#diy

A creator builds an overly complex, custom robot for his son, detailing the design and engineering process behind the project.

The crew of sailboat Pino spent summer 2023 cooking exclusively with solar ovens while anchored in Desolation Sound, BC. They used a cardboard-box oven for slow cooking and a parabolic cooker for frying, saving propane and finding the method practical despite needing careful weather planning.

A project builds a handheld gaming device using an ESP32 microcontroller and an E Ink display, mimicking the classic Game Boy form factor. The low-power screen allows for longer battery life and a unique visual aesthetic, though it introduces latency challenges for real-time gaming.

Valve has released the design for the Steam Machine's e-ink display as open source, allowing anyone to create their own version of the screen.

A guide explains how to build a passive Ethernet tap using a few simple components to monitor network traffic without introducing a point of failure. The device physically splits the transmit and receive pairs from an Ethernet cable, allowing a monitoring tool to sniff the traffic while keeping the original link active.

A hacker modified a Steam Controller to autonomously navigate to its charging puck. By adding motors, a camera, and custom software, the controller can now skitter across a desk and dock itself for charging when its battery runs low.

A DIY guide explaining how to make homemade juggling beanbags using simple materials like fabric, filled with beans or rice, with step-by-step instructions for sewing and assembly.

Oomwoo is an open-source robot vacuum built on an ESP32-S3 custom PCB, designed for full customization and repairability. The project integrates ESPHome and Home Assistant, and includes a dedicated Flutter companion app.

A DIY tutorial shows how to create a holiday wreath using vintage computer punch cards, combining craft and retro computing history.

A maker created a voice-controlled door system inspired by the Doors of Durin from The Lord of the Rings, installed at the entrance to his garage. The door opens automatically when the correct phrase "Speak, friend, and enter" is spoken, using voice recognition technology to replicate the fictional door from the Mines of Moria.

The video announces an open-source project to build an American version of a kei truck—a small, lightweight Japanese pickup truck. The creators detail their plans to design and share the vehicle's blueprints and build process publicly.

This video presents an open-source project to build a small American-made pickup truck inspired by Japanese Kei trucks, detailing its design, intended affordability, and the goal of making the plans freely available for anyone to construct.

Arvind Gupta's "Toys from Trash" website features hundreds of simple, educational toy designs made from everyday discarded materials. The site provides step-by-step instructions and illustrations for building science toys, aiming to make learning accessible and fun using low-cost or waste items.

A developer demonstrates a GameBoy emulator running on the M5Stack PaperS3, an ESP32-based device with an eInk display. The video shows gameplay and technical details of the emulator's performance on the low-power hardware.

Jerkarator is an award-winning axial electromagnetic generator project hosted on GitHub. The repository provides design files and documentation for the open-source hardware device, which has received recognition for its innovation.

Adipoli is an open-source, hand-wired keyboard project designed for use with opposable thumbs, featuring a unique layout and DIY construction approach.

The article describes how to self-host Obsidian as a web application, allowing users to access their notes from any device without relying on Obsidian Sync or the official paid service. It provides a step-by-step guide to set up a Docker container with Obsidian's web interface, enabling full note-taking functionality through a browser while keeping data on the user's own server.

The article explains how to set up a self-hosted IP geolocation system using freely available databases (like GeoLite2) and open-source tools, avoiding the recurring costs of commercial SaaS geolocation APIs. It provides a step-by-step guide covering database download, integration with a lightweight web server, and querying local data for fast, private lookups.

A developer used agentic AI to make a label printer functional under Linux, overcoming driver and compatibility issues that previously limited its use on the operating system.

The Orientator project uses ultrasonic sensors and an ESP32 to track 3D hand and object motion without cameras, offering a low-cost alternative for gesture control and spatial input.

A detailed guide explains how to build Oomwoo, an open-source robot vacuum cleaner using off-the-shelf components like a Raspberry Pi, LiDAR, and a motor driver. The project covers hardware assembly, software setup, and mapping features, encouraging makers to create a customizable alternative to commercial robot vacuums.

A software engineer without hardware experience documents building a custom octocopter drone from scratch, covering the entire process from component selection and wiring to flight controller setup and test flights.

A creator documents the process of building a custom Space Cadet-themed pinball machine from scratch, covering the design, wiring, and assembly of the physical cabinet and playfield components.

A builder creates a custom 10-inch mini server rack from aluminium extrusions, designed to be compact, modular, and quieter than a full 19-inch rack. The project uses 3D-printed parts and adjustable shelves to hold networking equipment and a small server.

The article promotes an open-source robot vacuum project that users can build and customize themselves using DFRobot components and open-source hardware.

An Instructables guide details building the Nomad Mini, a portable, offline media server powered by an ESP32-S3 microcontroller, housed in a thumbdrive-sized case. The device creates its own WiFi network, allowing nearby devices to browse and stream stored media files without an internet connection. The project provides step-by-step instructions for assembling and configuring the server.

This video tutorial demonstrates techniques for creating a high-quality black shirt, covering fabric selection, dyeing methods, and finishing tips to achieve a deep, long-lasting black color and professional appearance.

A modder has created a self-docking Steam Controller that automatically moves toward its charging puck. The project, called Auto-Charge Tracker, uses a motorized base and tracking system to guide the controller back to its charger when not in use.

The article presents a DIY method for making endurance gels at home using sugar, citric acid, and sodium citrate, claiming the process takes about 20 minutes and costs significantly less than store-bought alternatives.

A blog post details the construction of "Wallace," a custom 6-inch f/2.8 telescope designed for backpacking and hiking, covering the building process and field-testing results.