A HACK A DAY: Season 11
We bring you hacks and tricks to make life easier with technology around you
- How to generate electricity by walking
- Make a huge cooling fan from old computer fans
- Hand-cranked emergency charger using an old CD ROM drive
- How to build a quadcopter at home
- How to make a homemade clock with almost anything
- How to build an insanely loud Bluetooth speaker
- How to make a ring light for your DSLR camera
- Make a designer LED reading lamp for your bedside
- How to make a remote controlled car in under 30 minutes
- How to perfectly clean records with wood glue
- How to make a rocket launching kit out of a matchbox
- How to make a walking robot at home
- How to make a microphone at home
- Make an awesome super-bright LED panel for photography, videos
- How to make an ultra-portable super-bright LED lamp
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A HACK A DAY: Present running season
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Technology is progressing by the day, and the only roadblock ahead is power. Battery life is the main fuel for all portable electronics and scientists, engineers, and researchers are looking at various methods to generate electricity with almost everything found in nature. From sunlight to heat and air to water, everything is being experimented with. In the recent past, there has been major development on how one can charge their portable gadgets by using nothing but body movements. Electronics incorporated inside the shoe can generate a small amount of electricity, enough to charge the battery inside small gadgets. Piezoelectric devices can generate electricity when pressure is applied across a crystal. When the crystal is pressed between two electrodes, crystal generates electricity and can charge a capacitor or a small battery. You too can make one of these devices at home and apply it to your experiments. Check out how you can make a piezoelectric power generator in just Rs 100.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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If you have some old computer fans and power supplies, you can build a huge cooling fan for your room. Hang it from your ceiling or simply mount it on your desk for some cool breeze. The best part—you can save a huge amount on electricity bills. Best of all, it can be powered by a regular car battery, making it highly portable for outdoor use too. Check out the videos below on how you can do it.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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If you have an old CD ROM drive, you can use the internal mechanical parts to make yourself an emergency, hand cranked powered generator. The generator can create enough electricity to charge your cell phone or to power up a few LEDs for an emergency flashlight. The eject mechanism consists of a motor with a few gears, and these when cranked manually can generate electricity. A DC motor can act as a dynamo when the shaft is physically rotated. Check out how you can make one of these at home with an old optical drive.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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The weekend is here again, and so is the time for some steadfast tech DIY. Today’s hack is a project to build a quadcopter.
A quadcopter is a multirotar helicopter with four rotors and they need electronic control circuiting for stable operation. Now, the brushless DC motors and carbon fibres used to build a quadcopter are quite expensive. This video on the other hands aims to build a fully functional quadcopter by using reusing BLDC motors from axial fans.
Follow the video below to learn and build your own quadcopter:
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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Did you know there are many ways you can build a simple, yet elegant or geeky clock for your home? Yes, you can build various clocks using lolly sticks, old hard drives, old CDs, records and almost everything you can find around you. You can even turn your wall into a clock. Check out the videos we have collated for you here.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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Weekend holidays are the best time to get down to building something. Be it electronic or simple household hacks, a DIY enthusiast will never rest. Today, we bring you a video on how you can make yourself an insanely loud Bluetooth-enabled stereo speaker system that you can use at home and outdoors.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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If photography is your passion, you will know how important is the light needed on your subject. Those who are into fashion photography, you will require a light source from the front. This can be done with spot lights behind your camera or on the left and right of the subject. Using a ring light for your camera can help further enhance your photos, but they don’t come cheap. In the video below, we bring you a simple project on how you can make your own LED ring light within a very reasonable budget.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
Want to get the ring light effect in your selfie or portrait photographs at home without spending on anything? Check out how you can do it at home with your TV or monitor as the light source.
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Bored? Why not make something creative today? The video below will show you how you can make yourself a simple, efficient and elegant; designer LED lamp for your bedside. The design will add to your interiors, and the technology will also save you a huge amount on electric bills.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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There is nothing cooler than engineering and building your own remote-controlled car from scratch. There are various ways to build a battery-operated car at home, however, today’s hack demonstrates a much simpler way to do the same. The hack will help you construct the car with the least number of wires and in under 30 minutes.
Here’s how to go about it, watch and learn:
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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If you have a large collection of old records, you are sure to see it being ruined with dust. Dust is the main enemy of records as it sits between the grooves and created ugly clicks and static sounds when played back. In order to get the dust out from the grooves, you need to wash it with water and soap. But the method is not as effective as glue. Wood glue, such as Fevicol, is one of the best methods to get all that dust out from the grooves of a record. Follow the methods in the video below and you should be able to get almost 100% clean records and pure music, thereafter.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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Calling out all the geniuses who as a child assembled and disassembled anything and everything to make a cool machine or gadget out of it! Today’s hack is a project you can take up this weekend and build yourself a super cool rocket launcher. It’s slightly technical, so it may take a few hours of your day, but it will surely be worth it. However, since it involves matchsticks and fire, make sure you do not do this with children around and you take full precaution while making it.
Here’s how to go about it, watch and learn:
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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It’s weekend and there isn’t much to do at home. Listen up techies, how about a simple DIY, using almost all things available at home, for making a cool walking robot.
It’s not rocket science and we are sure you will have a good time making it. Here’s how to go about it, watch and learn:
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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A microphone is basically a device, which converts acoustical energy known as sound waves, into an electrical energy know as audio signal. Why do you need to spend a lump sum amount on a new microphone, when you can make one yourself?
It isn’t that difficult as it sounds! You will need an empty matchbox and pencil leads, a battery, some wires and clips, beer cans and a pair of headphones.
Here’s how to make one!
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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Make an awesome super-bright LED panel for photography, videos
If you are a professional photographer or videographer, then you may have already invested in spotlights. However, there are a few too many who are pursuing their career in the same field and could be short in funds to invest on expensive equipment. For photography or making videos, you need a good light source. LEDs are a good form of lighting and they can easily mimic daylight too. Building a bright LED-based light source is fairly cheap and very easy to make it at home. The entire project will cost you less than Rs 2,000 and you can build it within a few hours.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’
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How to make an ultra-portable super-bright LED lamp:
If you are going camping in the woods, or simply have a power-cut at home, you need a light source during the nights. A candle is one of the only options people have. Those who are better-off, invest on invertors and generators. Others, who cannot afford it, opt for flashlights and battery-powered emergency tube lights. However, these are bulky, too expensive or too dim to help you through the darkness. So why not make an ultra-portable super-bright LED lamp? It can be built in less than an hour and can cost you a puny Rs 500, or less. Check out the video below on how you can make it. The person in the video claims that the lamp can run on simple batteries for a good 10 hours. Furthermore, in another video (below that), you can check out a simple guide on how you can replace your conventional CFL tubes and bulbs with homemade LED bulbs to save on power and money.
Each day we also bring you videos from around the Internet to show you how they make stuff. Check out ‘How do they make it’