Brought to you by five ounces of auditory meatloaf spraying from the oven at 320 beats per minute, be sure to check out the all new episode of Cool Tools of Doom n’ Stuff! By the way, we love our SolidSmack readers! Have something cool you’ve come across and want to share it on SolidSmack? Don’t hide it in your neck skin! Send it on in to
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The SolidSmack Cool Tools of Doom n’ Stuff is GO. This short video features some of the coolest finds we’ve discovered on the web this week.
This week we look at:
DESIGN
American Felling Axe – When your run-of-the-mill axe just won’t do, be sure to check out the American Felling Axe by NYC company Best Made. This updated take on the traditional axe design is made from high carbon American steel and drop forged in North Carolina by fourth-generation axe makers. Only you can decide if it will go on the wall or into the woods with you. $275 at BestMadeCo.com
The Laundry Pod – The Laundry Pod is a $100 portable washing machine that sheds it’s power cords for human energy. This clever little salad spinner-like device uses zero electricity and less than 5 gallons of water per load. Perfect for camping, tight living spaces, and the eco-conscious, check it out at TheLaundryPod.com.
APPS
BitGym – BitGym is the new app seeking crowdfunding on Kickstarter that aims to bring the outdoors to you while you run or bike inside. Using the front-facing camera on your iPad or iPhone, the app detects your body movement and sets the pace for running through dozens of outdoor environments including the Swiss Alps, the California Coast, Hawaiian Lava Flows or dozens of other outdoor environments. While nothing can possibly replace actually being in these places, this app brings the next best thing. Check it out at Kickstarter.
Tadaa 3D – And perhaps if you do find yourself running through a lava flow on the Big Island, you may want to pull out the Tadaa 3D photo app. Using an in-app editor, a user is able to mask off portions of a photo to create a 3D effect that can then be shared on the rapidly-expanding Tadaa Instagram-like sharing network. Check that out for $3.99 on iTunes.
DIY
Disc Golf Goal – If you’ve been missing your disc golf days in college, then consider this inexpensive Disc Golf Goal project from Instructables. Using parts you can salvage around your garage or pick up at Lowe’s for less than $75, you can build your very own mini-disc golf course in your back yard. Check it out at Instructables.
File to Knife – If, while rummaging through your garage for Disc Golf Goal parts, you happen to find some old discarded metal files, consider this ‘File to Knife’ project from Instructables as well. You’ll learn everything from shaping your blade and making the grind to designing and creating the handle over the course of a weekend. Get yourself a box of band-aids and check it out at Instructables.
ROCK AWESOMENESS
Mount Everest Basejump – Red Bull is at it again with their world-record feats. This past week, Red Bull-sponsored Russian daredevil Valery Rosov’s basejump off the North Face of Mount Everest at 23, 688 feet above sea level. After four days of continuous climbing, Rosov finally broke the record despite hazardous weather and temperatures. Check out the full video on YouTube.
Elon Musk is Tony Stark – And finally, Elon Musk—-the man of the hour with all things high tech has announced plans to turn an Iron Man-inspired gesture-controlled rocket design into reality. Musk has even been compared to the Iron Man himself Mr. Tony Stark with his devotion to the advancements of all things tech. According to his Twitter feed, we’ll be seeing a video next week of Musk and team designing a rocket with hand gestures and then immediately printing it in titanium. Keep yours eyes peeled for updates on SolidSmack
What’s on cadjunkie?
We’ve still got our Power-Surfacing sub-division mini-series for SolidWorks running strong but keep an eye out for a new Power Surfacing series on the horizon. As always, be sure to head over to cadjunkie.com for a free membership and check those out!
What’s on Engineer vs Designer?
What’s on EngineerVsDesigner? This week we’re talking with the cool cats over at Canary, the Indiegogo sensation that aims to replace home security with a multi-sensored home monitoring device. We’ll talk with the guys behind the design and find out more about how they made crowdfunding work for them. Check it out at EngineerVsDesigner.com or here on SolidSmack. Rock!
Ask SolidSmack
And there you have it! Send your cool tool finds to smoth@www.solidsmack.com, sign up for our newsletter there in the sidebar or ask us a question in the comments or via email about diy, design, tech or anything else. Smoth would love to help.
