Tag Archives: upcycling
Samsung’s Galaxy Upcycling turns old phones into IoT devices
In search of upcycled food that actually tastes good
I wish I could say that I only recently encountered the trend of transforming used grain into something edible, but then I'd be ignoring evidence of me eating dog treats made at a microbrewery a few years back. The worst part is that I tell Zagat on...
DIY Wall Mount Frame for Old iPhones: Reframe
Got an old iPhone or two lying around unused? Instructables member Purincess may have a great woodworking project for you. He calls it Reframe, a wall mount frame that lets you use your old phone as a digital clock, picture frame and more.
The idea behind Reframe is to hide the obsolete iPhone, leaving only a portion of its display exposed. Purincess made his Reframe with MDF and a sheet of black acrylic, but you’re free to experiment with other materials.
Head to Instructables for Purincess’ full guide. He also shared the schematics for Reframes that will fit the iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 and 4S, and he says he’ll upload plans for other iPhone versions as well.
[via Lifehacker]
Dragon Ball Z Action Figure Lamps: Lamelamelaaaamp!
Etsy store LitUpInteriorDesign makes lamps out of used objects and toys. Some of their best designs involve Dragon Ball Z action figures, where the bulb is set up in such a way that they stand in for the characters’ energy attack.
The bulb is mounted horizontally on a post at the rear of the wooden base to obscure the socket.
It’s such a simple trick but it works really well. I guess the action figures’ angry faces help sell the effect. The shop also has a Naruto lamp, though it’s not as awesome as these ones.
Transform into Super Shopper God Super Shopper and order the lamps from LitUpInteriorDesign. They go for $99 to $195 (USD).
[via ThisIsWhyImBroke]
Upcycled Skateboard Wall Lamp: Bulbflip into Lightslide
eBay seller andyshinkage came up with a simple but brilliant way to turn used skateboard decks into wall lights. He makes custom bulb mounts that fit where the trucks used to be so he can place 12W LED bulbs right where the wheels would go.
Head to eBay to bid on andyshinkage’s wares. As of this writing the lowest bid is at around $140 (USD) for the deck with Nordic inscriptions on it. The iron gate deck up top on the other hand is highly valued at $1200.
Better Re Turns Used Phone Batteries into Battery Packs: Power Cycle
Enlighten Today is working on the smartphone battery equivalent of hard drive enclosures. The Better Re is a housing that turns used phone batteries into external battery packs. Not only does this reduce waste and make the most out of what would otherwise be hazardous waste materials, it also means you have an expandable battery pack that could last a lifetime.
Better Re’s battery compartment is expandable, allowing it to work with practically any battery used in smartphones today. If you have lots of spare batteries, you can get the expansion module, which lets you stack multiple Better Re units and use them as one battery pack.
And at least for its Kickstarter, Enlighten Today will help with the waste reduction effort further by sending used batteries to backers who pledge enough to get a Better Re unit as a reward for an extra $10 (USD) pledge. I hope they continue offering this option even after Better Re’s commercial release.
Pledge at least $39 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Better Re as a reward.
[via Kicktraq]
Power Mac Bench
Got a pair of outdated Power Mac G5′s lying around and some talent in woodworking? Why not combine the two and make this sleek bench? That’s what Projekt Galerie did and the result is actually pretty stunning. The wood bench top was carved into a bow shape at the edges to fit seamlessly onto the top of the old computer chassis (yes that is the plural form of the word, spelled the same but pronounced differently- I just looked it up, grammar cops):
I’d sit that. Why Apple built this desktop with two large handles like you’d be toting it around from room to room is a mystery we’ll never know. BUT, it allows that plank of wood to seat itself perfectly in between and look almost as if it was meant to be. Maybe it was. But why stop at just a bench?
In the rendering above they’ve envisioned an entire office made of Power Macs. That’s probably a little overboard even for this Apple fanboy but if you have access to this many excess desktops then why not go for it? Are Power Macs the new pallets? High end upcycling. (via gizmodo)
Power Mac Bench
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Pinball Machine Desk: Insert Coin to Work
I love old pinball machines. I love to play them and I wouldn’t mind having one for a desk. That’s what Tim Sway, an artist in Wallingford, Connecticut, has done here. He has turned an old pinball machine into a desk. TILT. Must be lunch time.
Tim turns all kinds of old things into furniture. For this project, he used a vintage Charlie’s Angels pinball machine. He removed the electrical components and cut a hole in one side. Then he added a drawer, a cabinet, and new sheet metal flashing. Of course, he had to cut down the legs too so its surface lays flat.
Check out the video to see how Tim built the desk.
It’s an amazing idea and it gives you something cool to look at while you are working. I would love to have one of these in my home.
[Instructables via Neatorama]