It's not junk if you can make stuff with it!!
I’m a retired US Navy veteran, pancreatic cancer survivor, and lifelong maker. I spend my time in the shop creating things and doing my best to stay out of my wife’s way. I’ve never been good at throwing things away. If something looks reusable, I keep it and eventually turn it into something new. Most …
I’ve now added an LED Current Resistor Calculator to the site that is simple and easy to use. It quickly calculates needed resistor values for LED’s. Click the picture to get to it…
I seem to be always chasing down a resistor color code calculator online, never thinking to bookmark one. Of course you’d think I’d remember the colors after all these years of tinkering eh? I’ve added a Resistor Calculator to the site that is simple and easy to use. It quickly calculates resistor values, whether you’re …
If you work with PVC pipe you know what a pain it is to heat it up to bend it if you don’t own an expensive commercial heater. Save yourself time and money doing it my way instead of those painstaking tricks you’ve seen on YouTube. My instructions will show you how I built an …
Please help keep the lights on in my shop, check out my eBay listings for more one-of-a-kind creations and help generate interest for the eBay algorithm! Every piece you see is handmade by me in my home workshop—no mass production, and no two items are exactly alike. You may notice small imperfections here and there—that’s …
This time I show you how $20 builds a simple battery charger. It can recharge almost any battery you already own. That includes Alkaline, Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, and Li-ion cells, each battery type must be charged correctly and safely. This project helps you do that on a budget, you do not need expensive chargers or fancy …
Can you really recharge alkaline batteries? Yes, you can but it must be done correctly. Proper charging methods are very important. This project explains a simple approach, I’ll show the process using a common solar path light. They’re cheap and easy to find and contain the needed charging components already. That makes them great for …
Just a quick follow-up to my last post on how make a simple inexpensive decorative jar or bottle night light. There were a few things I mentioned I thought I’d clarify a bit. We’ll talk more about changing out the LED to color changing LEDs, flickering candle Leds, & more… Click on the picture to …
Today let’s make a simple decorative jar night light. It is inexpensive and easy to build with no holes to drill. You can also use a bottle instead. This project shows your own personality and feels better than mass produced decor. While store-bought lights often look generic, handmade lights feel unique and personal. You choose …
Hiding a solar garden light inside a Mason jar looks better than mounting it on top, it creates a clean and polished finished design. In my last post, I modified solar lights using recycled candle jars. I also used color changing LED bulbs and Flickering candle LEDs were another fun option. Those particular jars allowed …