MAKE Volume 28 hits makers’ passion for play head-on with a 28-page special section devoted to Toys and Games, including a toy “pop-pop” steamboat made from a mint tin, an R/C helicopter eye-in-the-sky, and a classic video game console. You’ll also build a gravity-powered catapult, a plush toy that interacts with objects around it, and a machine that blows giant soap bubbles. Play time is a hallmark of more intelligent species– so go have some fun!
Table of Contents
Made on Earth
» Machine Soul by Thomas Walker Wilson
German designer and furniture maker Frank Buchwald creates creature-like lamps out of burnished steel, brushed brass, textile cables, and blown glass. Page 18
» Gnarly Biogenesis by Goli Mohammadi
Greek artist Achilles Kapsalis breathes wicked new life into animal bones, resurrecting them as fierce, bionic creatures born of his imagination.Page 20
» Dolphin Car by Jerry James Stone
EV enthusiast Dave Cloud created the Dolphin car, an electrified version of a 1997 Geo Metro.Page 21
» Big Wheels Turnin’ by Laura Kiniry
Friends Fred Abels and Maik ter Veer made the Dicyclet – a bicycle with wheels that ride parallel instead of in a line, with the driver suspended below the axle. Page 22
» Bus(t) a Move by Jerry James Stone
Superbus is a 49-foot-long, astronautdesigned carrier that hauls more than 20 passengers and tops out around 155mph. Page 23
» Beer Wheel Drive by William Gurstelle
Designed to hold fourteen 250lb people and their beverage of choice, City Cycle was built to support more weight than a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup. Page 24
» Colossal Camera by Adam Flaherty
Darren Samuelson takes amazing, ultralarge-format photographs with a gigantic, handmade bellows camera. Page 25
1+2+3
» Mini Foosball Game by Cy Tymony
With just a few straws, paper clips, and a common 3-bag microwave popcorn box, you can quickly put together your own Sneaky Mini Foosball Game. Page 82
» Burnt Cookie Deflector by Thomas R. Fox
To avoid burnt cookie bottoms, make this infrared radiation deflector. Page 115
» Sneaky UV Ink Password Protectorby Cy Tymony
Write your computer passwords with an ultraviolet (UV) invisible ink pen so the information can’t be seen by the naked eye, and hide the UV light.Page 169
Maker
» Balsa Dreams
Paul K. Guillow’s model airplanes have been buzzing over parks since 1926. Page 34
» Science in Your Cereal Bowl! by Bob Knetzger
These famous cereal premiums were tiny — but packed with mighty scientific principles! Page 38
» Strumming up a Business by Rafael Atijas
How a kids’ bike inspired the creation of a cool new guitar kit. Page 44
SPECIAL SECTION:
» Coffee Table MAME Console byAdam Wolf, John Baichtal
Emulate the raw fun of classic arcade games, wirelessly on your TV. Page 48
» Eye in the Sky by I-Wei Huang
Hack a hobby copter and see what the birds and bugs see. Page 53
» Chinese Checkers for Two byCharles Platt
Chinese checkers can be more strategically complex than regular checkers as long as you follow one simple rule: never play against more than one opponent! Page 56
» Mastering 3D Views by Bob Knetzger
William Gruber put the magic of stereoscopic photos in our hands. Page 58
» Toys from Trash by Rohit Srivastwa
Arvind Gupta’s playful educational mission.Page 64
» Clothesline Races by John Baichtal
This high-flying contest tests robotic prowess, creativity, and sense of humor. Page 66
» Pop-Pop Steamboat by William Abernathy
Build a toy steamer that runs only on heat and the water it’s floating in. Page 70
» Permission to Play
A roundup of delightful toys and games.
Magnificent Mousetrap, Magnified
PING! Augmented Pixels
Blow Your Mind
Long-Distance Doodling
Roll Out the Barrel
High Roller
Go Twitch
One Drop Yo-Yos
Tiny Diver
Bot Blocks
Whiskeydrome
DIY Playgrounds
JediBot
Billboard Swing Set
Hivemind for Kids
Up, Up, And Away!
Page 76
Projects
» Gravity Catapult by William Gurstelle
Get medieval with this portable, stowable, gravity-powered trebuchet. Page 84
» Gigantic Bubble Generator by Zvika Markfeld
Arduino-controlled Bubblebot blows enormous, undulating soap bubbles. Page 94
» Charlie’s Bear by David Harris
Make a plush toy that talks to other objects — and you. Page 106
Welcome
» Toy Stories by Dale Dougherty
This Toys and Games issue of MAKE is filled with fun projects to make that just might inspire you to see the world differently — as something you can shape, mold, shrink, and hack. Page 11
In the Maker Shed
» Happy Holidays from the Maker Shed! by Dan Woods
How cool would it be if people could take home a slice of Maker Faire in the form of a kit? Page 16
Tales from the Web
» Let the Games Begin by Gareth Branwyn
We’ve posted oodles of articles and projects on makezine.com related to gaming, from tabletop wargames to video game console hacks to such outdoor geek pastimes as geocaching. Here are a few of our favorites. Page 26
Making Trouble
» A Curriculum of Toys by Saul Griffith
Until our school system is reformed, I think the burden falls on parents, guardians, and friends to teach children the skills of life. Page 27
Soapbox
» Is It Time to Retool Public LIbraries as TechShops? by Phillip Torrone
Unless libraries are seen as the future, we might just lose them. Page 28
Country Scientist
» Record Your World from a Picture Post by Forrest Mims III
All that’s necessary is a digital camera and a platform to place it on, so that it can be used to collect images at regular intervals. Page 30
Make Free
» What My Wife Taught Me About Toys Today by Cory Doctorow
Can 3D printing bring toy making back home?Page 33
Build Notes
» Beatjazz Controller by Onyx Ashanti
Wearable, wireless control network adds movement to musical performance. Page 116
DIY: Science
» Simple Van de Graaff Generator byAdam Wolf
Shoot electrical sparks with a soda can, rubber band, and PVC pipe. Page 124
DIY: Workshop
» Watch Case Wrench by Thomas Arey
Make a custom tool in minutes to open your watch. Page 128
» Copper Tool Tidy by Andrew Lewis
Build a desktop stand for your essential small tools. Page 130
DIY: Outdoors
» Plant Light Stand by Thomas R. Fox
Shed some light on a growing problem. Page 132
» Solar Wax Melter by Josie Moores,Abe Connally
Purify beeswax with a simple sun-powered oven.Page 136
DIY: Home
» Water Leak Detector by J. Tregre
This simple circuit saved the day when an attic water heater failed. Page 141
» Toddler Swing by Josie Moores, Abe Connally
Make an indoor/outdoor swing for your little one in 30 minutes. Page 144
DIY: Circuits
» Solar Pendulum by Owen Tanner
Sunshine is all you need to get this easy-to-build pendulum swinging. Page 146
Howtoons
» Bubble Trouble by Saul Griffith
Bubbles are a great way to fight boredom.Page 150
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
» The Slow Fall by Donald E. Simanek
Dropping a magnet through an aluminum tube takes longer than you’d think. Why? Page 152
Toy Inventor’s Notebook
» “Level Best” 3D Camera Slide-Bar Hack by Bob Knetzger
You can make a DIY camera slide bar fast and cheap that’ll work just as well as a professional one. Page 155
Toolbox
» Toolbox
Arduino meets iPhone at last! Plus top tools, tech toys, model makers’ mags, gastronomy, gardening, and gaming geeks. Page 158
Eureka!
» Phfft!
Page 160
Electronics: Fun and Fundamentals
» Electronic Rock-Paper-Scissors byCharles Platt
Emulate the classic game using switches and LEDs. Page 166
Remaking History
» Archimedes and the Water Screw byWilliam Gurstelle
Re-create the invention that quenched the Egyptian desert. Page 170
Homebrew
» My Home-Built Chairlift by Jeff Johnson
My lovely wife and I built a chairlift to get from our lake house down to the dock. Page 176
