Built with astounding precision and detail, this Obi Wan Kenobi lightsaber prop features a step by step DIY tutorial complete with high-res photos.  The lightsaber is machined in precision detail with an aluminum and steel body and a string of blue LEDs housed in a polycarbonate tube illuminates the saber blade.

Like a true Star Wars fan, he included the authentic touch using a speaker to mimic the classic lightsaber hum.  There is even a volume dial to control the intensity.  If you have the tools for the job, the seven pages build instructions and the high resolution photos should be enough to help you build your own.

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With the incredible variety of FPS games around, there’s no shortage of inspiration for DIY replica gun projects. The best part of this precise replica of the M8 Avenger Assault Rifle from the Mass Effect series is that it’s cheap to build.

You will need to know how to use rotary tools for cutting and beveling because the gun is fashioned from a sheet of medium density fiber (MDF) board. Most of the other parts came from recycled bits (like the spare LEDs for the muzzle flash).  Check out the full build instructions to create your own or the Flickr gallery to view more details.

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This highly customized Mercedes S600 has been decked out with nothing but Apple gear.  The customization was done by Brabus, a company which customizes high-end luxury cars.  So essentially, it’s like Steve Jobs’  CEO office suite on wheels.

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The main attraction is the 15 inch display in the middle of the vehicle which is the display for a Mac minicomputer under the rear shelf. Additionally, there are two iPads built into the seats accompanied by Bluetooth keyboards and mouse.

The entire system is can be control by the Mercedes “COMAND” system which would normally be used to control the radio, navigation, and telephone.  A 64GB Apple iPod touch takes care of the car’s audio needs and of course, all gadgets tuck into the car itself to be hidden when not in use.

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The Wi-Fi Aerial Surveillance Platform is war driving for the skies. It’s not every day that you get your hands on an US Army surplus army drone, so these hackers made the most of it by converting it into the perfect platform for seeking out Wi-Fi signals from the air.  The “W.A.S.P” flies around autonomously and begins its penetration testing. The UAV has a flight time of 30-45 minutes at a time, then returns to base with all Wi-Fi hotspots data it has collected.

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The W.A.S.P has been built with as much off-the-shelf equipment as possible. It uses an “ArduPilot” which is an Arduino-compatible autopilot board. It also uses an ITX-form-factor computer, with a 500MHz via C7 processor running Backtrack 4 does all the hard work of penetration testing. It also features an Edge/3G connection for its remote controlling feature via mobile phone. The hardware is robust enough to hack WPA as well as WEP.

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Nuka-Cola is the number 1 beverage in the post-nuclear world of the game Fallout 3.  The Nuka-Cola vending machine is similar to steampunk, but adds a unique aspect of design.  Starting with an old Vendo96 vending machine,  the builded added custom stickers to replicate a Nuka-Cola machine from the game.  As you can see in the photos, the stickers look well worn enough to belong in the post-apocalyptic world of the wasteland.

Arguably the best part of the build is a bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade which has been enhanced with a dazzling blue glow, complete with the Nuka-Cola label.  The effect is created by an aqua-blue LED taped to the bottom of the bottle.  The sticker designs and build notes are available so you can build your own Nuka-Cola Fallout replica.

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By weaving fiber optic strands as if they were yarn, this team of DIYers created a fiber optic “fabric” of sorts which features a few dozen RGB LEDs and reacts to the outside world via Twitter.  Currently, they’re raising funds to launch a company to produce the textiles, but we’re posting it here so you can be inspired to build your own.

After the strands are weaved together, groups of the strands are grouped together and aimed down the head of an LED.  Each LED is controlled via software which also connects to the web.  The electronics behind it are fairly simple and can be easily replicated using an Arduino.

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We’ve seen our fair share of replica guns from Portal, District 9, you name it.  This one, however, is the best we’ve seen thus far.  The detail and creativeness of the author is absolutely stunning on this A3-21 Plasma Rifle from Fallout 3.  The picture gallery has a few dozen photos showing the build process as well as the intricate details of the final product.

Majority of the gun was build from recycled parts and various colored LEDs were used for the stunning lighting effects.

Astounding!  I wonder how much Fallout 3 fans would pay for it on eBay?  I bet at least $3K.

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The coolest part of the mod is the arc reactor on the side of the case.  It essentially mimics the ring on the front of the Xbox.  For example, it will display the amount of controllers connected to the system, etc.  The only difference is that you won’t have to see the RRoD!  Check out the brief video below for an example:

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The mod was build by a 19 year old student and incorporates the cherry red and gold colors of the Iron Man suit in the movies. Check out more details and pics of the build.

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The ScanCam 200 is the eagle eye you would want for surveillance security of your property. Out of all of our helicopter projects, this one has the most stylish launching mechanism. The autonomous perimeter security system is actually a small UAV quad-rotored drone.  ScanCam 200 can be remotely launched from its mailbox like climate controlled hangar any time of the day or night.

Capable of autonomous launch, flight, and landing, the quadrotor drone takes off and sends out live video feed to its remote operation center. The drone surveys the ground below from the air and can navigate on its own from one point to the other. When the mission is completed, it returns to its hanger or a predefined landing spot. The mailbox-like hangar is also the docking station where ScanCam 200 recharges its battery and waits for its next launch.  Although it’s a commerical product, we’re posting it for your DIY helicopter inspiration.

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Gaming is probably one of the most common inspirations for case mods. Take this almost giant Dreadnought case mod for example from Warhammer 40,000.  This forum thread details the construction process.  It’s the extreme detailing in the props and worn metallic textures which make this build impressive.

The menacing robot also boasts moving parts like a spinning turret and the arm weaponry.  Well placed LEDs add to the look which you can check out on the video below.  Don’t miss our entire collection of case mods.

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