KnitSonya did a fantastic job refurbing these old theater seats with fresh upholstery and so on:

The surly teenager, with great ingenuity, broke them down and hauled them to the car. My friend Kobi brought the fabric back from a trip to Finland. (I provided the address to the Marimekko outlet) Pasha serendipitously used upholstery batting as packing material when she mailed the loom. And finally Mr. Knitsonya helped put them back together again. (There was that brief 45 minute window today where I thought I had thrown away all the hardware) It was like some epic craft undertaking: Cast of thousands! Years in the making! But aren't they gorgeous?

Link (via Craft)

Simon sez, "We did a free Summer of Love mashup compilation/album to tribute the first (1968) and the second (1988) Summer of Love revolutions in one. So we mashed Flower Power hits with acid house and rave stuff. As a bonus each artist created a custum vintage VW Bus paper model and we give them away in a handy print ready pdf file. The Summer of Love 2008 is a featured torrent in the Mininova so its ultra fast. There is a wacky alternate download as well, plus straming and track by track download too. Fans can find an empty VW bus sablon in the pdf so they can design their own bus and send it to us, we will post them in a gallery at the WHA!? site." Link (Thanks, Simon!)

Phil Torrone, whose work you may know from MAKE magazine, shares his latest online video project with us -- it looks pretty awesome! Hats off! He explains.

Citizen Engineer is an online video series about open source hardware, electronics, art and hacking. The first video debuted at "The Last HOPE" conference today in New York City. Volume 1is about phones: SIM card & payphone hacking. Learn how a SIM card works (the small card inside GSM cell phones) make a SIM card reader, view deleted messages, phone book entries and clone/crack a SIM card. Modify a "retired" payphone so it can be used as a home telephone and for VoIP (Skype). Then learn how to modify the hacked payphone so it accepts quarters - and lastly, use a Redbox to make "free phone" calls from the modified coin-accepting payphone.

The DIY extravaganza Maker Faire comes to Austin, Texas on October 18-19, 2008. The official Call For Makers has just gone online and you have until Thursday, September 4, to submit your application. Get out your soldering irons, knitting needles, screwdrivers, sewing machines, propane tanks, and frying pans and get busy! From the entry page:

Maker Faire returns to Austin, Texas for its second year. This two-day, family-friendly event celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset and features interactive exhibits organized by individual enthusiasts, hobbyist groups and clubs as well as student groups. It's for creative, resourceful folks who like to tinker and love to make things. Maker Faire is an opportunity to share what you do with others...

Organized by the staff of Make and Craft magazines, Maker Faire is a newfangled fair that brings together science, art, craft and engineering plus green, food and music in a fun, energized, and exciting public forum. The aim is to inspire people of all ages to roll up their sleeves and become makers. We encourage you to join the fun and enter a project to exhibit.

Maker Faire Austin Call for Entries (Makerfaire.com)

This marvellous paperback chair is on display at Myopic Books in Providence Rhode Island (where the Rag and Bone blog's proprietor spotted it). It was made by artist David Karoff: "David Karoff welded the chair and attached the paperbacks: they have holes drilled though their insides and are slipped onto a hidden rebar frame. All of the materials are recycled - even the books, which are cast-offs from the Rochambeau Library Book Sales." ZOMG I wish this was for sale. Link (via Make)

David Wiggins rebuilt his M16 as if it were a DeWalt powertool. Rob has more over at Boing Boing Gadgets. DeWalt M16 (BB Gadgets)

In this video, a shirtless inventor explains how he made a cell-phone activated stun gun to administer a shock to bike thieves.

Bike thieves suck, so I decided to get even. Why not track and, if you'd like, shock these most egregious of folk?

With a $40 pay-as-you-go cell phone, stun gun, and some basic electronic components, you can teach bike thieves a lesson and, hopefully, foster a small social change through individual action:)

How to end bike theft (Instructables)

The good folks at Evil Mad Scientist Labs have unveiled their fantastic HOWTO for recreating a 1958, oscilloscope-based proto-video-game called "Tennis for Two," created by a physicist named William Higinbotham "to improve what was an otherwise lackluster visitors' day at the lab."

Before we start, let's be clear that this is not a tutorial in how to build an oscilloscope. Tennis for Two is supposed to display on a 'scope, so beg, borrow, or buy one if you don't have one handy. Older low-end analog scopes like mine (a Hameg!) usually go for $50-$150, and if nothing else, you can always make a Scope Clock out of it later.

There are three parts to the electronics that we're building. First, there is the AVR microcontroller-- the brains of the outfit. The specific variety that we're using is the ATmega168, the same chip used in (for example) the Arduino platform. Secondly, there are two handheld controllers that connect to the ATmega168 microcontroller. Each handheld controller has a knob and a button. Third, there is the digital to analog converter that takes the output from the AVR and uses it to drive the scope.

Link

DEFENDER of the Favicon implements the game of Defender using Javascript and the tinsy, teeny space afforded by a Favicon. Supposedly works in Firefox and Opera, though my Firefox just stalls on the splashscreen. Nevertheless: woah. 8-bit arcade game in a Favicon. Woah. Link (via Wonderland)

Craftster user Chris Wass knit an entire Wonder Woman costume (complete with bracelets!) for ComiCon. Alas, I won't be there to see it in person this year, but I'm already subbed to the Flickr tag and can't wait to do some virtual cosplayer watching. Link (via Craft)

My pal Christy at Instructables says:

Our intern Bilal (a runner-up in the last laser cutter contest) painted and laser-engraved his fingernails, then realized he could use press-on nails for a safer and more portable version. Of course, since concept is everything, he went for an epic Beards vs. Mustaches historical character smackdown. (At any rate, it's much less gross than the laser tattooing.)

Laser-engraved fingernails (Instructables)

(NPR photo by Jolie Myers of Mister Jalopy astride his iron steed at Coco's Variety)

Professional amateur and Make contributor Mister Jalopy was profiled on NPR today.

Like many of his fellow makers, Mr. Jalopy is simultaneously an artist, a tinkerer and a craftsman. For him, it's a lifestyle. His garage is lined with cabinets full of parts, an unimaginable number of widgets, wires and springs. There are broken sculptures, pinball machines and dozens of bicycles and old cars in various states of transformation.

Next to the giant iPod is his version of a drive-in movie theater: a sturdy wooden box, which he has wired with various found parts and mounted on a Schwinn adult tricycle. The result: He can project movies onto a 12-foot surface anywhere within riding distance.

...

Mr. Jalopy has been consulting with Disney, Apple and other major corporations, preaching the gospel of open source manufacturing. He tells them to use screws instead of glue, and to make schematics readily available so consumers can fix and re-imagine the objects they buy. He also urges technology companies to create forums for consumers to share ideas, and pushes car companies to sell patterns so people can create accessories like seat covers.

Mr. Jalopy: Are You Sure You Own Your Stuff? (NPR)

Mousewrites sez, "Steampunkwallpaper.com is a collection of wallpapers with a steampunky theme. I've taken it into my damn fool head to make one wallpaper a day for the next year, (15 so far) and I realized that I don't have quite enough ideas (my list of ideas is around 130 right now). I know that there's some people that don't like steampunk, but hell, there's some people who don't like coffee, either. No accounting for taste, I suppose! I love Boing Boing, and was hoping that the collective might give me some ideas? All my wallpapers are Creative Commons remix licensed, as well." Link (Thanks, Mousewrites!)

Two high-school crafters on Cape Cod, Katheryn Maloney and Brady Cullinan, are making jewelry out of the ubiquitous remains of the local 17-year cicadas, who did their thing this year:

Yesterday, amid the tents of baked goods and vegetables at the Sandwich Farmers Market at Oakcrest Cove Field off Quaker Meetinghouse Road, their table featured earrings and necklaces made with colored beads, sea glass and dead bugs.

The business partners, both 17, residents of Sandwich and seniors at Sandwich High School, crafted the dainty pieces from the bodies of the insects that have covered areas of the Cape this summer for the first time in 17 years.

(Thanks, Andrew!)

(Image ganked from Cape Cod Times/Merrily Lunsford -- original here)

Randi sez, "Perhaps you would be interested in a 17 foot tall Gandhi avatar made out of cardboard? An artist by the name of Joseph DeLappe made this for his Eyebeam spring residency. Should you want to make your own, the process is well documented on Instructables."

After walking with Gandhi in Second Life for 240 miles I decided it would be interesting to extract my avatar from this online world and recreate him in monumental scale. This instructable takes you through the process of creating the 17' tall cardboard Gandhi using a variety of readily accessible (mostly free!) software tools, cardboard and a hot glue gun. The production of this sculpture took a total of 4 weeks, 6 days a week, 9-11 hour days with the assistance of an intern for two-three days of each week.

Link (Thanks, Randy!)

Amy Critchett and the Survival Research Laboratories crew (a legendary group of machine artists) tell Boing Boing:

SRL crew member Todd Blair [above, in earlier times] suffered a severe brain injury while striking the set of a Survival Research Laboratories show last September in Amsterdam. While liability insurance is being disputed we are doing all we can can to support Todd and his wife through his recovery.

WHAT: 25 gears, each sponsored by an artist or an organization, each made into its own unique piece of art, will be assembled to create a kinetic sculpture at The Wall: Unveiled

Gear Makers include: Mark Pauline/SRL, Kal Spelletich, The Flaming Lotus Girls, Laurel True/True Mosiacs, The Shipyard, ZeroOne Festival, Jon Sarriguarte/Form and Reform, RE:Search Publications, Fringe Exhibitions and more

The Wall: Unveiled will include art, performance, food, family crafts and fun. $5 to $500 minimum donation at the door. All donations are tax deductable. All ages welcome.

The Wall: Unveiled, Sunday, July 20, 2008, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave Alameda, CA 94501.

Details at www.toddnow.org.

Image above, Todd at the SRL Robodock show in Amsterdam, before the accident. Below, the gear created by artist Jon Sarriugarte for the Todd Blair benefit Gear Wall. Images via SRL and Mr. Blair's support website. Previously on Boing Boing:

SRL crew member injured in post-show accident

SRL: update on injured crew member

San Francisco: benefit for SRL's Todd Blair on Saturday

Wednesday: Dorkbot-San Francisco Todd Blair benefit

Over at BB Gadgets, John spotted this "Hockey Organ" in which a hacked vintage Casio keyboard controls the action on a table hockey game. Graeme Patterson was the maker. Hockey Organ (Matrixsynth, via BB Gadgets) photos of the Hockey Organ (GraemePatterson.com)

Natan sez, "Pictures of a fully functional mosaic bike made by me. Weighs a ton but looks great!" I'll take his word for the former, and I can affirm the latter myself. Link (Thanks, Natan!)

At Cloth and Fodder, Beth J posted a HOWTO on making a delicious spider hunting wasp cake. It's superzesty lemon cake with wings molded from toffee.
Wasp cake (Cloth and Fodder, via CRAFT)

Jake van Slatt sez, "During a recent book signing in Seattle William Gibson was asked about the Steampunk modding craze. I think it was really cool that he was aware of us! In addition he commented: 'My one complaint is, they make these things look all shiny and new...I think they should look...distressed.' Well, Kevin just sent me some pictures of his Steampunk Keyboard and I think he's managed just that!" Link (Thanks, Jake!)

Rogue archivist Carl Malamud sez, "Our public.resource.org gift to all the makers out there this 4th of July is the full text of the California building, electric, mechanical, plumbing, energy, and fire codes, known technically as 'California Code of Regulations Title 24' and perhaps better known in the real world as '$890 MSRP.' It's not just a good idea to copy this data, it's the law." Link (Thanks, Carl!)

The geniuses at Evil Mad Scientist Labs have lovingly documented the process of making a D12 purse (of holding):

Drawstring dice bags are nearly ubiquitous amongst people who play with non-cubical dice. They can even be used as hand bags. But what about the inverse-- a bag that looks like one of the dice? Here's how to make a dodecahedral handbag using fabric, iron-on numbers, a couple of washers and a magnet.

Link

Uncle Wilco sez, "We have some wonderful sheds on readersheds.co.uk, but the most quirky ones are the Tardis sheds, full size replicas of the Doctor Who's famous time machine, but most are used to store garden tools and not travel through space and time. Now is the time to vote for your favorite shed, be it a Tardis or a normal garden shed you have until Friday the 4th July to Vote." Link (Thanks, Uncle Wilco!)

Omar's friend Jennie made him this brilliant Pac-Man cake (with ghost cupcakes) for his birthday. Link (Thanks, Omar!)

Yasmine Sethi, a final year student at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. designed this Alice Chess Set inspired by Through the Looking Glass. When pieces are removed from the board, they become opaque, obscuring them while they're out of play.

The theme of 'Alice through the Looking Glass' is the difference between the real world and the world behind the mirror. In keeping with this theme there is a contrast between the unlit mirrored piece and the clear glass piece. Each unlit mirrored piece is a smooth and modern shape. Each lit piece is clear glass, with the negative shape of a traditional, delicate Staunton chess piece enclosed within it. In the book the White Knight talks about how he thinks better when he is upside down. In a reference, the White Knights in the set only work when they are placed upside down. This joke is hidden to all but those who know the background of the chess set

The Chessboard is made out of LightPoints a material manufactured by Schott, which is glass that has LED's embedded in it; the pieces are coated with Mirona, a Material that turns transparent when light shines through it. When the piece is placed on the board it completes the circuit and lights up the LED under it turning it transparent, like magic.

Link

Over on Boing Boing Gadgets, our Rob takes notice of Netgear's new open WiFi routers, whose firmware and hardware are all modder friendly, designed to be improved by their owners to add new features.

Back in the day, Linksys slipped GPL software into its routers and was obliged to open-source the firmware as a consequence. The result was the much-loved, much-hacked WRT series, into which was added all sorts of fancy features usually reserved for business-class machinery. Netgear's getting in on this enthusiast-friendly game with the WGR614L, which is designed to be to tinkered with from the rubber feet-up.

Link, Discuss this on Boing Boing Gadgets

Matthew Harding spent 14 months visiting 42 countries in order to produce "Where the Hell is Matt?", a four-and-a-half minute video featuring Harding (and anyone else he could rope into it) doing an incredibly silly, high-energy dance in some of the most breathtaking scenery around the world. This may be the best four minutes and twenty-eight seconds of your week.

Matt is a 31-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play videogames. Matt achieved this goal pretty early and enjoyed it for a while, but eventually realized there might be other stuff he was missing out on. In February of 2003, he quit his job in Brisbane, Australia and used the money he'd saved to wander around Asia until it ran out. He made this site so he could keep his family and friends updated about where he is.

A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don't you stand over there and do that dance. I'll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It's actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.

A couple years later, someone found the video online and passed it to someone else, who passed it to someone else, and so on. Now Matt is quasi-famous as "That guy who dances on the internet. No, not that guy. The other one. No, not him either. I'll send you the link. It's funny."

The response to the first video brought Matt to the attention of the nice people at Stride gum. They asked Matt if he'd be interested in taking another trip around the world to make a new video. Matt asked if they'd be paying for it. They said yes. Matt thought this sounded like another very good idea.

Link to video, Link to Where the Hell is Matt site (Thanks to everyone who suggested this!)

Here's a cool tip for a hot day from Parenthacks: have your kids paint the house with water:

All of the recent talk about spray bottles for summer water play made me remember something my mom used to do with me. She would take a paint brush and water and let me "paint" the house. Works like a cheap aquadoodle. This just bought me a good half hour of peace with my 2 year old. He painted my car, the driveway, the house, and even me!

We also used ice cubes like crayons to draw on the driveway. The teacher in me loves that it combines so many elements: sensory, art, dramatic play, and writing

Link

Eric sez, "Instructables user madhatter1138 meticulously interpreted the 'Jungle Cruise' ride at Disneyland into a backyard playhouse for his lucky daughters. He posted a slideshow of the construction and the finished product up on the site." Link (Thanks, Eric!)