After the end of World War I, Czechoslovakia found itself in a unique situation. It inherited a powerful industry from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including automotive, comparable to Germany and France. However, the volume of the domestic market of the new state was small, and to survive, automakers had to focus on exports. In the early Read more…
Externally, this padlock is no different from thousands of its counterparts guarding storerooms and dachas, sheds and utility rooms, shops and warehouses. Except for one stunning detail: it opens… with a screwdriver. Can one trust such an unserious device that even a mischievous boy could unlock? “You can,” asserts its creator, engineer I. Yankin. “Opening Read more…
While browsing ads on an online “flea market”, I came across wheels from a children’s quad bike. They also came with hubs and steering knuckles. The price was very attractive, and I bought them with a “long-term plan”. They gathered dust in the garage for a couple of years until I decided to build a Read more…
An unusual tree grafting technology was proposed by I.V. Michurin, and in N. Verzilin’s book “Journeys with Houseplants” this original method of obtaining a cutting from a living branch directly on the tree is described. He “surrounded” the branch with a vessel of water — and roots appeared on old branches of pears and apple Read more…
Regular readers of “M-K” are already familiar with Mikhail Landyshev’s original DIY creations. The creative process so captivates Mikhail that, having designed one piece of equipment, he almost immediately proceeds to make a second one. This was the case with tarabaikas and electric bicycles (see “M-K” No. 7-2019 and No. 4-2024). This time, three machines Read more…
When talking about the amateur constructor E. Kulikov, it should be noted that all the units and mechanisms he has made are designed to ease the labor and daily life of rural residents. Let us touch upon one of the problems annually solved by village residents, and by those who live in most Russian settlements Read more…
For several years now, Sevastopol inventor Dmitry Chulkov has been constructing electric vehicles. One of these is a universal modular chassis, equipped in the base configuration with a control unit, battery, and two hub motors, the power of which can vary from 1 to 3 kW. To improve ride smoothness, the module is equipped with Read more…
No matter what your city apartment is like — prestigious or ordinary, large or small, comfortable or inconvenient, it is extremely difficult to allocate space for a home workshop in it. However, with great desire and sufficient carpentry skills, a DIY craftsman can equip a quite convenient workspace that easily transforms into a flat cabinet Read more…
Several years ago, I made a small bicycle car for my sons (or, judging by its size or construction, it would be more accurate to call it a bicycle kart). The children liked the machine, and they, together with the neighbor kids, spent hours racing it on quiet streets. I took as a model the Read more…
A radio-controlled model of a racing sailboat yacht can be made from the most accessible materials. And instead of expensive branded equipment, you can use a remote control set that comes with modern toys. The model’s hull is made of packaging foam or PS-4-40 grade, reinforced with a flat wooden frame cut into the hull Read more…
