Popular Mechanics articles from October 2007

Popular Mechanics archives from October 2007

A view to a skill.(EDITOR'S NOTES)
October 1, 2007... WHAT DOES IT MEAN to be skilled? Our cover story this month is dedicated to outlining the 25 skills every man should know. Settling on the final list was a matter of pretty intense debate. There were some who felt the most basic items on the...

DIY survival school.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... I'm a former New York City firefighter, and I want to compliment you on an outstanding survival guide ("Facing Down Disaster," August '07). This should be mandatory reading for all family members. I would add a few points: Have quarterly family...

Space for sale.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... Glenn Reynolds should keep his conservative editorializing to himself in his reporting on the Space Development Conference ("Rocketeers Get Real," August '07). While "for-profit guys" are more flexible and possibly more innovative [than NASA],...

21st century war.(LETTERS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... How will we fight wars in the future? A new two-DVD set, The New Technology of War, answers that question by using battle footage, CG animation, live-action weapons testing and interviews with experts to examine everything from robot warriors...

Rotor turnout.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Even the president's ride can be hot-rodded. That's the best way to describe the 23 choppers scheduled to replace the current fleet of Marine One VH-3Ds and VH-60Ns. Outfitted with a kitchen, a bathroom and a White House-worthy high-speed...

Space holder.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Astronauts have their hands full during spacewalks, what with delicate repair jobs and careful moves to avoid drifting off into the void. Soon they'll have three extra arms at their disposal. The European Space...

Spot light.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Physicists at the University of Michigan have proposed a "superlens" that focuses light past the limitations of its own wavelength and into a tiny spot. The light passes through a filter of precisely spaced (down to the nanometer) concentric...

Color coordinates.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scientists at the University of California, Riverside, have figured out how to "tune" the color of a beaker of iron oxide solution, by cranking the magnetic field up or down. As the field is adjusted, the spacing...

Good vibrations.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A tiny, vibration-powered electric generator developed by British engineers could allow sensors to be embedded in places where swapping batteries is inconvenient, such as the human body. The sugar-cube-size prototype...

Blast zone.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ninety-nine years after the "Tunguska event," an explosion that flattened over 800 square miles of Siberia, a team of Italian scientists may have found the impact crater. Using ground-penetrating radar and sonar to...

Checkers, history.(TECH WATCH)(Chinook)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... It took 18 years of methodical study, assessing 500 billion billion possible moves, but a computer program called Chinook has officially solved checkers. Developed at the University of Alberta in Canada, Chinook is unbeatable, and the best a...

A clothes encounter: a lightweight, skintight spacesuit design could be the perfect fit for Mars.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... UNTIL RECENTLY, ASTRONAUTS RARELY worried about what to wear--a standard gas-pressurized spacesuit was the only choice. But navigating Mars in a bulky 300-pound setup would be like doing gymnastics in a suit of armor. "They're not going there...

Six-wheeled soldier: the latest in urban warfare--a vehicle that climbs over other vehicles to attack enemies.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT'S A CHILLING MILESTONE, EVEN FOR A military robot: Lockheed Martin's MULE (Multifunction Utility/ Logistics and Equipment) has autonomously clambered over a 5-ft.-high obstacle. The Humvee-size vehicle uses six...

Time machine: "what to make," 1940.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IF YOU'RE BUILDING A LOG CABIN, IT'S probably cheaper and faster to hire a contractor. But "If you're fairly handy at building a masonry foundation and handling a hammer," PM wrote 67 years ago in the annual "What To...

Tale of the tape: by copying the gecko, a team of scientists may have discovered the perfect adhesive.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A GECKO'S FOOT IS LIKE A PERFECT Post-it: As the lizard walks up a wall, its feet stick fast and peel off smoothly, never slipping and--since no viscous glue is involved--never losing grip. Now, a team at Ohio's...

Taking the high road: the latest progress report on the looong evolution of the flying car.(TECH WATCH)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THERE'S HOPE YET for the flying car. Really. The Jetsonsera dream of personal air vehicles (PAVs) has recently received a few gasps of fresh air. An advocacy group, the CAFE Foundation, has launched a $250,000 PAV...

Vacuum pack.(UPGRADE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Impressive as Roombas are, with their dirt-detecting sensors and room-mapping algorithms, they still bump into walls and furniture like tipsy janitors. The new Roomba 560 ($350) is not only a harder worker than its forebears, with more...

THE $99 computer (sort of).(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The tiny, Linux-based Zonbu (shown at actual size) is a $99 desktop that's less crash prone than a PC, and less power hungry, running on 10 watts. (That can save 10 bucks a month in electricity.) It comes with...

Marathon with Weldtec ($12).(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We honestly can't find anything not to like about Irwin's new Marathon with Weldtec ($12) 24-tooth circular saw blades. Irwin claims the dense, ultra-fine-grain carbide teeth are 70 percent tougher than standard...

Willing and cable.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ideal's LIL' RIPPER STRIPPER ($6) is what it sounds like: a small tool that rips through electrical cable sheathing with a shark-fin-like blade (see inset) and strips individual wires with a steel blade on the other...

Anchors a-weigh.(UPGRADE: ABUSIVE LAB TEST)(Product/service evaluation)(Table)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drywall is still drywall But drywall fasteners have gone high-tech, with companies claiming their new designs are easier to install and can support more weight. To find out how a classic plastic anchor holds up...

VPX Interchangeable Battery System.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: It's a familiar concept--batteries are expensive, so multiple tools share a single battery. But Black & Decker's VPX Interchangeable Battery System has a twist: The 7-volt products in the series use a single...

Vise choice.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stanley's MAXSTEEL MULTI-ANGLE VISE ($25) isn't the strongest vise you'll ever use, but it might be the one you pull out most often. The 2 7/8-in.-capacity jaw is mounted on a steel ball joint, which can be locked...

Test drive: XM Radio vs. HD Radio.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(hybrid digital)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Is HD Radio, which uses terrestrial digital broadcast to deliver more stations and better reception than FM, a worthy alternative to subscription-based satellite radio? We tried two in-dash tuners--one from XM Radio, the other an HD-ready unit...

Quad leader: win this!(UPGRADE: EXTREME FREEBIE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Yamaha debuted ATV power steering with the Grizzly 700, it was a revelation. Steering at normal speeds doesn't take a lot of muscle, but when you're inching across rocky terrain in 4wd or towing a trailer...

Mainstream muscle: the Accord is now Honda's most powerful ride sold in North America. Imagine that!(NEW CARS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Every few years Honda rolls out a new Accord, and each generation is invariably bigger, more powerful and quicker than the one before. The all-new eighth-generation 2008 Accord is no exception. Available as a two-door coupe or four-door sedan,...

Safety hatch: Volvo C30.(TEST DRIVES: PM'S EXPERT ROAD WARRIORS TAKE THE LATEST RIDES FOR A SPIN. HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Spunky, fun, hip. Those are certainly not the first words that come to mind when you think of a Volvo. But after spending a few days with the new C30, we think this hatchback is the most youthful Volvo yet. The...

Tour master: Kawasaki Concours 14.(TEST DRIVES: PM'S EXPERT ROAD WARRIORS TAKE THE LATEST RIDES FOR A SPIN. HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If the ZX-14 sportbike is the rebellious teenager in Kawasaki's lineup, then the new $12,899 Concours 14 tourer is its older, wiser sibling who still wants to have fun. They share the same potent powertrain, but the...

Super Exotica: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren roadster.(TEST DRIVES: PM'S EXPERT ROAD WARRIORS TAKE THE LATEST RIDES FOR A SPIN. HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... This sled is both beauty and beast encased in one fine carbon-fiber skin. It has the accelerative force, steering precision and brakes of a race car, which we experienced firsthand during a recent test drive. The half-million-dollar 617-hp...

Family room: Dodge Grand Caravan.(TEST DRIVES: PM'S EXPERT ROAD WARRIORS TAKE THE LATEST RIDES FOR A SPIN. HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chrysler has been the undisputed champ of minivan sales since it invented the genre in 1983. And if the latest Chrysler minivan lineup is any indication, the automaker isn't willing to give up that title anytime...

The 600 club: Dodge Viper SRT10.(TEST DRIVES: PM'S EXPERT ROAD WARRIORS TAKE THE LATEST RIDES FOR A SPIN. HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Six hundred horsepower. That's NASCAR-class oomph. Do we need that much? Nope. But do we want it? Oh, yes. Dodge employs no secret tweaks to get the extra ponies from the Viper's new V10, just one more pushrod-fed...

Urban soldier: Nissan Rogue.(TEST DRIVES: PM'S EXPERT ROAD WARRIORS TAKE THE LATEST RIDES FOR A SPIN. HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Nissan has found its mantra. Like Mazda, nearly all of Nissan's products are engineered with a sporty soul. Take the new Rogue, for instance. This small crossover is firm-riding and downright feisty on mountain roads. Its 2.5-liter 170-hp Four...

That's infotainment: a new generation of in-car entertainment and communication systems is here. We compare the top three, side by side.
October 1, 2007... A NEW CONCEPT IN auto entertainment/information systems is being rushed to market by the Motown Three. They're each slightly different, but share a mission: To incorporate multiple technologies--such as entertainment, communication and...

Slick kitty: Jaguar XF.(FIRST LOOK: HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PERFORMANCE RIDES SCHEDULED TO HIT OUR SHORES FOR 2008.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jaguar needs its stunning new 2009 XF to be a smash hit if it wants to crawl out of the financial doghouse. Equipped with a supercharged 4.2-liter V8, the saloon will in addition feature a rotary-shift transmission...

Rare bit: VW R32.(FIRST LOOK: HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PERFORMANCE RIDES SCHEDULED TO HIT OUR SHORES FOR 2008.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The GTI might be the tastiest Rabbit for now. But soon, the awd R32 will hit the street with a 250-hp 3.2-liter V6. At $34 large, it'll be one quick yet expensive bunny.

Mighty mite: BMW 1 Series.(FIRST LOOK: HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PERFORMANCE RIDES SCHEDULED TO HIT OUR SHORES FOR 2008.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Small is in. So BMW is bringing its tiny 1 Series to America. The turbocharged 135I features the same engine as the much-loved 335i.

Street fighter: Suzuki B-king.(FIRST LOOK: HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PERFORMANCE RIDES SCHEDULED TO HIT OUR SHORES FOR 2008.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This could be the ultimate street machine. It's got aggressive, nearly naked bodywork and the same engine as Suzuki's top-flight Hayabusa sportbike. This animal isn't for novices.

The contender: Mercedes-Benz C63.(FIRST LOOK: HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PERFORMANCE RIDES SCHEDULED TO HIT OUR SHORES FOR 2008.)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ready to fight for King of the Road honors, this AMG overhauled saloon is equipped with a 451-hp powerplant and race-inspired suspension,

Spy report: we catch Chevrolet and BMW engineers on hot-weather testing routes in death valley and San Diego.(NEW CARS)(General Motors Corp. Chevrolet Motor Div., BMW AG)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] 1///BMW X6 The third crossover from BMW, the X6 is set to roll out next year. Like the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, it is more grand touring wagon than SUV. The ride and handling will be typical BMW-sporty and crisp....

Breakout: BMW'S wild child gets a tech-savvy overhaul.(NEW CARS)(BMW AG)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BORN IN 1986 AT THE HEIGHT of the age of excess, the BMW M3 achieved icon status right from the get-go. The original was a high-spirited asphalt eater with the heart and soul of a race car, and the modern...

Forgetting the basics: in an age of cellphones and laptops, are Americans losing touch with traditional diy skills?(THINKING AHEAD)
October 1, 2007... SCIENCE FICTION AUTHOR Robert A. Heinlein once wrote: "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the...

Battle of the beaters.(MOTORSPORTS)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] OVER 100 DEGREES F and sweat is doing a Niagara Falls imitation down my face. I'm standing in the race pits at Altamont Motorsports Park (AMP) near Livermore, Calif., waiting for my turn behind the wheel of a real...

25 skills every man should know: competent guys should be ready for everything from hooking up HDTV to sharpening a knife. Here's how to build your core expertise.
October 1, 2007... 1 PATCH A RADIATOR HOSE Steam hissing from a ruptured radiator hose? Here's a relatively easy, temporary fix with duct tape. Wait for the engine to cool off. Open the hood and locate the source of the steam--i.e., the rupture (A). Clean...

Back from the brink: they thought their first home was an easy fixer-upper. Six years later, their dream house is finally done.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Every major remodeling project has a low point. For Jenny Joyce and Rob Crampton, owners of a 1901 fixer-upper in Seattle, it's tough to say just when rock bottom arrived. Maybe it was the time that Jenny's parents...

Where the robot meets the road: DARPA'S urban challenge asks the question: are self-driving vehicles ready for a world of parked cars, three-point turns and oncoming traffic?(Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] IT'S A MERCILESSLY HOT DAY in Robot City, Carnegie Mellon University's 40-acre test site on the banks of Pittsburgh's Monongahela River. Dozens of spectators line the bleachers overlooking a looping, two-lane test...

Barnstorming the Yukon in a hand-built plane: the ultimate project--built a four-seater with a little factory help, then fly north, way north'.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Three thousand feet, and the cloud ceiling keeps dropping. It's been an hour since we last saw the snows crowning 10,000-ft. peaks to the west, and we've just Lost the tops of the waterfalls crashing down to the...

Smartphones: new cellular devices squeeze computer capabilities into pocket-size packaging. Are the latest smartphones wireless wonders, or too much of a good thing?(PM LAB TEST)(Product/service evaluation)(Table)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOW INTELLIGENT DOES A PHONE HAVE TO BE TO DESERVE the title of "smartphone"? Should it be able to retrieve your e-mail? Probably, but not necessarily. Should a smartphone take high-resolution pictures, and play...

Rise and shine: three steps to building perfect stairs.(DIY HOME)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] From a technical standpoint, there's nothing particularly difficult about building stairs for a deck, porch or shed. Anyone with basic carpentry skills can make the necessary cuts and assemble the parts. And yet,...

Rehab for rusty plumbing.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I always have a hard time removing rusty pipes and fittings. Before I begin my next plumbing project, can you recommend a cheap and easy way to loosen the rust? A Rust and mineral deposits can turn the simplest...

Good tools travel in packs: after trying these five products at the National Hardware Show, we've pronounced them Editor's Choice Award winners, worthy of any toolbox.(EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARDS: BEST GEAR, GADGETS, TOOLS AND MORE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... UNIFIED SHANK JIGSAW BLADES The shank on these blades fits virtually any jigsaw, eliminating the need to comb through the hardware aisle looking for one that fits yours. It's even better that we found these blades to be tough and...

Ant Invasion.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q Small ants have invaded my bathroom. A neighbor who has the same problem refers to them as sweet ants. I don't care what they're called, I just want to get rid of them. How do I do that? A Small ants are often informally called sweet ants...

The DIY life: hole in one.(DIY HOME)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SMALL ACTIONS can yield big headaches, as the copper tubing at left proves. Pierced by a drywall screw, the tube sprung a tiny leak that eventually weakened a lath-and-plaster ceiling--which came thundering down late...

Sealing asphalt driveways.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q I never got around to sealing my asphalt driveway this spring or summer like I'd planned to. Is the fall too chilly for this job? A Warm and dry days in early fall are ideal for applying asphalt sealer. Preparing the surface is the key to...

The real board stretcher.(NOW YOU KNOW)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Many a frustrated carpenter has called for the board stretcher after lopping off too much lumber. The tool doesn't exist, but a board-stretching technique does, as my colleague Tom Klenck proved recently. Tom...

Attic furnace.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q My new ranch home in Arizona has its furnace in the attic, rather than the garage, like my last house did. Why would the builder put the appliance up there? A In most cases, it comes down to economics. An attic location allows the...

Nasty ceiling.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q We are getting ready to paint and one of our upstairs ceilings looks pretty nasty, with visible rows of nailheads and shadowy black lines. How do I deal with this? A The ceiling joists in the attic are cold, and this causes cold areas on...

Installing vinyl graphics.(DIY AUTO: SATURDAY MECHANIC)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Everybody wants his car to stand out. Big wheels and tires are one way--but have you checked the price of 20-in. rims with 30-series fires lately? Actually, there are cheaper ways to make sure you can find your car...

For want of a nail.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I took apart my alternator looking to diagnose an intermittent charging problem. Now I can't get it back together--specifically, I can't get the voltage regulator brushes back in past the lip of the case. They keep...

The ghost in the machine.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q I own a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 box truck with a 318 engine. I usually set the a/c controls to blow cold air through the ducts on the face of the dashboard. However, under almost any acceleration the air suddenly redirects itself toward the...

Garage-rotted fuel gauge.(CAR CARE TIP)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Cars that have been locked away in storage for a while don't often emerge unscathed. For many vehicles, the fuel gauge will be frozen in time. But resurrecting these dials is easy with a little contact cleaner and an ink eraser. Just scrub the...

That luxury feeling.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q Just how important is it to change the brake fluid in your car? My Lexus ES330 service manual calls for it to be replaced at 30,000 miles and the car's not even two years old. It costs over $200 at the dealership. Yet the service manual for...

Brake it down.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q I have a 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis with 120,000 miles. Last week in the mountains, we were going uphill at about 50 mph with the cruise control set to 55, and I needed to tap the brakes for a car in front of us. The pedal was rock hard. I...

The multiplex on your desk.(DIY TECH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I currently have my desktop running across two screens off the dual outputs of my graphics card. is it possible to set up my flat-panel TV as a third screen? Can I hook up a fourth screen, too? A It's as easy...

Change of address.(DIY TECH)
October 1, 2007... Q I'm leaving an office job where I've kept all of my contacts in Microsoft Outlook, and I'd like to transfer them to my Macintosh computer at home. What's the easiest way to do this? A It depends on what application you want to migrate...

5 great things to do with your old electronics.(DIY TECH)
October 1, 2007... Gadgets become obsolete at a frightening pace, but environmental contaminants, such as the lead, mercury and arsenic found in CRT screens, circuit boards and batteries, can pollute landfills--and they seem to last forever. Here's how to get rid...

BumpTop.(EMERGING TECH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Your PC's desktop may seem more organized than your actual desktop, but, according to University of Toronto graduate student Anand Agarawala, the piles of paper that clutter your work space are a highly efficient system, allowing you to easily...

Delay of game.(DIY TECH)
October 1, 2007... Q Why is it that every time I get a new game for my PlayStation 3, it needs a software update? Is that the case with all 3D gaming systems? A The easiest answer is that the PlayStation 3, as a relatively young console, has yet to be...

Bug zappers.(DIY TECH)
October 1, 2007... Q Do I need both antivirus and spyware protection software? Are they both looking for the same thing? A You need both. The differences between spyware and viruses are somewhat academic to the average user, since they both seem to have the...

Broadband speed test.(KNOW YOUR STUFF)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Your Internet service provider says it s offering up to 1.5Mbps, but that's the maximum speed, not necessarily what you're getting every day. So how do you know if your connection is up to snuff?. Go online to speed-test .net. It works by...

This is my job: smoke jumper.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... * JARROD SAYER * McCALL, IDAHO * YEARS ON JOB: 13 JARROD SAYER spends hours in planes--but he does his sightseeing while free-falling from 1500 ft. As a Forest Service smoke jumper in McCall, Idaho, the 35-year-old parachutes 20...