Here’s a short little camera hack for those of you having trouble with re-charging the flash by adding an external battery.  It might be a hack but it will work if you are shooting photos in long sessions.

If you’ve been shooting with a flash for a while, I’m sure you had some battery problem or another at least once. Like when one of four batteries goes bad and quickly discharges the other three. Or when it’s cold and the batteries don’t hold their charge so well anymore. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a more reliable source of power? One that virtually lasts for ever (well, not forever, but for a darn long time).

via make, DIY Page

This might not be for all of you but for those Linuxers out there, here’s an example of how to setup your mirror:

(Mirror is a way of replicating one server to another btw if you didn’t know.)

To download the mirrors I use this script:
<script sync_mirror.sh>

#!/bin/bash
OPTIONS="--nosource --progress --postcleanup --ignore-release-gpg --ignore-small-errors --pdiff=none";
MIRROR=`basename ${0} | cut -f2 -d "_"`
DEST="/home/debian-mirror"
case "${MIRROR}" in
        "debian" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=ftp.de.debian.org"
                ROOT="--root=debian"
                DIST="--dist=etch,etch-proposed-updates"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian/"
                ;;
       "security" )
               METHOD="--method=ftp"
               HOST="--host=security.debian.org"
               ROOT="--root=/debian-security/"
               DIST="--dist=etch/updates"
               ARCH="--arch=i386"
               SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
               DEST="${DEST}/debian-security/"
               ;;
        "volatile" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=volatile.debian.org"
                ROOT="--root=debian-volatile"
                DIST="--dist=etch/volatile"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-volatile/"
                ;;
        "multimedia" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=www.debian-multimedia.org"
                ROOT="--root=/"
                DIST="--dist=etch"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-multimedia/"
                ;;
        "backports" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=www.backports.org"
                ROOT="--root=debian"
                DIST="--dist=etch-backports"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-backports/"
                ;;
        * )
                echo "${0} called incorrectly"
                exit
                ;;
esac
debmirror ${OPTIONS} ${METHOD} ${HOST} ${ROOT} ${DIST} ${ARCH} ${SECTION} ${DEST}

</script sync_mirror.sh>

To setup the permissions I use this script:
<script permissions.sh>

#!/bin/bash
MIRROR=`basename ${0} | cut -f2 -d "_"`
DEST="/home/debian-mirror"
case "${MIRROR}" in
        "debian" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian/"
                ;;
        "security" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-security/"
                ;;
        "volatile" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-volatile/"
                ;;
        "multimedia" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-multimedia/"
                ;;
        "backports" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-backports/"
                ;;
        * )
                echo "${0} called incorrectly"
                exit
                ;;
esac
echo "Setting Ownership"
chown -R www-data:www-data ${DEST}
echo "Setting File Permissions"
chmod -R 660 ${DEST}
echo "Setting Folder Permissions"
find ${DEST} -type d -exec chmod 770 {} \;

</script permissions.sh>

And then to pull it all together I have thefollowing directory structure (mirrors left out as it’s a ling list of files)

/home/debian-mirror/
|-- debian
|-- debian-backports
|-- debian-multimedia
|-- debian-security
|-- debian-volatile
|-- scripts
|   |-- permissions.sh
|   `-- sync_mirror.sh
`-- scripts.d
    |-- mirror_backports -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_debian -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_multimedia -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_security -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_volatile -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- permissions_backports -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    |-- permissions_debian -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    |-- permissions_multimedia -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    |-- permissions_security -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    `-- permissions_volatile -> ../scripts/permissions.sh

And then I just setup a cronjob:

0 0     * * 0   root    /bin/run-parts --verbose /home/debian-mirror/scripts.d | /usr/bin/mailx -s "`uname -n` - Debian mirror sync completed" root

This was to disable the mirroring of one of the repositories I just need to remove the symlink from the scripts.d folder

via nighthawk

Here’s an incredible speaker hack that involves a styrofoam plate in the making of a hi-fidelity speaker.

As you can see on the picture, I did use a foam plate. I tried other materials and I found the best quality of the sound is produced by a lightweight material but strong enough to avoid excessive vibration. Paper plates are too soft, plastic disposable plates produces excessive vibration.

via eksith, DIY Page

Here’s a guy who managed to come up with an iPhone stand out of paper clips.  He’s even providing printable sketch sheet for those of you who want to make one.

It looks pretty simple, brilliant idea.  They could sell these with different colors of paint or somethin’

Get the template here. Print it out with your favorite PDF reader. Be sure not to stretch the document. If you have a ruler, do a reality check to make sure the document didn’t get resized when printed.  When the paper clip is straightened out, it should be the same length as the grey line in the template.  A pair of pliers will make your job a lot easier.

via lifehacker, DIY Page

Click Here to View in Full Screen Mode

Check out this incredible DIY 30 watt Laser!

My 30 watt ULS powered Laser table with 54×30x9 dimensions. Still a few things to add like a rotary attachment and a martensitic stainless steel top.

via make

Here’s an incredible Japanese master of DIY Steampunk Watches.

If you happen to love steampunk, prepare to be amazed by this outstanding collection of steampunk watches created by master watchmaker Haruo Suekichi.  What started as a weekend business hawking watches at the fleamarket has developed into an full time business.

via hacknmod, Interview Page

Click Here to View in Full Screen Mode

Here’s a great way to re-use cooking oil in a DIY homemade diesel engine to power up your garden lights.

“I have built a “off the Grid” home generator using a 1950’s Coventry Victor one cylinder diesel generator, I can run this on diesel or a diesel and used cooking oil mixture and have it attached to a large battery via a 40amp car alternator which supplies my garden lighting and via an inverter for 600 watts of home power and lighting. The waste heat is used to keep my garage warm as well.

via hackedgadgets

Did you just happen to buy a giant fish tank for your shark that you caught the other day?  Well, if you want to put that fish tank by your bed, you will need to make a fish tank stand and here’s how to make one.

I don’t have any production pictures, but it should you show the general idea on how to assemble a very sturdy stand. It’s pretty simple to build, because it kind of squares itself.

I got the idea off of another member on here. It’s also the same design as my 120 and 220.

via make, DIY Page

Kimchi is a traditional food in Korea, lettuce marinated in spices with vegetables, fish sauce, and more.  Kimchi is a great way to get all your vitamins while keeping your stomach filled with good bacteria that your body needs.

There’s also many varieties and types of kimchees with different ingredient depending on what region of Korea the kimchee-maker is from.  (This is due to the number of different regions/countries Korea used to have/has.)

The above pic actually illustrates a big pot that people make right at the beginning of winter.  Once the pot is filled with marinated Kimchee, it is stuck under the freezing-snow for 3 months.  Once that’s done, you got some really good Kimchee.  Nowdays, they have Kimchee fridges that do this, which you can also pick up at the Korean market for around $1000 to $3000.

Just an advice: If you want to buy some authentic Kimchi, buy Kimchi from a Korean market, don’t buy the ones from Safeway, Chinese market, etc…etc…  Well, that’s if you want the real Kimchi, not some crappy copycat that’s going to taste horrible.  Just an advice from someone who knows Kimchi inside out.

Oh yeah, if you want to pick up on Kimchee girls, you will have to learn to master the taste of Kimchee, they will be impressed for sheezy.

Here’s a cool set of pics I picked up on Flickr the other day, directly from the Kimchee Museum in Korea.

Tightly wrap the stuffed cabbages with the trimmed off outer leaves and put them in an earthenware pot for the fermentation process and storage.

via flickr

More resource on how to make Kimchi:

How to Make Kimchi

How to Make Kimchi on Youtube(This one I recommend)

How to Make Kimchi by Soosun Oh