2024 was a tough year. Maker Faires are happening all over the world, and in our last guide we featured 77 new boards and published 137 projects. make: magazine. So we thought it was a good time to look back at some of our favorite projects. If you have time to make Please let me know! We’d love to hear if they inspired you to start something of your own. If this is your first time looking at these projects, congratulations! A fun adventure awaits!
Build Bot Cuddly Edition
Debra Ansell has created a number of cute companion bots. If you love making fluffy robots or animating stuffed animals, try building one. Rosie the Radiant Rodent make: Volume 88 It could be your next project in 2025. It also makes a unique and wonderful gift for the next holiday season.
DIY graffiti projector
Your 2024 is a lotyou may already be planning lots of outdoor activities this year. If so, check this DIY graffiti projector make: Volume 88 Written by Claire Danielle Cassidy. Cheap and compact, suitable for temporarily shouting your thoughts from the top of a building
Let’s make a retro arcade with DIY!
Make a statement, spark nostalgia, and blast aliens. from custom arcade cabinets make: Volume 89. It’s the most popular retro gaming project for a reason (OK, there are a lot of reasons). It’s a great way to hone your woodworking basics, put your old mini computer to good use, and impress your neighbors. With endless combinations of styles, controller layouts, and graphics, you can build a machine reminiscent of a big-budget game or completely your own.
electromagnetic symphony
Every second we swim in a sea of invisible phenomena, but we are not aware of it. Perhaps you’ve wondered what it would be like to transform into a bee and see the world in ultraviolet light, or a sea turtle and feel magnetism. The EMF Symphony circuit delivers a constantly playing orchestra of electronic medleys to your ears, giving you a glimpse of what you’ve been missing. It’s also fun to swing it around and make the “Whoopee!” sound. There’s a sound. you can Get it as a kit, pre-assembled boardor Create an EMF badge from scratch.
make a tortilla press
Sometimes you need to step away from programming and PCBs. When it’s cold and you need something homemade and warm, there’s nothing better than something well-made. traditional tortilla press?This humble kitchen tool from Make: Volume 90 is made from scrap wood but will last for years.
Hey, robot!
Companion bots crawl out of your imagination and into the real world. Small development boards are getting faster, AI models are doing more with less, and we’re on the verge of having wearable robots walking around with smart conversations. Odd Jay and Shawn Hymel explore the limits of what you can build now. Detailed instructions are provided so Create your own responsive robot friend. Jorbon presented his findings at Maker Faire Bay Area this year. We can only guess what will happen next.
These were some of our favorites, but they weren’t the only projects. make: this year. Volume 91 Only one person had a real retractable lightsaber, a beauty in mathematics, and a way to detect the spy bug. And we’ll teach readers how to make a battery out of your thirsty drink, 3D print glittery mirror fabric, build a self-adjusting kazoo, build a nest box for your ski cabin, and more. Ta. Plus a complete 2025 board guide with 77 new boards. If you want to read all this, you should support us make: and your (print or digital) Copy of the magazine.
