Nothing beats a Steadicam for capturing smooth video, but the commercially-available models can run for hundreds or thousands of dollars. But if you're willing to do a little work, you can build your own for small camcorders and dSLRs for about $30-40.The video above from Krotoflik walks you through the entire process. Most of the parts you need won't be lying around your house, but they aren't too hard to find online. A collection of washers at the base serves as a customizable counterweight to keep your rig balanced, while a dollar store flashlight is used as a clever free-rotating gymbal. The finished product looks surprisingly professional, and the sample footage linked at the end of the video is very impressive for something so inexpensive.If you love this idea, but want something a little more compact for a GoPro camera, Krotoflik also offers a modified tutorial for the Krotocam Mini. Whichever model you choose, the video you capture should be leaps and bounds smoother than anything you could get by shooting handheld.How to Build the Krotocam (DIY Steadicam) | YouTube via DIY Photography
What to do if your keyboard on the screen. And if there are dozens of screens: At CES, the Russian design Art Lebedev, the company shows upcoming Optimus Aux Optimus popularis keyboard with a mini and a series of six unique keyboard for data input devices on the key to the home screen.
Showing posts with label Cheap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cheap. Show all posts
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Build a Cheap, Great Looking iPhone 5 Dock Out of Lego
Just because Apple doesn't make an iPhone 5 dock doesn't mean you have to spend a bunch of money on one. The designers over on the Daily Brick show you how to build your own dock using nothing but Lego, and it actually looks pretty solid. The entire dock takes 42 Lego bricks, and you can buy the kit if you don't have the pieces. We've certainly seen our share of docks before, but this is a surprisingly solid looking (and incredibly cheap to build) dock for the iPhone 5. Head over to the Daily Brick for the full build instructions. Build your own Lego iPhone 5 Dock | The Daily Brick via Hack a DaySaturday, August 10, 2013
Bending, Shaping and Strengthening Foam Armor (Cheap and Easy method)
*** If you enjoyed this instructable, please consider voting for me in the contests it is entered in! Thanks for reading! ***
Putting complex bends and curves in EVA Foam armor can be tricky, since the foam is very elastic and flexible. Parts don't always like to hold their shapes, and the prevalent method (from my experience reading costume forums like therpf) for shaping foam armor parts is to use a heat gun. I didn't have a heat gun, so I decided to apply something I discovered when I was making my Iron Man Mark 3: paperclips are surprisingly good at holding form and shape.
My method basically involves cutting lines into the inside of an armor piece, lining the cut with a paperclip and then sealing it back up with hot glue. The best part about this method is that you don't have to go out and buy a heat gun if you don't have one. Additionally, it is really easy to re-shape if you so desire, and the paperclips actually do strengthen and stiffen the parts.
The materials you will need:
1) Foam armor part (pepakura is the most popular method for making foam armor)
2) Paper clips (Use large ones because they are thicker and sturdier)
3) Hot Glue gun
4) Pliers (Needlenose, and optionally diagonal cutters as well)
5) X-acto knife
In this instructable, I will show a fairly simple method to form, shape and strengthen foam armor, using an Iron Man helmet made from EVA foam floor mats.
CAUTION: Be careful when placing cut paperclip bits as these are sharp and can easily penetrate skin. I have placed this warning again at the end of the Instructable, so please follow safety precautions and exercise good judgement while building!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Cheap, Sturdy, 1-Hour Quadcopter
You've got some flexibility in ordering parts. You can pay more or less for things like the radio and flight controller. We'll cover some cheaper options at the end of this instructable.
Frame
arms: 3/4" x 3/4" fir stick (approx 5 ft)
center plates: 1/4'' or 5mm Plywood (approx 6"x18”)
Machine screws & bolts, and washers
landing gear: 4 wiffle balls
zip ties
battery mount: 3/8" x 3/8" stick (approx 1 ft)
Power System
battery: LiPo 3S 3000-4000mAh
4x 40A Turnigy Plush ESC (motor controller)
4x NTM 35 1100 KV motors
2 10"x3.8" or 10"x4.5" APC SF Props, 2 CW and 2 CCW
double-sided velcro (approx 18'')
power distribution board or homemade power distributor
Bamboo Skewers
Piece of soft foam about 1/2'' thick, slightly bigger than your flight control board
Radio System (remote controller)
HobbyKing 9xr
FrSky module and receiver
Flight Control Board
Ardupilot Mega ($234)
Equipment
saw, drill, hot glue gun
TODO: double check (and provide links?)
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Easy Topsy Turvy Tomatoes for Cheap
Welcome, here's how to make your own Topsy Turvy's for the price of a five gallon bucket, a .99 cent hook, and a tomato plant (if you didn't grow it yourself.) Indeterminate tomatoes don't stop at a certain height, so planting them upside down should give them a nice, easy way to grow as big as they like.
1) The dirt. Have it ready to use.
2) The hooks. Find the spot you will hang the tomato plant. The south side of your house is probably the best, as it will get the most sun if it isn't shaded. I drilled out the holes first.
3) Cardboard holders. These will keep your tomato plant in the bucket. I cut a couple of squares, approximately 4" x 4" or 10 cm x 10 cm. Then cut into the middle and make a hole that's big enough that your full grown tomato plant won't be squeezed.
4) The 5 gallon bucket. Cut a hole in the middle of the bottom, approximately 2" x 2", or 5 cm x 5cm. My technique was to drill a hole with my largest drill bit, and then get in there with some tin snips to do the cutting.
5) The tomato plant. Carefully remove from it's previous pot. Loosen up it's roots, removing all the extra dirt into your dirt supply. Gently work the roots in from the bottom, supporting the stem while you do. Now slip a piece of cardboard over the stem, on the inside of the bucket. Repeat with the second piece turned 90 degrees from the first. Many times they will wind up interlocking, which is cool but unnecessary.
6) The dirt part 2. FIRST CHECK THAT THE STEM IS CENTERED IN THE HOLE. Now for the hardest part, you will need to hold the plant with one hand (or find an assistant) and fill dirt in with the other.
7) Hang it up. Pat yourself on the back. Water, and enjoy tomatoes in a few months!
Two notes: I would rather do this with clay containers, but was in a hurry. Clay is better than plastic for plants, and because I did this in plastic it can't be called biodynamic.
If you want to know when to transplant, and discover all sorts of secret powers, check out the Stella Natura biodynamics calendar. I'm not associated with them, but think they are awesome.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Upcycle your own stenciled coffee table on the cheap!
Ever see an image on the internet and think,"Hey, that would look cool on a coffee table, or end table, or even a wall"? Well after paying $50 for a high quality laser cut stencil, I figured there must be a way to make one for a lot cheaper. And this is what I did:
PencilScrew driver (or paint can opener)
Paintbrush
Paint
Wood stain
Polyurethane
Spray adhesive
Scotch tape
Boxcutter or knife
Sharp scissors
Not pictured
Sheet of plastic or vinyl (thick plastic page covers or plastic file folders can be cut open and used)
Printer
Printer paper
Patience
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
What's Your Favorite Cheap Home-Cooked Meal?
Cooking at home can save you a lot of money, but you can also rack up a huge grocery bill learning to make certain dishes that don't always turn out better than their cheaper counterparts. What are your favorite inexpensive, home-cooked meals?Personal finance blog Wise Bread shares a number of recipes that cost as little as $2 each to make. That seems a little on the excessively cheap side, however one of my favorite cheap meals—which comes out to about $2—is just rice, beans, and veggies. What's yours? Share a recipe if you've got it!Best Money Tips: Dinner Recipes for $2 or Less | WisebreadPhoto by wavebreakmedia (Shutterstock).
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