Construction Toys — creative tutorials for construction and mechanical sets « Construction Toys

How To: Pot mod a green laser

Put the newspaper down on a work surface. Pick up the 5 MW green laser pen and unscrew the battery cap. Remove the batteries and put them and the battery cap aside.

How To: Replace the blade of a utility knife

This is an instructional video featuring Doug Prime, founder of the Future Engineers Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. This is an instructional on utility knives that are used to cut foam board and cardboard. The blade replacement is integral to this craft or hobby tool's maintenance.

How To: Turn a 5MW laser into a 100MW laser

Tired of that dinky little 5MW laser? Turn the power up and convert your 5MW laser into a 100MW laser? A small amount of modification can produce a significantly stronger light coming out of your laser. You will need a small screwdriver (such as a jeweler's screwdriver), needle nose pliers, a soldering iron and some bonding glue to do this properly. This video tutorial will show you exactly how to turn your 5MW laser into a 100MW laser.

How To: Make a spear out of foam for boffer larping

Build a spear for boffer larping! This video is aimed at Dagorhir, but you can use it for any boffer larp. You'll need foam, duct tape, a sharp bread knife or saw knife, a Sharpie, a Nerf football, cloth tape and fabric to cover it.

How To: Build a Lego motor car

You can build almost everything out of LEGOS. They are versatile and fun toys and great learning tools. In this video, learn how to build a motor car out of LEGOS.

How To: Make a cube out of matchsticks

Interlock matchsticks to make this cool cube without using glue or tape!

News: 160-Piece Arsenal of Life-Sized LEGO Weapons

The LEGO Life-Size weapons flickr group has 160 LEGO constructed weapons- guns, knives, bombs and more. A selection below, click through to view more.

How To: Make boffer weapons using the latex methods

Want to go beyond the basics of larp weapon making? This tutorial shows you how to use latex and foam to make any sort of larp weapon you can imagine, from a sword to a spear to even a mace or halberd.

How To: Make a Lego boomerang

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a LEGO boomerang. LEGO is a line of construction toys manufactured by the LEGO Group. This is a very simple LEGO construction. It only consists of 8 LEGO pieces and 2 optional LEGO pieces. It doesn't matter about the color of the pieces. The video provides a visual demonstration and step-by-step instructions for viewers to easily understand and follow along. The video is descriptive and explains all the instructions. This video will benefit th...

How To: Disassemble a can for its parts

Aluminum cans are useful for various DIY projects, but they can be tricky to take apart. In this video you'll learn how to easily disassemble cans.

How To: Build a looping rolling marble machine with magnetic elevator

Wow! No longer do you have to buy those huge marble machine roller coaster toys — you can DIY one! This video covers the materials, tools and techniques used to make a homemade rolling ball marble machine. If you haven't seen this rolling ball marble machine toy in action yet, WATCH IT. It's a looping rolling marble machine made with wood, rebar tie wire and polyurethane tubing, featuring a magnetic elevator.

How To: Make your own mylar balloon

Mylar balloons are the best party favors. They are big and shiny and last longer than normal latex balloons. In this tutorial, learn how to make a mylar balloon at home, from scratch. Stop spending so much money at the party store, and next time you have a big event, make your own! Not only will you save money, but it will give your party a cool personal touch.

How To: Make a homemade spin toy with a button and string

If you've ever found yourself bored and not knowing what to do, this video tutorial might help you out. See how to make a homemade spin toy with a button. Just get out a pair of scissors, a large button, a glue stick, string and a small piece of paper and you can begin building this time consuming button spinner toy, time consuming as in not hard to make, but fun to play with.

How To: Make a lego Pikachu

This is a lego tutorial on how to make the #1 most recognized Pokemon of all time, Pikachu!

How To: NASA Engineer Shows You How to Build a Mini Curiosity Mars Rover Out of LEGOs

You might have seen our post on this last week: It's a working reproduction of the Mars Curiosity Rover made with LEGOs, but it's a bit complicated for anyone without a decent amount of robotics knowledge. Plus, you need to have some Mindstorms NXT and TECHNIC parts lying around. If you want something a little simpler than programming a working LEGO rover, you could always build a scaled model of the MSL out of regular LEGOs. Not only is this easy to build and looks great, but the step-by-ste...

How To: Make a jumping paper clip toy

How to make an amazing toy: Let me show you how to make it in ONE minute with TWO paper clips, it can jump up to 2 meters high.

How To: Make a Lego sword

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a LEGO sword. LEGO consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts. This video is very short and only lasts for 35 seconds. It is very basic and easy to follow. This LEGO construction is very simple, fast and easy to do. There are only 3 pieces required to make the LEGO sword. It does not matter what color the pieces are. This video will benefit those viewers who enjoy pl...

How To: Make a gas burner from a lighter

Check out this video to learn how to make a gas burner from a purple lighter. It's only 9 cents to make.

How To: Make a homemade airgun or "airzooka"

This video shows you how to make your own airzooka with supplies found around the house. By no means is this the definitive model you can build, it just a start. Things can always be improved.

How To: Read a micrometer in mechanical engineering

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to read a micrometer. This tool allows the user to accurately measure components. They have the ability to measure dimensions accurately to within one hundredth of a millimeter. Micrometers are designed with a wide variety of styles and sizes for normal or specialized applications. Micrometers are able to measure the internal or external dimensions of a component. They are the most important basic measuring instrument used in the metal industry. There...

News: Deviously Clever Prison Contraband

We've featured Temporary Services before, but we thought they deserved a full spread. In this post, we've included some of their How-To drawings and examples of recreated prison art.

How To: Make a high-powered Nerf Rifle

This is a pretty brief tutorial on how to make your own Nerf Gun. This gun is air-powered and can shoot almost 200 feet. So, why buy manufactured Nerf Guns when you can build your own?

How To: Take apart a laser pointer

Have you ever had a combination of extreme boredom and an unrelenting curiosity? If so one thing you may have attempted to do is to take apart or "de-engineer" a common office laser pointer. In this online video we are shown how to take apart a cheap laser pointer. It should be noted if you are going to attempt to do this you should only try it on a laser pointer that is inexpensive so your loss will not be great if you should make an error.

How To: Build hot air balloon out of a garbage bag

This is a simple and easy tutorial, and anybody can build a hot air balloon out of a garbage bag by following the instructions in it. All one needs is a garbage bag, some stiff industrial wire and fire starter bars. The important thing, according to the author, is to judge how many fire starter bars will be required to make the balloon rise without melting its plastic body. First, two long wires are twisted together in the middle to make an 'X'. A smaller wire is twisted onto the middle of th...

How To: Make sanity reducing creepy Cthulhu tentacles

Now you too can build your own prop of eldritch horror! Guaranteed to induce a SAN check in anyone who sees it, this tutorial shows you how to build a set of flexible Cthulhu tentacles out of one inch furniture foam, half inch furniture foam, steel wire, pantyhose, one inch PVC tubing, epoxy and a jar of latex.

How To: Make a 300-style Spartan chest piece with paper mache

This is Sparta! If you find yourself yelling that line from the film and graphic novel 300 before doing all sorts of intense tasks, than this two-part video is for you. It will teach you how to make your own wearable replica of a Spartan chest piece out of cardboard and paper mache at home. Never be harmed by Persian arrow again!

How To: Make a larp shield out of foam and cardboard

This tutorial shows you how to make a fun boffer shield out of foam and cardboard. You'll need four pieces of corrugated cardboard cut into 18 inch diameter circles, a craft razor, spray adhesive and paint.

How To: Make a rubber band powered car with CD wheels

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a toy car with CD wheels. The materials required for this task are: 2 thread spools, long piece of thing wood, 4 CD's, 2 screws, 2 washers and 2 bolts. Begin by drilling a hole in the spools and 2 holes in the wood. Then place a washer on the screw. Now place the CD on the washer. Then add another washer and secure it by screwing on a bolt. Now put the wheel through the first board of wood. Then put it through the spool and other wood board. N...

News: LEGO 1858 Remington .45

Meticulously crafted LEGO replica of a Remington .45, circa the Wild Wild West, 1858. Created by Flickr user Arkov.

How To: Build a motorized gyrocar with a gyroscope and everyday household objects

Build your own miniature gryocar from a toy gyroscope in this fun little project with Kipkay and make it ride on skinny tracks! All you need is a toy gyroscope, a spraypaint canister top to fit the gyroscope assembly, and some assorted parts that you could probably find around the house (or at your local hardware store). Ask your parents for permission first!

How To: Make a simple fully automatic rubber band gun

This is an instructional video showing how to build, load and fire the "Simple Fully Automatic Rubber Band Gun 2 (wooden)".

How To: Make your own slingshot from easy to find materials

Can you feel your inner Dennis the Menace trying to get out? Trying to recreate the early 90s bad boy Bart Simpson look? Watch these videos to learn how to make yourself a slingshot. This slingshot is made from materials that are probably laying around your house, but you will need some power tools.

How To: Add an edge to a boffer sword or other foam weapon

Build an edge into your boffer weapon that gives it the illusion of being sharp (but still being only foam!). This tutorial assumes you already have some basic understanding of how to construct a boffer sword and are looking for ways to increase your foamsmithing ability.

How To: Make a boffer mace out of foam, PVC pipe and latex

This tutorial shows you how to make a boffer larp safe mace. Get some PVC pipe, a foam noodle you can get at a drug store, and some soft foam for the head. Then cover your pipe with pipe insulation and sheath the weapon in latex.

Star Wars: A New Hope LEGO Chess Set

WonderHowTo World LEGO People points us to an amazing chess set made with LEGO Star Wars characters.

How To: Build a popsicle catapult

This video demonstrates how to make a catapult out of popsicle sticks. For this project, you will need the following: 7” rubber bands, a box of popsicle sticks, a hot glue gun, a Dixie cup, and tape.

How To: Make an air vortex cannon

You've seen what a vortex cannon can do, so now it's time to build your own! Okay, this air vortex cannon is not huge, but it's definitely a fun thing to construct if you have some junk plastic laying around, and it works really well for its size. Grab a cheap plastic container and follow along to the video instructions and build yourself a homemade vortex cannon!