The fine folks at Robots.net have started up a robot-friendly version of EMS Labs' TGIMBOEJ (The Great Internet Migratory Box of Electronic Junk) project. Looks like there's some juicy junk in there. I definitely have some amazing robot parts to add. Hell, I got bots I could toss in the box. Semi-cannibalized B.I.O.-Bugs, anyone?
[Pictured above, top to bottom: 1946 The Fleet Type Submarine manual, manual for the 1988 SR-71 Blackbird Environmental Control Systems, 1942 B-17F Flying Fortress Pilot Familiarization Manual]
We're hard at work on the next issue of MAKE, Volume 17, which will have a special "Lost Knowledge" section. For that, I've been on the hunt for interesting lost and out-of-favor technologies and techno-artifacts. In this search, I stumbled on this Wired photo essay (also in the latest print issue) of "Classic Instruction Manuals." I also discovered that someone has started an online Product Manual Archive. Let's hope he keeps it up. There are only a handful of entries to date.
As a triathlete, I practice the transition during every training session, meaning I try to remove my wetsuit in super fast time. Every Friday last summer I swam in a lake in my Promotion triathlon wetsuit. I spent the whole summer struggling to get off my wetsuit. I tried slopping some water down the front before getting out of the water, Superglide and all kinds of things. My Ironman friend swears by Pam Spray On Cooking Oil. He's used it for 17 years and has had no damage to his wetsuits. You can't buy Pam in the UK (at least not cheaply). All I could find was Frys spray on oil. I bought a pump-action one since this is more eco-friendly. I got to the lake one Friday and sprayed a generous coating on my legs. I was sure the oil would come off during my hour-long swim so I didn't really expect it to work. As I clambered out of the water I unzipped my wetsuit, ripped it down to my waist and then pulled it off my legs. I couldn't believe how effective this is. Triathletes normally try to pull a wetsuit down enough that they can tred on it to pull the rest of it off. I hadn't managed to do this all summer, but on my first attempt using cooking oil, I was instantly able to get the wetsuit down. Absolutely perfect! -- Carl Myhill
One of the highlights of the Faire for me was seeing Steve Davee's work-in-progress Maker's Notebook hacks. He's adding a binary page indexing system with a conductive bookmark and LEDs on the cover that tell you where the marker is in the book. He also has plans to solarize the book and to add an Arduino and capacitive touch to the cover to do something (play sounds, maybe).
He says he has trouble following through on projects, so Steve, if you're reading this: follow through! We'll send you more Notebooks if you finish this one, document it, and send us the docs. This is just the type of project we were hoping to inspire with the book. We want more of this!
If YOU have a physical computing/electronics hack of your notebook, or any sort of mod, send us pics. We want to see what folks are doing with their notebooks. Also: If you've designed a cool project IN your notebook, we'd like to see how people are actually using the book.
In the Maker Shed:
Pick up The Maker's Notebook ($19.99) for all your big ideas, diagrams, patterns, etc. Exclusive to the Maker Shed: Sticker sheets and a band closure to customize your book. Read more | Permalink | Comments |
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