cool 68     howto 56     
diy 51     unique 50     
home 46     invention 43     
efficiency 39     gadgets 38     
green 34     energy 32     
fun 31     kitchen 27     
renovations 25     basement 24     
tips 21     automation 20     
electricity 18     theatre 17     
handy 16     art 16     

All tags 401


 
Web HouseHacker.com


A stripped down, links-only HouseHacker.com.

HouseHacker is sort of dedicated to bringing you the goods on home improvement, household gadgetry, DIY, cool furniture, yada, yada...

HouseHacker.com RSS Feed
Add HouseHacker.com to My Yahoo
Preview Feed in Google Reader




NOTICE: Large moosehead wall lights have finally been invented.

360 Modern is a real estate firm in the Pacific Northwest U.S. that specializes in modern homes. Beautiful stuff.

Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.

This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.

For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing

Puzzle carpet.

This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.

Super creative bathroom tiles.

Skinny house in Brazil.

Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger

WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.

Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.

Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.

Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.

Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.

Save the Internet.

Great Pac-Man bathroom tile work.

Crazy toaster from the future TODAY!

Here is a nice napkin folding howto site with clean pictures and straightforward instructions. I think the shirt's my favourite.

DIY T-Shirt Rack via Instructables.







Househacker/tags/vulcanus

Another Update on the Vulcanus Microwave Hot Water Heater

A couple of years ago there was a Canadian company called Pulsar Advanced Technologies that announced that they were close to launching a Microwave based (instant) hot water heater, called the Vulcanus MK IV. There were a fair amount of stories on the net at the time, as it sounded like an interesting idea:

Powered by electricity and unaffected by the volatile gas markets, the Vulcanus MK4 can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more. The Vulcanus MK4 is the size of a stereo speaker with a sleek modern look, making it ideal for condos and apartments, while powerful enough to serve the needs of any size family.

Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper ran the original story about the Vulcanus in November of 2005.

Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, it's now looking like the product is vaporware. The company's original website, Pulsar-at.com is now just some sort of placeholder site with faux content. The web address the company eventually moved to is also just a spamsite: Pulstech.com.

It's unlikely anyone is too shocked, given the delays and comments like this one from February of last year, where the Pulsar people told an email inquirer that they weren't planning on releasing the product at any point in the year, and this was about 14 months after the Globe and Mail ran the Vulcanus launch story in 2005.

More Info on the Vulcanus MK4 Microwave Hot Water Heater

Looks like the people from Pulsar Advanced Technologies, the inventors of the Vulcanus MK4 (now apparently the "Mark 4")microwave based hot water heater, have updated their website, adding some details on the unit:

The Vulcanus Mark 4, is a state of the art microwave hot water delivery system for the 21st Century. It is a containment field otherwise known as a Faraday box, much like the ones used in your microwave oven at home. The unit size is 24x14x7.5 and weighs only 20lbs. It was designed to save on construction costs, as a boiler room is no longer necessary but was made esthetically appealing so that it could fit as a ?stand alone? fixture. Its compact size allows the Contractor, Plumber or Developer the versatility to place the unit as close or as distant to the water outlets as is desirable.

Also, some details from the gas to microwave comparison page:

  • Electricity used only when required
  • No storage tank
  • Can fit on wall or closet
  • Eliminates possible bacterial growth
  • Corrosion of elements - nil
  • Unlimited hot water
  • Gas infrastructure not required
  • 20 year life span
  • Weight-20lbs

    It looks the company will be showcasing the Mark 4 at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas in May, 2006.
  •        



    Update on the Vulcanus MK4 Microwave Water Heater

    In the original post about the Vulcanus MK4 microwave based water heater, the Pulsar Advanced Technologies website found in the Globe and Mail article turned out to be a work in progress. It looks as though the Pulsar Advanced Technologies people have another website, found here. Website number two has some actual information on the Vulcanus MK4, including a FAQ and a tiny picture, seen here. Apparently PAT, as I call them, are developing two models:

    To begin with, we have two models whose function is to deliver two temperatures to several points of use. The first model has the capabilities to go from 35F-140F within seconds and supply multiple outlets concurrently. That is to say that this base model can service a bath/shower, and all other household faucets endlessly. The second model is equally fluid, but through a secondary thermostat control will deliver water at a higher temperature to service dishwashers and washing machines along with the various bathroom and kitchen amenities.

    Stay tuned...

    New Microwave Based Water Heater Announced

    It's all about instant hot water these days. According to Canada's Globe and Mail, a company called Pulsar Advanced Technologies is about to announce a product that uses microwave technology to instantly heat hot water. According to the article, the Vulcanus MK4 "can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more. The Vulcanus MK4 is the size of a stereo speaker with a sleek modern look, making it ideal for condos and apartments, while powerful enough to serve the needs of any size family." This is exciting news for anyone tired of being at the mercy of natural gas prices, not to mention those just looking to reduce their energy footprint.

    Recent stuff from HouseHacker: