Author Archive
Fixing a musty smell in my 2007 Toyota Yaris
Towards the end of last summer my 2007 Toyota Yaris developed a musty smell in the cabin whenever I ran the A/C. This is a common problem in many cars but the Yaris seems particularly susceptible, probably because it lacks a mesh screen behind the air intake vents below
Bridgeport Series II CNC Gecko/Mach3 Conversion
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Last summer I bought a Bridgeport Series II milling machine. It was being sold by a local machine shop for a song because it had problems with the BOSS 6 controller. I found it on Craigslist and after confirming that the seller could load it on to
Victorian RV – Bedroom Redecorated
I've never been completely satisfied with the Captain's cabin of my bus. The original ceiling in this section was finished with perforated steel sound absorbing panels that did a good job making it quiet but collected soot and dirt and were virtually uncleanable. My solution to this problem was
Steampunk Home Decor – Light Switch Plates
A couple of months ago The Lady and I came to the realization that we had painted the walls and woodwork in every room in our home except for the master bedroom. Our house was built in the 1970's and this means beige and brown decor. Thus, our bedroom
A Visit to a Steampunked Home
If you dropped by my house you’d probably be disappointed. Because (with the exception of my office, which is more post-apocalytic than anything else) it’s simply not very steampunk. I do have plans, but none have come to fruition. However, a couple of weeks ago I was invited by
Girl Genius Radio Theater Microphone
I generally don't do commisions. But occasionally a conversation will spark an idea for a project and I'll create something like this microphone. In this case it was a conversation with Cheyenne Wright, one of the artists behind the Girl Genius webcomic and it took place at SteamCon 2009. Cheyenne,
Mjöllnir Lamps for the Roadster
Some projects take a long time. Sometimes I start something and then put it aside, in this case for more that two years! When Make:TV came out to the workshop to shoot a profile of me in July of 2008, one of the projects that I worked on for
Moving a Bridgeport Milling Machine – Recreational Rigging
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One of my goals for this year is to add some real machining capabilities to my shop. I've been in the market for a milling machine since the beginning of the year and when I saw a Bridgeport series II CNC mill pop up on Craiglist for $1000 I
Jake’s Wimshurst Machine and How to Build It! (Part 1)
Last year I wrote an article for Make Magazine volume #17 that described the construction of an electrostatic generator of electricity, a Wimshurst Influence machine, using parts and materials commonly available at your local home center and hardware store. I was a little surprised and quite pleased when I
Etching Tins with Salt Water and Electricity – Compliment to The Steampunk Bible Article
The Steampunk Bible contains an article I wrote on etching small candy tins with salt water and electricity. There was limited space in the book so we’ve provided this expanded compliment article to help you should you be interested in trying this project, enjoy! In the past, merchants used