Sylvia's Super-Awesome Maker Show! - chemistry

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

TechNinja — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:05:42 +0000

Our latest Make Holiday Gift Guide is now out! Check it out at the link and let us know how you like it. It's a bit shorter than last years, but still quite fun.

Be sure and leave a comment, and remember that even if it's a bit too late to grab these in time for you favorite holiday, any time is a good time to get the maker you love a fun kit or make a custom personalized thingamawhatzit.

Also as news goes, we'll be ramping things up a bit in the new year with more blog posts, more full episodes and better organization (we hope!) so that more people can get the help and inspiration they need to "Get out there and make something!"

Be sure and leave us a comment here if you'd like to see something cool or just want to say hi, or use the submission form above. We read everything and get back to everyone eventually.

Sylvia shows how to etch copper

Dadmin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 23:57:21 +0000

Mini

Did you ever want to upgrade your bread-boarded circuits to something more permanent? Or maybe you’ve got a hankering to make your own metal jewelry? In this episode, I’ll show you how you can do both. With super simple copper etching. Let's go!

If you're looking to make the awesome things I did in this video, here's the resources for the Celtic Rose, and the Nootropic Design video experimenter shield.

Ep. Number

See this post on MakeZine.com

Favorite Comments

3DeityThat is bloody excellent - I've been looking for a way to make preamp and amplifier face plates. Copper and Letraset plus lacquer is expensive, looks rubbish and you're limited to what fonts you can get. This open the lid on creativity! Many thanks! :o)
DosbomberI don't think this was mentioned in the video, but if you're making a circuit board (PCB), make sure your image is reversed from how you want it to appear from the copper side. In other words, make your copper layer as through you're looking at it from the component side. If your traces and pads end up in the wrong orientation, your ICs won't install correctly and you could even damage some components. Also, a laminator works MUCH better than an iron, if you can afford one.
nicholsa55This is the next Kari Byron from mythbusters!!!
BadBadMannersSSAMMS - best thing on makemagazine.
lazrpoThis kid wins at everything.
metalx1000I always love Sylvia's show. They are simple and fun. I've seen other video on this subject, but this was explained way better. I also love the fact that she uses Linux.
whisperingsageWell, this takes the fear out of doing this. It's good to see an example.
DrDissentThis kid should be on the Discovery channel.
shegar2011the pendant was awesome :D
MattDarezThanks smart bot :D
makedaevilmageBee scientific :P
dunnoson2009Excellent mini show as always! keep it up!
TheEmeraldThis show always inspires me to make somethin'
jpoopistReally, REALLY awesome

Season

Make your own no heat Lava Lamp

Dadmin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:15:14 +0000

Mini

We'll show you how to make your own groovy lava lamp, no heat required! All you need are a few things you just might have in your kitchen.

Ep. Number

See this post on MakeZine.com

Favorite Comments

nemoDaedalusThis simply is the best Make has to offer nowadays. I subbed for the Weekend Projects, I wanna watch people actually make stuff. And I don't see that anymore. It seems Make only has vids of already completed projects: "So you guys made a fully automatic pingpong table?" Ok, I want to SEE people create a fully automatic pingpong table, and then learn from it! And imo only Sylvia shows how to do stuff - and throws in a little chemistry lesson while she's at it.
YesIamJamesAwesome video. I hope that kid keeps her passion for science.
kaikaipandaHaving studied chemistry for years, I can say this girl is gonna be a frigging amazing scientist!
musicalmike235You know, this is one of the few youtube video series hosted by a kid that is actually good. I mean it. She is actually really good.
audiomodderyou guys should see if you can get this on PBS. i would totally bribe my kid to watch stuff like this.
lptangcuangcothumbs up if you saw the oil molecule change emotion!
airsofteerSo now you have to decide whether you want to learn about molecular polarity or matter states!
TheSupertecnologywhat?! a child can work for makemagazine?! why didn´t anybody told me?! i´m going to get job now!!!

Season

Sylvia makes Crazy Putty

Dadmin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:20:31 +0000

Mini

Ep. Number

Welcome to our second episode of Sylvia’s Super Awesome Mini Maker Show! Hey! Did you know you could have fun making extended polymer chains at home with household chemicals? You bet you can! Today we’re going to make “Crazy putty!”

For this super squishy build we’ll need:

At least 4oz of white school glue (not the washable kind)
A Measuring Cup
Borax (used for cleaning)
2 bowls for mixing
And some food coloring if you want it to look cool.

First, put one cup of water in a bowl, then add in 1 teaspoon of borax (be careful not to get any in your eyes), stirring till it dissolves completely. Keep stirring! Next, take 4 oz of glue and mix it with a half cup of water in the other bowl. If you want super-awesome color putty, add the dye to the glue and water now. When it all looks ready, you can slowly pour the borax solution into the glue, and watch as it thickens up immediately before your eyes.

The glue is what’s called a polymer. Polymers are like a bunch of tiny chains inside the glue that keep from flowing like a regular liquid, and help it stick to things. When you mix in the, borax, it acts like a linker, connecting and extending all the little polymer chains of glue to form a bunch of much longer chains.

All this chain lengthening stiffens the glue and water mix, and makes it much harder to move around. It makes it almost not a liquid anymore, though it will melt if you leave it alone long enough.

Try experiment with changing the glue to borax ratio, freezing it, or letting it melt through stuff. Just make sure to not get it in your hair, clothing or carpets! Have fun and remember, get out there and make something!

See this post on MakeZine.com

Favorite Comments

mts0628Good video. if you don't like the runniness of the putty after you make it, then simply roll it in your hands; the heat from your hands and agitation will dry any excess water present. Also, you can do the same thing with equal parts of liquid starch and white glue. Fun fun fun!
ShadowJay11I think she just proved she has a higher intelligence then most people on youtube!
crafty25936ive watch 2 mini maker shows and they really are super awsome, she is gonna make kipkay lose his job
obeyme3I've never heard a child say "extended polymer chains" before.
EmpowerizationYour videos rock! mini maker show is awesome!
TheSolitaryPoetBest Make video ever!
captwasabi"Chemistry rocks!" Sylvia is my new hero!
mrdoornbosThis is one of my favorite videos on YouTube of all time. Love it!
owenmck100gr8 stuff! Well produced, entertaining v instructive, memorable. I'm impressed! thanks
TheFounderUtopiaThis is kid is so awesome, but I'm not sure I can get past the fact that I'm so intimidated by a child's intellect.
steadfast1984my kids love this segment of Make. dont stop!!!
holmoletaI absolutely love the outro song!
Loki95531The paper clip animation was great! Way to go kid!

Sylvia's Super-Awesome Maker Show! - chemistry

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

Tags

Sylvia shows how to etch copper

Ep. Number

Favorite Comments

Season

Make your own no heat Lava Lamp

Ep. Number

Favorite Comments

Season

Sylvia makes Crazy Putty

Ep. Number

Favorite Comments

Season