Do-It-Yourself

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

World Maker Faire New York 2017

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This past weekend I attended the 8th Annual World Maker Faire New York held at the New York Hall Of Science. Started in 2006 by the publisher of Make: magazine and sponsored heavily by Barnes & Noble, Maker Faires are “family-friendly festivals of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement.” Everything a […]

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Make your own paracord survival bracelets and fobs with this easy to use jig

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If you’ve ever looked at someone’s paracord bracelet and thought “hey, I could make that”, now you can. The Jig Bracelet Maker Parachute Cord Survival Wristband Maker Paracord Braiding Weaving DIY Craft Tool Kit from Yakura comes with everything you need (except the paracord!) to make your own survival bracelets, key fobs and more.

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SimpleUSB Automotive 12V to USB Adapter Dashcam Installation Kit review

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I have reviewed (more than) my fair share of dashcams and radar detectors over the past few years. All of these devices require power in a relatively inconvenient place in your car. Typically these devices are installed up near your rearview mirror. Few automobiles have a 12V or USB port anywhere near that location. Running

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Pay as little as $1 for an awesome bundle of Make: IoT and Raspberry Pi how-to ebooks

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If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about using Raspberry Pi and Arduino hardware to get into the IoT scene, today is your lucky day. Make: and Humble Bundle Books have teamed up to offer an extraordinary deal that not only rewards you with a great collection of geeky eBooks, but it also helps STEM

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Low tech solution to finding the right size TV for your space

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Figuring out the right size TV to mount on a wall or fit in your entertainment cabinet just got a little easier than holding a tape measure at a diagonal line when you use the TV Sizer. What is it? The TV Sizer is a very low tech solution to a high tech problem. Just

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Thimble Wi-Fi bot building kit review

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I’m sure you’ll be shocked to discover that when I was in high school, most of my elective classes were trended toward science. My two all-time favorite classes where “Power and Energy Technology” and “Robotics”. In both those classes we were tasked with building simple machines using motors, circuit boards, power supplies, etc. I enjoyed

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RediTape is a duct tape “roll” that fits in your pocket

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Duct tape is a must have item for everyone’s toolbox and workshop because it’s such a versatile material for repairing and even making brand new items. The only problem with Duct tape is the form factor. It traditionally comes in big bulk rolls that are inconvenient to store and carry around in a gear bag

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The minds behind the Misfit Shine create new dimensioning gadget

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Hot on the heels of Misfit’s jump into the smartwatch arena, they are now branching out with a new company called InstruMMents that has just unveiled their first product, the 01. Not exactly the most clever name I’ve heard for a first product, but the product itself does look pretty clever. The O1 is a

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Swann introduces their new Smart-Series video surveillance and home security system

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Swann’s new Smart-Series do-it-yourself security system combines wired video surveillance and wireless smart home technology into one integrated solution engineered to deter break-ins and detect intrusion within your home or business. The system includes four weather resistant, 1080p HD wired cameras with 80° viewing angle and night vision with set and forget recording onto the pre-installed 1TB hard drive.

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Piper Computer Kit with Minecraft Review

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My son Joey is now 10, and like many his age, loves Minecraft.  I’ve seen other attempts at creating educational products with Minecraft, but nothing quite like the Piper Computer kit.  A “build it yourself” computer that plays Minecraft?  I decided to take a hands-off approach and let my son build it all by himself.

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