News, reviews and articles about products that help you make and fix things.
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 […]
TruePower U Socket Wall Outlet with Two USB Charge Ports Read More
The-Gadgeteer post for the getting-started-guide-for-Linux reminded me of this useful site: devcheatsheet.com. The best thing? You can post your own cheat sheets and help others grok perplexing and poorly documented libraries and programs. The next best thing? You can download many of them as PDF files and put ’em on your e-reader.
One-Stop Cheat Sheet Shopping Read More
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
Recycle Tip – Refill Pilot Varsity Fountain Pens Read More
If you are a photography buff or just like to build things, check out the Plamodel build-your-own working 35mm camera with a 28mm lens. You simply snap together the plastic parts in the DIY camera kit from Japanese design house SuperHeadz. This could be a fun project for you to do with a younger child who’d
Build Your Own 35mm Camera Read More
Benny Johansson sent in a link to his site where he demonstrates how to make your own holders for flashlights, bicycle pumps and other items. His photography and clear instructions are great. I’ve bookmarked the site for future reference. Go check it out.
DIY holders for flashlights Read More
Do you ever read new product posts here on The Gadgeteer and think that you could easily make something yourself that would be a fraction of the cost? Sandee Cohen did just that. Let’s check the results.
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
Build Your Own Harry Potter Whereabouts Clock Read More
Do you have your eye on a multi-device charging system, but don’t want to fork over the $’s to buy one? Have you ever considered making one? That’s exactly what Gadgeteer reader Robert Grenader decided to do. Check out his handy work.
DIY – Multi-Device Charging Station Read More
I was in Greenland a few years ago and fascinated by the multi-choice toilets which allow the “consumer” to flush using either a half or full tank of water, the idea being to conserve water. The capability was built into the commode and I thought that was a really cool idea. Meanwhile back in the
Brondell PerfectFlush Review Read More
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,
More Junk to Hang Off Your BackPack – But It’s YOUR Junk Read More
Look on the Internet for plans to build a robot from an old computer mouse and you’ll find plenty. Really useful, huh? But, look for a set of plans for a Murphy bed and you’ll be disappointed. Oddly there are plenty of people out there searching for do-it-yourself plans for Murphy beds, myself included (both
A Real Murphy Bed Plan Read More
Get on your soap box and declare frugality for the New Year. A buck can get you a nifty if not thrifty MP3 case. Comes in a rainbow of colors, is easily replaceable and can stow not only the player, but a set of ear-buds, a USB cable, and a few M&M’s. All this in
Simple and Cheap MP3 Case Read More
I wouldn’t consider myself someone who collects lots of tools. But I do have enough tools that it has gotten a little out of control in our garage. It has reached a point where I have to question myself about where that tool is that I am looking for. So I jumped at the chance
Veto Pro Pac LT-XL Laptop Toolbag Review Read More
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
Picaboo Photo Books and Cards Review Read More
I had no issues with my Droid battery cover for the two weeks I used it, but I have heard some complaints that the cover can fall off. I know another reviewer that had no problem with her review unit, but after purchasing she had issues with the new one. So it probably is dependent
DIY Droid Battery Cover Fix Read More