I made these frequently as a young boy, they are easy to make, parts are very cheap (if not free) and you can spend hours tweaking it!

What you need :

• About 1M (3′) Thin gauge enamel copper wire – thick enough that about three inches could support the weight of a pencil.
• Small magnet – many fridge magnets will do.
• 1xAA Battery (1.5v)
• Push pins or small finishing nails.
• Small square block of softwood (about 12 cm wide will do).
• 3cm (1.5″) diameter cylindrical object (large magic marker or C cell battery is about the right diameter.)

The Build :

Begin wrapping the copper wire around the cylindrical object 10 to 20 times leaving about 10cm (3-4″) free on each end- this will be used for the armature.  Wrap the wire a few times within the coil itself to keep the arms in place – you want to make sure they are exactly 180 degrees from each other and centered as they will be supporting the weight of the coil.  Strip the enamel off the arms  using some scissors or something sharp – they need to be totally free of enamel.

Cut two additional 10cm long pieces of wire and strip the enamel off completely – these will be the brushes and will support the armature / coil.  Now wrap each one a few times around each push pin and insert into the softwood block.  Create a small loop at the top of each brush for the armature to slide into.  Consult the (shaky) video if my writing doesn’t make any sense.

Attach the battery to each push pin with wires – it is really handy if you can find a battery chassis with the wires already attached.

I will take some steadier photos and maybe draw up a diagram if anyone wants further instruction.  All of the parts above I found at my favourite store Active Surplus for less than three dollars.  Enjoy your super fun DIY motors and feel free to submit your masterpieces – I will post them in a new article.

I have received 6 calls over the past month from readers who are having difficulty provisioning their VoIP hardware (specifically Cisco endpoints) and in most cases was able to help get the devices registered – mind you it was quite a hassle over the phone.  The biggest problem is that for the non-geeks this can be a daunting task and many don’t care to spend the time.

The good news is that we have gathered a team of developers to write a totally web based app for provisioning your endpoints with ease.  To start we will support the devices that we actually have and can test.  Within the week we plan to support the following models :

• Grandstream GXP XXXX & Budgetone Models
• Cisco 79XX series
• Several Aastra models (53i, 9143i, 480i)
• Linksys SPA94X
• Sipura SPA2102 (AKA Linksys PAP2)
• Whatever else can be found or generously donated.

We began development on the frontend which has two modes – wizard (basic) and advanced.  We have also constructed working templates for many models listed above which is probably the most tedious task.  We will offer HTTP and TFTP provisioning totally free! as well as the option to download your entire endpoint configuration to place on your own network (if you so choose).

A word on security :

Any and all data you submit to this application will be passed through an extensive encryption / decryption process and stored in the database – thus no one but you will have access to the private information.  You will actually have the ability to set your own security salt and change it if you suspect foul play (which is very unlikely).  We may also buy a CA for that extra peace of mind.

We will be adding this functionality as a module at ENUMPlus so sign up to catch first glimpse.

Anyone looking to help either with a donation of hardware or Paypal is of course much appreciated.  The more devices we can get our hot little hands on – the more we will be able to support.

After completely rewriting ENUMPlus from the ground up (2 days total) we have come much closer to a universal ENUM lookup source.  The new module can be downloaded here so install it now! Here’s why :

• The module forms a HTTP request to our API which queries many other sources and returns the most accurate address.
• There is no longer a need to add multiple lookup sources to the old enumlookup AGI.
• It audibly notifies you when the call is made over ENUM.
• You can track your calls in the panel.
• White pages / search functionality (including avatars )
• Call validation is much more stable.

If you don’t have an account, get one – registration is quick and simple and you will be a happy geek.

Check out the project page / wiki / site / sourceforge / FreePBX / voip-info / piaf for more info.

This little application will save you big time when you run out of hard drive space and begin backing up your movie collection to DVD.  Take a look at the video and download the application here.  Installation instructions can be found here.

UPDATE : An online demo is available here!

As a sole proprietor and “freelancer” it is never easy wearing all of the hats, especially when I am knee deep in bugs and get a sales or support call.  One of the most troubling issues I have is with asking for money.  I never have a problem creating the invoice but it is that bloody send button that kills me.

Because of the above – I have decided to finally get organized and put together an automated invoicing application so I don’t have to worry about billing – the computer does for me.  Basically you point your browser to a web app and adda few items to a job list – then save.  Here’s a screencast that should demo it better than I can type it :

Here’s some of the functionality summed up in a brief list.

• Add / Edit / Delete Clients
• Add / Edit / Delete Invoices
• Add / Edit / Delete Jobs
• Add / Edit / Delete Taxes
• Add / Edit / Delete Services / Products
• Auto Email Invoice
• Download PDF Invoice

It probably does a lot more but I am too excited to complete the PayPal module.

Be sure to check back for updates – a version will be available for you shortly!