Do-It-Yourself

News, reviews and articles about products that help you make and fix things.

TruePower U Socket Wall Outlet with Two USB Charge Ports

fastmac usb power outlet

FastMac has announced a 110V wall power outlet that can be used to replace any existing wall outlet.  The TruePower U Socket contains two USB charging ports in addition to the standard 3-prong power outlet ports.  The USB ports aren’t vampires – they don’t pull any power unless something is plugged in for charging.  FastMac

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Recycle Tip – Refill Pilot Varsity Fountain Pens

refill

Wee-Meng Lee sent in a nifty tip for those of you that own a Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pen and would like a relatively easy way to refill the ink instead of throwing away the pen. Wee-Meng has created a video that demonstrates his method. If you have other gadget tips like this one, please send them

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Build Your Own Harry Potter Whereabouts Clock

harry potter whereabouts clock

If you are a Harry Potter fan and are mechanically inclined, you can make your own magic Whereabouts clock like the Weasley family owned.  The clock in the picture is a one-of-a-kind creation, built by a man who was inspired by a conversation he had with his sons – yes, the magic in Harry Potter

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More Junk to Hang Off Your BackPack – But It’s YOUR Junk

r

I bumbled across this on Lifehacker: Make Photo Necklaces, Earrings, Magnets and More Using Shrinkable Plastic.  Make your own zipper pulls, earrings, nose rings, key chain fobs, dog collar fobs, cell phone fobs, wine glass fobs, e-reader fob, blah blah blah.  The technique involves the “Shrinky Dink” shrinkable plastic from waaaay back in the day,

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Picaboo Photo Books and Cards Review

picaboo review 1

A few years ago, making scrapbooks from photos seemed to be a national obsession.  Women especially seemed to spend hours (and untold dollars) preserving photos and family memories while exercising their artistic abilities.  I made a few scrapbooks in my day, and they are big, heavy, and hard to store.  Picaboo is an online service

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My Crutchfield experience…..

crutchfield P800BT

I have been pondering upgrading my stock car stereo for a fancy new one with some of, if not all, the bells and whistles; touch screen, navigation, iPod interface, HD radio, USB connection, etc. The real sticking point has been the cost. While the stereo may only cost between $350-$1000, the installation and additional parts

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