You Made an RC Out of What?

One of the things I frequently hear from my wife after I buy some new gadget -- RC or otherwise -- is "You just bought it and you're already trying to modify it or make it into something else?" Guilty. I just can't leave well enough alone. I like to tinker with things. Find new ways to use something. Make it better, faster, or just different. Whether starting from scratch or repurposing other gadgets, I like to build things. Most recently I've made a night vision device from a disposable camera and a RC battery cooling unit from PC fans and PVC and I'm in the process of putting a gas weed whacker engine into a gas-powered pocket rocket (motorcycle). Here are some other guys who won't settle for the ordinary:

• Flathead or Phillips? Here's a fellow who made an RC from a couple of cheap cordless screwdrivers. It ain't pretty but it works. This could be a fun sort of project for students (kids, be sure to ask before taking mom or dad's tools).
  
  
• Will it Climb Trees or Cut 'Em Down? Hmmm... maybe I should rethink how I use that old weed eater engine. This guy has built an RC car from scratch using a chainsaw engine for power. He's got pictures, video clips, and illustrations showing how he did it. UPDATE: The link is dead. So I went looking for more on using weed eater and chainsaw engines for RCs and here's what I found:
  • Weedies - FAQ on converting a weed eater or chainsaw engine into an RC airplane engine
  • RC Buggy with Chainsaw Engine - A discussion of how to make it work
  • Wayne's RC Experience - He describes problems and solutions using a weedwhacker engine
  • Concept RC Car - Describes and illustrates the idea of a weedeater/chainsaw engine RC