Make no mistake.  We’re suckers for flashlights at The Gadgeteer!  I thought I’d seen it all, but this odd duck grabbed my attention.  The WorkStar 2000 Technician’s Floodlight from Maxxeon has a swiveling head, magnets, a hook and a rechargeable battery?  Let’s take a look!

You get a wall charger, car charger, belt clip and instructions.

The Maxxeon WorkStar 2000 Technician’s Floodlight’s most notable feature is the rotating head, which rotates 360 degrees and tilts 180.

The two silver discs are a pair of very, very strong magnets.  This light measures just over 10 inches long.

The red button is the on/off switch.  It also toggles the brightness level between hi (300 lumens) and low (75 lumens).

Feeding time!  The internal NiMH pack, which the manufacturer says is replaceable, charges in about three hours.

The belt clip stays put via the magnets.  I thought this would never hold, but there are two posts that slide into the body that keep it from just popping off.  I wouldn’t go mountain climbing or engage in extreme sports with this on my belt, but it works!

The bottom has a tripod screw and a pull-out hook that extends out 3 inches.  I nearly missed this feature, but the hook has proven very useful.

This is the business-end of the light.  A Cree XP-G, Cool White, 5 W LED really shines, literally.

And how does it look?  Well, I was pleasantly surprised to see how “crisp” the edges of the light was.  No hotspots in the center.  Very uniform throughout. And boy is it bright!  I found that the “low” setting (75 lumens) was plenty bright for most close-up work.

Light on "LOW" (about 75 lumens)

Light on "HIGH" (300 lumens)

I attempted to take snapshots of the two brightness settings.  It’s difficult to tell the difference in these photos, but “high” is definitely brighter, but it’s a little hard to tell what mode you’re in as you toggle between them.  Some kind of visual indicator like on the status LED (which only blinks once every few seconds when in use) would have been nice.

The hook, combined with the swivel head, is my favorite feature.  I like to have some extra light when I’m working on some project in the car.  Here, the hook is hanging off the sunroof opening.

I can’t say enough good things about this light.  I’ve used it nearly every day for a few weeks now, and the battery shows no sign of letting up.  I suppose it helps I always use it on the “low” setting, which I find perfectly adequate for close-up work.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Reviews

Tagged: LED flashlight

Maxxeon WorkStar 2000 Technician’s Floodlight Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 21, 2012 at 11:05 am.

Sugru is an air-curing rubber that can be formed and shaped by hand, sticks to most surfaces, cures to a tough flexible silicon overnight, and is stable at -60°C to + 180°C. Strong, flexible, waterproof and durable, it can be used for a multitude of purposes to adapt, modify and repair. Its uses are really only limited by your imagination. Once cured it can be removed with a craft knife and the residue removed with fingernails and tissue paper if required.

Hard to explain all the uses so have a look at the clip after the jump, or visit the Sugru website.  Available in multi-application packs from £7.50 ( $12 ).

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Repair, rubber

Sugru – Hack things better originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 18, 2012 at 9:00 am.

Warning: If you like robots, DO NOT READ this article. Don’t.do.it… If you decide not to heed my advice, it won’t be my fault if your productivity goes down the drain for the next 8hrs and your credit card starts to complain. You’ve been warned.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

I love toy robots and have started a small collection which you can see in the image above. I tend to like the ones that look a little retro, but I’m not that picky. The other day I was surfing around and somehow happened upon one of the coolest sites I’ve seen in a long time. It’s a 3D printing site called My Robot Nation.

Using their web based building tool, you can construct your own custom robot from over 9 billion part combinations. You can choose from many different heads, torsos, arms and legs. One caveat though… you have to use Chrome or Firefox to use their web based builder tool as it requires a WebGL enabled browser.

You can add all kinds of parts and stickers to your robot such as bolts, grills, visors, logos, letters, etc. Each part can be rotated and sized. You can even spin the robot around to add parts to the back side.

When you’ve finished adding parts, you can paint your robot by simply choosing a color and pointing and clicking on the part you want to paint.

But wait, there’s more! You can also pose the figure by turning the head, torso and arms.

Are you drooling yet?

I think I spent 2hrs or more building my first one, which you see above. I decided to purchase the smallest size – 2 inches due to price. $17.99 didn’t seem that much to pay for a 2 inch tall custom robot that I designed myself. But $169.99 for a 6 inch robot was way more than I wanted to spend. So I placed the order and waited about a week for my creation to arrive.

Here he is! Pretty cool right? If you aren’t familiar with 3D printing, here is some information about it directly from My Robot Nation’s site:

The printer projects the digital model of the 3D object into a compact base of gypsum powder (similar to plaster of Paris). Next, just as an inkjet moves over paper to print a document, it deposits a binder with 24-bit color layer-by-layer into the plaster-like base, literally building your robot millimeter by millimeter from the powder.

As it’s built, the loose powder around it supports its structure so there is no wasteful scaffolding to remove, no toxic materials or run-off, and the unused loose powder is recycled right back into the machine.

According to their FAQ, the printing process is pretty time consuming. The robot is printed at a rate of about one inch per hour and requires about 48 hours to cure.

The figure feels a bit fragile and isn’t something you want to “play” with or give to a small child. I’m pretty sure that dropping it on a hard surface from even a very short distance would cause it to break.

I am really happy with the way my first Robot turned out and I definitely have plans to create another one or a whole army of robots in the near future. The online building tool is very easy to use and is a lot of fun.

So, who is going to order one?

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Geek Toys, Reviews

Tagged: Robot

My Robot Nation – Build Your Own Robot Figurine originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 12, 2012 at 3:00 pm.

The PowerUp Electric Powered Paper Airplane Conversion Kit from TailorToys will turn a homemade folded paper airplane into an electric powered propeller driven plane. It comes with one propeller module and a charger module which runs on 3 AA batteries. You will need to supply your own paper to fold your plane. Once folded, clip the propeller module in place and charge it. 20 seconds of charge time will fly your plane for around 30 seconds or so. This looks like it could be a lot of fun for less than $20. You can get yours at Amazon.com

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Toy

Convert a Paper Airplane into an Electric Plane originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2011 at 10:00 am.

Over the past few years, I have had no less than three custom monitors created for me. All of which involved a separate trip to the audiologist to have specially-made molds of my ears created for the monitors to be made from. These visits had to be scheduled and involved a commute to have pink goo injected into my ear canal. The molds were then shipped and took many weeks of waiting for the monitors to be manufactured and shipped back to me.  This is a time-horizon potentially spanning months before actually having your custom fitted earbuds in your possession. sculpted eers have created a system that reduces the many week wait to a mere four minutes. They promise great sounding custom-fitted/molded earphones in less than thirty minutes, start to finish.

Package Contents:

• SonoFit Fitting System
• 1 – Tube of Fitting Lubricant
• 2 – Earphone Faceplates
• 1 – Carrying Case
• 1 – User Manual
• 1 – Fitting Guide

Specifications:

• Typical Weight – approx 15 g (0.53 oz)
• Cable – 1.3 m (50 in.) kink-resistant
• Connector – 3.5mm (1/8”) gold-plated stereo jack
• Typical nominal impedance – 90 ohms
• Sensitivity – 106 dB SPL /146 mVrms @1 kHz
• Maximum output level – 120 dB SPL
• Frequency Response – 20 Hz – 20 kHz

sculpted eers manufactures two types of earbuds, the PCS-200 (which you see here) and the PCS-100 custom fitted earpieces. While they look basically the same, the PCS-200 have premium dual drivers with crossover and the PCS-100 have a single driver with enhanced bass.

This interesting looking device is the SonoFit system created/designed in partnership with Sonomax. The SonoFit system produces custom fitted eartips without the assistance of an audiologist. That seems fine and dandy but is sadly a one shot deal. Once you begin this multiple step process, there is no turning back and you get, what you get…..

The first step in the process is to lubricate the eartips so that they may more easily move while they form to the inside of your ear. As you would expect, the SonoFit system includes a small bottle of oily liquid. The key is to spread a good amount evenly on both eartips.

While I was carefully applying the lubrication, one of the switches fell off the system.

It was easy enough to put back in place but seemed a bit cheesy that it fell apart so readily.

The next step is to actuate the #1 flipper switch on both earpieces and then place the SonoFit system on your head. The system needs to be precisely situated on your head. This is due to the fact the formation process locks everything into place, just as you want the finished earpieces to sit.

Once seated perfectly on your head and within your ears, you flip the second set of leavers and the process begins. You must remain still with your jaw loose. No talking or smiling. During the four minutes, there is definitely movement inside your ears as the eartips mold to the inner shape of ear canals.

After the four minutes of transformation, you carefully remove the SonoFit assembly from your head. As you can see, the eartips have changed shape.

The next step is to remove the PCS-200 (now) custom-fitted earpieces from the SonoFit headset. This was the easiest, simplest part of the process. Once you clean off the eartips and connect the earphone faceplates, your new earbuds are supposed to be good to go……

In regards to ‘custom fitted’, they do not fit my ears very well at all. They do not stay set within my ears, as they sit on the outside of my ear canal instead of in them. This leads to, at best, poor to mediocre sound quality since they do not set properly in my ears. The highs and mids are alright but most of the bass is totally lost.

When I force the eartips into my ears, the openings where the sound comes out is up against the wall of my ear and I cannot hear a thing. If I manipulated them right over the opening to my inner ear, they momentarily sounded very good. Once I removed the force holding them in place, they lose their seal and returned to sounding fair.

My theory behind this failure to form properly is due to the 90 degree turn my ear canal makes. This picture of my UE Pro 7′s and JHAudio JH|5 ear monitors illustrate just how dramatic the turn is.

The crazy thing is, they fit the Gadgeteer Kid’s ears better than mine. According to him, they sound very nice and feel good. So, at least, they will not go to waste.

Form fitness aside, the earbuds themselves are well made but are definitely not professional, custom-made monitors either. They are made well enough, but to be painfully honest, there are better alternatives (that would be more or less a sure thing) at the $200-$300 price range.

The cable is 1.3 m (50 in.) long and kink-resistant. The plug is gold plated and well enough constructed.

I find it very difficult to recommend any ‘do-it-yourself’ system that utterly failed me, especially when it costs between $200 (PCS-100) to $300 (PCS-200). If the SonoFit system had created me a form-fitted set of (great sounding) earbuds, I would say at $300 its a good deal considering the instant gratification of a custom-fit pair of earbuds in 4 minutes. However, since this is one-shot deal, as I stated above there are better options for the same or even less money.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Do-It-Yourself, Reviews

Tagged: Customized, Earbuds

sculpted eers PCS-200 Custom Molded Earphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 26, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Most bathroom tub and shower faucets don’t have any settings indicators, so you never know for sure if you have the water temperature adjusted to your liking before getting in the shower.  These simple, yet ingenious Temji bands from Dreamfarm stretch to fit most any faucet.  Simply use trial-and-error one more time to find the adjustment that’s just right for you, then fit the dial and indicator on your faucet.  To make things easier, there’s a red band for hot and blue for cold.  Temji is only $4.95.  You can order directly from Temji (in Australia) or use their store finder to find resellers near you.  (There are several resellers here in Greensboro, but I can’t tell if they offer the entire line of Dreamfarm products.)

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Home Tech, News

Tagged: Faucet, Home safety

Keep Things from Getting Too Hot with Temji Shower Temperature Dials originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 14, 2011 at 9:00 am.

I’ve seen magnetic paint and chalkboard paint, but I’ve never seen conductive paint before.  Bare Conductive makes conductive paint that allows you to paint electrical circuits anywhere: floor, ceiling, clothing, walls – anywhere but skin.  The paint is water-based, non-toxic, and air-dryable.  Once dried, it becomes the circuit.  You can paint over it so it blends in with the surface it’s painted on, and you can even paint another layer of conductive paint on top without interfering with the previous circuit.  Check out the Bare Conductive website for ideas, and go to ThinkGeek to purchase some Bare Paint Conductive Paint for $29.99.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, News

Tagged: Conductive paint

Create Electrical Circuits Anywhere with Paint originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 12, 2011 at 10:00 am.

A while back, Julie posted a news item about a ‘wooden pocket knife.’  I was intrigued: normally, one cuts wood with a knife, right?  So when the opportunity to review Nathan’s Knife Kit from Klecker Knives came up, I had to check it out.  My 8-year-old son had been asking me when he could get his own pocket knife.  I want him to begin to appreciate knife safety, but at the same time I know that he is not ready yet in the responsibility department for an actual knife of his own.  Add to this that he and I like to do little DIY-type woodworking projects together (bearing in mind that my tools and skills are meager at best), and this seemed like a perfect fit for both of us.  Onward!

NOTE: All images in this review have been enabled with clickable enlargeability for your viewing pleasure.  ;-)

Background

Packaging

Contents

Assembly

Some shots of the knife in the open and locked out position.  Yes, the locking mechanism really does lock out, and the thumb button must be depressed to close the blade, just like in a real lock-back folding knife.  It even produces a tactile and audible “lock” sound when locking open.

Detail shot of the locking mechanism in the open and locked out position:
A few more shots to illustrate the finished construction.  The parts in our kit all fit together nice and tight, with no slop or loose connections.

Something to keep in mind is that, while the blade is not “sharp” in the sense of having a true blade edge, it does have a sharply pointed tip.  

Part of the benefit of having the kit made from wood is that the finished knife can be sanded, glued, sealed, stained, painted and decorated as desired.   They encourage everyone who completes a kit to send them some pics of the finished work which they will post in their Hall of Fame.

And finally, below are a few shots of my son holding the completed knife.  He was eight when we assembled the kit just a month or two ago.

Conclusion

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Reviews

Tagged: DIY, Pocket Knife

Nathan’s Wooden Knife Kit Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2011 at 8:00 am.

The MudWatt kit from KeegoTech is an educational DIY kit that can teach kids about soil chemistry, microbiology and electricity. By combining ordinary dirt from your yard, along with scraps from your refrigerator, kids can create a fuel cell that will light up an LED. The MudWatt set is priced at $44.95 and can be expanded with other accessories such as a hacker boards for even more learning fun.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Learning

MudWatt Generates Power from Mud and Garbage originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2011 at 11:30 am.

If you’re looking for a cool gift for your favorite ukulele player, this is it. It’s a kit for a folding soprano ukulele. The parts are made of laser cut bamboo. All you need is some sandpaper, glue and a few other miscellaneous items and you’ll be able to build your own instrument that just happens to fold up into a nifty little package that can easily stow in your backpack. The resulting uke won’t sound as good as a traditionally built instrument, but it will make a fun do-it-yourself project. There are two kit designs to choose from, which are priced from $75-$87.50 (pictured). If you don’t want to take the time to build the kit, you can even buy them already finished… but for the price of the finished kits ($250 – $375), you could buy a decent regular uke. Check out these kits here.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Musical Gear, News

Tagged: DIY, Musical instruments

Ukulele taking up too much space? Fold it. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 26, 2011 at 11:49 am.

Duct tape artisans can now enjoy a wide variety of patterns in their favorite cloth tape. Want to create a polka dotted duct tape wallet? Now you can with Platypus Designer Duct Tapes from Fortis Design. There are 14 designs to choose from, that range from plaids and paisley to wicker and leopard. Each roll is 32 ft long and is priced at $6.95. You can find Platypus Designer Duct Tape at brick and mortar stores like Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and Ace Hardware, or purchase online through Fortis Design.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, News

Tagged: Crafts

Get Crafty with Designer Duct Tape originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 18, 2011 at 6:04 pm.

Parts-People.com is a family owned business that was started back in 2002. They have a shop in Austin, TX and a web site that specializes in Dell laptop repair and parts replacement supplies. You can send them your laptop for repair, or if you are a DIY kinda of person, you can purchase the parts and perform the repairs on your own. They sell parts that range from motherboards, bezels and AC adapters, all the way down to screws for a large variety of Dell branded laptops (including Alienware laptops).

Check out their Facebook page where they run contests (they are currently giving away a laptop) and provide additional info about their services.

For the do-it-yourself Dell owner, they even offer a YouTube Channel that has over 200 tutorial videos that show you step by step how to perform many different types of laptop repairs. The videos are easy to understand and include all the info you need to perform the repairs from start to finish, including the list of needed tools. Each video also has a link to the full written instructions for each repair as well.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Dell, Laptop, Repair

Great Repair Site for Dell Laptop Owners originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 29, 2011 at 3:30 pm.

A Mixbook collects your photos and lets you share them with others.

Mixtapes (or mixCDs, if you’re of the younger generation that didn’t have to use tape), those custom-designed soundtracks of your life from high school and before, were ubiquitous. If you liked someone, or wanted to celebrate a special memory or event, you’d make a mixtape to play in the background. We still do similar things through custom play lists on iTunes, Rdio, or Spotify, or tweaked stations on Pandora. In many areas, there are also groups of ladies (mostly) who enjoy clipping, pasting, and constructing scrapbooks of various events. There are special scissors that pink the edges of special background papers, stickers, and other items that fill the aisles of craft stores across the country. Imagine a mashup of these two things, and you have Mixbook personalized printed photo books. Mixbook is a service, basically,  that takes this scrapbooking ability online. With the proliferation of high quality cameras, we can now edit, crop, and manipulate photos. No longer do we need to clip, paste, and bind memories – we can do it digitally.  The folks at MixBook asked the Gadgeteer team to try out their service, and I was selected to delve into it.

I’ve been taking pictures digitally for over ten years. About eight years ago, I was introduced to flickr.com (years before it was acquired by Yahoo) and was a pro user for several years. I have probably 70 GB of photos on my hard drive, plus CDs and hard drives with archived photos. Some were taken with an early Kodak point and shoot, some with  prosumer units of moderate ability, and many were taken with a Canon Digital Rebel or a Nikon D40x  or D90. I’ve had various other card-deck-sized point-and-shoot units and taken some nice shots with a few of them as well. The longer I carry cameras around, however, the more convinced I become that, as Chase Jarvis says, “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” But, no matter which camera you use, sharing the moments of your life is an important part of capturing those photos.

Remembering - I parked near this cemetery for eight years. The best camera is the one that's with you.

Mixbook’s website allows you to upload your pictures, choose backgrounds, add decorations, and layout pages, then order books to be sent to yourself or anyone else. There are several sizes and binding types available – hard-bound, soft cover, and wire-bound. You make this choice, and start adding pages to your book. You have total control over how pages are laid out, and there are templates for various numbers of photos on each page which make this process easier and give you good ideas to start from. Changing the template is simple, but you cannot save an edited template for use on other pages. Dragging your photos over from the thumbnail-sized gallery is quick and easy. You can have large background photos, various smaller shots floating over them, and turn photos at different angles, all in an intuitive interface that, unfortunately, is built in Adobe Flash. (This means you can only edit your books on a computer that has Flash installed. Tablet performance is horrid or non-functional.) Since I’m only using Flash in Chrome, this meant I could only edit my book from home, rather than on the devices I carry with me on a daily basis. Hopefully, this will improve in time. That said, upload was painless, with several streams allowed at a time. I don’t think I had a single issue uploading, and I pushed out some large files, usually in groups of 5-10 at a time.

MixBook Flash fail - I'll be so glad when plug-ins are no longer in use.

Once edited and finished, ordering a book is a simple process. When you click the order button, the system quickly calculates how many pages your book is, and what the cost will be. If this is not to your liking, you can remove or add pages and re-calculate your order without a problem. You can also give gift certificates in the form of redemption codes, which is a simple thing to use. This would be a fantastic gift for someone who has just been on an epic journey, like a semester abroad or an anniversary trip, to allow them to preserve and share the occasion. (Even with a coupon code for the full amount, however, you’ll still need to enter a credit card for the final shipment. This is just for verification of identity and shipping, however, and is not kept on file, according to their help desk.) I contacted support and asked several questions, and got great service on each occasion, with timely follow-up and accurate answers.

A two-page, full bleed photo layout. Registration (matching across the pages) is very difficult, and done flawlessly.

The product I was delivered was quite impressive. I opened it when I got home (late because of work – everyone was asleep) and enjoyed looking through it and remembering taking each photo. I left it on the dining room table, and the next morning, after the Lovely Bride had left for work, I stumbled out to make some tea. There was a note on top of my book with a single word in huge letters: “WOW!” I think that says a lot. She had spent all of breakfast going through it, remembering which photos we’d taken together, and seeing the ones for the first time that I’d taken on business trips, and had almost been late for work! And that’s the goal with such a product: share your photos with friends so that they can relive or learn of your experiences.

Quibbles are few. The Flash thing goes without saying, but this legacy program is quite ingrained on today’s web. With new technologies being released, and with tablets and other devices becoming more prevalent on today’s internet, I’m sure this will improve over time. Regarding the final book, as a former printing artist, I noticed a few things. Several full-bleed pages (where the photo was designed to go off the edge of the page) were cut short, and a white border showed. While my wife never noticed, I knew and was a bit irritated that there was a flaw.

White border on a full bleed photo. On the cover, yet. Arrghhh!

I’ve never seen that on any of the books I’ve ordered through iPhoto or Snapfish. Also, although the packaging was secure and tight, there was nothing to protect the book from the rough cardboard packaging. One of the premium touches in an iPhoto book is a slipcover and sleeve, all enclosed in protective wrap. If you’re sending this as a gift, the out-of-box experience is quite dull. With the pricing nearly identical, this feels a bit plain for such a nice finished product.

Vanity tags - custom printing on the binding gives your Mixbook that final professional touch.

All in all, the experience and the product received was quite good. The clarity of the photos as printed, the quality of the binding, and the selection and speed of upload were all perfection. If you have photos languishing in your digital “shoebox in the closet,” you should put one together and share it with someone you care about. Isn’t that why you took those photos in the first place?

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, Do-It-Yourself, Reviews

Tagged: Photo album printing, photo gifts, Photo keepsake

Mixbook Personalized Printed Photo Books Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 25, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Bheestie Bags are another of those bags filled with a desiccant to help you dry out electronics that have been exposed to moisture.  The bags are 6″ X 9″, so they’re big enough for phones and MP3 player but not bigger tablets.  You can keep a Bheestie Bag, unopened, in reserve about a year.  It can be used more than once to dry out electronics, but that usage will shorten the “shelf life” of the bag.  There are blue indicator beads inside that will turn gray to let you know when you need to replace the bag.  An item exposed to a little water will reportedly be ready after being in the bag overnight; an item that got a good dunking could need up to 72 hours.  Each bag is $20 from Bheestie.  They can also be purchased at retailers like REI, Amazon, Restoration Hardware, and Nextascent.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Gear, News

Tagged: Repair wet electronics

Bheestie Bags Promise to Save Your Wet Electronics originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 18, 2011 at 8:01 am.

Everyone knows that electricity bills are getting higher and higher, and often we’re burning up precious fossil fuels to create this power.  Now Solar Panels are becoming a viable solution even for the average consumer these days but tend to be expensive, delicate, require specialised installation and look pretty ugly up there on the roof,

Well at CEATAC, 3M demonstrated it’s new special film developed to coat ordinary, existing windows and convert them into solar panels. Made from an organic photovoltaic material the film not only  generates energy from sunlight but also absorbs over 90% of infrared light, resulting in a cooling effect as well.

The film’s narrow, translucent green strips have gaps between them and are glued onto the window in large patches.  Unlike solar paneling, the film is easy to install and according to 3M senior manager Ashuiro Aoyagi can be installed by the average person.  It’s worth noting though that the film only generates about 20 percent of the power generated by a regular solar panel so a 1m square only generates roughly enough power to charge a smartphone under direct  sunlight.

Pricing and availability are not yet available.

See 3M’s Solar Energy Site for more information on their currently available solutions.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Solar

3M Solar Panel Window Film originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 12, 2011 at 3:05 pm.

We have reviewed Dremel tools before- the 300 series, the Trio, and a cordless tool, however the company just keeps making a good thing better. The new Dremel 3000 power rotary tool incorporates a lot of smaller changes, and one big one- the nose cap now acts as a wrench for loosening tools.

The new tool runs 5,000 to 32,000 rpm, packs a 1.2 amp motor in the 20 ounce package and is compatible with most Dremel rotary tool accessories and attachments. Among the smaller changes are larger and better placed air vents (earlier models tended to be easy to block or blew hot air on your fingers), a more ergonomic grip (the grove shown above on the bottom is perfect for your little finger in many positions). The front end was reshaped to make the pencil grip easier, and the symmetrical housing  allows ambidextrous use.

The big change, however, is a new nose cap that screws off as usual for various attachments, and is also shaped to act as a wrench to change tools easily. The nose cap has a reinforced opening the same size and shape as the collet nut. The good news is that it acts as the aforementioned wrench. The less good news is that you have to line things up to remove or reattach the cap.

End view of the EZ Twist nose cap

EZ Twist nose cap- note the shaped opening

It comes in a molded plastic case with a small ‘starter’ selection of 28 bits and accessories- none of which are the recently introduced EZ Lock system oddly enough- and two attachments- the cutting guide which turns the tool into a router or rotary cutting tool, and the sanding/grinding guide which turns the tool into a mini-grinding or sanding station. The sanding/grinding tool is recommended for use with the Dremel 2500-01 Multi-Vise (not included). It offers a four year limited warranty.

What comes in the box

Attachments and accessories included

The Gutting Guide and rotary cutting bit

The Sanding/Grinding Guide and sanding bit

The 1.2 amp motor is a bit stronger than the 300′s 1.15 amps, but not powerful as the professional series 400 XPR’s 2.0 amp motor. Compared the the 400 XPR (my main tool at work), the 3000 runs less smoothly with a slight vibration at the lower speeds. Like the 300, it has an integrated on/off/speed selection control. It works well, with a slight detent at different speed settings (although I prefer the separate controls the 400 XPR features. )

I like the new design. It  is comfortable to hold in several positions and seems to run a lot cooler. There is something about the simple ‘little finger groove’ that really seems to help. The main body is fairly compact, so it fits in odd positions well and feels nice and light.

The tool in my hand. Note the little finger grove.

The new ‘EZ Twist’ nose cap is certainly a nice feature, and a good example of tool evolution. Early Dremels required a wrench to remove the bits, then they installed a locking mechanism that made it easier, then there was a new shape of collet nut that worked with the lock to make it a mostly tool-free job… unless you got things a bit too tight. The EZ Twist cap may not seem very revolutionary but it is a really nice step towards painless bit changes. I am not sure it is a big enough change to upgrade from a different recent model, but if you only have an older tool or have never tried a Dremel, you should look into this series!

If you do not know what you can do with a Dremel, you really owe it to yourself to look into these. Go to the Dremel Videos and How To page for a glimpse of what these really cool tools can do for you!

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Reviews

Tagged: Dremel, power tool, rotary tool

Dremel 3000 Rotary Tool Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 9, 2011 at 2:25 pm.

Back in December of last year, I showed you a wooden knife kit by Garrett Wade that helps show kids how pocket knives work. I have an alternative kit that is less expensive, requires no tools for assembly and has nicer looking chunky parts. It’s Nathan’s Knife Kit from Klecker Knives. Klecker’s website even has a Hall of Fame area where they post pictures of kids with the knives they’ve made. This would make a great afternoon project with your kids… or even yourself

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Kids, Kit, Pocket Knife

Wooden Pocket Knife Kit Teaches Knife Mechanics to Kids originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 20, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

3D printing is a form of manufacturing technology where three dimensional objects are created by laying down successive layers of material. Industrial 3D printers are available but aren’t the cheapest item around. The  Makerbot Thing-O-Matic is an an open source 3D printer for substantially less. Using a 3D CAD program and plastic filament you can create (or recreate) 3D objects.

Kinda reminds me of the Star Trek replicator ( though I wouldn’t be eating anything you create with it).  SCHWEET !!!  WANT……!!!!  

Check it out at Makerbot , starting from $1299 (some assembly required )

And make sure you check out some of the videos.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, News

Tagged: 3D, Printer

Makerbot Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 27, 2011 at 11:00 am.

I enjoy making stuff, and I love electronics, so I generally really like electronics kit projects. The SpikenzieLabs Solder:Time Watch Kit seems like a great option for someone like me. This is actually a hackable watch- they provide the source code and other info, as well as convenient pads on the circuit board to tap into.

The Solder:Time Watch is loaded with interesting features for something so apparently simple and only $29.95:

• Laser-cut acrylic case (4 layers thick!)
• Dallas Semiconductor DS1337+ RTC clock chip
• PIC 16F631 micro-controller
• Low power consumption components
• Simple, one-button set-up and operation
• Long 2-sided Velcro strap wristband fits even large wrists
• Large, bright display
• Hackable and tinker-friendly allows for lots of other options- pocketwatch, desk clock, external power supply and more

Everything in the package

The parts for the case- some with protective film still in place

The electronic components

• Soldering the battery holder was annoying since there are no pins or anything to stabilize it. The directions have a handy trick I should have thought of, but I made it work.
• I needed to go back and trim the leads a few times- they need to be REALLY short for the right fit and to prevent issues when the board is squished into the case.
• It took a few tries ‘dry-fitting’ the 6 parts of the case, not including 4 socket-head screws, to get everything to line up right. It was fun to try to work out exactly how things fit. The directions make it super-easy, but I enjoyed the challenge.
• Troubleshooting was irritating and kind of fun. Long leads, mediocre solder jobs, and so forth plagued me- try it, works fine, assemble it and it was acting odd. Disassemble, try something, repeat. Even after it was working well enough for this review, it started to act up again.
• Trying to determine how to set the time without looking at the directions was fairly straightforward and I got it in only a few tries.

The glitches I had just added interest to the project for me, but could easily have been avoided by following the simple directions.

Assembled 'guts'

So what did I end up with for my investment? Well, to be charitable, it is a big watch- it measures 2 3/8in (60mm) across, 1/2in (12mm) thick- not counting the screw heads, which bring it to 9/16 in (15mm). It is also a simple watch- when you press the button, it displays the current time for about 5 seconds. No date, no seconds, no other functionality in its default state. If you wear it as it is, it actually looks a little silly- big clunky watch on a skinny 3/4in (20mm) band- albeit one you can see though,  which is kinda cool.

Finished watch on a reluctant model's arm(I forgot to remove one of the protective films- the back piece is clear as well.)

I doubt most people would wear this as is- it begs for hacking the case. I’m trying to decide it’s final purpose. If I carry it as a pocket watch or clip-on clock, I’d want to replace the 4 socket-head screws with countersunk flatheads, round off the top and bottom edges for a smoother package and figure out a cooler strap (carbon fiber???) If I use it as a desk clock, I’d glue it to a clear stand, probably taking advantage of the DC power option to run it off a battery pack in the base. Hacking the chip itself is outside my skills although I am curious what is possible. I did not find a lot of ideas or tips online for that.

Sure, for $29.95, you can buy lots of watches that look nicer and do more, but the cool thing about the Solder:Time is that you did it yourself and that you can then modify it into anything you can imagine.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Reviews, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: DIY, Watch

SpikenzieLabs Solder:Time Watch Kit Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2011 at 11:15 am.

RedEye products and apps from ThinkFlood have allowed you to use your iOS devices as home theater remotes for a couple of years now.  If you add some of their hardware connectivity products, you can even use them to control lights and appliances in your home.  But why should Apple users have all the fun?  ThinkFlood has just announced their RedEye application for Android smartphones and tablets.  The RedEye Android app is compatible with networked RedEye products (RedEye and RedEye Pro) and supports devices running Android 1.6 and later, including 3.0 (Honeycomb) for tablets. RedEye is currently the only remote control platform compatible with Android smartphones and tablets.  You’ll be able to define profiles for each networked system or each room in your house, and everyone with an Android device will be able to share the profiles so each has his own remote control.  You can customize button layouts for your remotes, and keyboard shortcuts in Android allow you to easily control functions.  There’s even a program guide in the application to help you plan your viewing.

RedEye hardware can be purchased online from ThinkFlood and is available from dealers and retailers worldwide, in more than 60 countries.  You can obtain the app in the Android marketplace.  See the full press release (after the jump) for more details.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Do-It-Yourself, News

Tagged: Home Automation, Home Theater, Remote control applications

Control Your Home Theater – and Even Your Home – With RedEye for Android originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2011 at 8:49 am.

I am sure all of you have had a moment where you’ve been in a pinch to find tools to hang a picture, tap in a nail that has stuck out on a piece of trim, or needed to get a quick measurement.  These are some of the projects the Kelvin.23 can help with.

The Kelvin.23 multi-tool is “The Urban Super Tool” that fits into the palm of your hand and features 23 tools.  It has a hammer head, LED light, 5 1/2 ft tape measure, magnet to hold loose screws, spirit level, and 16 screw bits.  The screwdriver can lock at 180 degrees or 90 degrees for extra torque.  Kelvin.23 is priced at approximately $30-35, is 5 1/2″ long, 1 1/2″ wide and weighs approximately one pound.  It was invented by Kevin Royes of Vancouver, Canada, and is made in China.

Kelvin.23 feels well built in my hand and is made of a cast aluminum body.  It has a hammer head on the lower right end of the device in the above picture. Please note this is for small jobs and not for full carpentry projects.  The website, http://www.kelvintools.com says “for any of those jobs where the heel of a stiletto would make a good solution, then we’ve got your back. Zinc die cast and chrome plated…hammer away and save those shoes for Saturday night”.  It would be nice if the hammer head would be placed out a bit further from the body so there was less possibility of hitting the body of the unit or fingers when swinging.

The screwdriver can lock in at 90 and 180 degrees.  The bits seem to sit securely in place.  There are two magnets on the sides of the screwdriver, which are ALNICO magnets and seem quite powerful to hold loose screws.

A tape measure is included.  The packaging says it’s a 6 foot tape measure, www.kelvintools.com says 5 foot, and comfortable working length is 5 1/2 feet.

The bit compartment holds 16 bits that are of standard sizes.  The bits may be hard to remove for someone who has large/thick fingers.  There is no lock for the hinged portion that contains the level and sits over the bits.  If it wasn’t shut all the way or if debris got in the hinge, level function could be off.  The battery cover is to the left of the bits, under the hinge, with a thin cover.  Once the battery cover has been opened, it seems difficult to keep it locked in place.  I have a fear of batteries falling out with longer use.

There is an LED light above the screwdriver that is nice to give some extra illumination.  It works well as a small, portable flashlight to help locate objects too. The light does disperse and it would be nice it would be a bit more fine focused for use.

Overall, it does seem handy to complete small kitchen tasks.  This gadget is said to be 23 essential tools, which are the 16 bits, level, LED light, hammer, tape measure, two magnets to attract the loose screws, and the extra angle to the screwdriver.  I wish it would combine some essentials from the Leatherman, like pliers and maybe a cutting tool.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: Multi-tools, Tools

Kelvin.23 Multi-Tool Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 29, 2011 at 4:06 pm.

The Solder : Time from Spikenzielabs is an easy to solder wristwatch kit that has a laser cut acrylic casing that allows you to see the internal PCB, electronic components and battery (CR2032). There’s a velcro wrist band included, but you can also wear it as a badge with optional badge clip. This looks like a fun project for both young and old that can elevate your geek cred by several levels. The kit can be purchased for $29.95 or if you’re too lazy to build one, you can get an assembled watch for $39.95

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: DIY, Watch

You aren’t a real geek unless you solder your own watch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 24, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

You’ve no doubt seen flip books before… They are small books with an image on each page that looks like an animated cartoon or movie when you rifle through pages sequentially. Now you can use a 5-15 second video that you’ve captured on your iPhone to create your own 50 page flip book by using the Flickbooks free iPhone app. The video is uploaded to MyFlickBooks website and you can pay for the book directly on your iPhone. The price is € 9.90 plus € 3 Shipping. That works out to about $17 US. Don’t have an iPhone? No worries, just visit the MyFlickBooks website and upload your video directly and place your order.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Do-It-Yourself, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Photography

FlickBooks App Turn iPhone Videos into Flipbooks originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 16, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

The Kelvin 23 is a toolbox for your hand. It includes a hammer, level, measuring tape, LED light, and even a 16 bit magnetic screwdriver. It’s available in Black or Pink and is priced at $29.99

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Home Tech, News

Tagged: Tools

Pocket Multi-tool with a Built in Hammer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2011 at 12:30 pm.

Veto ProPac XXL-F tool bag. Seriously. The LAST tool bag/box/kit you will ever need.

I know you have one.   Those clunky, metal, red toolboxes.  That iconic American symbol of craftsmen, workmen, and Do It Yourself-ers everywhere.   Those expensive, heavy, red-paint-chipping, heavier-than-cement-crack -your-shin-on-it dead weights that holds a mish mash of tools and accessories that, once in, you can never find again.

Throw it out.  Seriously.  Throw that rusty bucket of bolts out. (Save the bolts though).  There’s a new sheriff in town and it’s name is the XXL-F Tool Bag from Veto Pro Pac.  It’s not a box but as strong as it is, it might as well be.

VetoPro Pac XXL-F tool bag is a waterproof, weatherproof, rust proof fabric bag that holds everything your red clunky box holds AND you can sling it across your body with the padded shoulder strap that comes with it.  You can’t do that with a tool box.  But you can do it with Veto Pro.

I’m not a tool person.  My husband is.  I’m not.  I’m more of a gardener.  My husband has one of the iconic red, clunky metal boxes.  I know this because I’ve tripped over it more times than I know how to count.  And I’ve kicked it as many times too.  When I first saw the XXL-F, I jumped for it.   Because my husband’s wrenches and sockets and screwdrivers and pliers, and needlenose pliers and drills and bits and pieces spend next to NO time in that stupid metal box.   No.  They hang out ALL OVER everywhere else.  Not just the garage…but pretty much everywhere else.  And of course he can never find anything when he wants it because it’s NOT in the toolbox…it’s somewhere else.

Why?  Because no man in his right mind REALLY wants to lug that heavy toolbox around with him as he goes forth to conquer the world’s loose nuts and bolts or just knock one more item off of the “Honey Do” list.

But then I thought…you know… as much as this is designed for tools….I could really use it to hold my gardening stuff because that too is all over the place.

Special thanks to Tractor Supply Company in Noblesville, IN for allowing me to come into their store and take photos.

Season after season, I go through whatever cute, floral, sweet looking “holds all your gardening tools” bucket/basket/contraption that the nurseries come out with.   These “gardening tool caddies” were not REALLY for those of us who take “playing in the dirt” to a whole new level.  Our trowels, hand rakes, dandelion pullers, hand spades, this and that, twine, seeds, it all gets filthy dirty.   So the newest Martha Stewart-y caddy gets dirty, ripped, torn and is basically useless after one season.  I’m sure it’s a conspiracy, so I choose to be a rebel.  My gardening stuff: seeds, twine, plant food, tools, gloves, goofy hat… it’s all being kept in the XXL-F.

Painters can use this bag.  Artists can use this bag.  Pretty much anyone who has to keep a lot of materials, tools, pencils, etc can use the Veto Pro Pac XXL-F.

And you can still fit more tools and gear into this section...

Why Veto Pro Kicks the Red Tool Box’s Butt

Not clunky

Won’t rust

It’s made of 3mm thick waterproof, weather proof propylene with a 1800 denier nylon fabric body.

Over-molded ergonomic grip

Rock solid but padded and comfy shoulder strap leaving your hands free to carry other stuff.

54 pockets of different sizes

47 tiered pockets,

can hold framing squares

open storage for really long tools

structured, sturdy zippers…not some cheap stuff.  These zippers are rock solid and won’t rust.

A minor scratching of the surface to demonstrate just how much stuff and of varying sizes the XXL-F holds.

Find me a metal toolbox, red or otherwise, that will hold as many tools, in as many pockets, as solidly made, that can withstand even the toughest of conditions and still keep your gear handy where you don’t go searching for it?   Because if you can, I’d like to see it.

Veto Pro Pac bags come in three different sizes designed for the user’s needs.  I don’t see too many metal toolboxes that do that.

Obviously, I dig this bag.  I like things organized and I know of a lot of craftsmen and plumbers who like to keep their instruments handy.  While toting this bag around Tractor Supply Company in Noblesville, IN, I had no less than three farmers ask to look at it and ask me where I got it.

And that’s a good question.  While I could not find this bag at your usual and sundry hardware stores, Veto Pro Pac includes a Dealer Locator (based on your zip code) of businesses that do carry the Veto Pro Pac tool bags.  There are five different businesses within a 50 mile distance of my zip code that carry this bag complete with addresses and phone numbers that the Veto Pro Pac provides.

Two words about their website: User Friendly. Whatever you want to know about the bag, you get.  You get specs, four separate views and detailed product information about each tool bag on the website and it’s easy to navigate.  You can purchase the bag directly from the website or use the Dealer Locator tab.

The XXL-F can be purchased on the Veto Pro Pac website for $179.95. That’s a pretty standard price.  Even Amazon.com lists the XXL-F at $179.95.   To some, that sounds pretty spendy.  Until you see what you get and realize that you never have to deal with metal toolboxes and disorganization ever again. For the dabbler or amateur gardener, it might be a bit much to spend.  For serious craftsmen, plumbers, service professionals, electricians, tech guys, professional interior/exterior painters, handymen, HVAC guys, it’s an investment.  They know that when they take this bag out in all sorts of weather, their tools and gear are going to be protected and organized.

Note: Links in this review are affiliate links. The Gadgeteer earns a small percentage of $’s for any sale that comes from this review.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Gear, Reviews

Tagged: nylon, Organization, pockets, propylene, tool bag, Waterproof, weatherproof

Veto Pro Pac XXL-F Tool Bag Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm.