DIY'ers: Ever build anything for a woman?

[80k]

I know DIY electronic projects don't lend themselves well to chick-gifts, but just wondering if anyone ever did.  As geeky as most of the stuff we build is, there's no doubt that it is a labor of love, and is rad as all hell.

Here's my dillemma: my fiancee is going to school in Australia, and i miss her tons.  I feel kinda unproductive lately... I have a pile of books i'm not reading, i haven't been touching the piano. I sure would like to pour my heart out building something out of control awesome for her and i have at least 4 months before i'll see her again. Unfortunately she doesn't play guitar, so pedals is out of the question.

The only non-pedal electronic device i've built is a triwave, but somehow i don't think she would dig something so chaotic and complex. Unless I "hello kitty" the crap out of it, and i'm not about to do that. Maybe a synth that is less obnoxious and easier to control would be better.

Also, the only thing i can do is solder and drill and glue shit together. I just want to put something rad together and paint it really cool, but i'm out of ideas.  I know i could consider doing a non-DIY-electronic project, but i'd like something that will occupy my and interest me for awhile.

And in the end, of course it's not something she's going to play with all the time (at least i doubt it), but if it beautiful and makes her laugh, then it's a success.

Any ideas??

[The Tone God]

Get one of the Winbond recorder chips, record some messages for her, pack it in a box with your picture on it, and send it to her.

Andrew

[JimRayden]

Take the biggest hunk of perf board or strip board you can get. Buy a pile of resistors and caps. Solder the whole perfboard full of them, forming a picture. Choose the caps and resistors by colour. Don't just do the outlines with them. Make the whole board crowded and use the colours to form a picture. Maybe a heart. Maybe something cuter. Maybe a text.

I've been thinking alot of building them and selling.

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Jimbo

[80k]

cool, these are the type of ideas i wouldn't think of, so thanks for the feedback!  i don't know anything about those Winbond chips... anyone know of any projects that use them or where i can find more info on them?

As for JimRayden's idea, definitely cool and nicely sappy, but i definitely want to work on something that has some kind of musical or other audio functionality, because i want it to be a project that will occupy me and help me learn something.  One thing i would like to do is have an internal amp and speaker in it, if it is like a synth of some sort, since i would like the thing to be completely self-contained and useable, with no need for wires, power supply, or external amp.

thanks again and keep the ideas coming

[JimRayden]

After completing my project, you will have developed perfect soldering skills.

And they sell "music chips" that have a small melody programmed into them. You could add that and a pile of LED's to the picture.


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Jimbo

[cd]

That recorder chip idea is perfect.  I did that once actually, bought a cheapo kit, put it together with a push button switch (recorded myself playing a favorite song), and hid the whole thing inside a picture frame with a couple of blue LEDs - she FLIPPED out!!  The whole thing cost maybe $20 and was well worth it

[nelson]

how about  a mini sampler, you could use a recorder chip as suggested above, a little condensor microphone perhaps these ones for minidisc players, a battery powered ruby amp from runoffgroove.com and a speaker, you could add an effect of your choice to mess with the recorder circuits output. Decorate it all "hello kitty".

[80k]

yea, the recorder chip idea sounds great... is there a project/kit/tutorial out there?  how long can i record for, and can i always record over it and stuff?

hmmm, this has great potential.  you guys have a lot of great ideas

[80k]

http://www.a1parts.com/newkits/projects/k64.pdf

i found that.... seems like a really cool project  Anyone ever buy anything from a1parts?

edit: although a cool idea, i still would like to consider some other options.  I think i could built that recorder in one afternoon.  i want something that'll occupy me for a few weeks

[dr]

....last year, I built a 'diddley bow" (single string cigar box guitar) with a 386 based amplifier in it(and the speakers were mounted to the inside top
using one for the input and the other for the output) for my grandson....my grandfather is probably looking down at me and shaking his head; he built me an acoustic one when I was a kid!....

[NaBo]

you should build her a theremin!  

"Oh baby, my heart responds to you much like the heterodyning combination of two radio-frequency oscillators in this device responds to the capacitance created by your hand as it approaches the antennae. <3"

[Doug_H]

Make her a pair of ear rings out of resistors.

Doug

[PB Wilson]

Who remembers that site that had a whole bunch of crazy DIY projects like a tree made up of LEDs? He also made some dangerous stuff like a tazer and a Jacob's Ladder. It's gotta be in the archives somewhere. Maybe you could make her something from that site?

[vortex]

Who remembers that site that had a whole bunch of crazy DIY projects like a tree made up of LEDs? He also made some dangerous stuff like a tazer and a Jacob's Ladder. It's gotta be in the archives somewhere. Maybe you could make her something from that site?

That's a great idea! Nothing says "I love you" like a "Hello Kitty Tazer" :wink:

[80k]

Who remembers that site that had a whole bunch of crazy DIY projects like a tree made up of LEDs? He also made some dangerous stuff like a tazer and a Jacob's Ladder. It's gotta be in the archives somewhere. Maybe you could make her something from that site?

That's a great idea! Nothing says "I love you" like a "Hello Kitty Tazer" :wink:

hahaha... oh man, if i can find some info on how to build a Tazer, i might have to do that!  The hard part will be testing the damn thing

although it'd be hard to bring it to her overseas, hmmm...

[Fret Wire]

Most of those project kit sites have electronic sleep aides. The type where it sits on the nightstand and plays raining sounds to help you fall asleep. Practical, and romantic. You can tell her that it will help her sleep (practical), you built it just for her (romantic), and now she can  fall deep asleep dreaming about you (you just pegged her goo-meter!). :wink:

[80k]

Most of those project kit sites have electronic sleep aides. The type where it sits on the nightstand and plays raining sounds to help you fall asleep. Practical, and romantic. You can tell her that it will help her sleep (practical), you built it just for her (romantic), and now she can  fall deep asleep dreaming about you (you just pegged her goo-meter!). :wink:

cool idea!  couldn't find any of these projects though... wondering if i am looking at the wrong sites?

[Fret Wire]

Here's the basic idea, I can't seem to locate one of the kits...never find em' when I need em! :oops:  
http://www.redcircuits.com/Page75.htm

[Toney]

Check this out.....
Lots of fun prepackaged kits.. cool silkscreened / masked boards and pretty cheap too.


                   http://www.kitsrus.com/


Kit number 146 is a 40 second sound recorder with looping

Hope this helps

[Mann]

Build something you can sell. Sell it. Consult someone - like your mother and consider buying some expensive jewellry.