Wonderment « Wonder How To

Laser Coil Gun Shoots Bullets on Pure Electricity

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Wow, kudos to Daniel Eindhoven for his incredible laser-lit coil gun.
This bad boy shoots bullets on pure electricity and can shoot up to 85 km/hr.

Daniel's specs:

Fully semi-automatic, up to 14 shots.

Capable of delivering over 18J kinetic energy, and speeds up to 110km/h! (42 gram projectiles).

It's a single stage gun, using a 8800uF(4×2200) capacitor bank with max 400v (704J).

Max shot efficiency is 2.8% but reaches almost 4% at lower voltages.

Charge time for 300v (12J kinetic energy 396J capacitor bank) is 8 seconds for the mains connection, and when using the internal batteries ...more

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Who Says Gardening and Hot Dogs Don't Mix?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

There, I Fixed It passes along an easy, redneck solution to grilling some dogs. All you need is a rake.

Looking for something redneck, but a bit more fun? Look no further, electrocute that hot dog:
Video: Electrocute that hotdog.
Previously, Redneck Sushi. ...more

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How Iron Man Shoulda Looked (if he wasn't all CGI)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:30:00 GMT

Kogoro Kurata, master ironsmith, known for his massive, impressive metalworking. His creations are awe-inspiring. Any blacksmith or engineer would agree.

Kurata:

"Being an artisan means you need skills first. However in my case, I want to make something first and then learn the skills necessary to make it, then I perfect it as I go. Traditionally, like a hundred years ago, iron work in Japan was very limited and earlier craftsmen essentially made only swords, or used iron for structures and other light industry, as far as I know."

His magnificent creations include the ScopeDog (a huge robot ...more

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Two Girls, One Bike (watch this and weep, all BMX'ers)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Watch your back, Danny MacAskill, these fräuleins sure know how to maneuver a bicycle.

Whew! Ladies. Shwesters, in fact. (Sisters).

Carla. Henriette. Impressive, impressive cycling.

European Junior Championships Indoorcycling, 2009. Carla Hochdorfer, Henriette Hochdorfer: Artistic Cycling Junior Womens Pair, European Champions 2009, 2008. ...more

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Jay Leno's EcoJet Seeks any Muffler That...Muffles

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:30:01 GMT

The EcoJet. No, it's not a economy-sized jet engine aircraft. It's Jay Leno's version of an eco-friendly car. A very, very fast eco-friendly car.

Jay Leno's Garage, with the help of Ed Welburn at GM, has built the EcoJet, a sleek, powerful monster-of-a-car that runs off environmentally friendly, renewable bio-diesel fuel. With its Honeywell bio-diesel 650-horsepower jet turbine engine and modified Corvette Z06 hydroformed aluminum frame, it's built to run and look like a futuristic, debonair aircraft.

"EcoJet's esthetics were driven by aeronautical and jet-age influences," said Welburn ...more

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Dream Home...ummm...for Trolls and Treehuggers

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT

This low impact woodland home in Wales is the cream of the crop. The woodland home was built entirely of natural materials, and best of all - only took 4 months and $5000 to complete.

The design is ingenious, dug into a hillside for low visual impact and strong shelter. Straw bales provide super-insulation to keep the heat in. The lime plaster is breathable and low energy to manufacture. Wood-burning heater. Underground-cooled fridge. Skylight. Solar panels for electricity. Compost toilet. Spring water.

Inspired? There's plenty of DIY eco-friendly projects out there. To see how to make this ...more

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Explaining Super Fast, Super Floaty Maglev(itation) Trains

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Maglev trains. Why are they so cool? Well, for starters, they float.

The idea of levitating trains have been around since the '60's. The first commercially available levitator was introduce in 1984, Birmingham, England. The fastest known floating train is Japan's JR-Maglev, reaching speeds of 581 km/h.

So how does it work? How did they do it?

The WOW Lab at McGill University's built their own "Mini-Maglev" Bladerunner-esque train, and made a demonstrative video breakdown of the science behind the magic.

The floating train uses superconducting disks that are cooled with liquid nitrogen to ...more

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DIY Private-Knock-Knock-Knock Cipher

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT

The secret hideout - a thing of the past, a childhood luxury, an adult-less adventure. Those were the days. And remember the secret knock? The only way in. You either knew it or you didn't. The only way to keep the kids in and the grown-ups out.

Well, Steve Hoefer has come up with a way for adults to be kids again - The Secret Knock Detecting Lock.

The secret knock lock is made from a piezo speaker, LEDs, Arduino microcontroller, gear motor, along with a few odds and ends. Perfect for an afternoon DIY project, which you can accomplish yourself with Steve's detailed instructions.

Great way ...more

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Yooohooo! Homeland Security! Fully Functional (Paper) Shotgun

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:00:00 GMT

This is no paper gun like you've ever seen before. Seriously.

Tacome1942's homemade paper shotgun is a life-sized, fully functional M870 Remington replica. It would be hard to tell it apart from the real deal, not to mention it practically sounds like an authentic shotgun, too.

The shotgun is made of approximately 97% paper, the remaining 3% consisting of pins, wires, and springs. Check out all the videos below to see the finer details, including the trigger group, shell stop, and disassembly procedure.
Overview.

Trigger group.

Shell stop (1).

Shell stop (2).

Halfway through the build ...more

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Fierce and Unbridled (Vocal) Thunderstorm

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Perpetuum Jazzile: a Slovenian choir that performs both jazz and popular music.

Check out the incredible video below. The large group of choir members use their hands to simulate the sound of rain and thunder. The likeness to an actual storm is overwhelming. Rain sounds through clapping, wow. ...more

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Beer Launcher Wows Letterman (+ Any Self Respecting Male)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT

John Cornwell is a God among men. Even Letterman thinks so. As well as every beer drinker.

John hacked his mini refrigerator into what he calls the "Beer Launching Fridge":

"...A fully automated, remote controlled, catapulting, man-pit approved, beer launching mini-fridge. It holds 10 beers in its magazine with 14 more in reserve to store a full case. It is controlled by a keyless entry system. Pressing unlock will start the catapult rotating and when it is aiming at your target, pressing unlock again will stop it. Then the lock button can be pressed to launch a beer in the selected ...more

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Engineer The Ultimate Water Balloon Destroyer

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:30:01 GMT

John Park from Maker Workshop has brought the medieval trebuchet out of the Middle Ages and into your backyard.

This portable slingshot trebuchet isn't made out of giant timbers like in the ole days, but constructed with cheap and easy-to-assemble ABS or PVC plumbing pipe.

Soon, you'll be tossing water balloons farther than the mind can comprehend. Get the PDF instructions for materials and step-by-step assembly instructions.

More trebuchet HowTo's.
Video: Build a huge trebuchet that flings water balloons.
Previously, How to Make a Trebuchet. ...more

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24,000 LED Light-Up-My-Dress

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Uh-mazing...London based designer team Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz have created a dress embroidered with 24,000 LEDs.

From Wired,

"'We used the smallest full-color LEDs, flat like paper, andmeasuring only 2 by 2 mm,' said the designers. 'The circuits are extra-thin, flexible andhand-embroidered on a layer of silk in a way that gives it stretch sothe LED fabric can move like normal fabric with lightness andfluidity.'

To diffuse the LED light, the dress has four layers of silk chiffonand a pleated silk organza crinoline skirt. The extra-thin electronicsallow the dress to follow the body ...more

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Motorize Your Paper Airplane

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Sure, you've folded paper airplanes before. But I bet they don't stay airborne for very long. But they will, thanks to this clever little hack.

PopSci designed their eAT-6 "Texan" paper airplane specifically to meet the requirements of their secret ingredient: a motor.

Equipped with a small electric motor powered by big electrolytic capacitor, the paper airplane can fly steadily for about ten seconds, with a flying distance of 30 to 100 feet.

To make the paper airplane itself, check out both instruction sheets (1, 2). To motorize it, go to the step-by-step assembly instructions.

Previously ...more

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Japanese Built Mini Fiat Cinque Tank-Tractor

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT

This is no ordinary tractor. Nor is it an ordinary Fiat. Not by a long shot.

Japanese ironsmith Kogoro Kurata custom built this bulldozer from an old Fiat 500 body and caterpillar tracks, which can only reach a speed of 3 km/h. It may move at the pace of a snail, but I wouldn't mind using this beast to shovel my driveway (in style) this come winter.

Check out the video and some of the photos below, or see the whole construction process with detailed pics (in Japanese): 1, 2, 3, 4. Previously, Insanely Cool John Deere Insect-Tractor. ...more

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Boxwars: Serious Cardboard Anger Management

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Forget video games. Go outside. Get some fresh air. Get out a little anger while you're at it. Play Boxwars.

Boxwars isn't exactly larping, though it may fall into a similar realm. It all started in 2008 when 3 dudes witnessed a few children innocently smashing each other with cardboard boxes. Boxwars grew to incorporate elaborate cardboard armor suits, clever cardboard box weapons, life-sized cardboard vehicles, and best of all: massive battles.

Our pals at Vive Cool City present a portrait of Boxwars: Post Image via The Age. ...more

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Guinness World Record Holder Trumps Deliverance-Style Dueling Banjos

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:30:05 GMT

"Dueling Banjos" - we've all heard it, we've all seen it - that famous scene from Deliverance where a young inbred banjo player outplays the guitar with incredible speed and accuracy.

However, compared to Todd Taylor, that's nothing.

Grammy nominated banjo player Todd Taylor has officially been kinged World's Fastest Banjo Player (ever) by The Guinness Book of World Records. His record breaking song was of course… "Dueling Banjo's". See him in action below.

Check out WonderHowTo's multitude of HowTo's for all your banjo playing needs. ...more

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Remote Controlled Beer Keg Party-Bot

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Plan on throwing a keg party? There's only one thing in the world that can make your party the baddest around… Kegbot.

Revision3 has updated the classic beer keg into the ultimate ale dispenser. With its remote controlled tap and motorized wheels, it's the perfect party-beer-bot.

This HowTo gives you all the details, and best of all, it takes no longer than a normal work day to complete.
Video: Build a remote controlled beer keg.
More amazing HowTos from Revision3 on WonderHowTo. ...more

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1,000 Part Rubik's Cube: $3,550 Petaminx

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Move over Rubik's Cube, there's a new puzzle in town. The Petaminx.

The beautifully designed and custom built Petaminx has almost 1,000 moving parts. Peta- actually means 1,000,000,000,000,000, although that number could refer to the endless number of solutions.

Based on Andrew Cormier's design (who's known for his Teraminx), this amazing dodecahedral puzzle took over two months to complete. 30 hours of that cleaning and sanding parts, and 6 hours applying stickers (1,212 in total).

And believe it or not, the Petaminx sold on eBay for $3,550!

Puzzle Forge has the complete DIY-project ...more

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World's Best Survivalism HowTo's

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15:00 GMT

You're alone in the wilderness. Stranded. Hungry. Cold. What do you do?

Naivety could be your downfall, but you don't need to be an Army Ranger to survive.

The five most basic survival skills are fire, shelter, signaling, first aid, and food and water. Learn them. Know them. Live them. Or simply… have fun with them.

Jonathan Ridgeon has lived in the countryside all of his life and was always fascinated with the outdoors. Making a simple fire was the start of his bushcraft adventures:

"From a young age I was fascinated by the idea of making fire by 'rubbing sticks'. When I saw it on TV I ...more

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Write With Light

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:00:00 GMT

LIGHTFAKTOR is a Cologne artists collective
experimenting with the "possibilities yielded by bulb (long-term) exposure and painting."

The technique employed has been coined "light writing" - Wikipedia's definition:

"Light writing is an emerging form of stop motion animation wherein still images captured using the technique known as light painting or light drawing are put in sequence thereby creating the optical illusion of movement for the viewer."

The resulting images/video are pretty amazing! See below. By the way, interested in trying-it-yourself? The friendly collective has even posted ...more

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Spy With Google Street View

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Need to find some directions? No problem, use Google Maps. Want to find some spy photos of yourself? No problem, use Google Street View.

Beginning in 2007, hordes of Google hybrid electric vehicles have stormed the streets, each equipped with multiple cameras attached to a large pole. The cameras take pictures at around eight feet high in a 360° circle, then their computers stitch the photos together for one big composite panoramic of the area.

Artist Jon Rafman wrote an essay called "IMG MGMT: The Nine Eyes of Google Street View" where he critiqued the use of Google Street View and its ...more

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Why Not Swing Indoors

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Who wouldn't love an indoor swing? The upcoming cold winter season is one good reason to build one, but truly, an indoor swing is just plain fun all year round. Luckily Apartment Therapy has posted a How-To on building a simple wooden plank swing.

Prefer video instruction? WonderHowTo has several swing-related projects as well.

Inspiration via Ouno: ...more

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Garden-in-a-Jar

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Terrariums. With fall quickly turning into winter, now's your chance to capture some of that remaining greenery as your very own garden-in-a-jar. I was lucky enough to catch Paula Hayes' terrarium show at Marianne Boesky Gallery in NYC this past summer. Her work is beautiful, not to mention inspiring:

If you're interested in doing-it-yourself, you can get started with a simple project from Design Sponge. Click through for the full How-To (process images below): ...more

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Walk It Out Street-Tap-Style

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:00:01 GMT

Hip hop music + outdoor street setting makes tap dancing supremely more cool (not that it wasn't cool already). Pretty sweet move starting around 1:17. Pick up some moves yourself.

Now walk it out...walk it out. ...more

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LEGOmation

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Brickfilms. Michel Gondry brought LEGOmation into the spotlight with his "Fell in Love With a Girl" music video (White Stripes). However, LEGOmation has been around since the late 80's, the first known brickfilm being Lindsay Fleay's The Magic Portal.

The LEGO animation process is painstakingly long: creating the set, moving the LEGO men, snapping the photos, importing the footage, editing, etc. However, the end result is plenty rewarding... here are a few HowTo's if you're up for the challenge.Click through the gallery of brickfilms below.

Browse the gallery of Brickfilms below. Scroll ...more

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Feng Shui Your Motor Home

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A group of industrious, like-minded friends built this amazing DIY metal motor home from scratch, converting an old semi into luxury-style living.

The Japanese-style RV is equipped with a hydraulic lift system which converts the seemingly one-story truck into a Zen two-story mobile home. The first floor is jam packed with a kitchen, living space, and utilities. The loft has a simple Feng Shui decor for relaxed living, complete with rice paper windows and tatami mats. See the full story and specs for the Two-Story Camping Car. ...more

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Chia Pets...on Acid

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:15:00 GMT

Remember Grandma-approved eco-friendly mud graffiti?

London native Helen Nodding has taken a similar approach: non-destructive moss graffiti. Helen was inspired by the cold hard steel, glass, and concrete of the city:

"I’m always cheered up when I see weeds pushing through a crack in a paving stone, or grass growing somewhere where nobody had planned for it to be."

Inspired to try-it-yourself? Helen was kind enough to post an Instructable. Scroll all the way down for her recipe, via Supernaturale.

Moss Graffiti Recipe (makes several small pieces or 1 large piece of graffiti):

1 can of ...more

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100 Most Valuable Old-School DIY Blueprints (yup, all analog and all free)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Vintage Projects offers 100+ free plans for building all sorts of fun DIY projects spanning musical instruments, archery, boats, motorbikes, go carts, science experiments, telescopes, tractors, radios, and more.

Instructions include a homemade paddle boat (more like a bicycle boat), a "pocket-sized" motorbike that can fit in your school locker, and even an electric-powered submarine for underwater exploration (perhaps a precursor for Tao Xiangli's fully functional sub).

These retro plans may not be for your average do-it-yourselfer... plan on truly building it from the ground on up ...more

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PANZERBIKE: Mega Monster Motorbike

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:30:00 GMT

The Panzerbike. A monster bike like no other. The Frankenstein of all motorcycles. This big boy has an 800-horsepower engine, and weighs in at 4.74 tons.

Harzer Bike built the colossal WWII German motorbike with sidecar using a slew of materials, including the bonnet from a Soviet truck and the engine from a diesel T-55 tank. Although nicknamed the "Panzerbike," Panzer tanks were actually German-made and the T-55 was Soviet-made.

Don't miss the video below. ...more

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Electrifying Transparent Tesla Coil (DIY!!)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

At one point in time, Tesla coils were actually used for something specific, like wireless telegraphy or electrotherapy. As technology advanced, it has shifted to a slightly more enjoyable purpose: entertainment.

This Mini Acrylic Tesla Coil Project is one of the best portable units out there and an easy project for any electricity wizard. It's made entirely of acrylic plastic, and the best part: Every piece is totally transparent. With the lights out, it looks like the electricity is alive in midair.

Turn out the lights and enjoy the phosphorescent show. Video + photos below, click through ...more

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Amazing Davinci-esque Mini Crossbows

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 GMT

These are no ordinary miniature crossbows. They're a work of art much like Leonardo DaVinci's incredible inventions. Each one is intricately designed from popsicle and shish kabob sticks. And that's not all… they fold into the palm of your hand, too.

Check out all three designs in the videos below. ...more

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Pyromaniac X-Men Flamethrower

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:30:00 GMT

Pyro: Evil mutant. Enemy of the X-Men. Fire lover.

Everett Bradford has developed a way to harness Pyro's psionic power to control fire and flame - The Prometheus.

His Prometheus device is a well-designed, hand-mounted apparatus that shoots real fire. Seriously. Super hot flames. From your hand.

Interested in doing-it-yourself? The whole pyro project is fully documented. Check out the video and photos below. ...more

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R-Rated School Desk Carvings

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Now, that's some whittling. Awesome school-desk-art by Ben Turnbull. See how wood carver Bob Seguin makes a mini navy colt revolver out of basswood here.

Previously, This Will Blow Past Airport Security. ...more

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Make-It-Yourself Panda Bread

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Perfect Pandas was kind enough to post link to an English translation of a Japanese Panda Bread How-To (made with green tea and chocolate dough).

In the spirit of bento, very, very cute....

Previously, World's Greatest Bento - Plastic Japanese Meal. ...more

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Fire + Gravity + Corrosive Liquids = Explosive Rube Goldberg Fun

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:30:00 GMT

They Way Things Go is a Rube Goldberg inspired art film by Peter Fischli and David Weiss (1987). The 30 minute film documents an assembly line of action and reaction.

Wikipedia:

"The machine is in a warehouse, about 100 feet long, and incorporates materials such as tires, trash bags, ladders, soap, oil drums, and gasoline. Fire and pyrotechnics are used as chemical triggers. The film is nearly 29 minutes, 45 seconds long, but some of that is waiting for something to burn, or slowly slide down a ramp."

Lots of explosive fun. Excerpt below. ...more

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DIY LED Carpet-Light

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

For the craftsters & LED lovers, great idea by Johanna Hyrkas. The LED carpet-light: a simple, yet novel, DIY project. A single strand of LEDs is encased in a knit tube; the knit tube is wound together to form a carpet. Brush up on your knitting skills, and get creative. ...more

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Make Fuel With Mountain Dew

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Mountain Dew is the answer.

Inventor Paul Patone has devised a mechanism that converts soda into actual usable fuel.

"It’s called the Geet Sytstem. Basically, it’s a fuel booster system that can connect to any engine.

Patone said the best part is that the Geet System creates zero pollution. The engine isn’t exactly full of soda pop. Patone said the complex pipe system vaporizes the fuel before it reaches the engine.

'I haven’t invented the engine; all I’ve invented is the fuel delivery system. And this system will fit a gas engine, a diesel engine, a furnace, a boiler, it will fit anything ...more

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No Lightsaber Required: DIY Jar Jar Binks Salad

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Yum, geekdom fun. A Jar Jar salad. Wonderfully silly How-To from Only Knives:

"A side dish from the Dark Side: Sculpt Jar Jar Binks out of a root vegetable."

You'll need some serious sculpting skills, jicama and various salad ingredients. Click through for the entire How-To, process images below. ...more

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Sculpt Melted Cassette Tape Puddles Into Skulls

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Cool cassette tape art by Atlanta based artist Brian Dettmer.

From Design Boom:

"...Dettmer was walking down the street he spotted a dead bird and an idea hit him. ‘here was this thing that used to live, its used to fly around and play a vital role, and now it is dead and all that remains is the solid material.’ Dettmer was quick to extrapolate this idea linking the bird’s life to that of the cassette... all the pieces are made using only cassettes tapes with no glue, tape or other outside materials. Dettmer heats the plastic up so he can literally form and weld them with
his wet hands and ...more

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This Dude Builds Glaciers. Here's How.

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:00:00 GMT

Most DIY freaks do-it-themselves because they love it. Because
they're curious, creative, and like to take the long road (or figure out an ingenious short cut).

In the case of Chewang Norphel (aka the Ice Man), the need to do-it-himself was a little more dire: the survival of small Indian villages has been severely threatened by global warming.

According to the Christian Science Monitor:

"Chewang Norphel makes artificial glaciers. The reason: The real glaciers have rapidly receded up the Himalayan slopes in his home district of Ladakh in northern most India.

Himalayan communities like ...more

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DIY Contortionist-Cycle

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Finally, a well designed solution to studio-style living. The Contortionist bicycle.

London-native Dominic Hargreaves, unhappy with the available options, designed this folding bike himself (true DIY spirit).

“I couldn’t find a folding bicycle I liked. I wanted something that could take a bit of punishment and that you could have fun with. So I made one myself.”

Dominic's bike is the ultimate bender and can survive quite a bit of punishment. It's rugged enough for the road and compact enough for the abode. ...more

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Flickr Photos Reveal Harvard's True Colors

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Cartograms are usually pretty mundane, but throw in Flickr, Photoshop, and a well-known public place and you have an artistic representation of popular colors. Much more eye-grabbing than your common map.

The colors represent what people on the ground are looking at in the specific physical-cultural landscape. Based off the most recent 2,000 Flickr geotagged photos, Cartogrammar found the average color in each photo, plotted it on the map, and interpolated them into a vivid diagrammatic rendering of our most favorite colors in that area.

The following photos show the process of color coding ...more

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Gyroscope Steadies Super Duper 3-Vertical-Camera-Rig for Nat Geo

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

California Redwoods are some of the oldest and tallest trees on Earth, so snapping a single photograph couldn't possibly capture their majestic entirety.

Nick Nichols built a custom camera rig for the sole purpose of capturing the pure beauty and essence of those magnificent Redwood trees. The rig consists of three cameras in a row with a gyroscope to keep them steady. The rig then glides down the tree, taking picture after picture, for an 84-photo composite.

The finished stitched-together photo was featured in National Geographic. ...more

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Japanese Dog Learns to Squat Like Owner-San

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Japan loves their pets. This dog owner loves his border collie, named Kirin. He loves Kirin enough to make sure he gets his exercise. All it takes is a little dog training after all. More squats in the park: ...more

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The Splinter: Car Woven Out of Wood

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:30:00 GMT

When you think about car customization, you think about installing a stereo or a turbocharger or something like that, but Joe Harmon and gang have gone a step further and built their own custom car - literally woven out of wood.

The high-performance Splinter is made almost entirely of wood composites and is bonded with professional strength polyvinyl alcohol, urethanes, and epoxies. The body itself is cherry strips weaved together by a homemade "wooden loom".

With even the wheels made of wood, you'd think we were back in the Stone Age, but that's definitely not the case. Multiple videos ...more

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Insanely GINORMOUS Treehouse

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Whoa, presenting the world's hugest, tallest, largest
Treehouse built by Horace Burgess of Crossville, Tennessee.

According to USA Today,

"It rises 97 feet into the sky, the support provided by a live, 80-foot-tall white oak 12 feet in diameter at its base. Six other trees brace the tower-like fortress...

The treehouse has 10 floors, averaging nine to 11 feet in height byBurgess's reckoning. He has never measured its size but estimates it tobe about 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. He did count the nails that hehas hammered into the wood — 258,000, give or take a few hundred. Andhe guesses he ...more

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Slackline Record Holder Very Nearly Buys the Farm

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:30:00 GMT

Slacklining is an *extreme-nut* sport of balance. It is a version of "tightrope walking" across great heights (note: distinct difference from tightrope: the rope is not as taut, but more elastic, trampoline-like).

Christian Schou currently holds the Guinness World Record title for the highest slackline (or tightrope walk). He accomplished this feat in Kjerag, Norway at 3,280 feet or 1000 meters (that is 3 times the height of the Eiffel towers!).

The painful to watch video is unfortunately not in English. Skip ahead to 2:19 for his insanely-close-to-death balancing act: Death seems like a ...more

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Dexterous Bot Kicks Human-Butt at Pen Spinning

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT

You can try and try, but all the practice in the world can't compete with this robotic hand's pen spinning skills.

Ishikawa Komuro Lab's dexterous, high-speed robotic hand is lightning fast. It can close its fingers in less than 1/10th of a second and uses breakneck actuators with harmonic drive gears along with 1000 FPS cameras.

In addition to pen spinning, it can dribble ping-pong balls, tie knots, throw balls, grasp falling objects, and pick up rice grains with a pair of tweezers. Soon, humans won't be the ones getting cheered on at sports events… it'll be these guys. Multiple videos in ...more

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Freaky Cornstarch Speakers Explained

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The beautiful ectoplasmic dance of the cornstarch speaker monster is finally elucidated. In addition to being captivated by its eerily vibrant dance, you can now understand exactly why it happens, thanks to Collin Cunningham from MAKE. He gives a great explanation of cymatics - the study of visible sound and vibration. Check out this amazing hi-def sonic cornstarch sculpture from WonderHowTo's very own WonderDude Mike: ...more

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