Built from plans in Make Magazine with a couple mods. Made from a sprinkler valve and PVC (and of course duct tape!), compressed air fires the rocket high into the sky. Our rocket is make of the foam cylinders you wrap around hot water pipes (and duct tape!). It’s connected directly to our air compressor and makes a pretty impressive sound when it takes off – first a foosh as the air is released, then an ill sounding honk as the tubes act as a type of pipe organ. Fun to launch and funny to listen to.

Ready, Aim…

Fire!

Celebrating my birthday early this year, and everyone gets their choice of cake. Me first…

Mmmm

And this is what happens when you spend too long taking pictures of the food rather than eating it.

Another image from the Zeppelin trip.
Can you find a huge face? A sofa? A dozen (or more) washing machines? How about a child’s merry-go-round? A boat? How about two boats? A fire hydrant?
Click through to the full size image – you’ll need it.

I had the pleasure yesterday of flying in the Airship Eureka – one of the few commercially flown Zeppelins in the world. The trip was organized by Steve Jurvetson for Airship Ventures to help set a course for a geeks air-tour of Silicon Valley.

Stanford, Seen Through The Window

Bon Voyage – Photo by Steve Jurvetson (click though for manifest)

Follow the link to see the full set of photos.
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Last weekend was the Makers Faire – a crazy two day confab of DIYers, Steampunks, rocketeers, and electro-mechanics. I was only able to attend for half day and was so overwhelmed that I didn’t shoot much.

Camera Obscura

This is inside a beautiful camera obscura built by Chris de Monterey. The image is projected via a mirror and lens on the roof of the building onto a circle of painted wood.

Because of the sharpness and lack of a framerate, the projection looks almost 3D. A beautiful depth of field effect is there, too. You can focus by adjusting the level of the table, and direct the view by pulling a rope to spin the mirror on the roof.

Cyclecide Ride

The well-named ‘Cyclecide.’ Powered by pedaling. This was the safest looking of the home made carnival rides. Yea, the safest.

Two members from the troupe of people around the Neverwas Haul self propelled Victorian house.