diy

You are currently browsing articles tagged diy.

10-Minute Projects: Hidden desktop cord holder

June 16, 2008 by Chris Metcalf | 15 comments

Yes, I’m back from hiding with another empty promise to blog more often. :)

This one is a pretty simple and “obvious” hack. Last week Cool Tools posted a link to a simple and very ingenous device for holding those extra cords behind your desk, the Keep-a-Cable cord organizer.

While I could have just bought a pack for $5 and be done with it (and I encourage you to do so if you’re so inclined rather than rather blatantly ripping off their idea like I did), I’m just not that kind of guy. I can’t look at a flat 5-cent piece of stamped plastic and not want to make my own.

Cable Organizer
Cable Organizer

So I did. Details below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , ,

DIY Flash “Snoot”

February 27, 2008 by Chris Metcalf | No comments

This one has been done a million times before, but I figured I’d write it up anyway. I also seem to have ended up being written up in Make Magazine’s Blog, so I figured I might as well document it in my blog as well.

Business End
Business End

For details on construction, read on.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , ,

Homebrew: “Angry Scottsman” Scottish Ale

February 26, 2008 by Chris Metcalf | No comments

A few weeks ago I finished my latest batch of beer, this time a nice Scottish Ale.

Angry Scottsman
Angry Scottsman

The results were quite good, and the whole process was much smoother than the last batch. I had very willing helpers for the boil (my parents) and for bottling (my girlfriend) which helped a lot. I also switched to a “pump-style” racking cane, which eliminated the painful siphoning process I struggled through last time.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , ,

DIY Tripod Leg Pads

February 26, 2008 by Chris Metcalf | 1 comment

This one’s a pretty short one. I wanted some tripod leg pads for the Gitzo Basalt Reporter tripod I picked up used (and got a great deal on) but I didn’t feel like paying over $40 for a set from B&H. So I made my own.

DIY Tripod Leg Protectors
DIY Tripod Leg Protectors

Read below for more instructions.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , ,

IKEA Hacks: Maker Cabinet

January 28, 2008 by Chris Metcalf | No comments

Every “maker” (crafty person who makes stuff, in the sense of “Make” magazine) needs a good place to store their supplies and tools. Especially if they live in a 600 square foot studio apartment like me.

Cabinet Insides
Cabinet Insides

This is mine. Click through to Flickr to see the details of all the stuff I crammed into it. It started as a standard IKEA shelving unit that I decided to convert into storage, but when I discovered that they had discontinued the cabinet (and more importantly the doors) I bought the last set of doors they had and painted them flat black.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , ,

« Older entries