mechincal
Latest
Vintage mechanical spectacles take you way back
We've seen eyewear of just about every variety, and while we wouldn't necessarily recommend crafting your own over seeing an optometrist, Y4G3R's mechanical spectacles are probably better to look at than through. The brass-clad glasses resemble a mishmash of steampunk and modern DIY prowess, and while you may have seen a set similar to these worn in movies from decades ago, the mechanics here are likely superior. According to their creator, the "temple arms retract and the ear hoops pivot under for compact(ish) storage," and furthermore, "the bridge is spring loaded, extending another few centimeters when worn." So if you're curious to see just how neatly a pair of homegrown specs can plicate, click on through for the aftermath.[Via Wired]
Mechanical Hit Counter rings 'em up the old fashioned way
If you're curious about just how many hits your blossoming website is receiving on a moment to moment basis, but don't feel like fiddling with those questionably accurate electronic types, the Mechanical Hit Counter could be just the project you've been yearning for. As the name implies, the kit combines a vintage counter, lots of cabling, a few relays and transistors, an Ethernet interface board, a Basic Express BX-24, power supply, and an eagle-eyed webcam for spreading the excitement all over. This geeky (albeit beautiful) display of "overengineering" accomplishes a useful task by going around the proverbial elbow to reach the thumb, but even more shifty than the creation itself is its connection to the internet. The networked webcam snaps a photo of the counter every five or so seconds, giving bored surfers quite a bit of novel entertainment to pass the time. You know the drill, tap the read link for a detailed description and a killer time waster.[Via MAKE]
