Hardware Hacks

Best Of 2008: Most Popular DIY Projects of 2008 (and All Time!)

Most Popular DIY Projects Published in 2008

First, get a load of the most recent stuff: the most-viewed DIY posts of this past year.


 * DIY Invisible Floating Bookshelf (includes video clip)
 * DIY Camera Stabilizer On-the-Cheap (includes video clip)
 * Backyard Shed Turned Home Office—See photos of a reader's awesome home-built backyard shed office.
 * Set Up Cheap Ambient Lighting with Rope Lights—Jason lights up his workspace.
 * Stash Valuables in a Full Soda Bottle (includes video clip)
 * Build Your Own Wire Photo Wall—Gina rigs up a custom wire photo wall with digital prints.
 * Build a Home Theater PC for Less than $200
 * Microwave an Instant Chocolate Cake in a Coffee Mug (includes video clip)—Gina tries the microwave coffee cup cake, and it's fascinating and gross all at once.
 * Drink Delicious Water with a Reverse Osmosis Filter—Jason installs his own water filter under the sink.
 * Turn Your Broken Laptop into an Arcade Cocktail Cabinet
 * Increase Your Privacy with $16 DIY Window Frosting—Jason frosts his windows so passerby don't see him in his skivvies.

Most Popular DIY Projects of All Time

While 2008's list is pretty good, we've had some doozies appear on these pages beyond the last 12 months. Check out our most-viewed DIY posts of all time.


 * Turn your $60 router into a $600 router—Adam soups up his Linksys router with the DD-WRT firmware.
 * Build a Hackintosh Mac for Under $800—Adam runs OS X on a home-built PC.
 * Turn a flashlight into a handheld burning laser (includes video)—Perhaps the most controversial "you'll shoot somebody's eye out" story we've ever run.
 * Transform Your Classic Xbox into a Killer Media Center—Gina takes the leap into soft-modding her classic black Xbox.
 * Make your own air conditioner
 * Boost Your Wireless Signal With a Homemade Wi-Fi Extender (includes video)
 * The Cordless Workspace (sort of)—Adam gets control of all the cables under his desk.
 * 10 ways to entertain young children for $1 or less (without the TV)
 * How to install a hard drive
 * Turn an old hard drive into an external drive

Most Popular Do-it-yourself Top 10 Listicles of 2008

If your DIY chops are more needed at home, at the office, in the garage, or with the camera, check out our most-viewed DIY top 10 lists that published this past year. These listicles package the best DIY technqiues around a certain theme.


 * Top 10 Ways to Get Cables Under Control
 * Top 10 Office Supply Hacks
 * Top 10 IKEA Furniture Mods
 * Top 10 DIY Laptop Stands
 * Top 10 Printable Paper Productivity Tools
 * Top 10 DIY Home Projects
 * Top 10 Home Automation Projects
 * Top 10 DIY Photography Tools
 * Top 10 DIY Car Hacks
 * Top 10 Summer Projects