Mad Scientist Gear Part 2: Door Handles
Nothing like an entrance to your evil lair that proclaims “Mad Scientist At Work!” to thwart angry mobs or worse - roommates. I’ve devised a basic solution: valve door handles like the ones found on a Submarine hatch.
This handle gives the impression that there is dangerous substances sealed within. This also could be mistaken for a bomb shelter or a panic room. All three impressions would mess with people actually.
The basic doorknob one is functional, the large one affixed to the middle of the door is for decoration. You could even paint the door silver and glue a bunch of bolts to the perimeter to complete the look.
I was very surprised that the valve doorknob handle does not exist - commercially or as a homebrew device. I figured the Steampunk community would have beat me to it by now. You’re asleep at the wheel, Steampunkers! Ha. Wheel.
Share this:
Mad Scientist Gear Part 1: Light Switches
It recently dawned on me that I tend to laugh maniacally and wring my hands just before I hit the ‘Publish’ button for every post, so therefore I must have a Mad Scientist complex. As I began to cope with this realization, I thought it would be best to come up with some ideas that would suit my lifestyle.
So I begin the Mad Scientist series with a pair of light switch designs, both of which resemble an old-school industrial fuse box lever. These simple accessories are often equated to Doc Brown or Dr. Frankenstein, where the act of flipping the switch was the moment of truth - there was no turning back.
Share this:
HE-MAN Blu-Ray Case
Here we have a He-Man Blu-Ray case that essentially emulates the original Castle Greyskull toy playset. The toy’s simple clamshell design makes for a versatile box set. 
It opens up just like the playset, with all the discs placed on swing-out trays. The back of the case could enlarged to fit as many discs as needed.
It would be nice if such a case came with a mini He-Man (as seen in the first picture) to truly make it a playset or just something that would look good on the shelf.
Share this:
Insert Coin Game Console
This is a fun concept: a video game console in the shape of a giant “Insert Coin” slot, much like what you’d find on an arcade cabinet. The coin slot operates as the disc slot.
Share this:
If IKEA Made Geeky Furniture Part 13: Zombies
If IKEA Made Geeky Furniture is a series of concepts, they do not exist.Let’s be honest, many of us look like reanimated corpses when we wake up in the morning. That universal trait is probably what inspired the creation of Zombies in the first place.
And now you can have a bed frame that will compliment your horrendous morning state - a morgue slab. All you need to complete the look is to cover your bedroom walls with white tiles and install a few flickering fluorescent light tubes.
Apologies for going all dark and macabre for this one. Death is a squirmy topic for many. However Zombies have become a huge geek staple this past decade (perhaps to the point of over-saturation), so their inclusion here on my blog was unavoidable.
But what is avoidable are Google image searches for ‘Morgue’. That poop is messed. I just wanted some reference, not a gruesome George Romero slide show.
Speaking of Romero I am convinced that he, and probably Stephen King, have a bed like this. That’s how they roll.
This frame features a few cabinets to store some junk. The front feet are placed in a more centralized location to give the appearance the slab is floating. The mattress does not retract. Though I could probably design a Murphy Bed that has the facade of a morgue storage container - maybe another time.
Share this:
Monsters Inc Blu-Ray Update, Fathead Design
I feel the Scare Floor Door System from Monsters Inc. would make for an excellent Fathead design. Fatheads are those large decals which are affixed to walls, usually depicting sports teams or pop culture items. You can head to the official Fathead site and check out their selection.
Basically you’d have two large Fatheads flanking the door, and a smaller Fathead on top of the door. A bunch of small flower Fatheads would then complete the look:
The problem is you’d need a door that has a central location, and is not near a corner wall, allowing for both flanking Fatheads. But the beauty of this design is that you could place the Fatheads on either side of the door.
Share this:
Geek Bling Part 4: The Iron Giant
In the film The Iron Giant, the titular character idolizes Superman, and in one scene wears an ‘S’ around his neck (below). I feel it would work as a necklace, tie clip, or cufflinks, much like the Superman insignnia does.
