For many Cub Scouts, there are few things as important as the annual Pinewood Derby. Like most races, all you need to do is come in first. The challenge with the Pinewood Derby rests in the car kit. Every scout makes their car from a standard kit that contains all of the car's parts; body, wheels, a......[Read More]

Radioactivity comes from natural sources, such as uranium in minerals and potassium in bones, and artificial sources like the spent fuel from nuclear reactors. Useful artificial sources include both short-term elements that produce radioactivity for a few minutes and long-term sources that stay pote......[Read More]

Airsoft guns are replica firearms made of plastic that shoot small, plastic projectiles. Some airsoft guns are finished in clear or colorful plastic that make them look like toys, while others are produced in dark colors and even wood accents to look realistic. These guns are used to play combat gam......[Read More]

Electronics hobbyists are familiar with the use of zener diodes to reduce voltage to a circuit. Another common means of dropping voltage is a series resistance. But a resistor presents varying voltage to the circuit as the current varies, and this can cause overvoltage stress to components. Common s......[Read More]

Ladder ball consists of a ladder and sets of golf balls connected by a nylon rope. Each player's score increases based on the rung of the ladder they ring with their set of balls. Building your own ladder ball set saves you money and allows you to customize the game to suit your specific needs. The ......[Read More]

Tallow is the result of rendering animal fat, typically, but not exclusively, beef. It is used for cooking, soap-making or candle-making and is even being turned into synthetic rubbers and bio-fuel, according to Biodiesel Magazine.......[Read More]

The LG Ally comes with a custom dual clock application that you can add to the home screen as a widget. The dual clock widget allows you to keep track of time in more than one location. The Ally also includes a standard Android clock and a regular analog clock. If you don't like the clocks that come......[Read More]

You can make a simple kite from materials you may already have at home. Challenge your children to make their own kites and decorate them before heading to the backyard or park for a kite-flying competition. Recycle wrapping paper, old maps, plastic bags, butcher paper or the Sunday funnies into a t......[Read More]

Aluminum is a lightweight, soft, flexible metal. It is used to make pipes, car parts, tubing, culverts and even soup cans. To cut this soft metal with a hacksaw, you need to use the correct blade. If you do not use the right blade, the blade will flex when trying to cut the aluminum. Instead of maki......[Read More]

Stamp collecting is a fun and fulfilling hobby. Not only is it a pastime, but it is also a great way to give to a chartable organization. Whether you are a longtime collector with some extra stamps or someone who inherited a collection you do not want, donating your stamps to charity is a way to get......[Read More]

It is uncertain who invented the pulley, but we know that Archimedes invented the compound pulley, which is a block that houses two or more pulleys. The simple pulley merely redirects the force applied to a rope. A compound pulley can magnify force to allow an ordinary man to lift a 450 pound engine......[Read More]

A Dremel is a rotary hand tool, similar to an ordinary rotary tool, only the Dremel offers a variety of interchangeable bits for multiple uses such as sanding, grinding, polishing and cutting. A Dremel stand locks the Dremel into a fixed position, which can be used for hands free Dremel operation fo......[Read More]

A geodesic dome can be made out of a number of different materials, including concrete, bamboo, PVC and other materials. This type of home is one of the most, if not the most efficient to build. You can make one of these as a project for yourself or for your kids. This particular guide uses bamboo, ......[Read More]

Oceans and water resources cover more than 70 percent of the planet, providing habitat for almost 50 percent of the Earth's plant and animal species, according the National Ocean Service. The importance of water resources cannot be overestimated. Water resources include any surface water such as lak......[Read More]

Diode rectifiers are basic electronic components designed to conduct electrical current in only one direction. Every diode, however, has a Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV) rating --- if you try to force current the wrong way at a voltage higher than this rating, you will destroy the diode. If this happens......[Read More]

Building model helicopters takes takes time and patience, but the reward is well worth the effort. Making a helicopter is a great project for families with young children who can learn craftsmanship and flight dynamics. For best results, create your model helicopter out of lightweight materials such......[Read More]

Shadow box shelves have become increasingly popular. They are basically a large square or rectangular shelf with many different shaped dividers to separate different areas of the shelf. These are great to display a wide variety of things from pictures, to trinkets, to candles (top shelf only if bein......[Read More]

While cabergoline in humans is used to treat pituitary tumors and increase sexual satisfaction, it has quite a different use in animals. Researchers are performing tests to see if this medication can be used to control wildlife populations.......[Read More]

A horse van or trailer is used to transport stallions, mares and colts. To hold up to two of the large animals, trailers are wide, long and tall. When transporting such expensive animals, you must be really careful in driving and ensure that the horses arrive at their destination safe and secure. To......[Read More]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans purchase almost 3 billion dry-cell batteries per year. The most familiar types of these batteries are the household 1.5 volt batteries, which come in sizes AAA, AA, C and D.......[Read More]