Gadgets
DIY Iron Man Arc Reactor Doesn't Run on Martinis
Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 6:30 AM on May 31, 2008
No wonder Tony Stark managed to do an arc reactor in a desert cave. According to this tutorial, you really only need some LEDs, a 9-volt battery, plywood, 22 AWG gauge copper wire, assorted resistors, and a substance called polymorph—which can be made into any shape—to create your very own virtually-unlimited power source. Or look like the geekiest homeless person at any costume party. The mask is even better.

Unfortunately, it's just papier-mâché with a great finish. What this guy fails to realise is that being Tony Stark is not a matter of arc reactors and metal suits. Tony Stark is a state of mind. One that requires cocktails—and yes, at last it's Friday. [Instructables and Instructables via Hack'n Mod]












Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
itchytooth
Posted 7:15 AM 31/5/08
@loutang82: Well I learn something new every day (or at least, every month).
@MagnoliaBoy: OOPS.
itchytooth
Stacky Botrus
Posted 7:09 AM 31/5/08
@DeadWriter:
ROCK AND ROLL!!!
Stacky Botrus
MagnoliaBoy
Posted 7:09 AM 31/5/08
@itchytooth: That's DOOM, all caps, no trick spelin'.
MagnoliaBoy
tek_nic
Posted 7:04 AM 31/5/08
Just a couple things... dont attach it to your shirt. That makes you look all saggy and it runis the effect. Instead, I would get some good 3M or something, and temporarily glue or tape it to my chest.
Oh, and buy a smaller shirt, lol. It might help just a bit.
Not that I'd know or anything.
tek_nic
loutang82
Posted 7:01 AM 31/5/08
@itchytooth doom actually did get his current mask from gladiator. His original one looked more like Dr. Doom.
loutang82
lpranal
Posted 7:01 AM 31/5/08
@TheSonOfKrypton: Put Ozzy's iron man on repeat and you'll get an extra 20lbs on your bench, easy... or at least you'll get to see shaky cellphone footage of yourself on youtube
lpranal
opedog
Posted 6:59 AM 31/5/08
Jesus, Tony Stark really let himself go.
opedog
litlchamp
Posted 6:57 AM 31/5/08
muscles not included.
litlchamp
itchytooth
Posted 6:54 AM 31/5/08
@Kaiser-Machead: Quite the contrary - MF Doom has been sportin' the look since back in the day (late 90's?)
This was when the mask was brand spanking new
Before it got rusted from drinking all the brew
Stankin' too, pew
itchytooth
TheSonOfKrypton
Posted 6:53 AM 31/5/08
God damn I'd crack myself up wearing this to the gym since I already workout in a wife beater.....Yes, I know everyone else will think its stupid, but fuck them...As long as I'm laughing, that's all that matters....Amirite?
TheSonOfKrypton
Log1c
Posted 6:53 AM 31/5/08
@Rabid Penguin: Yup. And drinking indiscriminantly.
Log1c
shamoononon
Posted 6:53 AM 31/5/08
@DeadWriter: Well, makes you live longer, unlike what I would have previously imaged a urinal cake to be. Wow, i threw this off topic, sorry.
shamoononon
DeadWriter
Posted 6:51 AM 31/5/08
@shamoononon: I do have a strange diet, I'm an omnivore living as a vegan.
DeadWriter
DeadWriter
Posted 6:49 AM 31/5/08
@shamoononon: [en.wikipedia.org] - they come in many colors (mostly white and pastels). Though if you want a men's room experience sans urinal cakes, I recommend the Madonna Inn
+ Watch video
DeadWriter
Rabid Penguin
Posted 6:49 AM 31/5/08
@Log1c: And isn't that really what being Tony/Iron Man is all about?
Rabid Penguin
shamoononon
Posted 6:49 AM 31/5/08
@tucker: Sorry, I don't often venture into the mens room to check out the urinals, but thank you.
@Rabid Penguin: I guess yah learn something every day. Here i thought DeadWriter just had a really strange diet.
shamoononon
cloudnine
Posted 6:47 AM 31/5/08
LOL @ irondork... bahahaha
cloudnine
Log1c
Posted 6:47 AM 31/5/08
Also this doesn't get you laid like Tony either.
Log1c
Rabid Penguin
Posted 6:46 AM 31/5/08
@Rabid Penguin: "...make it smell..."
I'm having a serious issue today.
Rabid Penguin
tucker
Posted 6:45 AM 31/5/08
@shamoononon: Do you really not know what a urinal cake is? perhaps you are too young. hmmmm.
tucker
Rabid Penguin
Posted 6:45 AM 31/5/08
@shamoononon: You serious? It's a disc you drop into a urinal to make is smell less uriny. (see: urinal deodorizer block)
Rabid Penguin
shamoononon
Posted 6:45 AM 31/5/08
@Kaiser-Machead: UH OH!!! And with a giant spit ball machine too.
shamoononon
Vonn64
Posted 6:45 AM 31/5/08
HA. i feel bad for that guy.
:(
Vonn64
ArielWollinger
Posted 6:44 AM 31/5/08
Tony Sdork!!
ArielWollinger
Kaiser-Machead
Posted 6:44 AM 31/5/08
@itchytooth: Looks more like someone from The Roots has been raiding the prop closet from the set of Gladiator.
Kaiser-Machead
Kaiser-Machead
Posted 6:43 AM 31/5/08
And it couldn't power your dignity..
not even for fifteen minutes.
Kaiser-Machead
itchytooth
Posted 6:42 AM 31/5/08
I like this Iron Man costume more.
itchytooth
GeekyNerdGuy
Posted 6:42 AM 31/5/08
Hahahahaha. Oh man ... which commenter is that in the photo? Fess up.
Do you think he puts on his Fedora with that before he leaves the house?
GeekyNerdGuy
shamoononon
Posted 6:40 AM 31/5/08
@DeadWriter: hmmm... What's a urinal cake?
shamoononon
adamator
Posted 6:40 AM 31/5/08
I saw a fat guy wearing a green lantern logo shirt today. It made me laugh. Then, I saw this, remembered the fat guy, and laughed again.
adamator
mnit
Posted 6:38 AM 31/5/08
Until the mask is wearable I couldn't give a shit.
mnit
DeadWriter
Posted 6:36 AM 31/5/08
I hadn't realized that it looked like a glowing urinal cake until now.
DeadWriter
takashimike 2.0
Posted 6:36 AM 31/5/08
Awesome!
takashimike 2.0
Substance_D
Posted 7:44 AM 31/5/08
See the cocktail joke isn't as funny when you realize that Robert Downey Jr can't (and won't) even touch alcohol.
Substance_D
DeadWriter
Posted 7:35 AM 31/5/08
@Gary_7vn: It's nylon pellets. The name PolyMorph is a trade name. [reprap.org] has a list of sellers.
DeadWriter
logruszed
Posted 7:27 AM 31/5/08
You know what happens when you make armor like Iron Man? Your partner kills you and Graviton gets blamed for it.
logruszed
Gary_7vn
Posted 7:22 AM 31/5/08
Where can I get some of this "polymorph" stuff? And another question, when are marketers going to learn to give their products unique names that work on the google? Try googling polymorph... useless. They may as well have called it "horse" or something.
Gary_7vn
EBone
Posted 8:04 AM 31/5/08
@litlchamp: You win this thread.
EBone
dingus
Posted 7:58 AM 31/5/08
@Kaiser-Machead: He's the rocket scientist with the pocket wine list.
dingus
halfro
Posted 8:44 AM 31/5/08
RKelly + (Iron Man + glowing urinal cake) = happily ever after
halfro
ichi1
Posted 8:39 AM 31/5/08
I have not seen Iron Man can anyone please fill me in on the general plot so I can join in on conversations regarding the subject,
ichi1
LindsayJoy
Posted 8:35 AM 31/5/08
A la' Billy Joel
"Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighbourhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I'm taking a Labo
Drinkin scotch and snorting lines....
I'm in a Tony Stark state of mind"
And for those that will say Tony Stark doesn't do lines, they just don't put this in the comics. He is a playboy alcoholic billionaire that says up all night feverishly working, totally focused on fixing all the all the Avengers gadget/suit malfunctions (remember when he fixes Spidy's suit and gets Spidy senses? Sweet!) So. There. They just had to sensor that part. But you *know* its true. He just tones it down before he is gonna get laid so things...."work".
LindsayJoy
jesusdiaz
Posted 8:34 AM 31/5/08
@Substance_D: fortunately for RD jr. I can drink for two of us.
jesusdiaz
goldfinger7476
Posted 8:53 AM 31/5/08
I would totally buy this...
goldfinger7476
alowishus
Posted 9:24 AM 31/5/08
@LindsayJoy:
Naw, why do you think they call him Iron Man?
Sorry, couldn't resist.
alowishus
frndlybnny
Posted 12:48 PM 31/5/08
@shamoononon: Okay, so maybe you've never gone into a men's room, but do you not love The Simpsons?
"Mmm, urinal fresh." - Homer, in "And Maggie Makes Three" from Season 6.
frndlybnny
Brian Sexton
Posted 2:35 PM 31/5/08
I am all for arc reactors, but they should never run on martinis. Well, not good martinis, anyway.
Brian Sexton
kangaroo
Posted 5:17 PM 31/5/08
Phony Stark.
kangaroo
itchytooth
Posted 6:08 PM 31/5/08
@kswiss19: Not to sound straight, but I want to have sex with you.
itchytooth
kswiss19
Posted 5:54 PM 31/5/08
not to sound gay but 2 things wrong here. 1) the arc reactor, homemade fake 1 is to low on his chest, and 2) that guy ain't got the muscles like Robert Downy Jr.
kswiss19
sonicwind
Posted 1:09 AM 1/6/08
Awesome: seconded
sonicwind
sonicwind
Posted 1:12 AM 1/6/08
@ichi1: Imagine a story and plot made up and written by a teenage boy, add in some really great special effects and stunts. The End.
sonicwind
--Tito--
Posted 4:06 PM 1/6/08
@shamoononon: A urinal cake is something you only eat when you are drunk in a mens bathroom.
--Tito--
Crescent
Posted 10:53 PM 2/6/08
Love the picture
Crescent