How To: Build an animal detector with a motion light & webcam
MAKE and Kipkay brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
MAKE and Kipkay brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
Make your own backyard biodiesel with the help of Kipkay. It's easy to make a small batch that will work in any diesel engine. You won't need any special equipment--an old juice bottle will serve as the "reactor" vessel--and on such a small scale, you can quickly refine your technique and perform further experiments. Thanks go to Rob Elam for the original article in Make Volume 3To download Making Biodiesel MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Making Biodiesel article...
The mysterious, still unidentified missile that was seen yesterday off the coast of Southern California is stilling boggling Los Angeles residents. The projectile was seen on November 8th, shooting straight up into the sky, just north of Catalina Island.
In this how-to video, you will learn how to build a fire pit. This will be useful if you want to enhance your backyard. You will need the required fire pit tools such as 55 york blocks, 25 wall caps, two tubes of masonry adhesive, ten 50 pound bags of crushed rock, 6 50 pound bags of decorative rocks, and one metal fire ring. First determine the layout of the pit. Lay the blocks to the layout and adjust for a tight fit. Use a shovel to mark where the soil and grass will be removed. Remove the...
What does your backyard need? A garden. You already have one? Then how about a garden bench? Join Lowe's as they walk you through, step by step, the building of a wooden garden bench. One of the most marvelous things about woodworking is that with just a little planning and effort, you can turn a few boards of lumber into an beautiful and elegant project like this bench.
As your home ages, so does your deck in the backyard, but there are ways to resolve this issue. If that wooden deck is looking weathered or worn, you can simply replace the components with composite materials without a complete rebuild. Composite doesn't splinter or have knots, and it's low maintenance. This two-part video, brought to you by Lowe's, will show you exactly how to renew your deck with composite decking.
Remember the Rocketeer? The rocket jet pack that he wore? Jet packs are the coolest sci-fi props that haven't been perfected in "real life" yet. Almost, but not quite. For now, film rocket belts or rocket packs will do. Like in the Bond flick "Thunderball" and in the Star Wars movies "Attack of the Clones" and "Return of the Jedi". It's even in "Fahrenheit 451" and "Minority Report". But your homemade DIY jet pack might be the best of all. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a jet...
Summertime is grilling time! Watch this how to video on how to make delicious grilled baja fish tacos. Perfect for your summer backyard BBQ! Once you make this fresh fish tacos, everyone will be asking for more.
Check out this video to learn how to make grilled pizza. Experience a new video cookbook with delicious summertime recipes, perfect for your picnic basket or backyard BBQ table. Everyone is sure to enjoy this delicious recipe for grilled pizza.
Check out this how to video to learn how to make BBQ ribs. Experience a new video cookbook with delicious summertime recipes, perfect for your picnic basket or backyard BBQ table.
Just because you don't have money to blow doesn't mean you can't blow things up. If you're looking to add a Michael Bay quality explosion to your backyard film project, check out this Indy Mogul Backyard FX video. The total cost of everything you need to make this special effect is less than one hundred dollars.
Thinking about building a small retaining wall in your backyard? Retaining walls are a great way to prevent the advance of plants, dirt, or water in your backyard. In this video, learn the basics of building a retaining wall.
Pulled pork sandwiches anyone? Watch this how to video and try this easy to do recipe for real BBQ pulled pork, all done on a simple backyard BBQ smoker. All you need for this pulled pork barbecue is 8-10lbs. of Boston butt, also known as pork shoulder, and your favorite dry rub and barbecue sauce.
If you own a home with a front and backyard, there are so many different possibilities when it comes to changing things around and adding features that are sure to boost the curb appeal of your home. In this tutorial, you'll find out how to lay paver on the ground connecting from your backyard to your front from the side of your home. It's beautiful to look at and is handy to have, so check it out and good luck!
Have Sony Vegas, but don't know all that it can do, like masking? Well, this video tutorial about masking in Vegas Pro 9 will get you started in movie visual effects. As in the video, you can give an illusion that there is a real tank in your backyard with masking. See how to use the mask tool in Sony Vegas Pro 9.
If you're a filmmaker with bigger ideas than your budget, Indy Mogul is here to help with Backyard FX. Learn how to build a camera mount for a car that costs less than 40 dollars. Using suctions cups, you can rig a camera on the front of a car.
How cool would it be to have your own A.S.H.P.D., aka Portal Gun? Find out for yourself. Learn how to build your own Portal Gun, just like the one in the game, from affordable parts by watching this Indy Mogul Backyard FX video guide.
Indy Mogul's Backyard FX series has another great video for making high quality props and special effects. In this installment, you'll learn how to make a destructible wall, perfect for the big action sequence in your next low budget film project.
Indy Mogul Backyard FX is here with an awesome, cheap, special effect build that will have your audience jumping out of their seats. If you're a filmmaker on a budget you've got to watch this video and learn how to make a hole in the chest effect that look exactly like there is a hole in the actor's chest.
Looking to create the look of a blockbuster Sci-Fi epic, for the price of a student film? This Indy Mogul Backyard FX video will show you how to build incredible looking science fiction armor out of foam for about eighty dollars. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully and be patient.
Are you an enormous fan of Spider Man? So much so you wonder what it'd be like to be him and have his capabilities? In this episode of Indy Mogul's Backyard FX, learn how to make your own Spider Man usable web shooters! Use this prop for a low budget film, Halloween costume, or just for fun and take your Spider Man costume to the next level!
Australian native Scott's biggest concern is water conservation. By overhauling his bathroom, hot water, heater and backyard, Scott saves $360 a year on water costs. Learn how you can save money and conserve water by renovating your plumbing with this how to video.
In this how-to you will learn to make a wrestling ring for those who need to find a nice place to practice wrestling. This can come in handy for schools, or even your backyard.
Sarah McColl teaches us how to light up a room or backyard with homemade lanterns. As she shows us, lighting is one thing you never want to neglect. Electricity is not required.
Smoking food is one of the best ways you can prepare food, since it both imparts a rich, wood grainy flavor and treats food without needing to add excess oils (which also add extra calories and fat). But what happens if you don't have a large backyard and smoker?
In The Return of the Jedi, Luke and his Ewok allies have to get creative to defeat their more-heavily-armored Storm Trooper opponents. Using a hanging log trap just like is one of the ways that they choose to do it. Even if your prey is just an apple, this trap creates some very fun smashing action. Grass Roots DIY brings us instructions on how to create this awesome trap in the woods of Endor... or your backyard, whichever is closer. All you need is a lot of rope, two logs, and something tha...
In this two part video series, BBQ pit master Rick Browne shares his tried and true method to making sweet, succulent brown sugar ribs. Follow the instructions in this video and you will surely have the most popular dish at the next BBQ.
Learn how to harvest your elder tree! If you have an elder in your backyard, you can finally do something special with those elderberries. Mountain Rose Herb shows you the steps required to make delicious elderberry syrup with this video recipe. This herbal syrup can be used for colds, flu and coughs. It's a simple natural home remedy with dried elderberries.
The Smart Pond system can be used to create a water feature in a backyard. Ponds can be made above the ground or in the ground using a preformed pond. Various types of ponds are shown, which would be appropriate for various locations. The location of a pond is discussed; it shouldn't be under trees to avoid debris and too much shade. Draw out the plan for your pond and dig one or two feet deeper than the depth of the pond. Determine the size of the liner, place it in the hole and anchor it wi...
A great special effect for any film or movie is the space warp effect, like this bleach bypass effect. It's a little tricky to make, but once you know, fairly simple. Learn how to create a bleach bypass effect in Sony Vegas.
What every indie filmmaker needs is a little program called After Effects. After effects does wonders for any film requiring a little special effects that would normally be too expensive to make "real". Like this glowing eye effect. See how to make an eye glowing effect in Adobe After Effects.
We all know that movies now-a-days don't use real rocks, but fake rocks for their film sets. Why? Because it's safer, lighter, easier to movie, and you can design them exactly how you want them. So if you need a rock for your indie film project, make it yourself. There's nothing better than imitation. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake rock movie prop.
The FN P90. Everybody wants one, but more than likely, you can't get your hands on one, especially if it's illegal in your area. Designed by FN Herstal back in the 80's, the P90 personal defense weapon is the cream of the crop. It's full name, Project 90, specifies a weapon system of the 1990's. If you want this firearm for a weapon prop or just to have, you can easily build one yourself with household materials, mostly cardboard. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a P-90 prop ca...
It's medieval mayhem and you need a sword prop. Maybe you're larping, or maybe you just need a fake, dull movie prop blade for your action epic. Either way, this is a great weapons build project for a cool replica wooden sword. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake sword prop.
Watch this two part instructional painting video to paint wisteria flowers from life with watercolor on Chinese rice paper. This fluid style of painting takes lot of practice and does not allow for mistakes. Every brush stroke counts. Get out some news print to practice painting the beautiful flowers in your backyard.
Multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infection in humans have led the Centers for Disease Control to advise caution when interacting with poultry. A press release on June 1st mentioned eight multistate outbreaks connected to backyard flocks. As of May 25, 372 people in 47 states were reported infected with the outbreaks' Salmonella strains. That means this year could be as bad as 2016, a record year, for salmonella outbreaks with 895 people infected.
Silent films went out of style just as soon as it became possible to give a film a soundtrack. This Indy Mogul Backyard FX video will show you, for only forty dollars, you can make your own Boom Pole for rigging a mic to capture sound.
If you're a filmmaker on a budget and you've got some farce up your sleeve, this video is for you. Watch Indy Mogul's Backyard FX explain how to build a really realistic looking latex pregnancy belly, so that your romantic comedy can grow!
Yar! If swashbucklin adventure be yer fancy, check out this awesome Indy Mogul Backyard FX video to learn how to build a Pirates of the Caribbean style sword prop out of foam. This video explains what materials you need and what tools you'll use.
If you're looking to give your Mafia movie a real, authentic, look, but don't have a ton of cash check out this great Indy Mogul Backyard FX video to learn how to build a Tommy Gun. It may not fire bullets, but this fifty dollar prop packs some real punch.