Popular Mechanics articles from March 2009

Popular Mechanics archives from March 2009

Digital snoops.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your January story "Who's Tracking You," on privacy concerns, could have included more on GPS tracking devices. There should be a federal law restricting their use [in autos] without the registered vehicle owner's...

Diesel dilemma.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2009... I always find your auto reviews informative. But I must take issue with the idea (New Cars, Jan. '09) that more diesel autos should be in our future to reduce our dependence on oil through their improved mileage. I have a diesel pickup...

Signal boost.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2009... January's "Improving In-Home Wi-Fi" hit on good ways to boost a wireless router's signal strength, but what about wireless devices like laptops and game systems? Once you've boosted your router signal, you can do the same for other wireless...

This March: build, browse and drive!(PopularMechanics.com new online community)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Join fellow handymen, tinkerers and hobbyists at myBuild, PM's new online DIY community. You can share your tips, ideas and projects; browse through videos, diagrams and step-by-step builds; or ask PM experts to give advice for the project you...

PM archives.(PopularMechanics.com and Google)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Google and POPULAR MECHANICS have teamed up to bring you the full POPULAR MECHANICS magazine archives online. You can now browse through 100-plus years of full text issues at popularmechanics.com/archives.

Auto shows.(PopularMechanics.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... See our coverage of Detroit and get a sneak peek at the New York auto show along with exclusive test drives, analysis, trends and the latest automotive coverage. Get it first at popularmechanics .com/automotive. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Cosmic point-and-shoot: the world's largest digital camera is currently at work monitoring the universe for science--and self defense.(TECH WATCH: NEWS + TRENDS + BREAKTHROUGHS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Astronomers in Hawaii have built a working prototype of a system that uses the world's biggest digital camera to keep an eye on the universe. The University of Hawaii s mountaintop Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System uses a...

Interstellar photography.(TECH WATCH: NEWS + TRENDS + BREAKTHROUGHS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A quartet of the world's largest digital cameras will catalog up to a billion galaxies outside the Milky Way. The images will be 38,000 by 38,000 pixels in size--roughly 150 times larger than resolutions of point-and-shoot digital cameras. Each...

Flipper's secret power.(dolphin's swimming prowess)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scientists have long wondered how dolphins can swim as fast as 25 mph, given the thickness of their tail muscles and the density of water. But researchers in Troy, N.Y., were shocked to see the animal's power when...

You can't make an airplane without breaking some wings.(TECH WATCH)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner is revolutionary because it uses carbon composite materials in more structural parts than any previous commercial jetliner. But how tough is this new material? To find out, company...

Big motors for mini tools.(electric motor designed to achieve a speed of one million revolutions per minute)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Engineers in Switzerland are producing a miniature electric motor that they say is the first to achieve a speed of one million revolutions per minute, four times faster than the previous spin master. The matchbox-size, 100-watt motor integrates...

Time tweak saves energy.(daylight savings time)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Since 2007, daylight saving time has started three weeks earlier (in March) and ended one week later (in November) each year, in a governmental bid to save energy. The first-year results are now in--and it worked. According to the Department of...

E-mail from Major Tom.(interplanetary internet testing in the International Space Station )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... This summer, astronauts on the International Space Station will test a new "Interplanetary Internet" scheme that last year swapped information with a spacecraft more than 20 million miles from Earth. The system relies on relays, with each node...

Perfect recipe for antimatter.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Physicists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a cheap way to produce copious amounts of elusive antimatter. By shooting short, powerful laser bursts at a small gold target, they are able to...

Making the space station a home: prepping the international space station for a larger crew is the ultimate in high-end home remodeling.(TECH WATCH)
March 1, 2009... It takes some planning to prepare a small space for new roommates, especially if the apartment is 220 miles above the planet. NASA engineers have been developing space-ready versions of familiar fixtures to prepare for an expansion of the...

Sanguine science: as donor supplies remain critical, new "pharming" technologies could create blood on demand.(TECH WATCH)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Our bodies manufacture lots of blood--about 1.5 ounces of red blood cells daily--but the nation's hospitals remain in desperately short supply. The need for blood for soldiers in war zones is even more dire, as...

Time machine: July 1967.(Vietnam War and riverine gunfights with small gunboats)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Today's special operations boats owe their legacy to small gunboats of the past. In 1967, PM illuminated the experiences of Vietnam Swift boat skippers with a first-person account from Lt. J.G. Jim Stephens. For days...

The colors of clean power: a new upgrade for photovoltaic cells could make solar power a Cheaper energy alternative.(windows)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Within a decade, windows may provide more than just a view--they could generate electricity. A group of MIT researchers has formed a company to market color-coated glass or plastic plates with solar cells around the edges that they say could...

Fluid situation: a PM panel highlights the challenges a thirsty nation must face.(United States environmental aspects)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the new president takes office promising hundreds of billions in infrastructure spending, water systems should be a priority, according to a panel on conservation convened by POPULAR MECHANICS in November. Smart...

Game-frame computer.(HP Firebird with VoodooDNA 802 Desktop PC )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gamers who want turbocharged machines are used to making tradeoffs--power typically comes at the expense of price and portability. The HP Firebird with VoodooDNA, which starts at $1799, is small enough to tote to LAN...

Card-Carrying Player.(SanDisk Sansa slotRadio Player)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MP3 players aren't cheap, but if you're downloading from online music stores, well, that's when the bills really add up. The SanDisk Sansa slotRadio Player ($100) comes bundled with a micro SD card filled with 1000...

Acoustibuds Earphone Adaptors.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Because in-ear headphones block external sound, users don't need to crank up the volume to hear their music over noisy surroundings. But a decent pair can be costly, typically running $100 or more. The Acoustibuds...

Greenlee Adjustable Voltage Detector.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most voltage detectors speak in binary language--they let users know if there's a current or not but don't divulge how much juice there is. The noncontact Greenlee Adjustable Voltage Detector ($17) features an...

Duct tape's versatility.(Upgrade: wish List)
March 1, 2009... Abusive Lab Test MULTIUSE TAPES Duct tape's versatility is almost a cliche we've seen it used for everything from wallet construction to hull repair to, well, patching ducts. But can it beat newfangled multiuse tapes? We pit the...

Yamaha FZR WaveRunner.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Yamaha FZR WaveRunner ($12,600) is designed for one thing: extreme speed. It's the quickest, most powerful personal watercraft on the market (it pulls 0 to 30 in 1.5 seconds, thanks to the industry's only 1812 cc...

Psyclone TouchCharge Kit.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Psyclone TouchCharge Kit $50 to $70 purports to charge gaming controllers (Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii versions are available) without bothersome wires--lay a controller on a conductive metal pad (included) and it...

Intel Core i7.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Yes, the new Intel Core i7 is the fastest PC processor around (Intel claims it's 40 percent faster than its predecessors)--but no chip ever holds that title for long. What's really interesting is that the speed boost...

Hitachi DS18DSAL Compact Pro Driver Drill.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's something that just doesn't sit right about: the new breed, of "compact" 18-volt lithium-ion drills, which have a smaller and lighter battery. Take the Hitachi DS18DSAL Compact Pro Driver Drill ($190). While...

Callpod Fueltank.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Most portable rechargeable batteries allow you to refill the juice on only one gadget at a time. The Callpod Fueltank ($70) doesn't force the user to pick favorites--it has two jacks for simultaneous charging (and the manufacturer sells plug...

Duracell Powerpack 450.(Upgrade: wish List)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Duracell Powerpack 450 ($120) generator is best thought of as an insurance policy: insurance against a dead car battery (it provides audio directions on jumpstarting your car), insurance against flat tires (it...

Zip drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z.(NEW CARS: SPORTS CAR + MOTORCYCLE MICROCAR + HYBRID)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Onlookers at a Malibu, Calif., gas station instantly noticed our new Z. It's sharp and the interior is much improved. Gone is that hard, frugal feel to the surfaces. Now it's all properly textured and cushioned, covered and colored. Yet it's...

Haptic hybrid: 2010 Lexus RX350/450h.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The multimedia interface system in the new Lexus RX is intuitive and cunningly equipped with a computermouse-like haptic feedback device that greatly improves user accuracy. You can now talk to the voice recognition...

Intelligent design: 2010 Toyota iQ.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Toyota iQ is clever. No, scratch that. It's got Ivy League intelligence. That's the only way to describe a car that's so small (9 ft 9.5 in. long), so inexpensive (around $13,000) and so positively packed with...

Baby Benz: 2009 Mercedes-Benz A 170.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... In Europe, the A-Class is the tiniest Mercedes-Benz you can get. To see what we're missing, we drove a new A 170 more than 1000 miles throughout Germany, traveling from Frankfurt to Munich, Ingolstadt and Stuttgart--and back. Ours paired the...

The good life: 2009 Porsche Cayman.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A tinkle of rain dapples the windshield of the new $60,000 Cayman S as I mash the throttle entering the motorway in Cadiz, Spain. The 3.4-liter Six is now armed with direct fuel injection so it's up 25 hp over last...

Old-school muscle: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pontiac stuffed the 6.2-liter LS3 Corvette motor into the G8 to create the $39,995 GXP--and it's a real muscle sedan. The LS3 puts out 402 hp--good for 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The moment you wrap your hands around the...

Flat tracker: 2009 Harley-Davidson XR 1200.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Few motorsports are more definitively American than flat-track racing--and Harley's 580-pound XR1200 is an homage to the sport. It packs a 90-hp version of the Sportster's 1200 cc V-twin and a more aggressive...

Smart moves: 2009 Honda Insight.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The original Insight wasn't a sales success. The reason.'? Too few doors. But it's back, wearing more practical, five-door duds. This is one hybrid that's actually fun to drive. Electric power comes from a 23-hp...

Tested: Insight vs. Prius.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Let's see how these hybrid rivals stack up. The Prius has a longer wheelbase, which provides more rear legroom. But both hit 60 mph in about 10.5 seconds and stop from that speed in roughly 127 ft. At 48 mpg city and...

Rebirth of the cool: 2010 Mustang GT.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... The new Mustang may look a bit like the old one, but from the driver's seat you can feel the difference. The V6 model remains largely unchanged under the hood. But the 4.6-liter V8 in the $27,995 GT benefits from a ram-air intake system that...

Head of the class: 2010 Mazda3.(NEW CARS: test drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Mazda3 is simply the most entertaining car in its class and has the refinement to match. Engineers doubled the percentage by weight of high-strength steel. That lowered the structure's weight by 24 pounds and...

Spirit of the salt: long before megasponsors, endurance racing pioneer AB Jenkins raced for love of the sport.(JAY LENO'S GARAGE)(David Abbott "Ab" Jenkins)(In memoriam)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] David Abbott "Ab" Jenkins was one of America's least known motorsports heroes. He spent years setting long-distance speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats, beginning back in 1932. That was decades before the...

America's to-do list: fast fixes for U.S. problems with diesel fuel, flood policy, military procurement, the grid and NASA.(PUBLIC INTERESTd)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Obama team enters office with perhaps the thorniest agenda of any administration in memory: managing...

The human machine: 20 breakthroughs that blur the line between biology and technology--to help restore, improve and extend our lives.
March 1, 2009... *1 Decay-Fighting Microbes Bacteria living on teeth convert sugar into lactic acid, which erodes enamel and causes tooth decay. Florida-based company ONI BioPharma has engineered a new bacterial strain, called SMART, that cannot produce...

Something in the sky: what were the speed-shifting, color-morphing UFOs that mystified hundreds of eyewitnesses around Stephenville, Texas, last January? Optical illusions? Secret military operations? Alien spaceships? PM investigates.(Cover story)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SUNSET I'D EVER SEEN," SAYS STEVE ALLEN, who has seen 50 years of sunsets in central Texas. "That's what I first thought." It was Jan. 8, 2008, and the trucking entrepreneur was sitting...

Basement replacement: a creative renovation can turn even the most subpar subterranean room into a comfortable retreat.
March 1, 2009... It's hard to pinpoint the worst part of Danny Tracewski and Courtney Jansen's pre-renovation basement (1) in Brookhaven. Pa. The rickety bar comes to mind, with its sticky, matte black counter surrounded by mustard-colored brick and sooty gray...

The backyard blacksmith: men have been heating and hammering metal for 10,000 years. We figured it was high time we learned how too.(+ Classic DIY)
March 1, 2009... If you want to work with metal, there's one thing you have to confront: You need heat. With it, you can make the toughest metal submit to your will. Without it, you'll never gain full mastery over this stubborn material. Over the years, I...

Smoke on the water: when the U.S. special forces need safe passage a river, they call on the best-trained boatmen in the world. Meet the elite fighters of special boat team 22.
March 1, 2009... The first gun to shoot doesn't sound like a gun at all. The noise is high and buzzing, like a chain saw or a leaf blower. It stops, then starts up again. From my perch on the engine cover of a special operations gunboat, 1 can see the source of...

Shop, reborn: remaking a cluttered work area into a showpiece with diamond-plate pegboard, a heavy-duty workbench and rolling tool storage.(DIY HOME: WORKBENCH PLANS + MORE HOT WATER + CHOOSING PLIERS)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When I first set up my basement workshop nearly 15 years ago, I didn't have much time or money to invest, so I just banged together a 2 x 4-and-plywood workbench and mounted a sheet of perforated pegboard to the...

Getting more hot water.(Homeowners Clinic: Q + A)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q We never seem to have enough hot water. It's not a very big house, so it's not like the water is cooling off on its way to the faucets. Also, we have a reasonably new gas-fired water heater in the basement. I don't...

Cleaning concrete.(Homeowners Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... My 5-year-old concrete driveway has black stains. What are they and how do I remove them? I've tried bleach and concrete cleaners, to no avail, The stains probably come from tannins, which are present in oak leaves, acorns and the nuts of...

Roof framing.(Homeowners Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I'm building a free-standing garage, and I'm wondering if it needs a ridgeboard. I've looked at some old garages, sheds and outbuildings, and I've noticed that many did not have ridgeboards, while others used just a piece of tongue-and-groove...

Not-so-royal flush.(toilets)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... My toilet flushes poorly. How do I correct that? There are several things you can do. First, see whether the tank is filling with water adequately. Lift the tank lid and check that the water is up to the fill line. if it's not, a new...

Using wood filler.(Homeowners Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I'm preparing to do some exterior fix-up work this spring and plan to touch up some rotted exterior wood with two-part epoxy wood filler. I like the way the product looks after it's smoothed, but I hate using it because it's so much harder than...

Hurry up: circulators don't increase hot water, but they can help get it to you more quickly.(PROBLEM SOLVED)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although it's an expensive fix, one way to increase hot-water comfort is to install a hot-water circulator--it will ensure water coming from the faucet is hot as soon as you open the tap. The $240 Laing Autocirc,...

Cutting down counters.(Homeowners Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I'm doing an inexpensive kitchen fix-up and I want to know how to cut a few inches off the post-formed laminate kitchen counter I bought at a home center. It's the kind that has a curving backsplash. There are a number of ways to cut down...

Pliers: the right tool can get a grip on any project.(KNOW YOUR STUFF)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Linesman Best for: Cutting copper cable. Details: The ground-back tip (shown), known as a New England nose, allows reaming inside the cut edges of metal conduits. Variations include versions to pull fish...

Rebuilding calipers: rebuilding a difficult-to-find brake caliper might be your only solution to getting that classic car out on the road again.(DIY AUTO: BRAKE REBUILD + COMPRESSION TESTING + MASTER CYLINDERS)
March 1, 2009... SATURDAY MECHANIC ** DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY /// MODERATE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's a beautiful spring day, and a perfect time to break the winter seal on the garage and drive around in your classic Corvette, vintage motorcycle or...

A low blow.(Car Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I'm trying to resurrect a classic Datsun sedan that's been sitting in my garage for years. Hey, it gets better mileage than my pickup. The compression on all cylinders is only around 110 pounds. Why is it so low?...

Don't say I didn't warn you.(Car Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I tried to replace the spark plugs on my 2006 F-150. They were so tight that a couple of them broke off in the cylinder head. Now what? Patience, Grasshopper. I've been warning people recently that leaving new-style precious-metal...

Corrosive question.(Car Clinic: Q + A)
March 1, 2009... I have a 2002 Chevy Impala whose fuel gauge failed after 50,000 miles. I used an additive to the gas to clean the corroded contact points on the gauge. This may have helped clean the fuel pump, but it did nothing for the gauge. The only fix...

Sign of the times.(Car Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I recently purchased crossbars for my 2008 Toyota Highlander's roof rack. The instructions on removing the rear caps were very ambiguous. I attempted to remove these end caps, but it appeared that I was going to destroy these flimsy plastic...

An uplifting experience: fine-tune your brake-pedal play for proper feel and performance.(THE MECHANIC'S HEADS UP)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] REACH DOWN and lift up the brake pedal with your fingers. There should be approximately 1/4 to 1/2 in. of free play before it hits the upper stop. Is there more or less movement than that? Several things can go wrong...

Solved simply.(Car Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I have a 1993 Chrysler Fifth Avenue with around 120,000 miles on the ticker. Every time I start the car and press the brake to put it into drive or reverse, the ABS light comes on for a few seconds and I can hear the ABS pump. Also, the ABS...

Under pressure.(Car Clinic: Q + A)
March 1, 2009... In your column that appeared in the Oct. 19, 2008, edition of The Boston Globe, you say, "It's impossible to see if your tires are underinflated without a tire-pressure gauge." I don't believe this statement is entirely accurate. I just...

False positive.(Car Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I have a 1994 Jeep Cherokee Sport. The brakes have been bled multiple times and I still get sponginess in the pedal. The front disc brakes work, but the rear brakes never seem to get up to pressure. When the vehicle is up on blocks, the front...

Make your PC boot faster: there's no need to suffer through slow startups. PM's special regimen of OS tweaks and software surgery can speed things up.(DIY TECH: IN-CAR iPODS + FREE E-BOOKS + FROZEN SCREENS)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Why can't a computer be more like a television? When you push the power button on a TV, it just turns on. Computers, on the other hand, boot--as in, they take so long to get started that you want to stick your boot...

iPod auto control?(using mp3 players in dockless vehicles)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q My car doesn't have a built-in iPod dock. What's the best way to play my MP3s while I drive around? A Buy a new car--just kidding. While some new vehicles have iPod docks, owners of dockless vehicles can patch...

Frozen screens.(Digital Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I'm an avid tailgater. Is there any danger in bringing my LCD TV out into the cold? Can the liquid crystals freeze? Tailgate with confidence. LCD manufacturers regularly test their sets to make sure they can hold up to freezing...

Button lint.(Apple iPhone repair)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I've had my iPhone for nearly two years. Recently, I've had to press the Home button harder for it to respond, and sometimes have had to try several presses. What's up? In all likelihood, the culprit is nothing more than simple pocket...

Tech tip: a sneaky way to brighten your photos.(Digital Clinic: Q + A)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If a camera has an automatic exposure, its lens acts a lot like a pupil in an eye. That is, its aperture automatically expands when it senses darkness, and contracts if there's an abundance of light. Knowing this,...

Free books.(E Ink e-book readers )(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... I have an E Ink e-book reader, but the cost of buying books is adding up. Is there any legal way of using my reader to view e-books for free? Because their static screens don't flicker like an LCD, E Ink e-book readers such as the Amazon...

This is my job: structural engineer.(Chris Higgins)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chris Higgins has destroyed more bridges than any flood or earthquake. A structural engineer at Oregon State University's Kiewit Center, he casts concrete bridge parts and exposes them to stresses that cause...