Tumblr (3.0; @lifeisformakingthings)http://lifeisformakingthings.com/<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/e25300234d5da5c00cba8681e038ce2d/tumblr_mh6w96m1A51rpiw9fo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Our family’s super-efficient car wash and plant watering system.  You always have 50 gallons of fresh water available with a few watt-hours of energy.  A full description and the microcontroller code is up on <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Low-Power-Pump-for-Gravity-Water-Tank/" title="Low-Power Pump for Gravity Water Tank" target="_blank">Instructables</a>.</p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/41445192367http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/41445192367Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:24:42 -0500<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5919848/debeep-annoying-electronics-and-appliances?tag=diy">How to Debeep Things</a>: <p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://lifehacker.com/5919848/debeep-annoying-electronics-and-appliances?tag=diy" title="Instructables"><img alt="Lucy" height="492" src="http://www.instructables.com/image/FESX88ZH2WEYMM2/How-to-Debeep-Things.jpg" width="500"/></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The kids’ instructions on how to remove annoying sounds from household appliances.  Featured on <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5919848/debeep-annoying-electronics-and-appliances?tag=diy">Lifehacker</a>.</p></p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/25290966185http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/25290966185Sun, 17 Jun 2012 09:55:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3r851xhhS1rpiw9fo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><span>There was a problem:  The gas dryer was far from the home’s big permanent propane tanks.  T</span><span>he tanks were at least 50 feet away, and the gas company estimated it would cost $500 to plumb a line to the laundry room.  </span></p> <p>But then the savvy guy at the local appliance store said you could hook a dryer up to an ordinary propane barbecue tank.  When we pitched this — admittedly crazy — idea to the guy at the local hardware store, he stared at us for a full five seconds, then said, “Right this way.”  Don’t judge me, man, just help me.  What a cool reaction!  He brought us to the copper tube, couplings, a flaring tool, and TFE paste to seal it all in, then gave us a quick tutorial on how to plumb and check a short gas line.  There-I-fixed-it.</p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/22712042526http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/22712042526Wed, 09 May 2012 08:03:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3gspeNXpz1rpiw9fo1_r1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><span>Putting the Weed Wrench through its paces. This serious tool, borrowed from a neighbor, grasps the stalk of an invasive plant (in this case barberry).  Then the jaws tighten around the stalk, and they tear the plant from the earth.  </span></p> <p>If pulling out the plants doesn’t work, we<span> will apply for a grant to make this place a living sanctuary for all invasive species. That way, horticulturalists can study different kinds of invasives </span><span>in one place. Interesting fact: Yahoo Mail currently uses this strategy with email spam. </span></p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/22337761945http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/22337761945Thu, 03 May 2012 16:53:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m16vpdHwnc1rpiw9fo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Through some amazing process of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Ha6dQbCJU">otherworldly transmogrification</a>, A’s guitar is now three tiny guitars that mice could play.  To do this, we took around 60 photos of the full-sized instrument, imported them to 123D Catch, cleaned it up in Meshmixer, and printed at a 3D printing service (which used selective laser sintering).</p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/19627898329http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/19627898329Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:20:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0sabfD7sE1rpiw9fo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Our maker-girl with her latest innovation — the three-owl pillow.  </p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/19186748570http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/19186748570Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:07:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0bok3GtGS1rpiw9fo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Our <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Mitten-Rack/" target="_self">mitten rack</a>, a featured project at Instructables!</p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18675004587http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18675004587Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:57:00 -0500<a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-02/boy-who-played-fusion?page=all">Boy Plays with Fusion</a>: <p>An inspiring profile of a young man who is beyond handy.  UPDATE:  The writer of this story, Tom Clynes, just made a deal with book publisher <span>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt</span>.  Wunderkind Taylor Wilson’s story is set to come out in book length next year.  This book will show you how to raise science-minded kids right. </p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437782835http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437782835Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:57:00 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m02h6yG2Ac1rpiw9fo1_r1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Lucy needed a device for keeping her cello’s end-pin from sliding on the floor, but we weren’t about to plunk down $7 for a store-bought one. So we took a router to a piece of wood and attached the yellow strap. The design ultimately failed due to low consumer uptake. UPDATE: The real answer was drilling shallow 3/8-inch holes in strategic places around Lucy’s bedroom floor.    </p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437568070http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437568070Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:48:00 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m02f7kkIUO1rpiw9fo3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m02f7kkIUO1rpiw9fo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>Making a brush fire, with limited success. Soon after the flames grew too high, we had to put it out. The 11-year-old thought that was incredibly lame.</p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437534436http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437534436Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:46:00 -0500<iframe width="400" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QbUvyzPgAU8?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p><span>A bird feeder made with my 8-year-old. (With help, she cut the wood with a table saw.) Where most feeders use a string to foil squirrels, we want to anchor the feeder to a sturdy branch so it doesn’t swing in the wind.  We’re hoping to use the slippery sides to thwart a local pest named Skuggle (after a squirrel in the book, The Night Fairy). Our current design is 22 inches high, but Skuggle can stretch his body enough to lower himself to the platform. I think if we increased the length to 30 inches we’d be safe.</span></p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437513023http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437513023Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:45:00 -0500<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m02gxbqaB01rpiw9fo1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m02gxbqaB01rpiw9fo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m02gxbqaB01rpiw9fo3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>Archer and his friend are converting a go-cart into a ski-cart.  They removed the bindings from some old skis, cut the skis down to size, and are now replacing the vehicle’s wheels. </p>http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437437375http://lifeisformakingthings.com/post/18437437375Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:42:00 -0500