Novemb
er/Decem
ber 2012
LOOK, MA, NO WHEELS
MAKE MUSIC FOR A SONG Entertainer Jolyon Caplin shows how musical instruments can be created from simple household items and electronic parts. His invention, the “whirly horn”, is made out of a shower hose, a kitchen funnel and a French horn mouthpiece, put together with a hot glue gun. www.jollyone.net
MIRROR, MIRROR How to look picture perfect.
more pages of fabulous DIY tips
17-24 In this sequel to The How-To Issue (Nov/Dec 2011), Challenge shows you how to Do It Yourself (DIY) to save time and money. Revive stale coffee, change a tyre, fabricate a phone microscope or just hack your life to live better. There’s so much you can do. Go on, get busy!
Get out of direct light Bright light highlights flaws and shadows that can make you look tired. Smile with your eyes Open your eyes wide, then squint them a little. Tilt your head upwards so your eyes catch the light and sparkle. Think happy or amusing thoughts. No slouching Keep your head up and your shoulders back. Never face the camera straight on To look slimmer and more natural, turn sideways slightly and shift your weight to the back leg. Be seen If you have long hair, flip it behind the shoulder that is closer to the camera so more of your face can be seen.
A STICKY ACCIDENT A staple for DIY jobs, Super Glue was invented by accident – twice. While developing precision gun sights during World War II, Dr Harry Coover accidentally created cyanoacrylate, an extremely quick bonding adhesive. But he abandoned it as it was too sticky for what he needed. Nine years later, in 1951, he and a colleague created the super sticky formulation again while working at Eastman Kodak. This time Dr Coover saw its potential. By 1958, Super Glue was put on sale by Eastman Kodak. Read about more accidental inventions at bit.ly/accinvent
Tired of childhood toy cars that kept getting stuck, Yuichiro Katsumoto built the Catapy, a cute, palm-sized, motorised car with no wheels. A rubber caterpillar track lets the Catapy run across uneven ground and do backflips when it bumps into obstacles to keep going. Showcased at the Singapore Mini Maker Faire, see more of the Catapy here: bit.ly/CATAPY
YOU’RE A WHAT-ZA? Urawaza is Japanese for “secret tricks” you can do yourself on the cheap for everyday chores. Here are some to try out: Ripen mangoes in a flash Give your mangoes a bath in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes. This speeds up the starch-to-sugar ripening process. A perfect manicure on the go Wrap your hand around a tennis ball, nails facing you, and apply polish to nails. The ball stabilises your fingers, for a smudge-free manicure. No tennis ball? Try a round fruit, like an apple or orange. Get greener grass No spray paint needed. Pour some beer on your garden’s bald spots. Beer’s fermented sugars act as natural fertiliser. Grass feed on the sugars while the acids and alcohol kill bad fungi, making your lawn look healthy again. Find more tips in Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks from Japan, available from the National Library.
WHAT IS LIFEHACKING? Any shortcut, trick or method that improves everyday life (being more productive, getting organised, losing weight or spending less) can be considered lifehacking.
Illustration by Evon Tay
On a mission to encourage mindful, sustainable living, graphic designer Evon Tay created a seven-day DIY challenge that’s fun and easy enough for those new to DIY to try. Choose a challenge theme (Food, Commute, Making or Mindful Consumption) and write to Evon at hello@DIY-lifestyle.org. You will receive a challenge card of tasks. Complete them and share your progress online to win a token. More details at www.diy-lifestyle.org
WHAT IS A MAKER? Makers are the geeks of DIY who make their own things, such as tech gadgets, open source software, fashion clothing, home decor and more. They do it for fun and as a reaction against consumerist culture. The Maker movement became trendy six years ago, spurred by makers sharing projects on media like MAKE magazine and the Internet.
MAKERS TO INSPIRE YOU Think you can’t handle DIY? Here are some local websites to inspire you to become a maker. HandmadeMovement.sg Keep up with plans and projects for Singapore’s first large-scale indie craft fair in 2013 at Fort Canning Park.
Operation Overhaul Step-by-step tutorials for craft and jewellery, plus tips on where to find materials in Singapore.
handmademovementsg.com
operationoverhaul.com
DO/DIY Detailed instructions on how to lift your favourite runway looks and trends on a budget.
Little Green Dot An eco-friendly directory for Singapore, packed with practical tips and recipes.
do-or-diy.blogspot.sg
ourlittlegreendot.com
Monoxious Nothing monotonous about these DIY fashion projects. bit.ly/monoxiousDIY
WANT MORE DIY? How about being more hands-on as a New Year resolution? Get started with GOOD magazine’s 30 Days of GOOD Challenge: www.good.is/tag/diy
CHANGE A TYRE
Don’t be stranded with a flat tyre. Fix it yourself instead of waiting (and paying) for help.
At a safe spot, park your car on a flat surface and set the emergency brake. Switch on the hazard lights. Take out the spare tyre, reflector triangle, and your tools.
Remove the hubcap to expose the lug nuts. Use a lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts (or bolts) by turning them counterclockwise, but leave the lug nuts on.
Place the jack under your car in the correct spot (check your owner’s manual) and turn the hand crank until the wheel is high enough to remove the tyre.
HOW TO SPOT
TRIVIA Duct tape is required cargo on all NASA space shuttle missions. bit.ly/ductforNASA
Who knows, you might already be on your way to being one. Part of a community of makers Loves to share knowledge with others. Curious as cats Can’t wait to try new things and learn the many skills needed for DIY projects.
TOP
5
TOOLS FOR DIY PROJECTS Multi-tool Handy for impromptu projects on the go, multi-tools usually have pliers, a mini saw, wire stripper, screwdrivers, file, scissors and even a bottle opener.
Treats projects as their babies Takes ideas and nurtures them into projects. Mends own items Why pay for repairs?
Scissors Useful when kept sharp and used specifically for one purpose.
Willing to make mistakes Failure means better learning experiences.
Chronic hoarder Keeps a collection of found objects, and homes are strewn with U.F.O.s – unfinished objects or projects.
While no two DIYers are alike, in general they’re an upbeat and friendly group that shares a special trait: the courage to screw up. – Mark Frauenfelder Editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine
Tape Masking tape is useful for stencil projects and protecting surfaces, while duct tape has all sorts of uses from covering holes to being a temporary fix for things. Light Bright light or sunlight. All the better to see your work, help dry paint or glue, and grow plants. Measuring tape A good one will be steady when stretched out fully, yet flexible enough to measure around corners. Get one with a hook so you can measure without a second person to help.
TIP
BE SURE TO HAVE THESE IN THE CAR: A spare tyre, a lug wrench, a car jack and a reflector triangle.
Keep your car operating manual in your car for easy reference. bit.ly/changeatyre
1
1
3
4
3 4 Remove the lug nuts, placing them in a safe place. Remove the flat tyre and lay it flat so it will not roll away.
Take your spare tyre. Line up the lugs with the holes in the wheel and slide the tyre on. Tighten the lug nuts.
2
5
2
Lower the jack until the wheel is firmly on the ground and finish tightening the lug nuts with the lug wrench following a diagonal pattern.
FOOD COLOURING FIREWORKS
DOUGH IT YOURSELF
Impress the kids with this simple experiment: In a shallow dish of full-cream milk, add a few drops of different food colouring. Then add a tiny drop of liquid soap in the centre and watch the colours break into fascinating swirls.
Make colourful, non-toxic playdough with ingredients from the kitchen. Get rainbow colours from red lettuce, carrot, turmeric, pandan, blue pea flower and beetroot. Dyes are extracted by boiling a portion of each ingredient with a cup of water. Full instructions here: bit.ly/DIYplaydough
PAPERCRAFT ALPH
Full instructions here: bit.ly/colourmilk
ABET
DI Y, BE A JEST YOU MU
The kids will love these adorable papercraft letters. Print them out at home and fold them up. Each design represents something that starts with the letter and gives a different folding challenge.
Star Wars fans: Now you can break into a light stick toy and turn it into a lightsaber for less than $25.
Print the templates: digitprop.com/alphabet
Full instructions here: bit.ly/DIYlightsaber
WHERE TO GO FOR ALL YOUR HARDWARE AND CRAFTY NEEDS Handyman Centre Shaw Centre, #16-01, 1 Scotts Road. Tel 6737 9592 A mecca for handymen, well-stocked with household appliances, screws and other hardware items, including a wide selection of power tools. Spotlight Plaza Singapura, #05-11 to 19, 68 Orchard Road. Tel 6733 9808 An all-in-one store for fabric, craft and home interior projects, with classes in dressmaking, beading and more. Market of Artists And Designers (MAAD) red dot design museum, 28 Maxwell Road. Tel 6534 7209 A space for celebrating local creativity in art, crafts and performing, MAAD takes place every first Friday of the month.
YOUR OWN VEGGIE W O S GR …with help from the f ishes. Computer programmer Stephan February found a way to build a selfsustaining aquaponics ecosystem for less than $100. It recycles fish waste as plant fertiliser, creating a loop of goodness to grow veggies and rear fishes. Rope in the kids to build it! For video instructions, go to bit.ly/CHOP2 or bit.ly/CHOPs
How it works The fish tank and growbed are connected by (1) a water pump and (2) a bell siphon.
1
2
1 Water is pumped from the fish tank into the growbed. Fish poop contains nutrients such as nitrates to feed the plants.
2 Water passing through the growbed is cleaned by the plant roots and oxygenated. Water in the growbed rises and is siphoned back into the fish tank.
GADGETS TO
BE AT THE HE A T …with these colourful fruit popsicles. Yum.
TO OLS
drinking cups
INGR E D I E N TS 9 tablespoons water 1/2 cup kiwi, peeled 3/4 cup mango, peeled 3/4 cup fresh raspberries 2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
popsicle sticks
IN ST R U CT IONS 1
Make a syrup by combining water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
2
Puree fruits separately and set aside in three bowls.
3
Pour the syrup equally into the three bowls of fruit puree and mix.
YOUR LIFE The dog dicer Works like an egg slicer to dice hotdogs in a jiffy. Also works for carrots, bananas, and grapes, if you’re terrified of choking (or chewing). www.getdogdicer.com
Sushi roller machine Got your fingers all sticky making sushi with bamboo mats? This sushi roller contraption is just the thing for you. bit.ly/sushiroller
4 5 6 7
Fill four small plastic cups equally with the kiwi puree and freeze for one hour. Add mango puree, freeze for 20 minutes. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least two hours.
Electric cupcake maker Like a waffle machine but for cupcakes, it claims to deliver perfectly cooked cupcakes in less than 10 minutes, without having to turn on the oven. bit.ly/lakelandcupcake
Add raspberry puree, freeze overnight. For more, go to bit.ly/fruitpops
Flavour shaker Does all the work of a mortar and pestle to grind spices without the bulky weight. www.jamieoliver.com/flavourshaker/
Make them into useful things instead. From bottle to...
PHONE CHARGER HOLDER • a medium-sized flat-backed bottle • scissors / craft knife • sandpaper
DUSTPAN SCOOP
Full instructions here bit.ly/bottlescoop
HOW TO UNROLL A TEMAKI ROLL Want a quick bite but stumped by instructions on the takeaway sushi handroll wrapper? Watch how to do it here: bit.ly/unrolltemaki
Full instructions here: bit.ly/bottlecharger
Not all things DIY are a success. Regretsy collects examples of ugly, useless things sold on popular online craft store Etsy.
www.regretsy.com
SURF THE INTERWEBS IN SECRECY REFILL A PILOT PEN WITH MONTBLANC INK Save some pennies, enjoy luxurious writing. Snip 2mm off a Montblanc Rollerball ink refill to fit it into a common Pilot G2 pen casing. More at bit.ly/penhack
Remove the polarising filter from your LCD monitor and it will appear blank to everyone except you, who’s wearing modified 3-D glasses. Only for those willing to go to some lengths for screen privacy. Instructions at bit.ly/LCDprivacyhack
A MINI MAKER FAIRE A Mini Maker Faire is a smaller version of the annual Maker Faire in the US, dubbed the World’s Largest Show (and Tell) Festival showcasing innovation, creativity and resourcefulness. Singapore had its f irst Mini Maker Faire in August as part of the Singapore Science Festival.
INTRO TO 3-D PRINTING
With 3-D printing, you can create anything you want quickly without wasting material; no carving, drilling or sculpting needed. First you design an object using 3-D modelling software like SketchUp (www.sketchup.com). Just like normal printing, the information is sent via USB to a 3-D printer. The materials used for 3-D printing include ABS plastic (the type used in Lego), and even chocolate or sugar for food sculptures.
FOR DIY S! K GEE
Compared to popular 3-D printers like the MakerBot, a made-inSingapore machine, the Portabee, retails at an affordable $630. The Portabee (bit.ly/portabee) is foldable so you can carry it around to print 3-D pieces on the go. So what can you make with 3-D printing? From Canon camera models to replacement air hockey pucks, get ideas and digital designs for objects to print at Thingiverse.
EMMA’S 3-D PRINTED “MAGIC ARMS” Two-year-old Emma could not move her arms to play or eat because of a muscle disorder. Using 3-D printing, researchers at a Delaware hospital customised a durable, assistive device with lightweight parts for Emma. She calls them her “magic arms”. Watch: bit.ly/3Dmagic
WHAT TO DO WITH BAMBOO This fast-growing plant has more uses than just being panda food.
www.thingiverse.com
MAKE YOUR OWN MICROSCOPE
Be a scientist anywhere. Take photos with your own pocketable microscope, designed by Isabelle Desjeux and Leonardus Adi Prasetya Suherlan. INSTRUC TIONS 1 Use pliers to dismantle the door lens viewer and use the blunt side of the pliers to push out the lenses from the column.
The iBam 2 is a locally made smartphone speaker amplifier from the Sustainable Living Lab. Handmade from raw bamboo, the iBam 2 works with any smartphone with speakers at the base. It retails at $79 online with some proceeds going to disadvantaged women and youths-at-risk. bit.ly/iBam2
2 There will be a few different lenses in the door lens viewer. Experiment with different combinations of lenses for the microscope you want. MATERIALS • Door lens viewer (or any lens from a disposable camera, old mobile phone, optical parts of a DVD player, etc.) • Pliers • Clear tape or Blu-Tack • Clothes peg
3 Drill a hole in a clothes peg the size of the lens and attach the lens with clear tape or Blu-Tack. 4 Peg your microscope on your camera phone or tablet. Try varying the distance from lens to object and from the camera lens as well to get a good focus.
In 2009, Chuah Sun Soon’s selfassembled bamboo bicycle weathered the elements as he travelled the Silk Route in Central Asia, proving the durability of bamboo. Read his adventure story here: bit.ly/centralasiacycle
SPECIAL . . . Now that you can make a winning paper plane (see The How-to Issue, Nov/Dec 2011), add more thrust to your craft with this paper plane launcher by Singaporean Derek Low, inventor of the Berkeley Ridiculously Automated Dorm or BRAD.
bottle cap
bottle cap
motor
motor
cardboard
battery holder
THINGS YOU NEED: • A piece of cardboard (A5 sized) • Double-sided tape • 2 motors 1.5v-6v DC • 2 bottle caps • 2 battery holders • 4 AAA-batteries • Wires • Wire stripper • Soldering iron HOW IT WORKS: The batteries power the motors, which are attached to the bottle caps and make them spin outwards. The paper plane is launched from in between the spinning bottle caps.
battery holder
INSTRUC TIONS: 1 Drill holes in the centre of the bottle caps and put the motors through the holes. 2 Use double-sided tape to paste the motors metal side up at the edge of the cardboard. 3 Make sure the bottle caps extend out of the cardboard, with a small gap (for the paper plane) in between the caps. 4 Paste the battery holder to the other end of the cardboard. 5 Solder the red and black wires to the motor connectors as shown in diagram above.
Q&A
KICK INTO HIGH GEAR James Norris (no relation to Chuck Norris) went from being “a little deviant” to co-founder of social enterprise Self Spark. At the Singapore Mini Maker Faire, he shared about DI Y Lifehacking 101. What’s your morning routine to getting things done? I’m currently on a productivity experiment: I start at 6am – meditate, breakfast, gym – and I’m in the office by 9am. I do six cycles of 90-minute productive work followed by a 20-minute break until 9pm. Checking email goes after lunch because that is when your digestion draws energy from your brain. Email perks you up when you are tired. You track your goals daily. Why is that important? The more specific you are with setting goals and the clearer you are with your day-to-day progress, the more likely you will achieve your goals. It’s fun to see what you have achieved. Charting your goals tells you quickly and visually whether you are on track. What’s a simple way to improve work relationships? Start every day by sending an email of thanks, appreciation or recognition to one of your colleagues, especially if you’re a manager! Your colleagues will love it and research shows this increases productivity across the board. Find out more at www.jamesnorris.org
TRIVIA Want to ride safely but not get helmet hair? Two industrial design students devised the fashionable Hövding invisible bicycle helmet. See how it works at www.hovding.com
Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; it’s only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. – Robert Rosen
LIFE HACKING
101
A cheat sheet to some of the best lifehacks.
TIP
Some things you didn’t know you could do.
Dude, where’s my car? Forgot where you left your car in a large car park? Boost your car key remote signal. Point the remote under your chin, open your mouth and press the button. Your oral cavity will amplify the signal, and with luck, you'll find your car.
Freeze and sneeze To stop brain freeze, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth. The more pressure you apply, the quicker the relief. To stop a sneeze, press your tongue firmly behind your teeth or tickle the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Want to get the sneeze out? Looking into a bright light may bring on the sneezing.
Can you get out of bed, have breakfast, and be out the door in five minutes? Watch how this Japanese man scores more ZZZs (and laughs) with his wacky morning routine: bit.ly/5minmorning
Get moving Perk up in 20 minutes with light interval training. 8 mins – Brisk walk warm-up 1 min – Jog 2 mins – Walk 1 min – Jog 2 mins – Walk 1 min – Jog 5 mins – Brisk walk cool-down
REVIVE STALE COFFEE Add a few grains of salt to your cuppa and zap it for a minute in the microwave. Salt reduces the bitterness of stale coffee naturally and your coffee will taste almost as good as new.
WRAP CORDS WITHOUT TANGLES Make a loop at one end and lay it flat on your device.
Pause a while When you get stressed or upset, take a break. Practise the Six Second Pause: distract yourself with six things such as recalling six words in a foreign language or listing six TV characters. This works because chemicals of emotion are said to only last about six seconds in the brain.
Wind the cord around the device.
Fold the cord of the other end. Insert the folded end into the loop and tighten the loop. bit.ly/notanglecord
Idea storm Brainstorming works best when you defer judgement, encourage wild ideas, think visually, and build on the ideas of others. Keep practising to stay sharp: think up 50 ideas for the use of a pebble or other simple items. Record your ideas and share them.
Untangle the Web. Add and subtract Put quote marks around a word or phrase to find the exact term A hyphen before a term removes that term from search results Hello, operator? Limit your search to pages of a website by adding “site:www. websiteURL.com” If you are searching for a specific file type, add “filetype:pdf/doc” Double periods between dates limit your search to that time period Use the tilde (~) sign in front of terms to find related words: ~college will also show “university” in search results. TIP Have a familiar photo or meme but forgot the source? Drag the photo into the Google Images search bar to see all the websites linking to the image.
Research and writing by Siti Maziah Masramli / Edited by Bridgette See / Designed and illustrated by Ammanda Choo / ©Challenge Magazine
USE YOUR HEAD