weekend projects – Page 2

Biometric security toy box

A couple of weeks ago Apple announced the new iPhone 5s with Touch ID, a fingerprint identity sensor that replaces the need for a conventional PIN number or password. It got me thinking… wouldn’t it be cool to make a lockable toy box with fingerprint access for my son’s toy car collection. At the heartContinue reading “Biometric security toy box”

Adventures in RFID (with the MF522-AN module)

<![CDATA[I've been meaning to do some experiments with RFID for a while. The technology is cheap, reliable and opens up a world of possibilities for exhibit and event IT interactive displays. I chose Arduino as my platform for RFID, not only because it's robust and I'm familiar with it, but also because it has establishedContinue reading “Adventures in RFID (with the MF522-AN module)”

Retro Space Invaders Gmail Notifier

A couple of weeks ago I was in our local Boots chemist. They were clearing out all the Christmas gifts at 75% off. I saw this Space Invaders alarm clock reduced to around £3 ($5) and had to have it, even though I had no use for another alarm clock. (Btw, even though Boots areContinue reading “Retro Space Invaders Gmail Notifier”

9bulb: a Twitter client in nine lamps

<![CDATA[ What is it?! I was in B&Q a few weeks ago and this LED panel caught my eye. It’s not the type of thing I’d normally buy but I fancied its hacking potential as an ambient device of some sort. Taking the back off revealed a set of nine mini circuit boards, each withContinue reading “9bulb: a Twitter client in nine lamps”

Baby's first skateboard

<![CDATA[Soon after baby Ewan was born I thought it would be fun to design a custom skateboard for him. I've been into skateboards since I was 14 and always thought it would be fun to come up with my own design. Ewan gave me the inspiration for a design, so I decided to get myContinue reading “Baby's first skateboard”

Diary of a new garage – part 6

<![CDATA[About six months ago (best man) Scott gave me an LCD projector that he had spare. It's a 3M MP8640 – a big, heavy office projector that originally cost about £3,500 when it was made back in early 2000. Ten years on it still does a pretty good job, so I was determined to doContinue reading “Diary of a new garage – part 6”

Diary of a new garage – part 5

<![CDATA[With winter on the way, one thing I really had to sort out was heating for the garage, especially on the summer house side. The insulation in the walls and ceiling is working well, but with outdoor temperatures dropping to single digits I really needed something to raise the temperature in the winter evenings. IContinue reading “Diary of a new garage – part 5”

Diary of a new garage – part 4

<![CDATA[I took a few photos of the garage last night. All the photos below are clickable to a larger high-res version. The summer house side View from the sofa The garage side As you can see, organising everything on the garage side is still an ongoing project, but at least everything is now undercover inContinue reading “Diary of a new garage – part 4”

Diary of a new garage – part 3

<![CDATA[It's been a while since the last update, but a lot has happened in that time. We now have power, insulation, flooring and even some guttering. Picking up from where I was last time, the electrician came out and fitted a consumer unit to power the ring main and lighting circuits. I read in myContinue reading “Diary of a new garage – part 3”

Diary of a new garage – part 2

<![CDATA[Today is erection day! The site for the garage was cleared just over a week ago and today – bang on schedule – the new garage turned up on the back of a flatbed truck. The company brought a team of five guys to nail it together and by noon they had finished the job…Continue reading “Diary of a new garage – part 2”