#diy
51 episodes
#3119: How to Catalog Your Entire Home Without Losing Your Mind
One listener spent 3 years cataloging thousands of items. Here’s what he learned about systems that actually survive.
#3095: Can a $60 Dremel Engrave 4mm Lab Parts?
A $60 Dremel can engrave tiny numbers on metal — but only with the right bits, stencils, and ventilation.
#3094: Surface Prep for Markers That Last
Why 70% isopropyl is the benchmark and what to use when you can't get it in Israel.
#3071: Marking Tiny Tech Parts: Beyond the Paint Marker
Paint markers lie about line width. Here are three better ways to label tiny components.
#3062: Saving Antique Veneer: Hide Glue, Scrapers & Gel Stains
Practical advice for refinishing antique furniture with failing veneer and mismatched wood tones underneath.
#3057: Decoding the Multimeter: What That Dial Actually Does
Learn what a multimeter actually does beyond voltage—continuity, resistance, current, and how to avoid blowing it up.
#3056: How to Find Wires Before You Drill
Avoid drilling into live wires with the right tools and pattern recognition for Israeli walls.
#3055: Pegboards That Actually Work for Your Desk
How to size, mount, and accessorize a pegboard for cable management and small-item storage without buying the wrong gear.
#3054: How Dirty Is Your Reusable Water Bottle Really?
Your water bottle can be 1,800x dirtier than a toilet seat. Here's how biofilm forms and how to actually clean it.
#3043: Cold Water Without Plumbing: A Renter’s Guide
Compressor vs. thermoelectric cooling, countertop vs. floor units — what actually works in a Jerusalem summer.
#2987: How Epoxy Actually Works (It's Not Just Stronger Glue)
What makes epoxy different from superglue? The answer involves crosslinked polymers, amine hardeners, and bonds stronger than the materials they join.
#2949: Three Wall Types, One Drill: A Renovation Guide
Identify concrete, hollow block, and drywall in seconds with the tap test — and pick the right anchor every time.
#2944: How to Organize Fasteners Without Losing Your Mind
Stop rummaging through bins of mixed screws. The key is nested sub-containers and type-first sorting.
#2943: Mapping a Gamepad to Control Android Dictation
How to map an 8BitDo Micro gamepad to control dictation apps on Android without root access.
#2928: Barley Bread & Pizza: Grinding Your Own Grain at Home
Can you make 100% barley pizza? Yes—but expect a cracker crust, not Neapolitan. Here's how.
#2920: What Actually Kills an Older Manual Car
Brake fluid, timing belts, and coolant — the cheap things people skip that cost them an engine.
#2904: Cable Labels That Actually Survive a Move
Stop blaming yourself for peeling labels. Heat shrink tubes and a patch map solve the real problem.
#2888: Partitioning Israeli Rentals Without Losing Your Deposit
How to carve out workspaces and nurseries in weird Jerusalem apartment layouts without drilling.
#2885: How to Choose Your First Real Drill
Voltage numbers are misleading. Here’s what actually matters when buying a drill that will last.
#2861: DIY Customs Clearance vs Hiring a Broker
Can you clear your own imports? Technically yes. Practically? The gap between those two answers is the whole story.
#2857: What Renters in Israel Can Actually Renovate
What you can fix, paint, and upgrade in a Jerusalem rental — and how to negotiate with your landlord.
#2843: Why Solar Gadgets Fail: The Missing Battery Buffer
Why your solar USB panel can't run a Raspberry Pi — and the fix that actually works.
#2842: Fixing Your New Apartment: The Israeli Tool Kit
The eight essential tools and hardware every Israeli apartment needs — with Hebrew names and where to buy them.
#2818: The Connector Built for War Zones
The chunky military connectors in control centers aren't USB. Here's what they are, and how to use them on a laptop.
#2791: How to Pick a Marker That Actually Stays On
Why do “permanent” markers fail on plastic? The answer is polymer chemistry, not bad luck.
#2752: Why Water Flossers Beat String Floss
Water flossers beat string floss in clinical studies. Here’s what to buy and why.
#2722: The Three Things That Keep Your Home from Falling Apart
Water, air, and filters — the trinity of home maintenance that saves you thousands.
#2660: The Craft Cider Revival and the Art of Keeving
From Normandy's keeved ciders to Asturian sidra that argues with you — a global tour of craft cider's real hotspots.
#2659: The Accidental Invention That Predates the Wheel
Mead predates the wheel. Here's how to brew it at home — and why it's making a comeback.
#2608: Can You Wire Your House Like a Hotel?
Can you wire your house like a hotel? Here's what KNX costs, how it works, and how to connect it to Home Assistant.
#2599: The $200 Printer That Changed Everything
What $200 buys you for printing keycaps, cable housings, and small parts at home — with real material and environmental math.
#2542: The Best Permanent Markers That Actually Last
From ink chemistry to top brands: which markers hold up on plastic, metal, and in the sun.
#2479: The Screaming Baby Stress Test
Choosing the right headset and control method for dictation when you're holding a baby who won't stop screaming.
#2468: When Tokens Meet GPU Seconds
How to track AI spend across Open Router, Replicate, and more — without a unified dashboard.
#2440: Build Your Own CRM With AI Agents
Off-the-shelf CRMs are built for sales teams, not solo operators. Here's why building your own with AI might be smarter.
#2401: Designing Data Models That Mirror Your Work
Why 60% of small businesses hate off-the-shelf SaaS—and how to build tools that actually fit your workflow.
#2364: The $1000 Military Clock You Can Build for $30
Learn how to build a precise dual-timezone clock using an ESP32 microcontroller, LCD displays, and USB-C power.
#2099: One Pi, Two Screens: The Isolation Playbook
Stop your dashboard and Kodi from fighting over the same screen. Here’s how to split one Pi into two reliable workspaces.
#910: Beyond the $100 Trap: Building the Ultimate 4K Media Center
Stop settling for stuttering video. Herman and Corn break down how to build or buy a future-proof 4K media center that actually works.
#803: The Joy of Categorizing Everything
Stop struggling with cheap labelers. Discover the durable TZE ecosystem and the pro-level hardware needed to catalog your entire home or shed.
#721: The Two-Clock Obsession: Synchronizing Time at Home
Discover the hidden infrastructure of precise timekeeping, from atomic radio signals to building your own DIY Stratum 1 time server.
#709: The Voltage You Can't Feel
Is static electricity a real threat to your hardware? Learn why 10 volts can destroy a chip with a charge you can't even feel.
#648: When Your Moisture Meter Lies
Why does a bone-dry wall read 100% moisture? Herman and Corn demystify the physics of pinless meters and how to spot "ghost" leaks.
#566: When Cable Marketing Outruns Reality
Is DIY cable making the ultimate tech flex or a recipe for disaster? Corn and Herman break down the physics of home networking.
#561: Why Cheap Tools Cost You More
Stop ruining screws with cheap bits. Corn and Herman break down the essential high-quality tools for tech repair and home DIY projects.
#560: What an Eight-Hour Build Taught Us About Tools
Stop building on the floor and ditch the zip ties. Herman and Corn break down the essential gear for a pain-free home server build in 2026.
#500: Why Mold Smells Linger and Bleach Backfires
Is a lingering musty smell haunting your home? Discover the science of MVOCs and how to eliminate hidden mold without tearing down your walls.
#447: When Physics Limits Your Silent PC Dream
Can you move your PC to another room? Herman and Corn explore the limits of USB, HDMI, and power cables for the ultimate silent workspace.
#166: The Complexity Tax of Home Firewalls
Is OPNsense overkill for your home? Herman and Corn explore lightweight Linux alternatives for a faster, simpler, and more reliable network.
#160: The Hidden Science of Your Whiteboard
Why does your whiteboard ghost you? Corn and Herman explore the material science and chemistry behind the world’s most essential ideation surface.
#156: Build vs. Buy: The ESP32's Smart Home Reign
Discover why the ESP32 is the ultimate brain for DIY smart homes and how AI tools are revolutionizing hardware hacking for everyone.