Tag Archives: DIY

Man builds 13-foot mammoth bumper car which by surprise is street legal

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Retirement is often associated with relaxation and leisure. But for Dan Hryhorcoff from Pennsylvania, retirement meant diving into an entirely different realm of creativity: one that involved building extraordinary vehicles that defy traditional expectations.

After years of working on a submarine and various other innovative projects, Dan embarked on an intriguing automotive endeavor during the pandemic and came up with a Bumper car, twice the normal size, but rendered street-legal. Dan’s automotive journey first began with a replica of a vintage Murray General pedal car that he sought to magnify into a larger-than-life fiberglass creation (Dan honed the knack for working with fiberglass through his prior project—a fully functional submarine).

Desginer: Dan Hryhorcoff

However, Dan’s real automotive masterpiece emerges in the form of this gigantic street-legal bumper car. This striking creation measures an astounding 13 feet in length, 7 feet in width, and 5.5 feet in height, doubling the dimensions of a regular bumper car. The inspiration for this colossal bumper car came from a 1953 model bumper car at the Knoebels amusement park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania.

Dan was captivated by its design, reminiscent of a Chevrolet pickup truck from the post-World War II era. Spending meticulous hours at the amusement park, he gathered information and captured every detail necessary to replicate and magnify the charm of the vintage bumper car. Dan’s attention to detail and creativity shone through as he fused elements of a Chevrolet Aveo and a motorcycle wheel into his design, reshaping the traditional bumper car into a unique, functioning vehicle.

With the front of a Aveo integrated into the rear and a motorcycle wheel at the front, his bumper car boasts incredible maneuverability with sharp turning capabilities. The choice of materials was always critical in the construction of this larger-than-life automobile. The exterior, crafted from fiberglass, not only ensures durability but also adds a touch of nostalgia by paying homage to the original bumper car’s design. What truly sets Dan’s creation apart is its ability to be street-legal, a rarity for such unconventional vehicles.

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Inventive DIYer creates Star Wars Speeder bike from hoverboard parts

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James Bruton, who’s a former toy designer turned into a DIYer of robotics and gadgets, stops at nothing once his imagination is let loose. Using modern technologies and his profound skills, the successful YouTube’er has created unique contraptions that’ll get you going anytime.

For his latest creation Star Wars is the inspiration for James, as he goes on to turn hoverboard parts into a side-riding Star Wars speeder. The build tests the builder’s aptitude, as the final creation is in fact a result of an improvised DIY of his previous make, the omni-wheel bike.

Designer: James Bruton

Getting started off, the omni-wheel bike made out of hoverboard parts intended to be a sideways mover – 90 degrees relative to the rider. The balancing act is done by the hoverboard’s sensors, but the problem lies in the sideways movement at such a large scale. Controlling the bike was a nightmare, so James took a new approach and turned it into a completely different DIY.

That’s where the idea of creating a Star Wars Speeder came to be, as the bike upgraded with jet thrusters was born. The initial idea of using the hoverboard’s sensors and motors to actuate the movement didn’t work out well, so the next best solution came in the form of a conventional handlebar. This enables the speeder not only to effortlessly go left and right, but also tilt sideways.

The handlebar also comes with a throttle to control the jet thruster speed, since they spin at a very fast rate. Once the movement was streamlined using the Arduino controller, it was time to drape the inventive ride in Star Wars theme. The only thing missing – or should I say, untweaked – is the inability to get the powerful thrusters to propel the bike from a standstill. It actually needs the good old push!

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After triangle and square wheels, The Q replaces bicycle wheels with treads while keeping it slightly safer

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We love our bikes; we keep them well-serviced and tires well-maintained so that they can roll smoothly. Yes, roll so that riding is effortless! But we have seen it enough times now that Sergii Gordieiev aka The Q on YouTube, doesn’t like the idea of smoothness. His recklessly creative engineering brain doesn’t like sitting on wheels as the world loves them – he prefers them oddly shaped or as treads so he could someday run over a tank with his bicycle.

Before I go crazy, and you think I’m making no sense, check out his bike with triangle-shaped wheels or this one with square wheels. This time the idea is not so much about wheel oddity, but he has replaced the concept of wheels for treads. They are laid straight on the ground, so safety is still a little at the back of Sergii’s mind this time.

Designer: Sergii Gordieiev

To create this ingenious contraption, of course, he had to work his way up from scratch. So, the handlebars, seat, and frame have all been assembled to fit in the other unusual elements of this custom bike. The body itself is a little away from the usual with a lower profile at the rear than the front fork.

This profile aligns the handlebar with the cushioned seat making the bike comfortable to ride, but with those treads to move, I’m still unsure how comfortable it would be. But Sergii can take it for a short spin around the city, so could you, if you could make it up from the video tutorial.

The most captivating aspect of the custom bike is the giant disc with paddles on either side. This is the heart of the bike that has the bicycle chain circulating around it and attached to the rear tread. Even though we can’t see the chain attached to the tread on the front, yet it rolls continuously in harmony for a stable ride.

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DIYers Electric Mini Tesla employs Logitech webcams and machine learning to navigate semi-autonomously

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Materializing the idea of safe, self-driving cars is not an easy feat unless you’re Elon Musk. However, if you want to try your hand at building one, starting small is the next big leap. That’s exactly what Austin Blake did by embarking on a challenging project to create an autonomous Mini Tesla.

Built on a Radio Flyer Tesla Model S electric toy car he calls the Teskart, the self-driving go-kart employs three Logitech C920 webcams – on the right, center and left – to feed the machine learning software. The model is trained to mirror the behavior demonstrated with 48,000 image training sets of the walking path it is tested on.

Designer: Austin Blake

Initially, this semi-autonomous Teskart had a lot of close moments when it went off the designated track with just one webcam at work. Then Austin decided to add two more webcams to the equation and fixed a bug. This resulted in the go-cart frame fitted with the Radio Flyer Tesla going around the makeshift track without wearing off.

For the steering input, Austin created a bolt-on frame, holding the steering servo motor salvaged from an electric wheelchair in place. If you are wondering what happened to the on-board high-speed motor capable of reaching speeds of up to 6 mph? Well, he replaced it with the new Motenergy ME0907 brushless electric motor that pushes the tiny car to speeds of 45mph at 48V power. He plans to increase that top speed even more with a 72V version soon.

The existing motor can churn out 80 continuous amps and a peak of 220 amps for one minute spinning the rear axle loaded on a chain and deriving power from the DIY battery pack made from 224 individual 18650 lithium-ion cells separated into 16 modules with their own battery management system.

That said we would refrain from calling this DIY a pure self-driving build, as only the steering angle is controlled by the system and the throttle control is still manual. Maybe the inventive DIYer intends to employ the data from the behavioral cloning to add another Arduino-controlled component to control the throttle input too. Maybe then it’ll be just to call it a self-driving mini Tesla in the true sense!

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Monotrack Bike made out of old car tire performs smooth wheelies even if you’ve got zero skills

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Performing wheelies on a regular bike requires are special skillset and if simply aren’t good enough, then this DIY should interest you. All you need is a bent for putting together stuff from junk, and you’ll have a unique-looking monotrack bike to go crazy with.

YouTube channel ‘Make It Extreme’ has shown what it can do with stuff lying around in the junkyard, and this time around, they’ve created a mini motorbike with just a single car tire.

Designer: Make It Extreme

They call it the Monotrack Bike, capable of performing wheelie stunts even though you’ve never been good at it. By cutting the sidewalls of a recycled car tire and fitting it around a motor’s body, the DIY enthusiasts have surprised us. The tire acts like a tank tread for the steel track to have maximum grip on the tarmac, and therefore gives the rider freedom to perform extreme wheelies without the fear of losing balance.

Since space is a premium in this build, the rider has to recline and hold on to the handlebars. During braking, the cute little bike tilts forward, so performing easy stoppies should also be in contention. At the concluding half of the DIY, the maker tests the monotrack bike on a smooth tarmac and looks super cool. Cruising smoothly on bumpy surfaces and dirt tracks should also not be difficult for the machine.

The exhaust system, suspensions, handlebars, saddle and the motor for this DIY have also been salvaged from stuff lying around in the junkyard. There’s no mention of the motor specifications so we cannot comment on the torque or top speed of this machine. That said it looks potent enough to catch eyeballs while you perform stunts on the driveway. Just make sure to get a helmet and a quality pair of kneecaps, because getting carried away riding this machine is a certainty!

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Master woodworker and passionate father builds life-sized tank from “World of Tanks” for his son

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Whether you call him the father of the year, or reckon his son the most pampered little brat, you will reach the same outcome: A fully-functional mobile ride that combines limitless possibilities of woodworking and fatherhood that knows no bounds.

If you haven’t figured it out already, we are talking about Vietnamese craftsman Trương Văn Đạo, a father and proprietor of a wood workshop and YouTube channel, ND Woodworking Art. After building wooden Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini replicas for his son, Văn Đạo has now built a life-sized, drivable Swedish STRV 103 tank – that’s immortalized in the popular video game “World of Tanks” – as a replacement for his little one’s RC tank he accidentally broke.

Designer: ND Woodworking Art

The entire journey of the ambitious build has been speed documented on the workshop’s YouTube channel, from the humble beginning to a stellar finish. The idea starts out with a steel box frame attached to pneumatic rubber wheels together forming the foundation upon which the tank would rise.

This basic structure is then fitted with an electric motor, which would give the tank sustainable power to ride green with pride. It is joined by a chain drive system and tank treads, shaping the contraption into a capable machine. Once the metal base with tank treads is perfected, it was now time to head to the upper part.

A sturdy metal superstructure is created and attached to the base, bringing the essence of a tank together. The sturdiness of metal would now receive a wooden finish: The team of craftsmen skillfully cut and craft contours to mirror that of the STRV 103, which are then placed piece by piece on the tank shell to bring it closer to the final outcome.

Now some meticulously designed wooden accessories such as gas tanks and shovels are attached to the exterior of the tank, to add authenticity and character to the replica which is built with an ingenious feature. A hydraulic front that lowers on command to make it easy for Văn Đạo’s son to climb in, as the two embark on a joyous ride in their electric wooden tank traversing roads and open grasslands with ease.

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Top 10 DIY Designs To Create In The Comfort Of Your Home

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DIY designs have been taking the design world by storm! Building things purely with our hands, putting our sweat and grit into it, and watching a design roar to life in front of our eyes, has become the new pass time for many of us. But these DIY designs are more than just your run-of-the-mill products made using discarded water bottles, and paper! These are innovative, complex, and highly functional product designs that cater to a variety of our needs, but are also really simple to put together. It’s the best of both worlds. From a DIY living plant chair to a DIY wall clock that tells time using prismatic light– each of these nifty designs will get your creative juices flowing, and your hands moving, as well as definitely add some value to your life. Which of these unique DIY designs would you try building at home?!

1. LEGO “The Moon: Earth’s Companion”

The LEGO Art space poster “The Moon: Earth’s Companion” is a stunning fan-made creation that was built using 2360 bricks, and is a tribute to the sheer brilliance of the moon.

Why is it noteworthy?

The build celebrates the beauty and mystery of the moon while featuring a brick-built MOON that was designed with immense attention to detail and precision, which was further amplified with the use of realistic terrains and craters.

What we like

  • Built with precision and attention to detail
  • Captures the beauty and brilliance of the moon

What we dislike

  • There is only possible moon design, which restricts the design we can have on the wall.

2. The Green Hideaway Chair

Designed by  Stockholm-based studio Front/ in collaboration with European DIY chain HORNBACH and its creative agency HeimatTBWA, the Green Hideaway Chair is a DIY living plant chair that allows you to connect with nature in the comfort of your own home.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Green Hideaway Chair can be built by DIYers of all skill levels since it comes along with illustrated, step-by-step instructions, a template, and a complete list of materials and tools needed. So they basically have everything spelled out for you!

What we like

  • Makes nature accessible to you in your own home

What we dislike

  • A bulky and space-consuming design, so you need to make sure you have sufficient space to add it to your home

3. The Jetson Office Pod

Designed by workplace furniture brand Mute, the Jetson office pod is described as “the first truly DIY acoustic pod”. Sounds pretty interesting, doesn’t it?!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Jetson office pod intends to make office pods flexible, accessible, and easily obtainable so that they become a common sight in commercial offices. It is built using durable and lightweight aluminum.

What we like

  • Can be assembled and put together within 30-60 minutes with the help of two people and zero tools

What we dislike

  • Not much scope for customization in terms of colors and aesthetics

4. Tiny Washing Machine

Yes, this tiny washing machine is fully operational, but it is so little it cant accommodate even a single sock! But still, that didn’t stop YouTuber Inventus from creating it!

Why is it noteworthy?

Inventus used a couple of Coke cans, an empty pill bottle, a flexible straw, popsicle sticks, and a USB-powered mini DC motor to put together this little contraption. It is portable and super easy to carry around – obviously.

What we like

  • It manages to dry scrunchies after washing them
  • Portable design

What we dislike

  • Extremely limited design that can’t really wash much

5. Decorative Analog Clock

This stunning DIY wall clock completely eliminates the typical convention of distinct clock hands and instead employs different hues of lights to let you eyeball the time to some extent.

Why is it noteworthy?

This Decorative Analog Clock involves quite a number of small electronics, wiring, and a bit of 3D printing. As the name suggests, however, this clock bucks the trend of defaulting to a digital presentation and clings to the analog way of telling time, at least in theory.

What we like

  • The three distinct light colors each tell a different aspect of the time, just like physical hands

What we dislike

  • Looks easily breakable

6. That Stool

Designed by Alondra Elizalde, That Stool is a flatpack DIY tiny stool that can be easily assembled, providing a practical and functional means of having a stool with you anytime, anywhere.

Why is it noteworthy?

That Stool is comprised of only a few parts: a seat rest, five legs, a couple of star-shaped spindles, and some connecting nuts and bolts. All contained within a flatpack corrugated cardboard box, the parts of That Stool are easy to assemble with no additional hardware required.

What we like

  • Assembled in only four steps without any additional hardware
  • Can be used anywhere, at any time

What we dislike

  • Looks like any other regular stool on the market

7. The Monocle

Inspired by Google Glass, the Monocle is a circular device that goes over just one eye, leaving the other completely free of any obstacle. However, unlike preexisting AR glasses, it doesn’t come as a complete eyewear product.

Why is it noteworthy?

You clip the Monocle onto any pair of glasses, which is especially useful if you wear a prescription. It holds all the electronics in a single piece, including a 720p camera, and a 640×400 OLED display.

What we like

  • Makes AR accessible and easier to use

What we dislike

  • The device isn’t exactly the sleekest way to get an AR experience with your regular glasses

8. The Absolem Keyboard

This stunning eye-catching butterfly-shaped keyboard makes for an out-of-box yet minimalist addition to your wooden workspace. It is unique, and an effort to bring new concepts and experiments to your workdesk.

Why is it noteworthy?

The ultimate goal was to have a reduced number of keys, 36 in total, plus a few extra keys that would allow switching between letters, symbols, and function keys.

What we like

  • Unique form with practical functionality

What we dislike

  • Uses plenty of plastic and electronics, including neoprene, so it’s not exactly a sustainable design

9. The Atlas

The Addio Design Collective created the Atlas Backpack Stand which is a new category of furniture that functions as a side table, as well as a stand for hanging your backpacks, so they don’t end up touching the floor.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Atlas isn’t a conventional side table. It comes almost with the proportions and shape of an easel, sporting an A-shaped frame. It comes with a slightly inclined design too, keeping the stand stable and preventing it from tipping over due to your bag’s weight. .

What we like

  • It suspends your bag above the ground, keeping it from getting dirty
  • Makes it easy to access stuff inside your bag without having to bend down

What we dislike

  • A bit of a niche product – may not appeal to everyone

10. The Chonky Palmtop

Tiny laptops are often called palmtops, and they do tend to be quite bulky. However, this bulky ‘palmtop’ attempts to tackle that issue by fitting in a slightly more comfortable keyboard in a 7-inch space.

Why is it noteworthy?

This contraption isn’t called the Chonky Palmtop for no reason. Unlike other DIY laptop projects, this one makes no qualms about being a large plastic brick. It’s not going to be usable on your palm, though you probably won’t use it like that anyway. After all, what makes this special is how it tries to make typing a bit more comfortable on a laptop of this size.

What we like

  • It splits the keyboard into two halves, adopting a layout that is similar to those ergonomic keyboards you’d find in the market

What we dislike

  • You may not want to use a computer of this size for your everyday needs

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World’s first high-end submersible PC is a power-packed steampunk machine for gaming: Watch Now

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YouTube channel DIY Perks is no stranger to the world of amazing builds that are practical and aesthetically stunning. For his latest creation Matthew Perks, pushes the envelope of artistry and engineering, making a submersible PC that’s loaded with the latest and greatest PC components.

The steampunk influence of the build not only keeps the innards at optimum temperature but also looks stunning. Of course, the whole thing needs to be waterproof to the last drop to keep water from getting inside the housing, and damaging the thousands of dollars’ worth of computer equipment!

Designer: Matthew Perks (DIY Perks)

This is not an average DIY that anyone can think of making over the weekend. In fact, it required a lot of skill and know-how about putting metal components together, calculating the waterproofing capabilities of the rig, and experience handling electric hardware in close proximity to water. Matthew knows what’s he doing in this demanding DIY, and in the end, he manages to create a stunning submersible PC that’s capable of running any complex 3D renders or gaming titles at it!

It all starts with building the watertight acrylic cylinder that creates a see-through shield for the mounted hardware and then goes on to creating the cooling frame. The latter is filled with distilled water since Matthew doesn’t want any chemical coolants to accidentally seep into the delicate aquatic ecosystem of the pond he’ll test this machine in.

Once both are done, the next step is to install the PC hardware into the space-constricted vertical frame and sort out the cooling frame assembly. To keep the inside waterproof from the water pressure, the seasoned DIYer opts for custom gaskets, rather than going for the regular ones. The most important step is to reinforce the top cap section with watertight components.

Finally, the DIY is complete and it’s time to test the underwater PC submerged in the backyard pond. A 50-meter optical thunderbolt cable is connected to the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED at the other end on dry land. As soon as the power button is pressed, the PC comes to life, lighting up the steampunk machine underwater. The surrounding water helps in keeping the hardware cool and during the one-hour testing phase, Matthew is surprised by the efficacy of the cooling system (maximum recorded temperature 20.8 degree Celsius) even when the system churns out over 800 Watts!

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World’s first hubless handmade rollerblade skates are rugged enough to go off-road too

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When it comes to crazy two wheeled DIYs, there are only a handful that even come close to YouTuber “The Q” for his out-of-the-box creations. The best part, this relentless DIYer never seizes to amaze us with his eye-popping builds. Whether it’s the square-wheeled bicycle, wheeless bicycle or the airless tires.

Yet again, the inventive genius has leveled-up another means of commuting in the metropolis. An ordinary pair of rollerblade skates get the bump-up to be a capable off-roading set of wheels to tread any uneven terrain that your regular rollerblades just can’t do.

Designer: The Q

The inline skates that the DIYer owns, now graduate to a set of cool looking hubless roller skates encapsulated in a durable frame and chunkier wheels. The build kicks-off with a set of wheels salvaged from a toy car most probably that are sawed from the inside and then smoothened. This makes way for the metal bearings fitted snugly on the inside.

The next phase in this rollerblade inline skates DIY is to cut a steel frame to secure the wheels in place and act as the base for the top of the inline skates to sit on. Everything is secured in place with screws and the final step involves sanding and spray painting it to get a cool look.

Compared to some other extensive DIYs by the man, this one seems slightly easier to make by his standards. This gives keen builders opportunity to make one for themselves or their kids as a weekend project.

One thing I’d like to point out is that the wheels should be pivoting outwards by a small angle to prevent stress on the legs, and also improve the riding balance. One more thing – they’ll look way cooler with a Tron-like theme, don’t you think?

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A DIY enthusiast built this micro electric camper on tank treads to strolls and live in the woods

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Electric camper vans are a need of the hour as the adventure industry inclines toward a sustainable and efficient way of living a nomadic life. While discerning adventurers and industry leaders rely on a Mercedes Sprinter or a Ford Transit to build their campers, here is a guy doing it effortlessly by building an electric camper from scratch, spending the least possible to fuel his passion.

This DIY electric camper is created around a wooden bed with its tank trails (for the rear wheels) being the standout aspect. We have over time seen some incredible DIY campers, which look more refined; the micro electric camper by YouTuber Quiet Nerd stands out as a worthy electric camper anyone with basic DIY skills can build at home.

Designer: Quiet Nerd

Completed as an electric camper we wouldn’t expect, it was created in under four days. An interesting exemplification of electric power mobility, this is billed as an off-roading camper, but with its ground clearance and fragile structure, I’m not sure of that claim!

To test the camper, the builder however took it over a levelled-up jungle trail to relax and camp within overnight. And for camping convenience, the camper is covered with a greenhouse – trampoline overlay to shade from the sun – and has a camp kitchen and some storage options within.

Powered by an electric motor, the camper has lawn mower wheels on the front and tank treads attached to the rear axle, which is connected via a chain to the motor. The camper’s 24V motor runs off a 12V battery – connected to a boost converter to double the voltage – and is steered using an installed go-kart steering kit. The camper is finished with LED lights on the front and rear, and it can run 2.5 hours on a single charge.

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