Popular Mechanics articles from May 2003

Popular Mechanics archives from May 2003

Corvette's 50th. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... On Jan. 17, 1953, my grandfather took me to the General Motors Motorama show at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, just as your uncle took you. I was only 8 years old, but the Corvette "dream car" was indelibly burned into my memory. In...

AOL vs. MSN. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... Your article short-changed EarthLink. It is a viable ISP with a home page equal to MSN, superior to AOL, and it has a pop-up blocker that neither of the prima donnas offers. And, EarthLink lets you do something MSN doesn't know how to do: It...

Computer recycling. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... You are correct in stating that we must all pitch in and help to keep the planet green. Unfortunately, this will never work as most people couldn't care less about their neighbors. However, they do care about their personal wealth. So my...

Large charge: 100 years ago: May 1903. (Time Machine).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The greatest gun ever constructed, this 16-incher was being tested at the Sandy Hook proving grounds. The gun crew loaded in the largest charge of smokeless powder ever to be fired--642 pounds. The shell itself weighed 2400 pounds. No one knew...

Revelations: 25 years ago: May 1978. (Time Machine).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Archeological digs in the Holy Land were uncovering evidence that reportedly confirmed familiar Bible stories. Among the discoveries were jars in a Carthage cemetery that contained charred infants' remains, said to be related to the forbidden...

Bringing in the sheaves: 50 years ago: May 1953. (Time Machine).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Want cheap? Build a house of reeds. The reeds, compressed under a pressure of 300 tons per square inch, were trimmed into boards that were bound with wire and staples. Crosswise, each board was inflexible, with a strength equal to a 1-in....

Unkindest cut: 75 years ago: May 1928. (Time Machine).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Talk about subtle advertising. International Correspondence Schools pulled out all the stops in its illustration of the "hanging sword" of unemployment. The huge slicer hung by a slim thread about to be cut by a warrior-like figure. Below the...

World Trade Center: a new beginning. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A 1776-ft. spire and a complex of angular towers designed by Berlin-based Studio Daniel Libeskind has been selected as the official plan for the new World Trade Center. The structures will surround most of the excavated pit of the former World...

Inflatable Church. (Technology Watch).(InnovationUK)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The bride wants a big church wedding. The groom would be content with a few friends in the backyard. Can this marriage be saved? The Inflatable Church from England's InnovationUK could be the perfect compromise. The 47-ft.-high polyester...

Maglevs in China. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Chinese airport officials are floating on a cloud. Earlier this year they debuted a new maglev train that will take travelers from Pudong International Airport to Shanghai's financial district in less than 8 minutes. Electromagnets lift...

Meet a robot. (Technology Watch).(from Honda Motor Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Asimo, Honda's 2-legged robot, is making a tour of science museums. At the kickoff event in New York City, the 4-ft.-tall robot showed off its dancing and stair-climbing skills. The tour, which runs through March 2004, features a 25-minute...

Building with force fields. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Asteroid belts are filled with great building material. The trick is getting the pieces assembled. Narayanan Komerath, an aerospace engineer at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, has come up with a way to use electromagnetic waves...

Urban war maps. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Computer-generated three-dimensional images, like the one shown above, will help prepare troops for urban combat. Created from satellite photos, the maps can be updated minutes before a mission. Combat teams will see their surroundings as they...

Hybrids go to war. (Technology Watch).(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A military truck being developed by General Motors gets 20 percent better fuel economy compared to conventional diesels, and 40 percent better mileage than gasoline engines. A Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel powers the truck for normal...

Decontaminating stretcher cases. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Not everyone exposed to a chemical-spewing industrial accident or an attack by a radiological weapon will be in condition to walk to a decontamination center. Victims in the immediate vicinity of an explosion will likely be left with disabling...

Tasting weather. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The way the ocean tastes can predict when an El NiFo event will occur, say University of Maryland scientists. Using computer models, the researchers found a connection between the saltiness of seawater and the start of this periodic climatic...

Gimme shelter. (Technology Watch).(from Icosa Village)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Living in a cardboard box can be more luxurious than you think. Icosa Village, a Seattle, Wash., industrial design firm, has introduced weather-resistant cardboard structures called PODs. The shelters ship as flat pieces measuring 96 in. long....

Vision for the poor. (Technology Watch).(Saul Griffith)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Using throwaway items, Saul Griffith, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has built a low-cost injection molding machine that makes inexpensive eyeglasses. The lens-molding device, shown on the left, is intended for...

Head over heels. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... If you love the hairpin turns of the classic Wild Mouse thrill park ride, the Screaming Squirrel is your kind of fun. Four passengers sit in a small car whose four wheels are trapped within C-shaped rails. Instead of going side to side, as you...

A new way to turn. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A flat motor with the muscle of its bulkier cousins has been invented at Pennsylvania State University in University Park. The motor, shown below, is as thin as a CD case. Its construction is made possible by using lead zirconate titanate, a...

Molecule-size motors. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... RNA molecules similar to those that cells use to decode DNA can be used to make ultrasmall motors. "I think RNA can be made to do mechanical work," says Peixuan Guo, head of a research team at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. "ATP...

Planet watch.
May 1, 2003... * ALASKA A warm winter forced two big changes in this year's running of the annual 1100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. A lack of snow moved the start from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Then, thin ice nearly drowned trail breaker Steve Graham a...

Historic man-machine chess match. (Technology Watch).(Garry Kasparov)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The first man-machine tournament sanctioned by the World Chess Federation has ended in a draw. Champion Garry Kasparov and PC-based Deep Junior each won one game and drew the remaining four. The competition was held in New York City in January...

Columbia investigation online. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... As this issue of PM goes to press, a rift has developed between NASA's bureaucrats and the independent Columbia Accident Investigation Board, created to determine why Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated moments before it was scheduled to land...

Seeing molecules. (Technology Watch).(Cornell University)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Using mostly off-the-shelf parts, Cornell University scientists have adapted a microscope so that it can see enzymes interact with proteins, the basic building blocks of life. Previously, the wavelength of visible light limited the smallest...

Drugs from mud. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Molecules produced by bacteria found in sediments retrieved from subtropical and tropical oceans exhibit antibiotic and anticancer properties. "The average person thinks of the bottom of the ocean as a dark, cold and nasty place that is...

Alzheimer's disease filmed. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A short but dramatic film has for the first time shown doctors how Alzheimer's disease engulfs the parts of the brain responsible for memory, orientation and carrying out routine tasks. The timelapse film clip was created from MRI brain scans....

Stealthy crustaceans. (Technology Watch).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Lobsters are more than good eating. Joseph Ayers, a professor at Northeastern University in Boston, thinks the crustaceans have the perfect bodies for exploring the deep. His "robolobster," shown here, was developed as part of a research...

Homes for bees. (Technology Watch).(Oxford Bee Co.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... If your garden falls short of expectations, the problem could be lazy bees. To attract bees that carry more pollen, Kinsman Co. of Pipersville, Pa., is importing Orchard Mason bee nesting boxes from the Oxford Bee Co. in England. Scientists say...

Speeding to market. (Following Up ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Vosper Thornycroft is now selling an export version of the RV Triton trimaran warship featured in our November 1999 issue. It will use four Rolls-Royce Azipull propulsors to increase the vessel's survivability should one engine room become...

B-52 brain transplant. (Following Up ...).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The B-52 Stratofortress, featured in our March 1999 issue, is getting a brain transplant. The bomber now uses an inertial navigation system and 1980s-era computer chips to find its way to targets. The system works fine, but needs to be replaced...

Smart is as smart does. (Computers).(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... Ever wanted to kick back on the couch and watch TV, catch up on e-mail and spend some time with the family--all at once and without having to buy an expensive laptop? The new Smart Display devices allow you to do this. How? Smart Displays...

Fashion fones. (Telecom).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Like a Lamborghini or a gorgeous blonde on your arm, your cellphone is a status symbol. To boldly underline this point, German electronics giant Siemens has created a new brand of sexy, eye-popping mobile phones called XELIBRI. In a move...

World's deepest diving sub. (Ships).
May 1, 2003... Dive! Dive! Dive! To many researchers, the real "final frontier" is the World hidden beneath the Seven Seas. And over the years, they have designed many creative ways to "go where no man has gone before," exploring watery depths where...

The great truck makeover: the second part of a two-part series that takes you through our pickup's transformation into a jewel of a truck ... that you can own! (Special Advertising Section).
May 1, 2003... You'll remember that last month we bought a 1986 Chevrolet stepside pickup truck on Ebay Motors. There were literally hundreds of Chevy pickup trucks available, but most of them were far too good for us. We didn't want a high-quality truck that...

ATV 101. (ATVs).
May 1, 2003... There's no question, ATVs are a blast. Whether you're touring at a leisurely pace, running full-bore on a challenging trail or planning your strategy for attacking a technical section, ATVs offer an experience ranging from satisfying to...

Illuminating the future. (Photonics).
May 1, 2003... Hang on to your burned-out light bulbs. Your grandchildren could pay their way through college by selling them as antiques. After more than a century, the light bulb is about to go the way of the whale-oil lamp. The contender is the...

Garden hose marks border. (It Worked For Me).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Laying out a flowerbed with a serpentine border can be a bit of a problem when you use string, but it's much easier if you use a garden hose. There are several reasons. First, a string can be easily cut or moved accidentally with a shovel,...

Dividing angles. (It Worked For Me).(installing trimwork)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... It's not unusual when installing trimwork to be confronted with a miter cut that is not 45[degrees]. It may be off only a bit in one direction or the other, but if you don't establish the angle exactly, you'll never achieve a tight joint. This...

Carpenter's pencil scribes line. (It Worked For Me).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A carpenter's pencil makes an ideal scribing tool when fitting a workpiece to just about any surface. Its broad side and extra thickness make it easy to hold, the oversize lead is very hard to break, and because it's flat it won't roll as you...

Planing small pieces. (It Worked For Me).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... It is not every day that you need to plane a piece of wood so small that moving the plane over it is cumbersome, if not impossible. But, it does happen with craft projects, puzzles and models. An easy solution is to reverse the usual method....

Removing a tub spout. (It Worked For Me).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Plumbing repairs and modifications can be difficult for homeowners, often because the work requires specialized tools. Removing a threaded tub spout is one of these jobs. Most plumbers will reach for a strap wrench to loosen the spout. This...

Chuck Yeager. (PM People).(Biography)
May 1, 2003... In 1947, a young World War II flying ace named Chuck Yeager became first person to go faster than the speed of sound. Forty years later, in the November 1987 issue of POPULAR MECHANICS, Yeager recounted the details of that flight. By then,...

2004 Toyota Sienna. (New Cars).
May 1, 2003... Since the folks in charge of Lexus have no plans to get into the minivan business, if there were ever to be a "Lexus of minivans," it would have to be a Toyota. And, after having driven the brand-new Toyota Sienna, we can say that it is worthy...

2004 Acura TSX. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Honda's other division is fleshing out its product line with a new sedan, the TSX. Based on the European Honda Accord, the car is smaller than the Accord that the company sells here. The Acura TSX slots between the RSX coupe and TL sedan, in...

2004 Audi S4. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... It's the time-honored ploy of the sleeper: make a midsize car with a giant motor. In this case, it's actually a small car--to wit, an Audi A4. Shoehorned into its engine compartment is a 40-valve 340-hp 4.2-liter V8 derived from the engine in...

2004 Audi RS 6. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... If the performance of the S4 isn't enough for you, Audi also presents the RS 6. With a revised front end, there's just enough room to nestle a twin-turbocharged, intercooled version of the same V8 in essentially the same chassis. This engine is...

2003 Infiniti FX45. (New Cars).(from Nissan Motor Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The crossover bandwagon just got another rider: Infiniti. Nissan's luxury divison is in the midst of a product onslaught and its latest offering is the FX45. There are scarce few vehicles wearing the SUV or crossover tag that possess the...

2004 Nissan Maxima. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The sixth-generation Maxima is here. Built on the Altima's platform, the new Maxima is longer, wider and 40 percent torsionally stiffer than the Altima. Beneath the body is a fully independent suspension and 4-wheel disc ABS. Under the hood is...

2003 Acura MDX. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... For 2003, Acura is freshening one of the first of the luxury crossover SUVs, the MDX. A boost in power is critical to this redo. Thanks to a 40 percent reduction in exhaust backpressure, a redesigned intake manifold and other subtle changes,...

2004 Ford Ranger. (Detroit Spy Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Ford will stick closely to its current design for the Ranger pickup for at least two more years. Despite major changes in competitors' models, Ford has only minor tweaks in store as indicated in this photograph. Through the rough disguise of...

2004 Chrysler Sebring. (Detroit Spy Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Even modest cosmetic changes to a car can affect its driveability and durability. That's why these Chrysler Sebrings are undergoing severe cold-weather testing. The Sebring is the recipient of a minor facelift for '04, receiving new grilles and...

2005 Ford Mustang. (Detroit Spy Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Ford's 2005 Mustang will be, except for the drivetrain, an all-new car with a Thunderbird-based chassis. Worth noting is that the Mustang will be built at a Michigan plant jointly run by Ford and Mazda rather than the Dearborn, Mich., location...

2005 Buick LeSabre. (Detroit Spy Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Startling in its simplicity, this view of the 2005 Buick full-size car shows the future direction of this GM division's design. There are no styling gimmicks, frills or portholes--just purity of line and cleanliness in the front-end layout....

2004 Infiniti QX 56. (Asia Spy Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... As this issue goes to press, Nissan officials are unveiling their new full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, at the New York International Auto Show. Next January, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the cover will come off...

2006 Mazda RX-7. (Asia Spy Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... With the launch of the RX-8, Mazda has a unique platform, one that it does not share with any brand within Ford. To help justify the business case for this platform, the company must build more than one model on it. Our recent discussions with...

2006 Lexus SportCross. (Asia Spy Report).
May 1, 2003... The next model to wear the SportCross badge will be larger than the current RX 330 crossover SUV. In fact, it will be based on the newly introduced Toyota Sienna minivan, according to our inside sources. Expect the new SportCross to have a very...

A case for steam. (Jay Leno's Garage).
May 1, 2003... I've always been fascinated with the last days of old technologies. And that's why I'm aware of a guy named Abner Doble. Who? Don't be upset if you're not familiar with that name. Plenty of modern automotive engineers don't know him either....

Battle of the X-planes: as a multitude of programs vie for funding and attention, X-planes cross the final frontier of flight. (Aerospace)(Cover Story).
May 1, 2003... A secret air war is being waged in clear California skies and in dreary Pentagon briefing rooms. It is the battle of the X-planes--some so secret they have never been photographed. The outcome of this quiet conflict will determine where and how...

King of all flat screen monitors: Apple's HD Cinema Display proves bigger is better. (Video).
May 1, 2003... The first thing you'll notice about Apple Computer's luscious HD Cinema 23-in. flat-panel display is its size. It's big--really big. Yet, it has a footprint of only 7.3 in. And it's really thin, too--only 2 in. deep. It's a Euclidian plane...

Horsepower wars: forget the musclecars of the '60s. There's a real horsepower race going on right now. (Automotive).
May 1, 2003... Pop quiz: Which has the most horsepower: the latest Subaru sedan, Acura's $90,000 NSX or Nissan's newly reborn 350Z? Answer: The Subaru. Surprised? It's true. Right now you can go down to your local Subaru store and buy the new...

America's space program: what we should do next. (Space).
May 1, 2003... My thoughts about our next steps in space remain fundamentally the same as they were before the Columbia accident on Feb. 1. It has crystallized a bit more since serving as a presidential appointee on the U.S. Aerospace Commission. After the...

Fighter jets: the hottest new PWCs battle it out for Lord of the Lagoon. (Comparison Test).
May 1, 2003... The slowest watercraft in this group accelerates from 0 to 30 mph in less than 3 seconds, the quickest in just over 2 seconds. Even better, these hot new personal watercraft (PWCs) are powered by 4-stroke engines that already meet EPA...

Works of art: cameras come in all sizes and shapes these days, including some that fit in your wallet. (Imaging).
May 1, 2003... Smile! Even if it doesn't look like a camera, it might be. Innovative designs in lenses, CCDs and memory cards have spurred a new generation of digital cameras that bear little resemblance to the boxy film cameras of the past. Thanks to...

Long-term test cars: we go green. (Update).
May 1, 2003... These have been interesting times for the POPULAR MECHANICS fleet. We say goodbye to two very fun-to-drive members and watch as one of the fleet leaves on a flatbed. And we welcome what may be next in the development of personal transportation....

Enter the Matrix: movies and media collide in this new game from the writers and producers of the "Matrix" films. (Video Games).
May 1, 2003... It was a big night for video games. To kick off the release of "The Matrix Reloaded," the blockbuster sequel to "The Matrix," a brand-new video game was unveiled at a star-studded event at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles. That night, Shiny...

Summer vocation: we test 11 self-propelled mowers. (Comparison Test).
May 1, 2003... There's nothing like the smell of freshly cut grass in the spring. And a healthy, deep green lawn is one of life's simple pleasures. But cutting the lawn may or may not be a pleasant experience. A mower can leave a ragged edge; bog down in tall...

Going for the green: how to replace your old lawn with luscious sod. (Home Improvement).
May 1, 2003... Every homeowner who's pushed a lawnmower knows that grass needs periodic care. Even so, the best-kept yards develop problems. Fortunately, the solution can be as simple as an application of the right lawncare product. Or perhaps it's time to...

Venting a roof with unequal pitch. (Homeowners Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... I want to install a ridge vent on my house. On one side, the roof is steeply pitched, and on the other side the roof has almost no pitch. What kind of ridge vent will work in this situation? Also, there's a chimney in the center of the roof....

Sewage ejector pump. (Homeowners Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... I had a sewage ejector pump installed in my basement when I had a bathroom put in. Now I notice that the pump is running in the middle of the night for no reason. What can be causing this? CHRISTINA FITCH VIA INTERNET A pump...

Review: fences & gates. (Homeowners Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Considering how popular fences and gates are, we're surprised there isn't more information available about their design, construction, maintenance and repair. This 142-page book sets out to correct that. It's loaded with excellent color...

Masonry fasteners. (Homeowners Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... What fasteners should I use to install a bookshelf to a brick masonry wall? DR. RICHARD ELLIN VIA INTERNET A Tapcon Concrete Anchor is a special masonry screw that will probably work for you. It's available in lengths up to 4 in....

Pool gate safety. (Service tip: maintenance).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A good, solid fence is your first line of defense to protect children and unaware adults from swimming pools and other potential hazards. However, a fence is useless if its gate is left open. Installation of a gate closure device pays dividends...

Air-conditioner sizing. (Homeowners Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Is there a rule of thumb for accurately sizing air conditioners? BRANDON MARTIN VIA INTERNET There is no simple rule for calculating the required size of a room air conditioner--at least, one that is accurate. There are many factors...

Squeaker. (Auto Clinic).
May 1, 2003... I've read your column with interest over the years, and I agree with you wholeheartedly about the issue of lubricating lug nuts lightly with oil before tightening them. But my owner's manual specifically tells me never to oil the nuts, that...

Well-grounded. (Car Care Tip).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... I love it when people collar me at parties and tell me about their cars. In this case it was a gentleman with a nicely restored '60s musclecar, which, he informed me, had so much compression it was almost impossible to start. It also needed a...

Service tips. (Auto Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... * Got a knocking sound just above idle on your 1999-2002 Nissan Frontier or Xterra? It may not be incipient engine failure, but normal operation of the EVAP purge solenoid. Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) NTB02-020. * Is the low-oil...

Critter. (Auto Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... I have a '97 VW Jetta, and some small animal seems to like building his nest on top of my battery. There used to be insulation around the battery until this little guy wanted the top for his home. This car is used almost every day. He has also...

Hushing interior squeaks and rattles. (Saturday Mechanic).
May 1, 2003... You're coming to the end of a gas tank's worth of superslab, the pavement as fresh and as smooth as your brother-in-law's balding pate. A quick trip to the Men's and a tankful of gas get you rolling again, this time on a secondary road that's...

Great stuff: from home improvement to outdoors, automotive to electronics, here's the newest gear you'll want to own.
May 1, 2003... 1. Very Flattening Zenith introduced the first high-definition plasma display panels with integrated HDTV tuners at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The 50-in. P50W38 is a thin, flat thing of beauty, with...

Grab on. (Great Stuff).(Darby Marine)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The lowly suction cup is elevated to new heights in the Suction Cleat. The 12 1/2-in. device uses two 4 1/2-in.-dia. suction cups with a latching lever to create a strong vacuum. A 6 1/2-in. yacht cleat is incorporated into the handle. Use it...

Dark delights. (Great Stuff).(Digital Vision)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... NiteMax's Digital Night Vision Viewing System is a state-of-the-art night camera that can be used in any light condition, according to the manufacturer. The NiteMax uses image pickup and processing to digitally produce a clear picture in the...

Junk to jewel. (Great Stuff).(from Gladiator Garageworks)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Is your garage a junk-filled embarrassment? Gladiator Garage-Works can turn it into a jewel of envy. First, throw out everything now in your garage. Then, install Gladiator's integrated array of modular components that range from the company's...

Comic twist. (Great Stuff).(Activision)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... X-Men fans can engage in epic battles with Activision's recently released X-Men: Next Dimension for PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. The game leaves traditional arena fighting games in the radioactive dust. Featured are more than 20 infamous...