Home

Make an arc welder with a car battery & pocket change

Clamps sparking during electrical connection. Stuck behind bars? Held hostage by a guy with a flamethrower? Thanks to the wise and resourceful 80s secret agent MacGyver, these problems can be resolved by a car battery, two coins and some jumper cable.

Sound absurd? Did you see this year's Superbowl MacGruber Pepsi ad? MacGyver supposedly built a plane with garbage bags and duct tape. MacGyver's writers took creative liberties (who has a car battery in jail!?!), but this arc welder was not one of them. The 12V current surges between the coins exactly like a welder you can buy at Home Depot.

Mastrik, the masterminds behind this video, are no one-hit wonders. Check out their Dry Ice Car Dent Fix and their Potato Gun for more clever projects.

Hungry for more MacGyver action? You're in luck. CBS has archived episodes to stream for free here. Enjoy.

Apple's iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 updates are packed with new features, and you can try them before almost everyone else. First, check Gadget Hacks' list of supported iPhone and iPad models, then follow the step-by-step guide to install the iOS/iPadOS 26 beta — no paid developer account required.