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Arduino binary clock doesn't care to be useful, just wants to be admired
If there's one thing we love about DIY projects, it's the feeling that the outcome is more than the mere sum of its parts. This here binary clock is a prime example, being composed of scrap plastic, some dirt-cheap parts and a homemade Arduino board. And yet, after a few licks of polish and the inevitable LEDs, it looks like a true monument to geekdom, which is only amplified by the fact you can't even use the thing without being familiar with binary code. But then again, if utility was a standard by which we judged homebrewed projects, we'd have a lot less to talk about. [Via Make]
Portable SNES mod is slick enough to hit retail
Sometimes mods go to such lengths that words like 'homebrewed' and 'DIY' no longer do them justice. Presenting the Nintendo SNES Portable. Not the first, and probably not the last of its kind, this bad boy mobilizes Nintendo's venerable console with a few buttons from a PSOne controller and a ridiculously detailed skinning job -- yes, even the packaging gets a makeover. The sheer nostalgic overload at the sight of it must be worth something to Nintendo, no? There's not a person, with both a heart and a history of gaming, that can glance at that bulky unwieldy-looking thing and not break into a wistful smile. Really, we dare you. More snaps after the break.
Video: DIY Wolverine could totally take the Star Wars Kid
Maybe it's just us, timid bloggers sent recoiling at the mere touch of particles from what you call the Sun. But we're finding it hard to watch the video of this Wolverine fan without feeling a bit awkward, dangerously awkward. No doubt, the craftsmanship of his Wolverine claws is superb; a flex of the bicep releases the claws with the satisfying metallic shink of Adamantium blades locking into battle mode. Nevertheless, we hope this guy won't be sitting anywhere near us in the theater this weekend. See what we mean after the break.Update: Er, the video has been pulled. Perhaps the cardboard finally won?
World of WarCrafts: Halaa Battle Token soap
Every Thursday, Shelbi Roach of The Bronze Kettle guides you in creating WoW-inspired crafts using real world mats with World of WarCrafts.Let's face it, PVP can definitely have an adverse affect on one's physical approachability. Have you ever had the unfortunate opportunity to smell a hardcore PVPer? Do yourself and your fellow raid members a favor and practice some good hygiene with this Halaa Battle Token soap. Here is what you will need: Opaque Glycerin Soap Bars Soap Dye Soap Fragrance Carving Tools Click on the images below to view a gallery of step-by-step instructions. %Gallery-28458%
Accessorize your gamer with retro badges and a purse
Have a desire to wear your love for space invaders on your sleeve (or that moldy merit badge sash), or cram your eye shadow and lip gloss into a a zippered little purse? Fear no more, 'Stiqeteers, for you can have both. Handmade to boot! I Don't Like Mondays has some Emma Ferguson hand-stitched and embroidered retro designs, including these two gaming throwbacks and a Mac Bomb. Can a man carry a purse and maintain some dignity? It hardly seems fair, because women can wear merit badges without catcalls and cries of "NIce manbag!" Maybe we can cram it down into our tough-looking computer bags and carry pencils in it.[Thanks Colin!]
Playing your homemade DS can be fun, too
It's too bad that creating a DS out of paper wouldn't really work like this -- then we'd all have a lot more money in our pockets. Our hats definitely go off to you tuber and deviant artist Zikayn, though, for making this awesome video. While we've seen similar stuff before, we haven't seen anything with as much polish as this. We can't be sure how long these kind of animations take to create, having no artistic bones to speak of, but we imagine that it wasn't just a quick endeavor.[Via Kotaku]
Super Paper Mario Bros. DS (sort of)
Marcelo Perfetti and Martin Urrutia's production is an imaginative display of how a stylus-supported version of Super Mario Bros. would play on the Nintendo DS. This paper-powered approximation of the NES classic's first level even comes complete with a tinny version of the Overworld theme! That creative bit with the flag at the end is extra charming, snuck in with a wink.Why can't more kids use up their near-limitless amounts of free time to entertain us with these homemade picture shows? Now, if only they had gone the extra mile and flicked a lighter underneath the screen to burn in some fireworks ...
Crafty gamer builds PS2 Guitar Hero axe from scratch
Itching for anything Guitar Hero-related to tide your over until the third iteration hits? If you just so happen to have two unwanted PS1 controllers, a whammy bar, a few screws, a motion sensor, some wood (or similar), cutting instruments, and whole slew of other random tools (seriously, it's a lengthy list), you've got a tremendous challenge ahead. An admittedly stouthearted and presumably resolute individual managed to not only create a fully-functional PS2 Guitar Hero controller from a fairly impressive list of scrap parts, but he actually took the time to assemble a how-to guide for anyone else with enough knowledge and vacation time to do the same. Put simply, this DIY endeavor ranks pretty high up there on the complexity meter, but if you think you've got what it takes, let this be the dare that gets you started. Check out the video of the axe in action after the break.[Via HackNMod, thanks Joe]
The real Mario Party
There's a party going on tomorrow and the Tanooki got a sneak preview of the decor. It's a full-on Super Mario themed bash, complete with all the stuff you'd expect to find in a Mario game. This fantastic Chain Chomp piñata is just waiting to be smashed, hopefully by a jumping kid in a Mario costume. Seriously, if there's an invite going free, we'd love it.Head past the break for the giant Pirahna Plants and chocolate coins!
Homegrown Windows Vista "Error" stickers deface the Wow
Let's face it, there's not an operating system out there without its fair share of annoyances, but it's no secret that Microsoft goes out of its way to aggravate even the most diehard Windows users by cramming our palmrests with stickers, and apparently littering Prague with those oh-so-common "Wow" posters. Not one to take viral marketing lightly, a crafty individual has done the hard for us all and created a ready-to-go sheet of error stickers that snarkily state "The operation completed successfully." So if you're ready to get to defacin', and don't mind the possibility of getting approached by the boys in blue, click on to the read link and get your A4-sized sticker paper ready to roll -- after all, it's not like Microsoft itself is immune to such run-ins.[Via BoingBoing]
Swaddle your DS in a homemade pouch
We love it when people make artifacts to celebrate their love of games. We're fanboys (it's right there in the name!) so we totally understand DS fetishism. We're guilty of it ourselves! One of the most practical ways to combine craft and gaming is the homemade DS case. Craftster member MariskaLovesCrafts designed this striking DS Lite pouch with a nice little pocket for games, and we love it. We love the pocket, we (unapologetically) love the floral design, and we love the colors. Mariska went on to write up a tutorial for the pouch, which she then posted to her blog. Why not give it a try, if you're looking for a DS Lite case? We'll remind you that you aren't forced to use the color scheme and floral motif here, so feel free to make something more macho to keep your DS scratch-free. Perhaps an Elite Beat Agents theme? [Via Craftster]
Modder equips his Asus notebook with WiFi amplifier
Here at Engadget, we're all about DIY projects that make your (and our) life easier. Ever since the days when range-extending cantennas were the rage, we've all been hankering for increasing the reception of our notebook's WiFi adapter (legally). Displeased with the built-in Dell 1470 a/b/g mini PCI unit in his Asus A2H notebook, a brave, engineering mind over at NotebookReview took to eBay in search of a solution. After purchasing a $118 "Turbo-Tenna," he concocted a plan (hit the read link for the full skinny) to wire the amplifier internally in order to provide a sleek, unobtrusive appearance. Using a soldering iron and an "on / off switch," he wired the Hong Kong-based device to his laptop's power supply and routed the connector to free pins on the VGA output. Once complete, his reception went from spotty and sluggish (1Mbps) to a much improved 24Mbps. It was noted that the installation was a tad on the complex side, and when the antenna is in use, your VGA port is subsequently out of order -- but hey, who needs a connection to the board room projector when you're enjoying wireless internet on a beautiful offshore island?
Homemade DS case brings back retro
Arts and crafts and Nintendo fans just seem to fit together like puzzle pieces. Not too long ago we showed you a teeny, tiny DS game holder featuring one of our favorite childhood characters -- 8-bit Mario. Here, rosered, member of Craftster, made a DS Lite holder bringing together old and new and completed the creation with a guide to help others. More pictures after the break! [Thanks Brandon!]
WTB plush totems
Alice from Wonderland linked to this guy, a homemade plush Tauren Shammy (named Proudhorn after the maker's boyfriend over on the Stonemaul server), complete with a little mace and a bark shield. I suppose someone less masculine than me might call it "adorable," but being as I play a Shammy and all, I call it awesome! Little known fact: she actually hit 300 tailoring by making this.And don't get me wrong, I'm totally impressed, but if you're taking requests, I'll take a Bloodfang UD rogue next. And hey, Slow_Rabbit, how's that Crochet set coming?
Designing a DS Lite case: arts & crafts with a purpose
Dave wrote us to show off his homemade DS Lite case, assembled with $1 worth of fabric, a rustic buckle, some matching thread, and a Ziploc bag (waterproof inner lining). But Dave can't take all the credit ... his girlfriend provided the sewing skills.Dave's work is the latest in a series of creative storage options that we've featured on Joystiq. From worn jeans, to the PSP sleeve, to an old sock, gamers are finding all kinds of ways to protect their Lites -- excluding, of course, throwing down for an often ugly, usually oversized, and almost always overpriced case sold at retailers. So how do you choose to protect your handhelds?
Webcam + CD-ROM lens = instant microscope
Sure, you could just buy one of the many, more capable, ready-made, USB microscopes, but if you're lacking for geek cred, you can also build your own with nothing more than a webcam and a lens salvaged from a CD or DVD drive. This hack courtesy of Kalanda is about as simple as can be, just carefully remove the tiny lens from your optical drive and affix it in place on the webcam with some cardboard and tape (they apparently didn't remove the webcam's lens). The lens is able to double as a microscope because of its very short focal length, which proved to be just right for getting disturbingly close shots of the intrepid DIY-er's hand. We're building one right now, too, because we've been having a hell of time keeping track of our micro-dice during those regular after-work craps games.[Via Make]
Pac-Man: The Movie, not coming to any theaters near you
In my opinion, the concept behind this home-made trailer for a fictional Pac-Man movie surpasses that of any other full length movie based on a game. Not that it's got much competition. Choice quote: "It looked like some kind of man, some kind of... Pac-man."[Thanks, Justin]
