Projects to work on at home?

ThePensioner on 05/02/2014 - 16:25

Hi all, I have a great deal of free-time on my hands and I want to use it productively. I won't be able to go back to work for at least 12 months so I want something to work on at home. I just put together one of those cheapo fans to cool my bedroom as the summer is unbearable and I felt really great after putting it together.

I'd love to buy a kit of some kind and then put some gadgets together. I'd love to put together some motion-sensor lights or setup a Wi-Fi security camera setup for my place or even something simpler.

I just don't know which website to go to.

Please help me!

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 05/02/2014 - 16:35

    You'll need to narrow down your interests because there are all kinds of electrical and electronics and projects of all levels out there. So there isn't a single website.* You'll have to do some research. Maybe lurk around some of those online hobbyist communities to work out what they are doing and where they get their parts and kits.

    * For example just for the microcomputer bunch, you have the Raspberry Pi mob, the Beaglebone mob, the Arduino mob, etc, each with their own community. So it pays to lurk a bit to learn which projects tickle your fancy and what the entry costs are.

    • ThePensioner on 05/02/2014 - 18:47

      Thanks for your reply.

      Do you know of any Australian communities I could look up?

      • retiredfeline on 05/02/2014 - 18:52

        Just do a search. Not sure there is much that needs to be Australian, maybe availability of components might differ across countries. Then again, lots can be ordered over the Net.

  • Geekomatic on 05/02/2014 - 16:38
    +1

    http://www.fixya.com/

    http://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page

    http://makezine.com/projects/

    That ought to get you going?

    :)

  • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2014 - 18:12

    From the good, the bad and the indifferent, and from the trivial to not so - there is a crazy wealth of 'how-to' videos on Youtube.

    Best advice is to type in some key words that take your fancy and then follow your nose to specific videos / follow links to dedicated channels.

    You'll find some inspiration here and there, and - inevitably - waste alot of time!

    • ThePensioner on 05/02/2014 - 18:53

      Thanks.

      It'd be great if I could see a list of the most popular communities so I can find what I'm looking for.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2014 - 20:50

        Relative to the sort of info you're maybe after, I'm more into a range of other areas vis Youtube content.

        To use a word bloody reality TV programs seem to love, discovering the stuff and the people you're going enjoy on Youtube certainly is a 'journey'.

        Here's the actual yt channel for one of the sites linked above in case you want to subscribe:
        www.youtube.com/user/makemagazine/videos

        I'm subbed to this channel, which is a bit of fun:
        www.youtube.com/HouseholdHacker/videos

        This is a non-yt DIY site with a huge amount of content that might be useful to you:
        www.thatshow.com/categories

  • ferguscan on 05/02/2014 - 22:50

    DIY car maintenance is fun and satisfying, at least for me.

  • BobD on 06/02/2014 - 07:39

    Here is a site that talks about a small computer you can buy or build, whatever takes your fancy. http://geoffg.net/maximite.html and here is a forum that some of the people who have bought or built that computer, use to discuss problems and ideas.
    http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/home.asp and the specific area for this micro computer is http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=16 and feel free to PM me if you have further questions. I have a similar userid on that forum. If you want a magazine to read then you could try Silicon Chip which is available in your newsagent every month. Google for the web site.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2014 - 03:17

    Haven't read the entire thread, but two magazines you might like to look at:

    "Silicon Chip" magazine available from newsagents
    … and an American Magazine called: "MAKE". I loved their remote controlled lawnmower project. Definitely want to build that one day.

  • altomic on 08/02/2014 - 00:57
    +1

    www.instructables.com you can spend hours looking at various stuff to make

  • Nyman on 12/02/2014 - 13:24
    +2

    I wanted a project.
    I had some left over computer parts.
    I wanted a pinball machine.
    I can't afford a pinball machine.
    I did this:
    http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=26045

    • Speckled Jim on 20/02/2014 - 18:28

      So VisualPinMame and you can switch tables? Awesome work!

  • outlander on 13/02/2014 - 21:54

    If you like gardening and have the space you could look into aquaponics. You can build a fairly simple system out of a 1000l shipping container for >$100 that gives you vegetables and fish

    Into energy conservation? Buy a power meter for $30, and go through the house seeing how much everything costs to run

    Make a small solar hot water heater out of polypipe and a fishpond pump

    Have pets? Install/make a doggy door.

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