Introduction

Makeybotwelcome.eps In my many years of designing and inventing toys, I’ve learned the most just by making. I was always eager to get started on a given project and make my own discoveries. If I hit a setback then I’d get help as needed. I hope you’ll take the same approach with the material in this book. Let the designs and plans serve as a starting point and an inspiration to what you want to make.

A couple of the projects are what I call meta-projects: projects that you first build and then use to make other projects. Make the Kitchen Floor Vacuum Former, and then use it to mold plastic parts for other projects. Same for the Foam Cutter and E-Z-Make Oven: use them to cut foam and cook materials to make what you want.

Many of these projects, tips, and ideas are spin-offs and examples from my work as a professional toy and game designer. Some projects are super simple; some are more involved. No expensive or highly technical tools are needed, just basic tools found in any garage or hobby bench. No specialized skills are required either.

Makeybotclipping.eps I’ve included some clip-and-use pages in the Appendix to give you a head start on many of the projects. Look there for some other fun bonus stuff, too.

makey_bot_qr.eps You’ll find QR codes throughout the book. Scan them with your smartphone to see short demos of the projects in action. (Can’t wait? There’s a tiny flipbook animation you can view right now—just use your thumb to flip the pages and see the spinning turbine in action from the Desktop Foundry project in Chapter 7.)

Makeybotprinter.eps See more Make: FUN! goodies online at makerfunbook.com: printable PDFs, videos, and more. Also online is a bonus chapter, “Industrial Design for Makers.” Look over my shoulder as I use industrial design processes and techniques to remake a popular project from Make: magazine. See how I transform this:

. . . into this:

Ask me a question or send me an e‑mail with pictures and videos of your own projects and I’ll share them there for everyone to see, if you like.

You might make some of these projects with a kid, for a kid (see “Play Safe!” below), or just for yourself. I hope you’ll have as much FUN reading about and making the things in this book as I had creating and writing it.

—Bob Knetzger

Play Safe!

The fine print: Technology, the laws, and limitations imposed by manufacturers and content owners are constantly changing. Thus, some of the projects described may not work, may be inconsistent with current laws or user agreements, or may damage or adversely affect some equipment. Your safety is your own responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining whether you have adequate skill and experience. Power tools, electricity, and other resources used for these projects are dangerous unless used properly and with adequate precautions, including the use of proper safety gear. In order to show the project steps more clearly, some illustrative photos do not depict safety precautions or equipment. These projects are not for use by unattended children. Use of instructions is at your own risk. Maker Media Inc. and Robert Knetzger disclaim all responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or expense. It is your responsibility to make sure that your activities comply with applicable laws, including copyright.