Clever tip from reader Ryan O’Horo. [Thanks, Ryan!]

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• Credit Card iPhone Stand
• Credit Card Grappling Hook
• DIY Guitar Pick Punch
• Credit Card Pendant
• Credit Card Bracelet

The first companion pack to our wildly popular Make: Electronics book covers all of the experiments (1-11) from the first two sections of the book. We’ve spent (many!) hours sourcing these parts so you don’t have to. This pack will get you right into it and most of these parts are re-used throughout the book so it’s a great starting point. All parts – over 250 pieces! – are spec’d directly from the book and author Charles Platt.

For a few years now, I’ve had this hare-brained idea to try to separate the layers of polarizing film from a scrap LCD panel and make a polariscope out of them. So whenever I come across a dead one I tear it apart and do some experimenting. Probably been into half a dozen by now. But I’ve probably learned as much, or more, about how they actually work by watching Bill Hammack’s video this week. As always, Bill’s work has something to offer novices, experts, and those, like myself, who know just enough to be dangerous. [Thanks, Bill!]

Sadly, only a concept design at this point. From Belarusian firm solovyovdesign. [via NOTCOT]

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Incredible Electronic Bronze Brain Sculptures

That’s where our new partnership with Jameco comes in. Now you can order all of the products from Maker Shed, along with the thousands of components and tools offered from Jameco, in one place!

When you pick up a motorshield for your next project, you can easily add a standard DC motor to your cart. But what about stepper motors? Yep, we have them! Gear motors? Got them too! Resistors, capacitors, LEDs, wires, tools, and more! We’ve got you covered.

One of my personal favorite products is the Jameco grab bag. This is a great way to stock your electronics bench with all those miscellaneous parts you always seem to need. There are bags of LEDs, solar cells, resistors, motors, and more. With just a few of these grab bags, your bench will be stocked with all those necessary, yet always seemingly missing, parts.

How about Make: Projects? Maker Shed and Jameco have thought of that, too! Check out my Mini Fume Extractor project. It was originally featured in MAKE Volume 19, and now it’s in Make: Projects. Sourcing the parts for the project takes some time and can be a little intimidating for someone just starting out in electronics.

Now all you have to do is click on the shopping cart link in the “relevant parts” section of the Make: Projects website, and all the parts for the build will be added to your shopping cart automagically. It’s an easy and convenient way to source all of the different components for your builds. In just a few days, the parts will show up at your door, and you’ll be on your way to making this nifty fume sucker. We’ll be adding more parts, and bundles, to Make: Projects every day, so keep checking back to see what’s new.

Currently we have about 1000 components and tools, but it’s expanding daily. Soon we will have 1000s of electrical components and tools to help you with your projects. We just need a little more time to go through the entire Jameco catalog and hand-select the products we think are the best. Yes, that’s right, we’re hand-picking all of these parts! Where else, besides Maker Shed, can you buy an Arduino, some maker-made kits, and a handful of different components, all in one place? Maker Shed is your source for all things electronic!

Yuma Fujimaki is certainly not the first person to make jewelry from scrap electronics components, but IMHO she has done a better job of it than most. [via adafruit]

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Nut And Bolt Wedding Rings And Uber Ring Round Up

More:

• Sketch3D, the 3D Etch A Sketch
• Print Your Own CNC Etch-A-Sketch Gears
• Mouse-A-Sketch
• Toys for Bots – Arduino controlled etch-a-sketch
• Computerized Etch A Sketch @ Maker Faire

Piezoelectric materials are about as close to magic as you can get. They turn physical pressure into electricity and can even turn electricity into physical pressure – an amazing sort of bidirectional converter for mechanical and electrical energies. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that you can easily ‘grow’ your own piezoelectric crystals overnight using just a couple of common ingredients – awesome.

Ever since I made my first contact microphone, I’ve been amazed by piezos and their unique abilities. I was more than psyched to learn I could make my own piezoelectric crystals after finding recipes online. Now I just need to figure out how I’ll put these little guys to good use … feel free to leave any ideas/suggestions in the comments below!

Like, not a toy one. Like, will punch a hole in a piece of thin metal with one shot. Like, kids, don’t try this at home.

This quote from maker Patrick Priebe is via Alan Parekh’s Hacked Gadgets:

It holds a small pulse laser head, capable of generating aMW-pulse [sic] of coherent infra-red light. One shot can punch through a razorblade, plastic, 5mm styrofoam when focussed [sic]. Effective range on 3m (dark surfaces)…you will see a stinging flame and a 5mm stain will remain on target. The goal was, to create handheld device…AS COMPACT as possible. Its 320mm long and weights about 2 pounds.

Materials used: Plexi for the center-plate, and brass / aluminum for the casing. Each and every part, handmade…took about 70 hours of work.

The claim of penetrating a razor-blade impresses me, although I note the only metal penetration in the video is thin aluminum, which has been painted, possibly so that it will absorb more light energy. There’s also some cool shots capturing the pulse’s plasma ball in midair.