It’s still pretty chilly outside during this time of year, so why not heat things up with some barbecue? YouTube channel Totally Handy found a nifty method of turning an old propane tank into a portable grill. All you need is some paint stripper, a good rotary tool, and a little imagination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTqj2e6s_iE&ab_channel=TotallyHandy Before the…
Most of us look inside a trash bin and find a pile of hot garbage, but not Studson from Studson Studio. He finds creativity in the strangest of places, and that includes his own waste (you know what I mean). Last Christmas, inspiration instructed him to create a horror of a present: a remote-controlled train…
We’ve seen countless times how epoxy resin can be used to cure and create numerous pieces of art, but what else can it be used for? How about fixing and replacing sewage pipes? https://www.tiktok.com/@kennethkaas/video/6864977837791792390 Professional Norwegian plumber Kenneth Kass thought up an ingenious way to use mixed polymers. Instead of using heavy machinery to dig…
In these times of uncertainty and COVID (mostly COVID), it’s hard to remember how things used to be. Activities that used to be mundane, such as eating in restaurants or going to a movie theater, feel like things of the past, forever lost to memory. Eager to give some hope in these trying times, Korean…
If you want to make your steel projects stand out, you might consider bluing them. “Bluing” – the process by which steel is darkened – is more than a way of coloring metal. It also protects the steel, preventing it from oxidizing and rusting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sty5upsadY&ab_channel=mymechanicsinsights Swiss YouTuber My Mechanics Insights shows the two methods he…
As the timeless fairy tale Jack and The Beanstalk would have you know, buying stuff is cool but growing your own stuff is even cooler. Then again, growing that beanstalk led to him stealing a golden goose which led to him buying more stuff, so maybe that isn’t the best example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fei-uMvRJI&ab_channel=TheKiwiGrower A good example…
Being one of the world’s most popular toys for 90 years now, it’s no surprise that there have been many attempts to recreate LEGO’s iconic blocks. I mean, it can’t be that hard, can it? But something about the Denmark-made blocks feels different from its competition and knock-offs. The materials are sturdier, the shapes more…
Woodturning is nothing new; you see woodworkers chisel away at logs all the time. Now “cinnamon turning” – the act of turning cinnamon on a lathe – that’s something you don’t see (or smell every day). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIjzLTQdflg&ab_channel=Villywoodturning According to Villy of Villy woodturning, turning cinnamon isn’t that different than how you would turn something else…
I talked about something Harry Potter-inspired last year, so it only makes sense that this year should be The Year of the Ring. Whether you understood the story or not, you can’t deny that the props, costumes, and stellar animation helped make The Lord of The Rings movie trilogy the timeless classic it is today.…
When you think of a shooting range, you usually picture an enclosed space or maybe even an abandoned junkyard. Rarely, if ever, do you imagine it located on a busy road. And yet, the Brünnlisau shooting range in Switzerland is just that. Not only is the shooting range located near the Ausserlatterbach highway (one of…
Velcro is awesome. Whoever thought of using two fabric strips (one with tiny hooks and another with small loops) to hold things together is a downright genius. Everything would have Velcro fasteners on them if it were up to me! But alas, that can’t be the case, or can it? YouTuber KURAHITO thought the idea…
Making a milk crate shouldn’t be a big deal. I mean, it’s just a bunch of wooden planks nailed together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMYWVKd0ar0&ab_channel=omozoc And yet, there’s something special about how YouTuber omozoc made their milk crate. It could be a mixture of stop motion and cartoony sound effects, but this video is poppy, snappy, and a treat…
Helmets are supposed to protect your head. That’s what they’re for, after all. But military helmets are a bit different. While bike helmets, hard hats, and the like are supposed to prevent damage over a wide area, military helmets ensure bullets don’t penetrate through a single point. There have been many types of military helmets…
Though you could easily pull up Google to research facts for yourself, you would be missing out on the awesome animation work done by Jared Owen. He uses 3D animation software to explain things, and what better way to do so than with moving pictures made using a computer? His Statue of Liberty video, for…
Though people like to say 3D printing is an easy way to make something yourself, the materials required aren’t exactly cheap. A decent 3D printer will already set you back a couple of hundred dollars, not to mention the filament needed to print whatever it is you want to make. While he hasn’t quite found…
Washing dishes with a sponge is often a nightmare for those who can’t afford a dishwasher. Most soaps aren’t skin-friendly, while the sponge can be rough at times. Worse, the latter can turn into a breeding ground of bacteria if not replaced over time. That’s where Spongik comes in. This 3-in-one sponge set is made from natural…
Action figures are always better when they have moving parts. This wooden Chevrolet Silverado carving by YouTuber Woodworking Art is no exception. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrqoobB47FY&ab_channel=WoodworkingArt While the artist could have made a static carving and called it a day, he added a few extra pieces to give the wooden pickup some much-appreciated articulation. A Comfy Interior With Adjustable…
The holidays may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start leveling your gift wrapping skills for this year! You could improve your hand wrapping by watching a 5-minute video tutorial, or you could splurge on LEGO Technic pieces and make your own gift wrapping machine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW0lTxCEEcI&ab_channel=TheBrickWall The Brick Wall YouTube channel created this massive…
Ending the year with pure excitement can put a bit of pressure on content creators who are trying to please their followers. One of them is YouTuber Alex Apollonov of I Did A Thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOy0f_fGKAg&ab_channel=Ididathing With the pure intent to connect more with his subscribers, he did what any self-respecting content creator would do –…
You’re either a Lord of The Rings fan or a Harry Potter fan. There is no “both” or “neither”; magic fans only deal in absolutes. That said, this LEGO-domino creation by Lily Hevesh is for the Harry Potter stans. Released last June to coincide with LEGO Harry Potter’s 20th anniversary, this hodgepodge combined 25,000 dominoes with the new LEGO Harry Potter…
Whether you are the best boy scout in town or just regular folk, it’s always good to know at least one good knot that can keep things tied together. YouTuber FIRST CLASS AMATEUR has a ton of valuable tips and tricks videos you can use in your daily life, but arguably one of the most helpful is…
Even without a medical degree, the healthiest thing you can provide others has to be water. Forget all that chia seed and kale nonsense: you won’t survive a week without water. With this mindset, Kara Pure has got to be one of the healthiest things you can invest in. It’s a water harvester, purifier, and dehumidifier all…
My eyes light up at anything with a sleek design, so you can bet they were as wide as golf balls when I saw that square tube knife by YouTube knife maker Koss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_M-ChNcArg&ab_channel=Koss Koss used 01 high carbon alloy steel (non-shrinking steel which hardens in oil) for the blade of his project. He started shaping…
While I’ve written about my fair share of dangerous products, none of them are inherently made to harm people. That changes right now, as science man and YouTuber Steve Mould covered an assassin teapot too cool to pass up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJL0XoNBaac&ab_channel=SteveMould Originating in China, the assassin’s teapot was made to poison your enemies. It does this using two…
The biggest problem people have with gym balls is that they take up a lot of space when not in use. The CoreFitBall Pro seeks to solve this problem by transforming the gym ball into gym equipment and a handy piece of furniture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRad4NlNPxI&ab_channel=householdproducts A Stand for a Gym Ball? It achieves this through its stand, consisting…
Everyone loves quality keyboards. They’re fast, responsive, and let you encode your thoughts into a digital format easily. A high-end keyboard can run you up to hundreds of dollars, but you can get a good, solid one for just a couple of bucks. Or… you could also try to make one, just as YouTuber Flurples has done…
Officially, the only way you can make your Hot Wheels cars go faster on a track is by using some variation of a Hot Wheels Track Booster – a unique track piece with two spinning wheels that rev up your cars as they pass through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xV38liv_BY&ab_channel=Dr.Engine Now, you could spend money on this official piece, but where’s…
We’ve featured tons of wood-turned pieces on SolidSmack before, but never something as complicated as a double-helix goblet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl45nkMaYvY&ab_channel=JackMackWoodturning Earlier this year, YouTube channel Jack Mack Woodturning decided to turn an old piece of applewood into a goblet. The wood was a tad long, but instead of whittling it down, Jack Mack rolled with the punches and made the…
There is a lot to love about swimming, but some people don’t want to do it. Some just hate getting wet, while it’s the fear of drowning for some folks. If you belong to the latter group, Wunap is your friend. Wunap won’t completely cure your aquaphobia, but it will make you safer in the water.…
Drones are awesome. You can use them to get fantastic camera shots, spy on your neighbors, and even… drop dangerous objects to the ground?! Yeah, Alex Apollonov of I Did A Thing is back at it again. Upon getting his hands on his very own drone, the first thought that came to his mind was: “Could I…
Good product design is simple yet easy to pick up. It’s why things like the iPod were revolutionary years ago. You could pop Apple’s music player into your grandparents’ hands, and they would figure out a way to use it in minutes. But good product design can also be versatile, allowing a single object to…
Have you ever wished to enjoy a Pokémon-themed playground before? Well, it’s about to be a dream come true for kids in Japan. Well, those children who live in Fukushima, at least. You could find Chansey all over the prefecture even before this thrilling news. Then, the character just got hotter and is now the…
Average drivers of cars are content with getting from point A to point B in one piece. Other drivers – those who chase the adrenaline rush or have a death wish – want to go faster. It’s why racing has been a thing for years and why certain car companies spend tons of money to…
At first glance, these pants look just like any pair you can find in the department store. I mean, the base design for jeans hasn’t changed in over a hundred years. Surely there can’t be more to improve on it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_YdAJRj48g&ab_channel=H-NEST Think again because the 5 (+) Pocket Performance Pants are looking to bring jeans into the…
While LEGO Technic sets are not supposed to be dangerous, that does not mean people will not try to make them so. In the case of YouTube channel GazR’s Extreme Brick Machines, he found the best way to make a LEGO Technic saw as practical as its real-life counterpart: by attaching 14 LEGO motors to it.…
Though they may be inedible, I think we can all agree that LEGO food is still pretty cool, especially if captured in stop motion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyy-KAMrO3I Earlier this month, YouTuber I Like Home created a LEGO donburi sashimi bowl. While the actual dish is relatively easy to make, his LEGO version took over a month to produce. More than…
No one likes smelly odors in their living quarters, but no one likes spending tons of money on expensive air purifiers and multiple cans of toxic air fresheners. So instead of holding in your farts or wasting money, why not check out AirHero? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT-o4Lix698&ab_channel=AirHero This air purifier isn’t as expensive or energy-consuming as its electrical counterparts,…
Don’t be fooled by the clickbait title of his video; not everything in America is poorly designed in the eyes of Oliver Bahl Franke. All it boils down to are problems in transportation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K8KEoZwMRY&ab_channel=OBF To be more precise, Oliver has an issue with how American infrastructure focuses more on cars than any other mode of…
It’s almost three decades since Pixar released Toy Story 1, its first animated feature-length film. Since then, animation on the digital frontier has progressed in leaps and bounds. And yet, some things never change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0VilAhbg5U&ab_channel=Pixar In a recent video posted on the company’s YouTube channel, we got a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to…
I’ve seen some strange things encased in resin, and YouTuber Jedrek29t’s creations are always on top of that list. He’s already fossilized a McDonald’s cheeseburger and French fries, so how much weirder can he get? How about encasing a bullet shot through an egg? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWLAztznFOU&ab_channel=jedrek29t Now, to be honest, that cylindrical piece of metal you…
Buble by French company Dreemzzbox is a portable projector for kids which plays screen-free animations on the ceiling. This projector took its inspiration from planetariums and dome theaters, allowing kids to lie down and fall asleep while watching some mind-numbing shows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrxjGsGk30g&t=4s&ab_channel=dreemzzboxbuble Instead of playing Netflix or Disney+, Buble uses its in-house animations via Bublers.…
Irish poet Oscar Wilde once said that “life imitates art more than art imitates life.” In layman’s terms, it means that human beings tend to look at nature through the eyes of an artist by way of their art rather than see things as they are. It paints artists in a somewhat powerful position, making…
Making something on a 3D printer these days is easy. You upload the files to your computer, add in the filament, and you have your brand spanking new item within a couple of hours. Casting metal, on the other hand, is much more complicated. But Seth Robinson of Robinson Foundry could marry the two methods…
There are lots of lamps out there that you can buy to instantly light up your room. But sometimes, with the plethora of designs available, finding something that will match your taste can be hard. And if you have a wood-themed or minimalist room at home, you might want to consider a lamp that will…
Since the age of 3D printing things is upon us, folks at Ubunnys thought this is the perfect time to use the technology to the product that is always present in any bathroom: razors. But besides being the first-ever 3D-printed razor in the market, what can it offer you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXZXtNR5XAU&ab_channel=householdproducts To be honest, the X-ONE…
There are lots of things needed to produce the world’s most transparent ice. If you are wondering what you need to try the project at home: it’s a clothes iron. Weird, isn’t it? Well, it is not for an ice manufacturer in Japan that produces its clear blocks using the said appliance. In a video…
It’s been some time since we last had a story about Faber-Castell factories. A few years ago, the company gave viewers a tour of their pencil factory. And just last year, they gave us a closer look at their highlighter making process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQE2q-1bNZE&ab_channel=Faber-Castell It all takes place at their Engelhartszell plant in Austria. According to…
At some point in our childhood, I’m sure all of us have dragged our toy cars across the wall. It makes perfect sense as a kid: why get on our knees and push cars across the floor when a wall works just as well? Debashis Das of DD ElectroTech was reminded of this childhood pastime…
Now that the world is slowly returning back to normal, more and more people are coming out of their holes and starting to travel. But even after a hiatus from trekking, carrying and storing your luggage is still as bulky and cumbersome as it once was. LITO suitcase will save you from that. The LITO…
Rollercoasters are fun. LEGOs are also fun. Therefore, by the unspoken rule of cool, putting the two together only makes the end result much cooler. A few months ago, Chris Burton of Half-Asleep Chris took 10 LEGO roller coaster sets with the sole purpose of making a single, giant roller coaster. After opening 423 plastic…