operated robotic arms attached to a modified Ditch Witch. With no training at all, one immediately meshes with the feelings and actions of the machine. It mirrored everything one does with their arms, wrists and shoulders.
 
As Vice President of Operations Fraser Smith describes, “every way you move, your three degrees of freedom in your wrist, the one in your elbow and the three in your shoulder –the slave arms can move the same way you do.”
 
The robot translates movements with what is called “force reflection.” In the hands of the machine is incredible strength and agility, depending on what is needed to fulfill the task at hand.

Vacuum forming is a technique used to shape plastic, that forces a thin sheet of heated plastic over (or into) a solid mold by means of a vacuum. It’s used to create a wide range of toys, models, car components, kitchen supplies, refrigerator interiors, boat hulls and more. It’s not something so common that you discuss it with your neighbors and relatives, but is actually pretty simple and achievable at home. Here are some tips on how to get started, cheap and easy.

Instructable: Make a good, cheap, upgradeable sheet plastic vacuum former
A thorough step-by-step on how to make a simple setup using your home oven, some  window screen frames, a shop vacuum and a few spare supplies. Super basic but effective system.

0. (SETUP)
 
0.a. Support the board on something near the oven. The support(s) can be pretty much anything, or any convenient pair of things that is reasonably sturdy, allows us to route the hose to the vacuum cleaner without kinking it, and can be put very near the oven we’re using.
 
0.b Put some things in the oven which we can support the plastic-holding frames on. (Glasses made of actual glass, for instance.)
 
0.c. Preheat the oven. This usually gives us more even heat.
 
0.d Position some object that we want to shape plastic over on the board, over the hole, but with some spacers under it, so that air can flow from around the the object, under it, and to the hole in the board.
 
1. (HEAT)
 
1.a Clamp a sheet plastic between the pair of frames and support it on three or four things in the oven (such as glasses made of actual glass)
 
1.b Wait a few minutes for the plastic to get hot and rubbery and stretchable. For most plastics, we can tell how stretchable it is by how much it sags under its own weight. When it sags about the right amount, we know it’s ready.
 
2. (FORM)
 
2.a. (Turn on the vacuum cleaner, open the oven, and) QUICKLY but carefully remove the plastic from the oven with gloved hands…
 
2.b. …stretch the plastic down over the shape we’re copying, until the frame meets the board, creating a kind of “tent” of hot rubbery plastic over our form and stretching down to the board, and…
 
2.c. …let the vacuum cleaner suck air out from under the “tent,” by sucking air from under the form, and in turn from around it. This will suck the stretched, rubbery plastic inward into the desired shape, in about one second, and the plastic will cool enough to solidify in the new shape in about 10 to 20 seconds.

Studiocreations has another post with plenty of good information to run you up to speed on vacuum forming–including what type of plastics to use. This site is focused on making replica Storm Trooper armor for aspiring imperial soldiers.

I recommend you using styrene if this is your first time vacuumforming. ABS plastic does not heat up as evenly as styrene, and hot spots in the heating process can ruin a vacuumpull. Using the easier to use styrene will save you time and money in the long run if this is your first time vacuumforming.

Here’s a good post about how to make your own plastic warmer using a two-burner hot plate and disposable aluminum pans. Good for those who don’t want to melt plastics in their fancy kitchen cooking area.

And keep your eyes open for this fantastic toy from yesteryear: Mattel’s Vac-U-Form. A full system in one, with molds to make toy cars, boats, and more. They can be find online for high prices, or at garage sales for cheap if you’re lucky.