Tag Archives: Crafts and Mods

Turn Real Bananas (and more!) into a Piano

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banana piano Turn Real Bananas (and more!) into a Piano
Ever wanted to play a piano made out of bananas? Do you want to now that I’ve put the idea in your head? Of course you do. And you can with the More Than Just a Banana Piano. Smart readers will realize that not only can you use bananas but you can also use virtually any other object that conducts even a trickle of electricity: ketchup, finger paint, lemons, coins, plants, people, play dough, and so much more. Experiment with anything you want. How does it work? Simply:
fruit piano controller Turn Real Bananas (and more!) into a Piano
Just slip the alligator clip cables onto whatever objects you want to use for the piano keys. The wires run into the microcontroller circuit board which then hooks into your computer. Now just squeeze the banana (or whatever) and you’re playing a banana piano. No software needed, just plug and play. Even the circuit board is fun, for a circuit board. Be stoked:
banana piano board Turn Real Bananas (and more!) into a Piano
It works as a substitute keyboard so you can even use bananas (or anything) to function as arrow keys to play just about any online game. Minecraft with a banana? Sure, why not? This kit was designed by former MIT students and is great for junior inventors and amateur tinkerers. Also banana fans who know that there’s always money in the banana stand. Clickthrough below to check out the video (sorry not embeddable) for some insane ideas you can do with it:
buy now Turn Real Bananas (and more!) into a Piano

Turn Real Bananas (and more!) into a Piano
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DIY Coconut Speakers

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coconut speakers DIY Coconut Speakers
Here’s a pretty cool DIY project. This Instructable shows you how to create this really fine looking speaker using some coconut shells and an old set of computer speakers. In a nutshell (or should I say coconut shell), what was done was to simply replace the plastic casing with a coconut casing.
coconut speaker DIY Coconut Speakers
Just hacksaw your coconut so the opening fits the size of the speaker grill. Drill a hole in the back for the wire to pass through. To get that sleek look you need to sand your coconut until it’s smooth, or you could leave it looking rough like something out of Gilligan’s Island. Then you glue the speaker into the opening, cut a small piece of bamboo for the base, and you’re done. Easy as that.

DIY Coconut Speakers
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NES Advantage Turned Desk Lamp

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nes advantage lamp NES Advantage Turned Desk Lamp
The NES Advantage was an arcade style controller with joystick designed for the Nintendo system in the late 80′s. It even took it’s styling cues from the NES but it was basically just a joystick and buttons that you’d sit on the floor or table instead of holding it like the standard controller. Instructabler SantaB had a spare one lying around and decided it would make an awesome desk lamp. And it does.
nes lamp NES Advantage Turned Desk Lamp
He replaced the joystick with a gooseneck lamp, adding a switch where one of the controller’s buttons was originally. He even added a USB charging port on the side of the unit. Here’s a quick video demonstration:

Pretty cool idea and the light itself fits in well with the controller (because of the joystick replacement). It looks somewhat “natural”. Definitely a geeky desk lamp and not particularly complicated to make if you’re at least minimally handy.

NES Advantage Turned Desk Lamp
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Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light

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brain hard drive Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
This is definitely the oddest yet most fascinating external hard drive we’ve ever come across. Since the hard drive is sort of like the brain of your computer (part of it anyway), why not encase one inside a brain shape? Then maybe add a giant spine for it to sit upon. That’s just what The Brain does. And it lights up. But not just light up like a lamp. This thing is a full on Chris Kuroda psychedelic jam session. Check the video:

Woo, so many pretty colors. The Brain actually has a method to it’s madness. When it’s idle, it flashes red. But as soon as the hard drive is accessed, it’s straight up dance party USA. Provide your own music. The whole thing was actually made completely from scratch. Basically everything is DIY except the hard drive itself. He started by sculpting a brain out of clay:
brain forming Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
Then a vacuum formed transparent mold of it was created. He built the controlling components onto a circuit board, even laser cut the case and the acrylic “spine” with all the discs inside.
brain base Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
The base is home made as well. The hard drive is actually in the base. It took quite a bit of programming to get the LEDs to light up in the proper sequence and at the proper times. I probably never thought I’d be saying this about an unwieldy 5 foot tall hard drive but it’s pretty cool (I actually never imagined I’d be writing about a 5 foot tall hard drive, period). I’d love to see this baby all lit up in the dark.

Brain Shaped Hard Drive and Light
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Make Your Own Jeep Bed

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jeep bed Make Your Own Jeep Bed
Forget the car bed of your youth, today’s kids want something more extreme, more awesome. Like a Jeep! And you can make one too, if you’re a bit handy. Appropriately named Etsy seller “Jeepbed” sells the plans so DIY’ers can be the coolest Dad (or Mom) on the block. Oh yeah, the kid will be cool too. But kudos to the parent, really.
jeep bed side Make Your Own Jeep Bed
The plans cost $29 and you’ll need another $250 or so in materials to make the bed but it’s totally worth it. Kids can outfit their room with jungle plants and dinosaurs and pretend they’re in Jurassic Park. Well at least that’s what I would do, I don’t know if kids today are even familiar with that movie. Really showing my age here I guess? At least I didn’t say Mash. Anywho, here’s a sample page from the plans:
jeep bed plans Make Your Own Jeep Bed
Attention Ikea: make your instructions like this! I always end up with extra parts when I assemble Ikea furniture, what’s up with that? Also a sore wrist from using that little metal tool to put everything together. And a headache. But back to the Jeep Bed, it’s cool and I want one. For me. (h/t tiwib)

Make Your Own Jeep Bed
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Game of Risk Carved Into a Coffee Table

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risk coffee table Game of Risk Carved Into a Coffee Table
Very strategic this table is. Some guy’s awesome Dad carved a Risk board right into their coffee table. Adopt me please! I won’t just sit in Australia and take over all the other countries one by one, promise. No wait, I will. The cool thing about this table is that you can do things you can’t with a standard Risk game board- like stab a knife into the table in anger, put your drink right on the board, or flip the board onto the floor when you lose. Yes, Risk games get a little heated in my household.

Game of Risk Carved Into a Coffee Table
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Lincoln’s Portrait Made of Pennies DIY Kit

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lincoln penny portrait Lincolns Portrait Made of Pennies DIY Kit
You can make this lovely historical portrait of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, entirely out of pennies with the Abraham Lincoln Penny Portrait Kit. The kit comes with an 18″ x 24″ poster, a 1943 steel penny (copper was needed for the war, so they used steel for one year only) and a fact-filled informational booklet. All you need to do is find a few pennies and glue them on:
honest abe pennies Lincolns Portrait Made of Pennies DIY Kit
And by a “few” pennies, we mean you need 846 pennies (actually more like 845 since it comes with one already). You probably have that many in your couch cushions alone. If not, start saving now. It also comes with a penny collecting guide, which you’ll probably need. But if all the pennies are the same, how will it make a portrait? Simple, there are four different shades of pennies from shiny to “was buried in your yard for a few years”.
you need pennies lincoln Lincolns Portrait Made of Pennies DIY Kit
If you don’t have the right shades, the guide has some simple experiements to help you clean or discolor your coins to match what you need. If you want to pre-collect, start gathering up 349 shiny new, 112 lightly used, 97 well used, and 288 old as dirt pennies. Once you collect all your pennies it will take about 5-8 hours to complete the project. That’ll keep the kids busy for a while.
buy now Lincolns Portrait Made of Pennies DIY Kit

Lincoln’s Portrait Made of Pennies DIY Kit
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C-3PO Action Figure Case Guitar

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c3po guitar C 3PO Action Figure Case Guitar
Rock the Cantina with this Star Wars guitar. Made by Rainy Day Instruments, the body of this electric guitar is a repurposed C-3PO action figure case (who even knew they had another one besides the Vader case?) The case can still open up and talk (why didn’t the Darth Vader one talk? too scary probably).
c3po guitar2 C 3PO Action Figure Case Guitar
While threepio is not exactly known for his smooth melodic speech pattern, that never stopped anyone from succeeding in music *cough* Bob Dylan *cough*. Well, now that I’ve insulted the greatest lyricist of a generation, let’s throw another damper on your day- the one of a kind guitar is no longer available and there doesn’t appear to be any video of it in action. Boooo. Perhaps contact RDI above to make you another one if you want or just talk to your local luthier extraordinaire. (via technabob)

C-3PO Action Figure Case Guitar
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Pac-Man VHS Tape Coffee Table

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pac man vhs table Pac Man VHS Tape Coffee Table
I’m not exactly sure if making furniture out of your old VHS tapes is the best use but it’s probably better than just throwing them out. Or not. So maybe you can’t manage to part with your old copy of Police Academy 3 and Bobcat Goldthwait’s dramatic turn as a Citizen on Patrol. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Keep it on display.
pac man vhs tape table Pac Man VHS Tape Coffee Table No need to ruin your own tapes when you can just buy this table for a mere $995.
pac man vhs table bottom Pac Man VHS Tape Coffee Table
That doesn’t scream “sturdy piece of furniture” to me, although there is a plank of wood underneath the table top. As a plus it does have another 80′s icon on it- Pac-Man and the center of the tape reels form the dots. So there’s that. (creepbay via technbob)

Pac-Man VHS Tape Coffee Table
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How to Make a Head in a Jar Prank

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head in a jar How to Make a Head in a Jar Prank
Are you ready for April Fool’s Day? No? Then you better get your head in the game- literally with this super funny and slightly creepy DIY Head in a Jar Prank. To create the illusion you could either chop off your head and place it in a jar or follow these easy steps (we recommend the second method). First photograph yourself from the front and sides. Next you’ll need some minimal photoshop skills to combine and blend the three images into one smooth one. You could also just use one side of your head and mirror it instead of taking shots of both sides. You’ll still need a pic of the front of your face though!
head in a jar how to How to Make a Head in a Jar Prank
Print out the image, laminate it, roll it up into a cylinder and tape it together. Next insert it into a jar. The jar should be larger than the rolled up photograph. This allows you to fill the jar up with water and food coloring so your face has a slightly distorted look when you look through the jar. Animated gif time:
how to head in a jar prank How to Make a Head in a Jar Prank
With that color water inside the jar, it looks like a well preserved decapitated head. Creeepy. Now just place the jar wherever you want your victim to see it. Or take it with you anywhere you go.
head in a jar to go How to Make a Head in a Jar Prank
Great for any day, not just April Fools or Halloween. (via make)

How to Make a Head in a Jar Prank
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