Weird, unusual, and interesting hacks. http://www.funnyhacks.com/rss/all The RandomKSandom series is the spiritual successor to FunnyHacks.... 2022-03-07 http://www.funnyhacks.com/rksSeries RandomKSandom, the spiritual successor to Funnyhacks has begun.... 2022-03-07 http://www.funnyhacks.com/randomKSandomBegins Thyme travel has been an obsession of mine since the 80s. And now I've done it!... 2021-04-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/thymeTravel It all began with a spur-of-the-moment silly video, and escalated from there.... 2020-08-30 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tickerTape For a long time, FunnyHacks.com has been my outlet for stuff I've been doing. But I've been finding the brand has been becoming increasingly limiting, and for a while it ...... 2020-07-27 http://www.funnyhacks.com/randomKSandom The new site design has been up for about a week now. Quite a lot has changed, both under the hood, and cosmetically. This is a multi-part series about the ...... 2020-06-22 http://www.funnyhacks.com/newSiteDesign FunnyHacks.com is a collection of weird, unusual, and interesting hacks. To kick things off, here are a couple of my favourite posts, and some recent ones: ...... 2020-06-10 http://www.funnyhacks.com/welcome This is different from what I normally post on this site, but my wife and I had a couple of years where life threw everything at us, and we spent ...... 2020-03-29 http://www.funnyhacks.com/lockdownSanity I'm currently learning Kubernetes and have been building a cluster using Vagrant.The purpose of this exercise is- To have a quickly buildable platform which I can ...... 2018-02-16 http://www.funnyhacks.com/kubernetesSimple Last week I posted this videoI was working towards another goal and wanted to check a couple of concepts that I wanted to use, so I tested them with ...... 2018-02-12 http://www.funnyhacks.com/rancher Calibrate multiple touch screens on a single X session.... 2018-01-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/niceTouch Beatpulse is a very simple app to get an accurate heart beat source so pull requests are welcome, play way you use it is by pressing a button every ...... 2017-08-28 http://www.funnyhacks.com/pulse The privacy policy for InstantPulse is really simple. **Nothing is transmitted or stored.** Quite literally nothing. Not even between sessions. And I have no plans to add such functionality. But ...... 2017-08-27 http://www.funnyhacks.com/pulsePrivacy Intro Chrooting to provide a desktop environment on a mobile device is not a new concept, but it is still with it's challenges. This post is about the various successes ...... 2017-02-12 http://www.funnyhacks.com/chroot Over the last while it has been becoming increasingly apparent that I'm simply trying to do too much. So let's address that.This post covers- Where is ...... 2016-11-21 http://www.funnyhacks.com/whereTo Today I show you how to get some extra brightness on your LCD in the sun.This is part 2 where I repair a mistake I made in part 1 ...... 2014-08-03 http://www.funnyhacks.com/backlitlcd - Today the air hockey table build continues with attaching the sides.This took a bit longer than the rest of the sides should ...... 2014-07-06 http://www.funnyhacks.com/airHockeySides Today I show you show you where I'm at with a glow in the dark air hockey table build. This is the first in a series of ~a few~ ...... 2014-06-29 http://www.funnyhacks.com/airHockey I'm nearing the end of my sabbatical, and I did stuff! Here's an ultra short summary of what I did.Polishing projects This phase was to get my open source ...... 2014-05-27 http://www.funnyhacks.com/sabbatical Today we bring another unreleased episode from the archive to show you how to charge a phone that is too flat to charge. Overview The basic idea of this is ...... 2014-05-23 http://www.funnyhacks.com/phoneCharger Today I dig up another unreleased FunnyHacks episode from the archive. This one is about a fly swat that I've turbocharged with an electric drill. This episode really hits on ...... 2014-05-16 http://www.funnyhacks.com/flySwat Today I show you why it matters which lead is connected first when jump-starting a car, and why it's not obvious if you have an electronics background. The answer is ...... 2014-05-08 http://www.funnyhacks.com/carBat Today I show you the semi-working prototype of the final tablet.While I made prototypes of many parts, this was the only one bringing everything together, and there was still ...... 2014-05-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/prototypeTablet Today I show you an adapter I made that converts a tablet into its own mouse.  This is basically the insides of a mouse, with a drastically shortened cable and ...... 2014-04-25 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tabletMouse Today I reassemble a doorlock that was replaced after our flat was burgled. The result surprised me! Verifying the results To confirm my results, I compared this lock to a ...... 2014-04-18 http://www.funnyhacks.com/lock Today I show you how to create install macros. Install macros are macros that run at install time. They are used for configuring your application. If you are in a ...... 2014-04-17 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelInstallMacros The default output of Achel is designed for the user, and thus not wise to pipe directly to another application. However there are facilities to pipe to other applications, and ...... 2014-04-16 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelPipe Today I explain the directory structure of Achel.The repository is at https:github.comksandomachel. ...... 2014-04-15 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelDirectoryStructure Today I show you how to refine results in Achel and all Achel based applications. The repository is at https:github.comksandomachel. The documentation is at https:github.comksandomacheltreemasterpackages-availableManipulationsdocs ...... 2014-04-14 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelRefiningResults Today I answer questions about running a laptop off AA batteries.It seems to be necessary to remind you that as with all hacks, don't do this on anything you ...... 2014-04-11 http://www.funnyhacks.com/laptopAAsRevisit Today I show you how to use manageAchel. **NOTE That `manageAchel` is now `achelctl`**, although both are installed and point to the same file for the time being. The repository ...... 2014-04-10 http://www.funnyhacks.com/manageAchel Today I show you what semantics are and how to take advantage of themit.The gist of it is being aware of the type of data that is currently being ...... 2014-04-09 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelSemantics Today I tell you how to contribute to the various projects. If you simply want to add functionality, the simplest thing is to create an achelRepo If you'd like to ...... 2014-04-08 http://www.funnyhacks.com/contributing Today I show you how to use collections.Collections provide a sane way of interacting with persistent data. The idea is that when you need it you request it. If ...... 2014-04-07 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelCollections Today I show you how I did the dog eyes on the bike box. This is pretty much the same method that I used in the koala I don't ...... 2014-04-04 http://www.funnyhacks.com/dogEyes Today I show you how to create a template for outputting stuff in Achel.The repository is at https:github.comksandomachel. The documentation is at https:github.comksandomachelblobmasterdocsprogrammingcreatingATemplate.md ...... 2014-04-03 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelTemplate Today I show you how to create a unit test in Achel.I found this episode particularly interesting because it shows the unit testing mentality in action. The repository is ...... 2014-04-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelUnitTest Today I show you have to remove functionality via repoParms that was previously added to a profile. The important thing to understand is that while removing functionality in repoParms will ...... 2014-04-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/removeFunctionality Today I show you how to manipulate repo parms, which is what defines which packages and repositories should be used in which profilesapplications. If you're wanting to create a repository, ...... 2014-03-31 http://www.funnyhacks.com/repoParms Today I show you how I pimped up a granny stroller to help me out during a tough time in my life. I broke my collar bone, which meant I ...... 2014-03-28 http://www.funnyhacks.com/grannyStroller Today I show you how to create a macro in Achel.The repository is at https:github.comksandomachel. The documentation is at https:github.comksandomachelblobmasterdocsprogrammingcreatingAMacro.md ...... 2014-03-27 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelMacro Today I show you how to create a package in Achel. The repository is at https:github.comksandomachel. The documentation is at https:github.comksandomachelblobmasterdocsprogrammingcreatingAPacakge.md ...... 2014-03-26 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelPackage Today I show you how to define bastion hosts that you tunnel through to get to your destination hosts. "*A bastion host is a special purpose computer on a network ...... 2014-03-25 http://www.funnyhacks.com/massBastion This used to be hard. Now it's easy. Today I show you how! The reason that this is hard without the wizard is that the repo parms are required to ...... 2014-03-24 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelRepo Today I'm joined by my co-host Tim to discuss the risks and basics of making a teddy bear communicate what a computer is doing. This episode has serious risks. As ...... 2014-03-21 http://www.funnyhacks.com/koala Today I show you how to insert tasks into an existing timeline and how to do repairs if you end up in a pickle. - --fixDids - Is ...... 2014-03-20 http://www.funnyhacks.com/doneItMore Today I show you how to debug web pages that don't look right when colouredWeb is applied. The repository is at https:github.comksandomcolouredWeb. ...... 2014-03-19 http://www.funnyhacks.com/cwDebugging Today I show you how to get hosts into mass. General - Finding documentation. Import - Entering credentials. - Where the credentials are saved. ...... 2014-03-18 http://www.funnyhacks.com/massGettingHosts Today I talk about how to add functionality into another application. (Think plugin.)This tutorial uses repoParms, which is documented here That should be your first port of call for ...... 2014-03-17 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelFunctionality Today I show you more details with making the tablet. - Battery dock - Gluing without making too much mess - Planning the layout ...... 2014-03-14 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tabletBuild2 Today I show you how to fine tune colouredWeb to get the result you need. Bright and Dark themes You can switch between bright and dark themes with `--cwBright` and ...... 2014-03-13 http://www.funnyhacks.com/colouredWebDig Today I show you how to do all the day-to-day stuff to really take advantage of doneIt for time tracking. Add tasks Tasks are what you do. I've found that ...... 2014-03-12 http://www.funnyhacks.com/doneItDig Covering more of the basics of using mass. * Recap what it is. * Recap installingusing cluster SSH. * Using screen with mass. * Uploading and downloading with mass. * ...... 2014-03-11 http://www.funnyhacks.com/massIntro2 If you want to make Achel available system wide, ie not just to your current user, here's how to do it.The easiest way is to take the one liner ...... 2014-03-10 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achelinstall Here I make a defective torch useful using a simple modification to stop the straps from falling off. In the original design it's very easy for the strap to slide ...... 2014-03-07 http://www.funnyhacks.com/headTorch ColouredWeb generates and installs a custom stylesheet that re-colours the internet to make it easier for people who are sensitive to particular colours to use the internet. Here is an ...... 2014-03-06 http://www.funnyhacks.com/colouredWeb Track where your time is going on the command line.... 2014-03-05 http://www.funnyhacks.com/doneIt Maintain a single source of truth about your servers across different clouds, and interact with them quickly.... 2014-03-04 http://www.funnyhacks.com/mass A language for robotics, and more.... 2014-03-03 http://www.funnyhacks.com/achel Getting the videos done took much longer than I expected, namely because I had a lot more in my head than I realised, which lead to me recording over 6 ...... 2014-02-24 http://www.funnyhacks.com/s3Update2 As mentioned here FunnyHacks is coming back. We're now days away.The last few weeks have been spent doing documentation, discovering little things that needed tidying and generally making this ...... 2014-02-04 http://www.funnyhacks.com/s3Update FunnyHacks season 3 is back. I'm taking a break from work to pursue my passions for a few months. As a result, FunnyHacks is going to getting love. I've got ...... 2014-01-05 http://www.funnyhacks.com/s3Returns Every morning I look up at the ceiling and see a fuzzy representation of the world below. Light hits the objects and bounces off in various directions. Some of it ...... 2013-04-13 http://www.funnyhacks.com/pinHole As I look through the photos I've selected, I realise that there is a lot of distraction in there. This is kind of mis-representing the trip. It was a really ...... 2013-02-26 http://www.funnyhacks.com/NZOz A few days ago I started playing with the idea of trying to post to facebook from a fresh windows 95 VM using only software that I could aquire from ...... 2013-02-17 http://www.funnyhacks.com/win95 Mass is a tool for manipulating lots of servers concurrently. Open up an SSH terminal to each server that maches your request, do the same with cluster SSH upload a ...... 2012-10-21 http://www.funnyhacks.com/massOld This is the first installment of the footage I took of our trip to the Shuttleworth museum. I've got loads more footage, so tell me what interests you the most ...... 2012-09-22 http://www.funnyhacks.com/shuttleworth This is one of my more impressive looking builds. Not the most complex by any means, but it certainly looks cool. Where ever I take it, I get lots of ...... 2011-12-24 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tabletbuild This is a tablet that I've built from an old Asus Eee 701 I've wanted a tablet for years. My motivation for building one instead of buying one was that ...... 2011-12-12 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tablet 1. Take one satnav. 2. Set the destination. 3. Get in a plane and take off. 4. Watch it freak out!Satnavs designed for roads are ...... 2011-06-12 http://www.funnyhacks.com/satnav Sometimes recording just doesn't go to ...... 2011-06-11 http://www.funnyhacks.com/satnavbloopers Flying in a small plane in rough ...... 2011-06-10 http://www.funnyhacks.com/bumpyflight Today I talk about the technical details of making the bike box work. ...... 2011-05-21 http://www.funnyhacks.com/boxTech Simply put, this is a box to put on the back of your bike and be seen. The response from this one has been amazing. If you were to only ...... 2011-05-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/box One of the biggest challenges of capturing 3D footage is getting the footage syncronised. Sure, you can do it in post production. But on most cameras, you have granularity of ...... 2011-04-24 http://www.funnyhacks.com/3DSyncTech2 So in my previous post I listed out the basic ideas of choosing a camera. Now I'm going to show you some clips that I have made using the cameras ...... 2011-04-23 http://www.funnyhacks.com/myCameras This weekend, I headed out to the local forest to sprint around the tight winding tracks and here is the result. The photos attached are just a small handful of ...... 2011-04-16 http://www.funnyhacks.com/eppingForest Last night the moon was the closest to the earth that it has been for something like 16 years. Quite a few people have shown interest in this, so here ...... 2011-03-20 http://www.funnyhacks.com/moon Slow mo footage of an RC car in puddles and on shingle. This is simply having fun with a radio controlled car to demonstraight the concepts discussed in 3DMount ...... 2011-03-17 http://www.funnyhacks.com/rcSlowMo Recording 3D footage on two 2D cameras can be quite challenging. In this episode I go through the technical details of making it happen. Adjustment I found making things loose ...... 2011-03-06 http://www.funnyhacks.com/3DmountTech1 3D video is really taking off, and most of my work over the last year has been in 3D. So I thought that it was about time to show how ...... 2011-02-28 http://www.funnyhacks.com/3DMount In this episode we are really starting to get somewhere! This was a lot of fun and I hope to get out there again before I leave NZ. We have ...... 2011-01-22 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tarpFurther Today I walk you through the technical details of building the home made parachute.This is a stupid thing to do, so if you have not yet gone over the ...... 2011-01-13 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tarpTech Most work on this site is licensed under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) license which should allow you to do most of what you'd like to do. (Most ...... 2011-01-13 http://www.funnyhacks.com/moreperms This is the first of at least a couple of compilation videos of our progress as we play with different ideas. We've taken literally hours of footage, so these compilations ...... 2011-01-07 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tarp1st The basic idea As a kid I always wanted to make a parachute. I kept jumping off hedges using a tiny sheet with the hope of sailing down. The ...... 2011-01-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/tarp All of the talky and technical episodes for FunnyHacks are available in 3D. Every such episode has been edited and rendered in 2D, 3D and 3D anaglyph (coloured glasses). For ...... 2010-12-31 http://www.funnyhacks.com/see3D We're still compiling the information to go here. But in the mean time you can contact me here: You're already here And Tim's address is..... oh oh! I'll get back ...... 2010-12-31 http://www.funnyhacks.com/contact Hi! This is me: At the age of 6, my dad taught me the basics of electronics, and I've been trying to electrocute myself ever since. This blog began from ...... 2010-12-29 http://www.funnyhacks.com/about Woah! You've found a really old link! Here are some things that are probably what you're looking for: ...... 2010-12-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/theOldSite I imagine the normal navigation will be easier, so this is primarily intended for search engines. But hey, if it's usful to you as well, great :) The title photo ...... 2010-12-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/siteMap All hacks involve risk. Usually it's breaking what ever it is you are hacking, but often there are other risks which we need to take into account as well such ...... 2010-12-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/risks In 2010 I released this short film to demo some concepts I had shown in an earlier FunnyHacks episode: I made a couple of ringtones for it: * Sheep - ...... 2010-03-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/movie I went down south to help my sister sell cookies, and to my surprise, I got given the coolest job in the world... My task was to destroy a room ...... 2009-12-22 http://www.funnyhacks.com/boxes The basic idea Modifying a phone so that it can take headphones. The hardest bit about this hack is making it all fit in the phone... So it's not ...... 2009-06-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/phoneHeadphones A big thankyou to david at for featuring this episode!The basic idea So you've done all the little optimisations to make your laptop last an extra half hour. Wireless ...... 2009-06-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/laptopAAs The basic idea In this episose I power a camera and phone using a 3 battery batterypack. This hack is basically the next step after in getting the contacts ...... 2009-06-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/cellPhoneBattery The basic idea Hook every audio source to every audio output in an easily switchable way. Series vs Parallel Choosing whether to hook things up in series or parallel ...... 2009-06-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/audioSwitch You may remember the car that could drive on the ceiling. It didn't last very long. So now I've turned it into a boat.This episode was filmed out in ...... 2009-05-04 http://www.funnyhacks.com/boat Someone driving you up the walls? Get some space and drive on the ceiling instead! In this episode, I show you how to drive an RC car on the ceiling. ...... 2009-02-03 http://www.funnyhacks.com/magnetCar Radio Controlled models are a ton of fun, but sooner or later they end up auditioning for the trash can. This hack comes to the rescue to salvage all those ...... 2008-12-19 http://www.funnyhacks.com/plane The basic idea Imagine your phone is ringing and you can't find it. Probably the last thing you want is for it to be quietly driving away from you. ...... 2008-11-20 http://www.funnyhacks.com/carPhone In 2008 I traveled around the word. This was an amazing time in my life, so at the end of it, I put a video together of a few highlights: ...... 2008-09-16 http://www.funnyhacks.com/travel I loooooooooooove Brazil! The people, the wild life, the fresh fruit! I've been twice and hope to go many more times. I made a few really basic videos while I ...... 2008-07-04 http://www.funnyhacks.com/brazil Canada had beautifully wild weather while I was there. Plus spending time with friends is always good! ;)This is a video of one of those really cool flukes that ...... 2008-06-21 http://www.funnyhacks.com/canada This remains one of my favourite hacks. It didn't make it into the show simply because I blogged about it before I started the show. It's really simple: find out ...... 2005-06-02 http://www.funnyhacks.com/cellPhoneAAs For now and the foreseeable future, this site does not use cookies. It has specifically been designed that way. Any third party tools, for example a YouTube or Vimeo embedded ...... 1970-01-01 http://www.funnyhacks.com/cookies