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Ask HN: Hacking in real life - what do you create?
Okay, I know computers are real life too... but you know what I mean. As enjoyable as coding is, I don't know if there's anything like stepping away from the computer and making physical things with your bare hands. Things you can feel, smell, and interact with. I think the Y-Combinator application actually has a field for this.
So, Hacker News, what do you make/hack when you aren't sitting at your computer?
- guynamedloren 16y agoI guess I'll get this started. - Vinyl decals for windows, walls, etc. On a whim, I bought a vinyl cutting machine a couple years ago and have been at it ever since. Sometimes I sell them to others, but I usually just do it for the pure enjoyment of seeing my ideas come to life. My walls are covered in vinyls now. - Vehicles, a never-ending project. I currently have a 2003 Suburban that I've been slowly modifying for the past year. Before that, I knew nothing about cars. Now I'm pretty sure I could take it 80% apart and put it all back together. It's got a ~5" lift, steel offroading wheels, modified exhaust, aftermarket head unit, and beefy mud tires. I've given it hell offroading and had to replace too many parts to count - but that's when the most learning happens, so it's all worth it. - Light-box? I don't even know what this is called, but I envisioned it one day and brought it to life. It's a wooden box that's 5in deep with a sheet of plexiglass on the front and a lightbulb inside. The plexiglass has a design that allows light to shine through and make really cool effects. I made one for Christmas that had a silhouette of trees and houses at the bottom with Santa and his reindeer flying above. It turned out even better than I envisioned and was one of the coolest things I've ever made.
- yuvadam 16y agoI do urban exploration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exploration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exploration).
- veb 16y agoTell us more! I'm always interested in the stories gathered by Urban Explorers...
- allwein 16y agoI'm huge into woodworking. I've been slowly replacing all my random Ikea bits with stuff that I've made myself. My favorite thing I've done so far is the full-wall built-in bookshelves that I've built in my office. Absolutely gorgeous.
- guynamedloren 16y agoVery, very cool. I actually had to check your profile to make sure that you weren't my professor, because he's doing the exact same thing right now, bookshelf wall n everything. Have any pics? I'd love to see your work.
- dandrews 16y agoTheater tech - light design. You knock yourself out for a couple of weeks, doing the day job in prime shift and then setting lights after hours, and you get a little burned out. But on opening night, when I'm sitting in the darkened control booth, you should see the smile on my face when the audience spontaneously applauds a creative light change at the beginning of a dance break.
- rick_2047 16y agoOk people I have to face the music. I just cannot sit on the computer forever! I need suggestions for a off line hobby. I am 19 and I don't have anything apart from my computer life under my belt. I did some theatre and drama, at my last year of high school I wrote, directed, produced and acted the annual day play which was heavily applauded. But after that, nothing. I cannot continue theatre as there is no easy way to go about it, no clubs or culture in my city. So what would be some hobby offline, something which takes me far away from my computer and the Internet. I think I can pick something up from this thread.
- bartonfink 16y agoRunning. Long distance running is my escape from everything. It's healthy, you can do it just about anywhere and it offers plenty of opportunities for mental games (breathing rhythms, altering your gait, some basic 'orienteering' if you don't plan out your course ahead of time).
- rick_2047 16y agoThat is something I have tried, but no I don't have time for that. I catch a college bus with 1 and half hour ride (one way) at 8am and usually hack till 2am so I cannot just wake up at 6:30 to do some running even for half an hour. I come back at 6pm so that does not leave much room either. Actually that is the whole problem, I don't have time for doing something offline.
- katieben 16y agoI choreograph Zumba dances and concoct weird foods. (:
- pdenya 16y ago113" Projection screen out of spare 2x8s and photographers white drop cloth has been my favorite build so far. Way more useful day to day though, I have a wrist rest that is far more comfortable than others I've used but unfortunately, beads are constantly leaking out of it. I put it inside a huge tube sock to stop the leaking issues and i've had no complaints ever since.