DIY Life

These old analog gauges were in a one-dollar junk box at the market. Before there were LCD screens in everything, before LEDs, data was shown on these.

In a sort of retro mash-up, we'll make a USB device that displays PC status info on these gauges. The gauges can show CPU and memory usage, processor voltage -- just about any numerical data typically displayed on small HD44780 based LCD character displays commonly used in PC case mods.

You'll find all the details and project files after the fold. Check out the podcast for an overview of the project.

Everybody needs a little color in their life! This color changer mixes light from high-power LEDs to create more than 16 million colors. A smooth auto-fader cycles the colors, or you can hook it up to a USB port and control it from your computer.

A great toy for architectural lighting, parties, and holidays. Since the circuit will run from 12 volts, it can even be installed in a car.



Learn how to build your own, after the fold.

iPod hacks are wildly popular right now. Innovative ways to charge iPods are particularly the rage because they appeal to our geeky DIY attitude and turn everyday items into functioning charging tools. This video shows how to charge an iPod with an onion and electrolytes.

What you'll need

1. 1 white onion
2. 2 cups of Gatorade or Power-aid
3. Screwdriver
4. iPod and charger

Assuming that your onion has absorbed at least one cup of energy drink after following the instructions in the video, it should be able to charge your iPod for 15-20 min. I wonder what your co-workers will think when they see your iPod sitting on your desk plugged into an onion via USB. If nothing else, it's a fun experiment and a conversation starter, and really the only reason to do this is to prove it can be done.

We all like microscopes, don't we? Remember those days in junior high when you could see animal and plant cells up close? To some of us, that moment was the one where we came to see that the world is a small place, not really a big one.

If you'd like to revisit those days -- or just examine some of the new U.S. currency under a small lens (heh), this USB microscope project (parts below) would make for a splendid addition to a nearby weekend slice of free time. It's not the highest resolution microscope, but for how you can build it and what it contains, it's darn impressive. Parts cost: estimated at under $100. If you already have a webcam you can sacrifice, the cost is way cheaper.

Here is the list:

• 1 radioshack pocket scope
• 1 white led
• 1 logitech notebook pro quickcam (zeiss lens)
• 30 awg wire
• heatshrink or black tape
• hotglue gun (or whatever appropriate glue your prefer)

Once you follow the steps outlined here, you'll have those close-up images sitting on your laptop or desktop PC screen in no time. Then, get busy examining those various items on your computer desk and have fun, will ya?

My husband has bins of random old computer parts, and I've begged him repeatedly to get rid of them. He has always said that you can never be sure when you might need one of those parts. I'm sure he's got useless stuff in there, though, like maybe a broken CD drive. Who needs that kind of junk? Well, apparently a broken CD drive isn't necessarily junk after all.

This instructables tutorial teaches us how to make a USB cooling fan for a notebook with a old CD drive. If you've got a bin like ours, you probably already have everything you need for this project.