In this video, I show you how to build tinfoil cars for crushing with toy Monster Trucks. My son Eston and I love monster trucks. One of the most exciting things when you go to see monster trucks live, is when they crush cars. Problem is, when you use your hot wheels or matchbox cars with your monster trucks, they don’t get smashed. So the realism isn’t there. Well no more! Here’s a very simple way to make crushable cars with aluminum foil! Video: . Here are 3 reasons you should do this: It's MUCH more fun to smash things! It’s cheap, tin foil is reusable! Your child will think you are the... more

With just sticks, some magnets, and a bit of Sugru, you too can be the proud owner of an awesome set of magnetic construction toys! The idea is very straightforward. Simply bond magnets onto the tips of thin sticks using Sugru, but the results look like a whole lot of fun. Video: . One can imagine that with a more substantial helping of materials, and maybe a weekend or two, you could probably put together something pretty mind-blowing.... more

If you've finished building your Curiosity rover and are wondering, now what? Perhaps it's time to move onto something a bit more... mobile? Take these awesome recreations of the Dark Knight's Tumbler and Bat vehicles built by Mahj, complete with lights, motors, and moving parts; and yes, they do come in black. Construction-wise, the pieces shouldn't be too hard to find. The real challenge is getting the working LEGO motor to work. Check out both vehicles in action below. But before you ask, no, the LEGO Bat can't actually fly, but those rotors still look pretty awesome. Video: . And damn... more

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-step instructions also give details on the actual parts of the rover that you're replicating. Playing with... more

Making little robots with a LEGO Mindstorms NXT set is already cool, but putting one underwater? Now that's just crazy. That didn't stop this engineer, who built a LEGO submarine that can not only maneuver around his fish tank, but can also be remotely controlled with his Xbox controller. The craft has a sealed battery compartment, exposed Power Functions motors, and features real-time communication between it and a laptop using a NXTbee wireless module. Check it out in action below. Video: . Prefer to send your Mindstorms robots to space? Well, then check out the LEGO Mars Rover. Where else... more

Using a LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit, a pair of awesome engineers put together this fully functional replica of the Curiosity Mars rover. Not only is it built completely out of LEGOs, it's motorized, programmable, and ready to explore the far reaches of your living room. The rover was built for the Build the Future in Space event at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Four of the six wheels are powered, allowing it to make 360 degree turns, and the arm and mast are both fully controllable. The entire contraption is piloted wirelessly via Bluetooth with a custom made NXT joystick. Video: . Head on over to... more

If you played with K'Nex as a kid (or still do), you know that it can take a lot of those tiny little pieces to build something. Just imagine how many it must have taken to make this full-sized, fully functional, coin-operated skeeball machine with a mechanical score counter. Instructables user Shadowman39 (aka Kyle) spent an entire year building this masterpiece. It's the same size as the ones you see in arcades, and it's coin operated, too. But don't try to feed it your pennies, it knows the difference and will only accept quarters. It also keeps score... ...using nothing but normal motors... more

Forget school boredom again… a mere paper clip will keep you entertained in study hall, all the time! This video will show you how to make a cool little jumping toy with a paperclip of any size. It's shaped like a triangle and jumps pretty far!... more

Sheepo HL's LEGO replica of the Bugatti Veyron is more than just a perfect facsimile, it also runs! It has a fully functional seven-speed gearbox, retracting spoiler, independent suspension, and more. DO NOT miss the videos below. Amazing. Previously, Obsessively Authentic LEGO V-8.... more

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!... more

The ship in a bottle is an age old puzzle. The key to its mystery is pre-assembly, attention to detail and patience. Learn from a master craftsman and bottle ship builder the ins & outs of this art. Follow these step by step instructions on how to put a ship inside of a bottle.... more

Want to make bows and arrows with paperclips, tape, a rubber band, and some Q-Tips? It's easy. Use the junk in your drawers or at your office for this fun project. Use wire cutters and needle nose pliers to bend the paperclips into a bow.... more

Learn how to make a motorcycle from old watches. Recycle those old watches that you no longer want into a cool motorcycle. This is a creative hack video. Impress your friends with a recycled mini motorcycle.... more

Watch this six-part how-to video from Timgie Studios to learn how to make all the weapons from the Halo video game series on Xbox out of Lego bricks. These easy to follow tutorials will have your Lego Master Chief beating up Lego Elites in no time. See how to make the plasma pistol, sniper rifle, assault rifle, flamethrower, SMG, battle rifle, fuel rod, another sniper rifle, spartan laser, rocket launcher, and the energy sword… and many more Halo weapons, like the shotgun, brute shot, carbine, and plasma rifle. Part 1 of 6 - How to Build Lego versions of the Halo weapons. Part 2 of 6 - How... more

This is an amazing experiment! Make a motor from a plastic cup. What is needed? Use two empty cola cans, a plastic (paper) cup, a ball-point pen, and more!... more

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

Build a hover board (or hover craft) from scratch. Check out www.jasonbradbury.com, the creator's blog. Part 1 of 2 - How to Build a hover board from scratch. Part 2 of 2 - How to Build a hover board from scratch.... more

Take a journey to the center of a vortex. A beautiful whirlpool is created by the magnetic coupler inside a tall CD cover, driven by the Tesla CD Turbine on faucet water pressure. The Tesla CD Turbine is a little homemade turbine that thinks it can do anything. It's made from recycled CD's, CD spindle, neodymium magnets, and glue.... more

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?... more

Want more firepower for your Nerf guns? Here's an instructional video that shows a simple mod to make your foam darts fly! Increase their range by 25%. Watch this video tutorial and improve your game playing, but please, use caution!... more