Category Archives: DIY

DIY Powder Coating is CHEAP, FUN, and EASY! (Yeti Cup with Harbor Freight System)

Want a powder coated Yeti cup, but don’t want to pay $65 dollars? Get a Harbor Freight powder coating gun, a couple Ozark stainless steel cups and do it yourself instead!

We got the powder coating system on sale for $50 and bought a few cups from Wal-mart. The results were impressive. With absolutely no experience we created something that I wouldn’t hesitate to sell on Etsy. With a little practice you could become very proficient at this. Because the paint is so forgiving it’s a very good beginner DIY project too.

The powder coat gun we used (amazon affiliate):
https://amzn.to/2o8eoLH

The Laser Thermometer Gun I Used:
https://amzn.to/2pWlYWa

Power Locks on Base Model Truck for $25

Our new Dodge 3500 Dually was a great deal, but it didn’t come with power locks or windows. Getting Hudson in and out of a car without power locks is a chore so I decided to buy some universal power door actuators and install them myself. Total cost was under $30 dollars and now our truck has remote entry!

Here’s the kit I used (amazon affiliate link):
https://amzn.to/2nF2jw7

The switch I connected to the brown and white wires:
https://amzn.to/2mIJqsV

A couple of notes if you’re installing a similar system on your own Dodge truck:

I had to reverse the wires for the front doors because the motors were “pushing” to lock. Just swap blue and green. The parking light wires were hidden under the fuse box in the engine compartment on the driver side. Attach your purple wires to the “white and yellow” and “white and gray” wires that come out of the blue connector (there’s 4 different white and yellow wires).

3D Printed Car Belt | Will It Run?

I don’t know why the thought occurred to me, but I had to know if my car engine would run on a 3D printed serpentine belt. I modeled my serpentine belt in Fusion 360 and then printed it out on it’s side with flexible filament.

The end result was surprisingly strong but not very pretty. I think all of the inaccuracies in the print led to it jumping around on the pulley. This belt was used to drive the alternator and water pump, so even if it fails it won’t be catastrophic for the engine…hopefully.

Fusion 360 For Hobbyist and Woodworkers Video Course:
https://mikeandlauren.com/Fusion360Masterclass

Now, Everyone Can Afford 3D Printing (Monoprice Select Mini Review)

I’m a little late to the 3D printing game, but I finally get it. For $200 , the Monoprice Mini Select is a no brainier for anyone who’s curious about 3D printing. It’s an extremely capable machine with a small footprint. Best of all it comes pre-assembled ready to print, right out of the box.

No this video was not sponsored in any way. I just really like this printer 🙂

Fusion 360 For Hobbyist and Woodworkers Video Course:
https://mikeandlauren.com/Fusion360Masterclass

Our “Go Everywhere Vlogging Rig” for the Canon 70D

We’ve tried way too many vlogging cameras. The RX100 V was the closest thing to a perfect camera, but it lacked an external microphone jack and that stabilization just wasn’t good enough to justify $1000 dollars.

So we’re back to our trusty Canon 70D. Arguably still the best all around camera 4 years after it’s release, but just a little too bulky to carry around all the time. I set out to fix that problem with a belt clip camera holster and Rode Video Micro microphone zip tied to the side!

Stuff you saw in the video:
Canon 70D – https://amzn.to/2jHjBGF
The Belt Clip Holster – https://amzn.to/2jHOICn
The Wind Muff – https://amzn.to/2jH2sNi
The Microphone – https://amzn.to/2iT2s8O
The Shorter Pin – https://amzn.to/2iT6rm9
The Lens Cap – https://amzn.to/2iSXnxm

Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion | Pre-Build Virtual Tour

A virtual tour of our upcoming cargo trailer to tiny house/RV/camper conversion. Included is a full kitchen, Murphy bed with dining table built in, fold out shower, and expanding bathroom wall!

I designed the model in Fusion 360, a free program I think anyone interested in making things should learn, so I’m thinking about making a crash course video series.

Notify me when the Fusion 360 course is available!
https://mikeandlauren.com/Fusion360Masterclass

Sofa/Dresser Idea…

Our first priority in the cargo trailer camper conversion is to make it easy to transition between the trailer, home, and hotels. I found “luggage shelves” that I think will eliminate the need to unpack everywhere we go.

The Dust Collector:
https://amzn.to/2iOCYhi

The Automatic Vacuum Switch:
https://amzn.to/2imA2pd

The Luggage Shelves:
https://amzn.to/2iqCAFa

Back to Square One (and the Reason Why) | Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion

This week I move all the tools in the Ultimate Mobile Workshop into a temporary garage shop and strip the interior down to bare metal.

It seems crazy to take such a huge step backwards but I think this will save a lot of time in the long run.

Lark United Manufacturing:
https://www.larkunited.com