Popular Mechanics articles from February 2007

Popular Mechanics archives from February 2007

Getting the threat.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... I wanted to congratulate and thank you for the excellent story on near-Earth objects ("The Threat Is Out There," Dec. '06). This is a fairly complex and somewhat mysterious subject, and David Noland did an excellent job explaining this...

Not so smart.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... As cars get "smarter" ("Is Your Car Smarter Than You Are?" Dec. '06) and require less attentiveness and skill to operate, there are more unqualified people driving them. Perhaps instead of investing in more automation, we should spend the money...

Cutting digital losses.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... I've had my own share of problems with ever-changing digital formats ("The Digital Ice Age," Dec. '06), yet some archives have lasted for centuries--on vellum. Xerox scientists have developed a MicroText font that will allow a book the size of...

The secret's out.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... My wife read my copy of POPULAR MECHANICS while waiting for my son's school bus and was surprised, especially with the Home Journal. Now, I may have to do some work around the house--since my wife will surely enlist me in her PM-inspired home...

Bigger but not better.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Your article on the Airbus A380 was excellent ("Jumbo Trouble," Dec. '06). But Airbus and Boeing are missing something critical: Where are major airports going to get the room for the traffic surge? R.P. DALLAS, TX

Monster mash.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... It was refreshing to read "Monster Media Center PC" (Dec. '06) and find that I'd built a system using almost all the same internals. The thing's a screamer, and I can finally play games at their highest settings. I'm imagining what this system...

Storm surge.(Albuquerque, New Mexico)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... It lurks in Albuquerque, N.M., a partially submerged particle accelerator built to generate data [or supercomputers that simulate nuclear explosions. But in its 10 violent years of life, the Z machine has surprised its creators at Sandia...

The bot goes on.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... You can chop off its leg, but a robot developed at Cornell University will keep coming--after it figures out its new body shape. "Self-modeling" is the key. The foot-long robot (above) starts as a four-legged starfish, but it has no...

Good news for fast-break fans.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The NBA has abandoned its controversial microfiber basketball, citing player complaints. Physicists at the University of Texas at Arlington had found that the balls bounced more erratically than the leather ones they briefly replaced, and...

The invisible plan.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Researchers at Duke University have shown that a "cloak" engineered from copper and plastic can help make an object invisible--or at least less visible--to microwaves. The technology might never be applied to visible light, but it could lead to...

Quaker house.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The magnitude 6.7 quake that shook Buffalo, N.Y., in November hit a single building: a three-bedroom wood-frame house at the University at Buffalo's earthquake simulation lab (above). Researchers sent tremors through the house with two huge...

Alien storm.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... A massive hurricane-like storm two-thirds the diameter of Earth is swirling around Saturn's south pole, marking the first storm with a welt-defined eye and eye watt to be spotted on another planet. The dark spots in this infrared image (below)...

Flying quiet.(quieter passenger jet)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... If you live near a deafening airport, your prayers will be answered--in a few decades. Researchers at MIT and the University of Cambridge in England unveiled a design for a quieter passenger jet. The plane's shape creates greater lift, allowing...

Watering holes: the debate over a plan to pump water out of the Nevada desert could be the next battle in the war over the West's most vital natural resource.(TECH WATCH)
February 1, 2007... Two simple facts about Las Vegas: Its population has doubled since 1990, to 570,000; and 90 percent of its water comes from the Colorado River, which is in the throes of the worst drought in recorded history. To meet the looming water crunch,...

Blast resort.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... What does a company that makes pickup truck bed liners know about bombproofing buildings? In the case of California-based Line-X, enough to win a contract to help reinforce the Pentagon with a spray-on polymer coating called Paxcon. Derived...

Time machine: 1977.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... EMBOLDENED by the Viking mission's Martian landing, three decades ago PM outlined the future of unmanned space exploration. We predicted that by 1984 "small rovers would be landed on Mars to explore canyons, craters and other areas of geologic...

The satellite hackers: with store-bought gear and old-fashioned sleuthing, an Air Force program is protecting our military satellites--by exposing their vulnerabilities.(TECH WATCH)
February 1, 2007... It's a mission MacGyver would love. Three or four times a year, small groups of junior officers gather at an Air Force Research Laboratory facility in New Mexico and try to figure out how to take down an American satellite using nothing more...

The ironic futurist.(Daniel H. Wilson)(Interview)
February 1, 2007... Daniel H. Wilson's first book, How to Survive a Robot Uprising, poked holes in our Holly wood-supplied anxiety over automaton-on man violence, while quietly educating us on real-life robotics. Now the renowned author--and PM's resident...

Multitools march on.(Leatherman Tool Group Inc.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... No one's expecting a revolution in multitools anytime soon, but Leatherman is steadily pushing the state of the art, fine-tuning the materials and design used in its successful Charge series. For its new AL and ALX models--which both run $129,...

Test drive: Rocket Grill.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... Sunbeam claims its ROCKET GRILL ($130) cooks food as quickly as the George Foreman Grill, white locking in moisture and making cleanup even easier. The single-use parchment pouches--which keep food from touching the cooking surfaces--delivered...

Pencils turn a corner.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... Carpenter pencils have met their match in this MULTIPURPOSE MARKING TOOL ($5). It's a solid chunk of graphite composite that lets you draw thin or wide tines on everything from drywall to metal. It has multiple sides and 12 corners, so when one...

Rotor scooter.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... The Micro Mosquito Mini Helicopter ($70) is the smallest (6.5 in. long), lightest (0.7 ounce) radio-controlled chopper you can buy. Meant for indoor use, it's perfect for terrorizing pets and houseguests. It's surprisingly sturdy--which is...

CLL with Laser Pole.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... It's a clear sign of progress when you can get an affordable self-leveling laser level with its own 9.5-ft. telescoping pole for easy use at practically any job site. Stanley's CLL with Laser Pole ($129) runs on three AAs, and projects bright...

Westcomb Mirage.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... Lots of zippers and mesh are great, but in a mountain shell these elements just add weight. The Westcomb Mirage ($379) is minimalist--well, not the price--but smart. For instance, the front zipper curves away from the chin for easier layering....

Tale of the beer tap.(UPGRADE///WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... For pub owners and stadiums across the country, TurboTap is good business. The low-hanging nozzle breaks up dissolved C[O.sub.2] in draft beer, allowing for faster pours with less foam, and quicker-moving lines. TurboTap's home kits ($179 to...

Power to turn.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)
February 1, 2007... Four-wheel-drive ATVs can make cargo hauling a whole lot easier. But if you've slogged through miles of muddy bog or crawled through a boulder-strewn riverbed, you know that steering a 600-plus-pound ATV can be a serious workout. So Honda and...

Five shades of Bluetooth.(UPGRADE /// WISH LIST)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Somewhere between the army of identical--and always dorky-looking--cellphone headsets and the nonstop flood of dopey wireless gadgets, there are Bluetooth devices that actually can stream line your life. These products will make your essential...

Clean fight.(UPGRADE /// ABUSIVE LAB TEST)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2007... Stronger motors and better filtration systems are supposed to make handheld vacuums viable alternatives to their full-size brethren. We tested three new hand vacs, using each to clean up 32 ounces of presifted flour, followed by a vile combo of...

An alternate universe.(NEW CARS: AUTO SHOW SPECIAL)(Los Angeles Auto Show)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... LOS ANGELES California's governor pulled no punches as he set the tone for the 100th Anniversary Los Angeles Auto Show. And his message dovetailed with the industry's thinking. Just about every stand at the Los Angeles Convention Center...

Showtime for showcars.(NEW CARS: AUTO SHOW SPECIAL)
February 1, 2007... LOS ANGELES MUST-BUILD CONCEPTS * The crowd pleasers at any auto show are the concept cars--the wilder the better. Among the many concepts at the Los Angeles show, the wildest had to be the Mazda Nagare (opposite), with its stunningly...

Cars you can buy now--almost.(NEW CARS: AUTO SHOW SPECIAL)
February 1, 2007... LOS ANGELES ON SALE SOON * Ultimately, every car show around the world is staged for the same reason: Move the iron. Amid the glittering concepts and future-tech demonstrations always sit new models that will be arriving at local...

Motor city is still the top dog.(NEW CARS: AUTO SHOW SPECIAL)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... AND IN DETROIT... SNEAK PEEK * The L.A. show has grown in stature this year, but the North American International Auto Show, better known as the Detroit auto show, remains this country's premier venue for important industry...

Cruiser-plus: Honda Shadow Spirit 750 C2.(NEW CARS /// FIRST DRIVE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Honda's new Shadow Spirit 750 C2 has a big 21-in. front wheel, a subtly tapered rear fender, and a low-slung stance--all of which make it appear larger and more expensive than it is. Since it has only a 745cc liquid-cooled V-twin, the Spirit C2...

Inside scoop: Hyundai Elantra.(NEW CARS /// FIRST DRIVE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The new Elantra may look uninspired on the outside, but it has more room inside than most of its compact competitors. It's comfortable and it's quiet. True, the Elantra won't beat many cars around a racetrack, but it rides smoothly in the real...

Image boost: Hyundai Tiburon.(NEW CARS /// FIRST DRIVE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The Tiburon should help dispel notions that Hyundai is only about conservative-looking, sensible cars. Oh, the Tiburon isn't flighty. It's a well-made, economical coupe that just happens to be a real hoot to haul around. We're partial to the SE...

Pulling away: Ford Super Duty.(NEW CARS /// FIRST DRIVE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... We've towed trailers before, but until we tested the 2008 Ford Super Duty we hadn't really towed. In an F-450, we hauled a 20,000-pound fifth wheel up a 6 percent grade outside Laughlin, Nev. The new 350-hp sequential twin-turbo 6.4-liter...

Nissan: Versa 1.8 SL.(first report)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... When we ordered our Versa, gasoline was selling for $3 a gallon and hordes of SUV drivers were frantically looking for early outs from their guzzlers' leases. Truth is, we wanted to spend serious time and miles in Nissan's most diminutive...

Honda: fit sport.(first report)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... It isn't often that a car differs startlingly from its competition. But when we compared four front-drive cars in our recent test ("Battle of the B Cars," duly '06), we found that despite the group's general similarities, the Honda Fit just...

Hyundai: Azera Limited.(third report)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Not too long ago, we warned people not to buy Korean cars. That's changed. Our Azera seems as well-built and reliable as the best cars in its competitive set, regardless of national origin. The Azera makes a compelling case with its modest...

Kia: Sedona EX.(third report)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The Sedona EX's peers at the minivan dance are so good that it's hard for a newcomer to get noticed. Kia's strategy for turning heads is to arrive dripping in features--and it's working. The heated front seats are coming into their own as the...

Toyota: Highlander Hybrid.(final report)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Our versatile Highlander has gone back to Toyota. We seriously miss its combo of comfort, utility and available scoot, not to mention its absolute lack of thirst for gas. We had only two complaints. One was an intermittent rattle inside...

North Korea's deadly harvest: while its nuclear threat spurs outrage, north Korea grows a vast biochemical arsenal in secrecy.(NATIONAL SECURITY)
February 1, 2007... FIFTY MILES SOUTH OF the Chinese border lies the rural town of Chongju. Like many North Korean towns, it is a small, impoverished place where people scratch a bare existence from government-controlled farms. What photographs exist of Chongju...

SWAT team overkill: in a guest essay, PM's resident law professor argues that overly aggressive tactics and surplus military gear have made some police too much like soldiers.(LOOKING AHEAD)
February 1, 2007... SOLDIERS AND POLICE are supposed to be different. Soldiers are aimed at enemies from outside the country. They are trained to kill those enemies and their supporters. In fact, "killing people and breaking things" is how the military sometimes...

The Panama Canal's ultimate upgrade: to handle booming maritime traffic and supersize ships, the engineering marvel called the big ditch is about to get a lot bigger.(Cover story)
February 1, 2007... In late August, traffic jams at the Atlantic and Pacific entrances to the Panama Canal impeded a healthy chunk of the world's maritime commerce. Each day, on average, more than 40 massive ships, many of them three times as long as a football...

A few good mechanics: PM editor-in-chief Jim Meigs on how the Panama Canal has shaped his own family's history.
February 1, 2007... In 1913, a young sailor disembarked in Panama City, Panama. He had recently mustered out of the U.S. Navy in the Philippines and was headed home to Florida. But first he decided to tour what was then the world's most famous construction...

Farmhouse revival: plucked from its foundation and expanded with a new addition, a neglected farmhouse leaps into the 21st century with style--and cutting-edge materials.(HOUSE OF THE YEAR)
February 1, 2007... They sure built 'em right in the rolling Dutch Country of southeastern Pennsylvania. The abandoned 1890s farmhouse on designer David Drummond's 5-acre spread had withstood decades of weathering with barely a rotted clapboard to show for it. But...

Crash detectives: their mission: to save lives, one hard-earned lesson at a time.
February 1, 2007... LAST OCTOBER, ON A CRISP MONDAY AFTERNOON, a pilot and his flight instructor took off in a single-engine Mooney M20F four-seater from Rostraver Airport near Monongahela, Pa. The pilot, 72-year-old Charles Schreiber, had four decades of flight...

Anatomy of a hit: researchers are using new tools to study the science of a football fundamental: the tackle.
February 1, 2007... IT HAPPENS ABOUT 100 times a game in the National Football League: a bone-jarring tackle that slams a player to the turf. On the play shown in the photo at right, Seattle Seahawks defensive back Marcus Trufant (23) drilled Philadelphia Eagles...

Thin ice: on Canada's epic ice road, truckers sneer at 20-hour nights and minus 70 degree storms. The one thing they fear ... a warm day.
February 1, 2007... THE TEMPERATURE: 10 BELOW ZERO. THE LOCATION: the middle of frozen Waite Lake in the Northwest Territories, 1000 miles north of the U.S. border. I'm with six Canadian ice-road experts on the shoulder of a highway that curves from the...

Pocket privacy: when a swinging door takes up too much space, just slip it inside the wall.(DIY HOME)
February 1, 2007... A pocket door is a great way to pick up usable floor and wall space that normally would be occupied by a door's swing. You can buy and install a pocket door for as little as $100, and the kits are readily available at home centers and...

Gothic revival: a medieval trestle table that comes apart when the feast is over.(Classics: SIMPLE DO-IT-YOURSELF PROJECTS)
February 1, 2007... Back in the Middle Ages, diners looking for a place to set out the roast boar and mead took a practical approach--they laid a few boards across two stands, much the way we'd place plywood across sawhorses at a picnic. Throughout the centuries,...

Removing a popcorn ceiling.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q What is the best way to remove popcorn finish texture from my home's ceiling? A The best way to remove a popcorn ceiling finish is simply to scrape it off. That sounds easy, but it's actually a tough and dirty job. Before you do this,...

Heating an unoccupied house.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q How low can I set the thermostat in the winter when no one will be in the house for an extended period? What else should I do before locking up? A I recommend a thermostat setting of 50 F for houses left for long periods. This conserves...

Battery-powered sump pump.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I want to buy a battery-powered sump pump to keep my basement dry even if the power ** goes out. What can you tell me about these pumps? A Battery-powered sump pumps are ideal for houses left unattended for extended periods, as well as...

Master-level tip: planning thin stock.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... PLANING WOOD is a basic woodworking operation, yet many woodworkers are stumped by producing thin stock with a planer. Of the machine's two thickness capacities (maximum and minimum), the former rarely creates difficulties, while the latter...

Faucet fix.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q How do you stop a sink faucet from dripping? A Regardless of the faucet, begin the repair by turning off the shutoff valve on the supply line to the sink. This is located under the sink or in the basement. Next, close the sink drain to...

Reskinning a door.(DIY AUTO: SATURDAY MECHANIC)
February 1, 2007... DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY /// DIFFICULT *** Backing a boat trailer into a barn is easy. Well, maybe not quite as easy if the barn roof is supported on posts. In that case, you pay a lot of attention to not backing the boat or trailer into any...

Pop goes the weasel.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)
February 1, 2007... Q Yesterday I was driving home and a spark plug blew right out of the cylinder head. The car was towed to the shop where I'd had a tuneup the day before--which included changing the spark plugs. The mechanic said he could repair the threads,...

Hey, at least the lights come on.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I have a 2003 Honda Accord with 80,000 miles, and it is out of warranty. Last week its radio display went blank. Everything still works--the buttons light up below the display--but there are no station numbers or CD track indicator lighting...

No more noise.(YOU NEED THIS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Your trailer hitch rattles. So does mine. It's caused by the clearance between the hitch receiver and the drawbar inserted into it. And that piece of cardboard you shoved in there last week fell out within a couple of days. The QuietRide...

They all do that.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I own a 1996 Yukon, Every time I rebuild the brakes, they start to squeal just prior to a full stop after about 5000 miles. I have replaced the rotors twice and the pads have been replaced more than that. What is wrong? A There may be...

How to absolutely, positively destroy your data: when you're getting rid of an old PC, sometimes erasing your files isn't enough. Here's how to make sure gone means gone.(DIY TECH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The File-by-File Method [1] INDIVIDUAL FILES ELIMINATED, SOFTWARE REMAINS INTACT If you are giving your computer to someone else, you don't necessarily want to eliminate all the valuable software along with your private data. Dumping...

Open-and-shut case.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q computer-enthusiast friend of mine operates his PC with the case open. He claims that it helps cool the computer. Is he right? A An open case can make things a lot cooler--if you put a full-size box fan right next to it. Otherwise, your...

Trying to teach an old card new tricks.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)
February 1, 2007... Q Will a new Wireless N router increase the range and speed of my Wi-Fi connection if my laptop only has a Wireless G card? A Range? Probably. Speed? Less likely. Part of what gives the emerging Wireless N (or 802.11n) Wi-Fi standard its...

Set my DVD free.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q My Macintosh MacBook has a slot-loading optical drive. About a month ago, I got a DVD stuck inside. The eject button isn't working. Is there a manual way to pop out the disc? A There is no physical button or trigger like those on...

Human-assisted web search: next big thing.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... NEXT BIG THING What's the big idea? Algorithmic search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, have redefined how we gather information and made possible the Web as we use it. But critics believe that, for some subjects, no machine's...

Encrypt keeper.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(secure sockets layer)(data encryption)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I've been told that when I use my credit card or give private info over the Internet, I'm supposed to look for the SSL security protocol. What is this and how does it work to secure the transaction? A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a form...

Digital video broadcast.(EMERGING TECH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Almost all wireless carriers currently offer streaming TV over their high-speed 3G networks, but video feeds chew through battery power on handsets and could strain the capacity of networks if widely used. The new Digital Video...

DIY Hi-Fi.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I just bought a car stereo that can play DVD-Audio discs. Can I burn these myself?. A The DVD-Audio format has many advantages over CDs--5.1-channel surround sound, sample rates up to 192 kHz, and 24-bit audio that is closer to the...

This is my job.(avalanches)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Avalanche Forecaster * CHRIS MCCOLLISTER * JACKSON HOLE, WYO. * YEARS ON JOB: 5 THERE'S NO SUCH THING as total avalanche safety in Bridger-Teton National Forest, but Chris McCollister does what he can to improve the odds for...