Popular Mechanics articles from October 2003

Popular Mechanics archives from October 2003

Technology Tuesday.(technology)
October 1, 2003... Technology Tuesday is a weekly feature that gives enthusiasts an inside look at their favorite consumer electronics, and the hottest products coming to market in the ever-growing technology craze. Featuring the latest gaming reviews, business...

2003 National Hardware Show.(home)
October 1, 2003... The PM.Zone is back in Chicago for the National Hardware Show to present the 2003 POPULAR MECHANICS Editor's Choice Awards. Once again, the PM crew has teamed up on the shores of Lake Michigan to survey all the latest wares in the industry,...

Speed sports smorgasbord.(outdoors)
October 1, 2003... The Subaru Baja was introduced in style to the outdoors enthusiast. At home with boats, boulders and surf, Subaru is intent on making quite a splash with it's newest all-purpose vehicle. Go to www.popularmechanics.com/links/baja for the...

2003 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.(automotive)
October 1, 2003... Comprising several car show and racing events on and around California's Monterey Peninsula one 4-day weekend each August, the most glamorous element, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, is reserved for Sunday. Go to...

The last roundup.(Editor's Notes)
October 1, 2003... This may be the last time we do an October issue new-car report. Wait, I wrote that last year, and the year before. Fact is, automakers now introduce new models whenever they're ready. So we report on new cars and trucks all year long in our...

Thrill rides.(Letters)
October 1, 2003... As a former roller coaster operator, I was really disappointed by your article. It overlooked the most common cause of injuries and fatalities: human stupidity. I have seen park visitors do countless dumb things. The fatality associated with...

Reader project of the month.
October 1, 2003... I was inspired to build a full-size replica of Ford's first Model A after reading the August 1998 issue of POPULAR MECHANICS. Using pictures and some descriptions I found, I built the body and steel frame, sewed the upholstery and finished the...

Hello, goodbye: 100 years ago: October 1903.(Time Machine)
October 1, 2003... The automobile Was still in its infancy, but PM was bidding it adieu. Putting the horseless carriage out to pasture was the autochair. This 4-wheel, electric-powered chair would comfortably seat and transport two occupants as speedily as an...

Deep trouble: 50 years ago: October 1953.(Time Machine)
October 1, 2003... Readers went along for a week's tour aboard the K-class sub Segundo. Designed to kill enemy subs that otherwise could wipe out around-the-world shipping, K-class subs engaged in underwater warfare with submerged enemy subs. The battles were...

A different drummer: 75 years ago: October 1928.(Time Machine)
October 1, 2003... Scores of different sounds for motion pictures, such as a moving trolley car, falling trees, crashing glass and doors slamming, among others, were produced by this machine. Small electric motors, controlled by pushbuttons, actuated many of the...

Stow or go: 25 years ago: October 1978.(Time Machine)
October 1, 2003... The Port-A-Trailer assembled in 15 minutes without tools, weighed 200 pounds and could haul 1000 pounds. Partially folded, the trailer was only 24 in. wide and. with a handle attachment, could be used as a wheelbarrow. The unit disassembled...

C-130 transport goes vertical.(Technology Watch)
October 1, 2003... An idea drawn from the early days of commercial aviation may help the Army solve its chief 21st century logistics problem: getting materiel inside hostile terrain without diverting troops to protect supply lines. Responding to a request...

Two-speed moving walkway.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... A multispeed walkway will speed travelers through sprawling transportation hubs four times faster than conventional moving sidewalks, says France's CNIM Group, developers of the new Gateway transport system Gateway is segmented into three...

Smart trucks report for duty as Army pack mules.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Army recently unveiled two new unmanned ground combat vehicle demonstration platforms. Both designs focus on mobility, deployability and combat resilience with features ranging from...

Explosive plutonium.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... What was generally believed to be the safest chemical form for storing nuclear waste is more explosive than previously realized. In the journal Science, scientists from Denmark's University of Aarhus warn that plutonium oxide may react with...

Seeing more with X-rays.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... A new type of X-ray gives doctors more information while exposing patients to less radiation. Called diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI), the technique captures and then analyzes the energy that passes through tissue. In a conventional...

World's highest, fastest ride.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... With a whopping 420-ft. hill, 120-mph speeds over 2800 ft. of track and a twisting drop of 400 ft. at a dramatic 90[degrees] angle, the $25 million Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, has become the world's highest and fastest...

Clean 2-stroke engine.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Who says you can't teach an old engine a new trick Ogden, Utah, inventor Frank Keoppel has found a way to run a 2-stroke engine on straight gas, without fuel injection. Keoppel's innovation adds an isolation chamber, which is separated...

Robot reads chemical IDs from minuscule samples.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Smaller is better when it comes to analyzing biological samples. The task of preparing samples also becomes more difficult. In the nanoliter range, it is like divising a quart of milk into 1 billion portions. Early this year, two scientific...

Computer grade essays.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Test-grading computers are about to get a new assignment: reading essays. Long before the personal computer was a gleam in Steve Jacob's eye, computers graded multiple-choice exams. This year. Massachusetts, Oregon and Pennsylvania began...

Boeing's next flying machines.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Boeing hopes to set a new "land speed record "for its next aircraft, the 7E7 Dreamliner. Drawing on the automotive industry's experience in streamlining production methods, the aircraft manufacturer hopes to reduce the time it takes to build...

A safer way to push oil.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... As the 2005 deadline for double-hull barges set by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 approaches, companies continue to introduce ideas for maritime safety. Among them is a pushing configuration that enable the new 130-ft.-long tug Jane A. Bouchard...

Drug linked to gambling.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Patients who take dopamine agonists to control Parkinson's disease are at a higher risk of developing a serious gambling problem. "The risk of gambling problems in a Parkinson's patient is very small," said study author Dr. Mark Stacy of...

Bacteria turn wastewater into energy.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... The water that runs down the drain at food-processing plants contains millions of dollars' worth of untapped energy, say engineers at Pennsylvania State University in University Park. At a recent American Society for Microbiology conference,...

Smart airbag protects firefighters.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Traffic accidents are the second-leading cause of death among firefighters, and more than half of those accidents involve rollovers. The Side Roll Protection System from Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton, Wis., aims to reduce that statistic by...

Microscope sees electricity flow.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... By adapting a device used to spot defects in computer chips, scientists at Brown University in Providence, R.I., were able to take pictures of electricity. Under the magnetic-sensing microscope, current flow, like that in a 0.25-micron metal...

Chimp relatives.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... The most sophisticated analysis of DNA ever undertaken has concluded that humans and chimpanzees are more closely related than previously believed. Researchers at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit found a 99.4 percent genetic...

Planet watch.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... * ENGLAND Intense heat in London over the first weekend in August forced railroads to operate at reduced speeds, for fear of buckled tracks. * IRAN On Aug. 4, a magnitude 5.5 quake rattled the vicinity near Kerman. There were no deaths....

Operating room of the future.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... MRI technology has changed more than the way surgeons look at the brain--it is changing operating rooms as well. The BrainSUITE (right) merges neurosurgical tools with a Siemens MRI scanner, enabling doctors to immediately see whether they have...

Anyone can build a home! Second of a two-part series that takes you step-by-step through the construction of a five-bedroom home built entirely by Habitat for Humanity volunteers!(Special Advertising Section)
October 1, 2003... Last month we showed you how Habitat for Humanity volunteers select and prepare a building site, lay the foundation, frame out and roof a house and install doors and windows. This month, we'll take you through the remaining steps to a finished...

Machine helps damaged livers heal themselves.(Tech Watch)
October 1, 2003... Doctors in the United States and Britain are testing a machine that performs the blood-cleansing function of the liver. The size of a clothes washer, the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD) is less an artificial organ than it is a...

Evidence of E-bombs.(Following Up ...)
October 1, 2003... Despite official denials, evidence mounts that the United States used E-bombs during the ground campaign of Gulf War II. Two are believed to have been detonated at 4:30 am Baghdad time on March 25, when Iraqi television suddenly went off the...

Rent a room in space.(Following Up ...)
October 1, 2003... You can't book a room on the moon just yet, but Space Adventures says it can find a place for you to stay on the International Space Station (ISS). The Arlington, Va., company says it has secured a contract with the Russian Aviation & Space...

Wide-open spaces.(Computers)
October 1, 2003... I've never been a huge fan of huge laptops, but the recent spate of widescreen models hitting the market has made me rethink my inclination toward small and light. With my current laptop I get portability, but I give up some performance and...

Link for fun.(Wireless)
October 1, 2003... Rejoice, O nomadic digital warrior, now you can have it all. Skullcandy, a company based in Park City, Utah, has introduced the LINK--a device that conveniently fuses your MP3 player, portable CD player or any other audio source with your...

Bass boat alternatives.(Boating)
October 1, 2003... The most coveted boat in America is probably a low-lung bass boat powered by a big outboard. You can easily spend Mercedes-Benz cash for such a craft, only to find that it imbibes gasoline with all the enthusiasm of a drunk on a bender, becomes...

Throttling light.(Optics)
October 1, 2003... Driving along U.S. 95 south of Tonopah, Nev., where the scenery and state troopers are sparse, you bare]y notice the speedometer creeping toward 100 mph. It is only when you tap the brakes near Beatty to slow down for the Las Vegas turnoff that...

World's smallest knives.(Tools)
October 1, 2003... Germany's Gesellschaft fur Diamantprodukte really is at the cutting edge of technology, The Ulm-based center, better known as GFD, holds bragging rights as the creator of the world's smallest knife. Made of diamond film, GFD's Diamaze blade...

Walter Dorwin Teague.(PM People)
October 1, 2003... Among POPULAR MECHANICS'S best-loved covers is the one on the December 1940 issue featuring a bright orange, propeller-nosed bullet train. The high-speed train was part of a radical new transportation system conceived by industrial designer...

Year of the truck: despite all the brand-new cars, there's no doubt that this is the new cars 2004.(Automotive)
October 1, 2003... One look at the traffic around you on any interstate or in a typical shopping mall's parking lot should be all the proof you need: These days, more people are buying trucks than they are passenger cars. The world's automakers are certainly...

Friendly skies: low-cost planes and easy new license rules put you in the pilot seat.(Aviation)
October 1, 2003... For tens of thousands of aspiring pilots whose wallets are too thin for a private pilot's license and a type-certified airplane, taking to the skies has long meant facing down a dilemma: Buying an ultralight gets you airborne fast. The tradeoff...

Walkie-talkie coast to coast: inside Nextel's new direct connect service.(How Did They Do That?)
October 1, 2003... A gigantic 400,000-ft.-high antenna that gets serviced by astronauts? "Antennalopes" that continually migrate across the United States? Carrier pigeons constantly in the air with tiny antennas strapped to their legs? They make great commercials...

Rev to glory: reproducing the engine that created powered flight poses formidable technical challenges. For starters, the Wright brothers never drew up plans.(Aviation)
October 1, 2003... When the Wright Flyer rose over the sands of Kitty Hawk, it was propelled by a 4-cylinder engine nearly as astonishing as the flying machine that lifted Orville Wright into the crisp North Carolina sky. This year, as part of the nation's...

You spin me right 'round: join the vinyl revival. Turntables are back.(Audio)
October 1, 2003... A 40-something mother tells her 13-year-old son he sounds like a broken record. He gives her a blank look, shrugs his shoulders and cranks up the tunes on his MP3 player. Sure, this references may be completely alien to Digital Age kids who...

Refrigerator care.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
October 1, 2003... Maintenance Tips Maintenance will prolong the life of your refrigerator , reduce energy waste, and help eliminate unwanted odors/bacteria. Unplug your refrigerator when performing maintenance. Refer to your owner's manual for...

Timberland PRO[TM].(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
October 1, 2003... Timberland PRO[TM] series workboots and work wear are created exclusively for working professionals who expect the best comfort, protection, and performance. Rugged outside and comfortable inside, Timberland PRO[TM] series workboots stand up to...

Ride naked and you'll never want to go back.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
October 1, 2003... The R 1150 R Rockster edition features our legendary boxer engine complemented by a naked frame that really moves, thanks to its smooth six-speed transmission with tight gear ratio for sporty mid-range handling, and short wheelbase for...

Drylok[R] Masonry Waterproofer.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
October 1, 2003... Drylok[R] Masonry Waterproofer is America's #1 rated waterproofer. Drylok penetrates the pores, expands as it dries to form a waterproof barrier--guaranteed to stop water--up to 10 pounds per square inch (greater than a wall of water 22 feet...

Boat in a kit: stitch it, glue it and row it away.(Project)
October 1, 2003... Back in the days when small boats were powered by oar and sail, they had to move easily through the water. And it's no surprise that they looked good, too, The water-kindly lines that enabled a hull to slip effortlessly through a calm of handle...

Replacing a water heater: it's inevitable. Sometime, somewhere, you'll need to do this job.(Home Improvement)
October 1, 2003... Sooner or later, every water heater fails. The culprit is usually a leaky tank, although any problem that requires a lengthy service call makes a new heater look like the practical option. As for the cost, consider that a 40-gal. gas-fired...

Painting kitchen cabinets.(Home Improvement)
October 1, 2003... Every kitchen eventually reaches the point at which it looks wornout. That's the time to take stock of your options. Everyone is well aware that kitchen remodeling is costly and inconvenient. However, a simple and low-cost alternative is to...

Leaking regulator.(Homeowners Clinic)
October 1, 2003... Directly above my main water shutoff valve is a valve for regulating the water pressure. It has developed a tiny leak, and I'm not sure if replacing it is necessary. Can I just remove the valve and put a piece of copper pipe in its place? ...

Review: skylight selection.
October 1, 2003... A skylight is a major building component in that it affects how a building looks, feels and functions. Before you buy one for a new construction project to or opt to have one installed on an existing roof, get a copy of this brochure from...

Cracked foundation wall.(Homeowners Clinic)
October 1, 2003... We have a crack in our concrete bleck foundation wall that has been there since we moved in. There has been little movement, but any material that we use to fill the crack pulls apart. The original movement pulled the crawlspace concrete ledge...

Leave the collar.(Service tip: tree care)
October 1, 2003... There's a bit more to trimming a tree limb than you might think. Before you cut, check out books and pamphlets on the topic, and if you've got a lot of tree pruning to do, first visit your local library or garden center. Or visit arboricultural...

Ventfree fireplace problems.(Homeowners Clinic)
October 1, 2003... I have a ventfree fireplace. When I turn it on, most of the time just the back part of the burners light. If I blow on the front burners, they light. I thought it was a bad set and took it back for another set of burners. They do the same...

Moisture on windows.(Homeowners Clinic)
October 1, 2003... I get moisture on the bottom of every window year-round, but they are especially foggy and steamed up in cold weather. MICHAEL CHAMBERLAIN VIA INTERNET There is obviously on excessive amount of moisture in the air within your...

Great stuff: from home improvement to outdoors, automotive to electronics, here's the newest gear you'll want to own.
October 1, 2003... 1. Inside Pitch Besides broadcasting Yankee games on the YES Network and WCBS-TV, and writing for POPULAR MECHANICS, Jim Kaat has somehow found the time to write his autobiography. Still Pitching tells fans about his experiences after six...

Bully.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Bull bars give your SUV a macho look, as well as add protection and versatility. ARB's bull bars for the Jeep Liberty offer all of the above, with added features that include Hi-Lift jacking points, auxiliary driving-light mounts, a provision...

Hot idea.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Now that summer's over, it's time to switch from thinking about cooling to heating. So, now is a great time of year to shop for a pellet stove. This way, you're ready when the snow flies. Lennox's Advantage Optima pellet stove is designed to...

Pick a print.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Now that you've purchased a digital camera, wouldn't it be nice to print your favorite photos in the comfort of your own home? Sony thinks so and has introduced its affordable DPP-EX5 digital photo printer. You can print from a Sony Memory...

Beautiful noise.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Denon has always had a reputation for fine audio/video products and the AVR-2803 A/V receiver ($799) is no exception. Designed to bring advanced features and multiroom flexibility to more users, the 80 watts and seven power outputs will please...

Save water.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... The Aprilaire Mode1400 bypass humidifier uses 100 percent of the water that comes into it. So there's no need to connect it to a drain. This is an especially handy feature in a furnace retrofit for which the floor drain can be who knows how far...

Clean sweep.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Few things are more annoying to a driver than wipers that streak and smear the windshield. Anco's new HydroClear wiperblades use a synthetic compound that beads water upon contact. The wipers'scoop-shaped wiping element then lifts all of the...

Start something.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Permanent magnet starters are the latest wrinkle in automotive starters. Compact and 30 percent lighter than most high-torque ministarters, these units are ideal for hard-to-start performance engines and for times when physical size and...

Bank on it.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Diesel fans are getting a break--a computerized Brake Controller for the Banks Brake diesel exhaust braking system. Designed for Chevy Duramax, Dodge Cummins and Ford Power Stroke engines, the system provides an alternative to common...

Magic and more.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... If you've ever spent time playing the classic role-playing fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons, you know how easy it is to slip into a world of wizards and monsters. To make this experience all the more real, Atari has introduced Dungeons &...

High and dry.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Launching your boat often puts the rear axle of your tow vehicle in the water. This can corrode rear brakes or cause loss of traction on algae-ridden ramps. Launch-Aide is adjustable from 31 1/2 to 41 1/2 in. and connects between your tow...

Get to work.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... The Multimate L-1500 is a hoist and frame assembly that attaches to the back of your ATV, converting the machine from a plaything into a workhorse. Lifting power for the hoist is provided by an electric winch that runs off the ATV's battery. To...

Phone-in-one.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Siemens's newest GSM phone for the American market is the S56, the niftiest little dual-band cellphone you'll come across this side of the Atlantic. The $56 offers polyphonic rings, a 256-color display, integrated Bluetooth, and supports...

Speed dial.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Time is of the essence in all types of work and that's why Milwaukee's 6266 sabre saw has a variety of speedy features. Its 7-position speed dial adjusts from 500 to 3000 cuts per minute. A well-positioned leverlock blade clamp makes blade...

Small shoot.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... Boasting a silvery sheen in a teeny-tiny package, Sony's DSC U10 measures just 3 3/8 x 1 3/16 x 1 5/8 in. and can go just about anywhere. And it's fast. Opening the slide cover turns on the camera and has it ready to shoot in less than 1...

Magnetic personality.(Great Stuff)
October 1, 2003... The Stayzon is the only screw holder we know of that works as well as it's supposed to. It consists of a plastic ring with powerful little magnets molded into its circumference. Slip the thing around a screwdriver or Allen wrench and go to...

How to control a runaway camel.(Worst-Case Scenarios)
October 1, 2003... You're about to park your camel (your car's in the shop) by a meter on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. But, before you can dismount and feed your pocketful of quarters for 10 minutes' parking, your camel is startled by a bus and bolts. What should...