My New Series on Make Magazine's YouTube Channel

Yesterday, Make Magazine launched my new video series on their YouTube channel. I am producing a new project every week and they are hosting it on their YouTube channel and blog. Here is the launching blog post. http://blog.makezine.com/2013/04/22/introducing-diy-hacks-and-how-tos-a-video-series-with-jason-poel-smith/

Two Part Magnetic Stapler

At one point or another, you have probably been frustrated by the limitations of a standard office stapler. They can only staple 3.5 inches into a page. So if you are working on a large or oddly shaped project, then you are usually stuck trying to staple into carpet or a piece of cardboard and then bending the teeth of the stapler down by hand. I think that a better option would be to make a stapler that can be separated into two parts, placed on opposite sides of a paper and aligned with magnets. Here is a simple example of how this could be done.

Open Hard to Remove Lids with Duct Tape

The next time you find yourself battling a tightly sealed jar, try using duct tape.

Cooking with Power Tools Article

My "Cooking with Power Tool" project has been featured in a "Hack Your Kitchen" article on
M e n s h e a l t h . c o m . It is tab 4/22 on the slide show. It is also being publish in the written magazine.

How to Make a Shirt Folding Board out of Cardboard and Duct Tape

Nobody likes folding clothes. So to try to minimize the time that it takes, I designed a simple folding board out of cardboard and duct tape. It works just as well as the commercial version but was essentially free to make.

How to Automate Your Coffee Maker

The only thing that is better than a fresh cup of coffee is having it already made for you when you wake up. To get that, all you need is a cheap Christmas light timer. Just set up the coffee maker with fresh grounds and water, turn it on and plug it into the timer. Then just set the timer for when you want to wake up in the morning. The timer will automatically turn on your coffee maker and brew a fresh pot.

How to Make a Two Color Pen

If you do a lot of editing, then you probably have a number of different color pens rolling around your desk. Here is a really simple mod that can cut that number in half. Just take two ball point pens apart, trim the ink reservoirs and put both heads on a single barrel. Then you have a single two color pen.