You know what sucks? Working hundreds of hours on a project, only to have the project break right in front of you. This is the sad reality Bobby Duke had to deal with one of his sculptures. After carving a bucket and hand sculpture and painstakingly gluing thousands of pencils to create a flowing rainbow…

Normally when you make a knife, you have two main parts: the blade and the handle. The former is normally made out of some kind of metal while the latter is made from a separate material that provides a good grip like wood or rubber. While full tang knives exist (meaning the metal covers the…

We’ve seen some weird things cast in epoxy resin before, from a Godzilla bust to a McDonald’s cheeseburger, but never have we seen something as delicate as an ice cube encased in the permanent mixture. There is a good reason behind this. Since epoxy casts have to be pressurized to remove the air bubbles inside…

If you’ve recently just bought a new 3D printer, chances are your mind is going berserk thinking about the potentials your new toy has. But hold your horses! Instead of printing something as large and complex as a 3D printer or, dare I say it, a house, you might want to start your new printer…

It’s been a while since we’ve seen some good woodturning projects here on SolidSmack, so let’s take a look at something you can actually use: a coffee mug. Using an apple log as the basis of the project, woodturner Matt Jordan starts his morning by carving out a container for his cup o’ Joe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EDF4g7xpEM…

When you enter a hardware store to buy bolts, chances are you want to use them to connect or repair something. But if you’re sculptor and woodcarver Bobby Duke, you look at these fasteners as raw material with which you can craft some really small weaponry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1PQs0Yxauo&ab_channel=BobbyDukeArts Bobby takes a Bowie knife design made by…

Do you remember playing that origami football game back in school? The one where two players would take turns flicking a triangular piece of paper from one end of the “field” to the other, with the occasional field goal requiring you to flick the triangle through a goalpost made by your opponent’s hands? A YouTube…

When young couples start their new life together, they normally rent out an apartment or condo until they can afford their own house. But Gena and Vita aren’t like most couples, at least when it comes to renting out space. Instead of leaving themselves at the mercy of some landlord, they decided to make their…

Halloween is still months away, but the boring online video calls are definitely not going anywhere anytime soon. So why not spice things up with a mask that projects all sorts of digital images? A couple of years ago, Sean Hodgins thought of a cool idea for a mask. By installing a projector connected to…

Sprice Machines is both a simple and not-so-simple YouTube channel for the same reason: that it specializes solely in making Rube Goldberg machines. And while you think having a single selling point makes it easier to dream up content, it takes a highly creative mind to think up and execute new ways to oversimplify the…

The Brick Experiment Channel has taken a break from destroying every LEGO brick known to man. Today, it will indulge us with a simple LEGO gear train: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAThvwGJJoI The goal: to create the longest 1:1 LEGO gear train imaginable. The restrictions: they can only use LEGO parts to create the gear train. On top of…

Spring may be fast approaching, but it’s still pretty cold in a lot of parts of the world. So while the bodies of water in your area are still solid, why not enjoy and ride a bladed bicycle on them? Okay, let me back up a bit: a few weeks ago, DIY enthusiast The Q…

It’s always interesting to take a look at weapons from the past and see how they would have worked back in the day. While a lot of them fall under the categories of stabbing weapons, clubbed weapons, slashing weapons, and other weapons with macabre adjectives, quite a number have weird designs that aren’t so well-known…

We’ve covered wood carvings before here on SolidSmack, but it’s not often we see them made out of a single piece of wood… nor this big. Vlad Carving is a YouTube channel dedicated to the art of making giant wood carvings. In one of his videos, he carves a giant bust of a Native American,…

https://youtu.be/zJXQxtx5e4s The best way to learn something is by a technique called spaced repetition,  flashcards. I’ve made 180 flashcards so that you can pass the Solidworks CSWP with a 100% score like I did. I utilized the following resources to compose the flashcards: -Gabriel Corbett’s Linkedin Learning CSWP course *BONUS: Did you know that…

And now for your daily dose of ASMR: Metalworker and restorer my mechanics is best known for bringing rusty old machinery back to life. His YouTube channel is chock-full of restoration projects, but once in a blue moon, he decides to make something different. Armed with the newfound knowledge of creating balls using a lathe…

Quite possibly the oldest tool in known history that has taken on many forms is the hand axe. You’ve got your various one-sided axes and your double-sided axes (used in Medieval ages and cosplays), but rarely you have seen a hand axe live up to its namesake. The Metalist is a metalworker whose latest work…

Weapons are cool but do you know what’s even cooler? Making your own weapons! The YouTube channel known only as Koss is dedicated to making all types of handmade weaponry which includes swords, hammers, hatchets, and knives (which are basically smaller swords), just to name a few. In this particular case, the weaponsmith takes an…

Have you ever wondered why carpenter pencils are shaped the way they are? It wasn’t a design error or some environment-conscious carpenter trying to reuse rejected pencils from the production line. There really are a number of things a good, old construction pencil can do which a #1, #2, or even the fabled #3 pencils…

For some weird, unspoken reason, it bet you have dreamt of swimming in a pool of Jell-O before. Perhaps, triggered by subliminal product placement? Or maybe it’s just because swimming in a sea of sweetened gelatin is just something every child (and child at heart) with a sweet tooth would want. Just so you know,…

Building an underground hideout and pool with nothing but bare hands. Well, that’s not entirely true – they actually employ the use of some handy machete-like tools, as well. Nevertheless, these three men from the YouTube channel The Survival get their kicks from building astounding structures using nothing but the environment, their creativity, and their…

Don’t you just hate it when you get a flat tire? Apart from the fact that it messes into your precious driving time, you even have to bother changing the tire on the side of the road and get it vulcanized sometime later. YouTube channel Ban bekas & kerajinan has decided to make something new…

Origami, the Japanese art of folding paper into interesting shapes, is without a doubt a very delicate process. Not only you need to have the foresight for the specific shape you want to make, but you also have to be careful enough not to rip the delicate paper you’re working on. While most of us…

This is a new one: instead of making a unique project of his own, YouTuber The Q’s latest endeavor takes inspiration from none other than Homer Simpson himself. In one of the older Simpsons episodes, the iconic yellow lug creates a chair he claims no one can fall from. Rather than buying or making a…

Your bike is most likely the first thing that gave you your first experience of driving. Having your own set of wheels enables you to go wherever you want. This gives us the absolute luxury of liberation. However, what could hinder this exhilarating moment is your bike’s uncomfortable seat. Bicycle seats haven’t changed much over…

There are two types of first time LEGO builders: those who stack LEGOs randomly as high as they possibly can, and those who make impressive structures such as… cars! And while I’m still extremely proud of the 20-brick high wall I made when I was 4-years-old, I, as an adult now, see how much more…

If you thought the Death Star was the biggest LEGO set in existence, then you’re still living in the 2010s, my friend. As of November 2020, the award for the biggest, baddest set in the Denmark-based toy company’s arsenal goes to the new 9,036-piece Roman Colosseum. Just ask LEGO designer Rok Kobe, who talks about…

I jump at any chance to save the environment with my actions but sometimes, these alternatives can be a tad inconvenient. Take reusable bottles, for instance. While you definitely cut down on plastic waste, hanging on to them can be a bear! Think about the moment after your last swig of your favorite beverage. What…

With the Sony PlayStation 5 release coming up tomorrow, people continue to argue about graphics cards, processing power, and the overall mini-fridge size(?) console design. However, if you turn your eyes to the controller you’ll find an itty-bitty Easter egg your eyes might not catch at first glance. Playstation 5 Controller Design (Easter Egg!) Early…

In my drummer days I could lay down a beat! I couldn’t wait until the next time I could sit in front of a drum set. In between times, I’d take to air drumming in my bedroom imagining banging out a perfect beat. Like most things, good drum skills take consistent practice. Sadly, for a…

Have you ever wondered, “Man, wouldn’t it be cool if I could see through my computer screen?” No? Then you clearly (heh) aren’t thinking like Evan and Katelyn, the husband and wife maker duo. As YouTube creators, they’re cranking out content to show the world that making stuff isn’t as impossible and frustrating as we…

I normally don’t use laptop sleeves because, apart from making me look like a snobby, over-age yuppie, they don’t do much else. But that may change with this particular sleeve. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObN8RcHIHdQ&ab_channel=BestCrowdfundingCampaigns CHECK IT OUT IN INDIEGOGO At first glance, the Silviano looks as hoity-toity as laptop sleeves get. It’s made from genuine vegan leather sourced…

A short time ago (2009), an influential CAD exec said game technology is a sign of things to come in 3D CAD. Well, the future is looking interesting, so we wanted to take the opportunity to break down the UI/UX of the new Playstation 5. Shortly after unveiling what the PlayStation 5 hardware looks like…

The Domik Ptashki (Домик Пташки) is Russian for “bird’s house”. It also just happens to be the name of a birdhouse created by Russian design studio, Dydykin. After studying various natural nesting grounds, artificial birdhouses, and even consulting an ornithologist (“bird expert”), the studio settled on a hollow, egg-shaped, and very unique looking birdhouse. You…

As we draw near to its inevitable November 12 release this year, Sony Interactive Entertainment is doing everything in its power to hype the PlayStation 5. And IT’S WORKING. Their latest effort: having VP of Mechanical Design, Yasuhiro Ootori, bust out his tools and dismantle the console by hand: https://youtu.be/CaAY-jAjm0w Playstation 5 Teardown After a…

While most of the world’s technology has changed over the course of the century, the same can’t really be said about eyewear. Glasses and sunglasses haven’t changed much in the way of their base design – that is, they’re still a lens set suspended by frames that hang on your ears and nose. One company…

Take one look at the VersiCube and a dozen questions start popping in your head: “Is it a toy?” “How does this work?” “It this a miniature cheese grater?” Truth is, not even the creators know the full extent of this little doodad’s capabilities. So what is it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlYsOswoNlY&ab_channel=KADModelsandPrototypes The Versicube was made with three…

It’s always nice when something you buy is well-designed, but it’s even better when they’re designed to reduce waste or reuse materials. The SMĪLE modular shelves by ChopValue is the company’s latest of their homeware and decor designs, this time taking their signature style and material to the walls. Upon gathering used chopsticks from local…

Would you wear socks lined with silver? What if I told you they prevent your feet from smelling like they’ve been soaking in food scraps? I know; I didn’t believe it either. How could lining a piece of clothing with metal eliminate foot odor? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rQi9i66_DA&ab_channel=BeClothed As it turns out, the Silver Ankle Socks is not…

Imagine being able to grow your own footwear. Yep, we are talking sprouting a pair of bio sneakers in a matter of hours! Footwear designer @23_heels over on Instagram has a concept that takes a page out of nature, specifically the rapid growth of mushroom mycelium. In like manner, the shoe aesthetic bears a striking…

If you have your own workshop, have you ever wondered what you could do with used saw blades? Though dull and unusable as cutting implements, they certainly still have some life in them apart from living the rest of eternity in a recycling heap. Surely there must be something you can use these circular pieces…

With summer nearing its end and fall just around the corner, folks are starting to feel the changes in temperature. Whether it’s the heat or the cold, an air conditioned room is a welcome sight to escape the extremes of either. But what about those times when you need to work, play, or adventure in…

If you use an electric shaver, you know it’s usually the bulkiest thing you pack, and that’s not including the charging base and/or cord. You may have thought it was travel-friendly but you’ll think again after you see the Evo Shaver. For those on the road, it might just be in your top five must-have…

We all know how a guitar works: put your fingers on the strings across the frets, use your other hand to strum the strings, and BAM, you’re creating music. But what if you could change how one of those elements works entirely? Anthony Dickens’ Circle Guitar (created by engineers Jacob Boast, Luke Perkin, and Marie…

My family and I do our best to use recyclable bags for grocery shopping whenever possible. And while it’s a great way to save some pennies and tossing excess plastic bags, it’s a pain to stash bulky bags and a hassle at checkout. It needs to change and Nanobag aims to do so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGOQHiVJufo The…

We love well-designed toys here at SolidSmack but still, you may be thinking, “This is just a plastic turtle”. Well, believe it or not, this wee plastic turtle is a toy… and a bit of a dark, foreboding, guilt-laden memorial to all the marine life killed off by mindless waste disposal. But more than that,…

It may sound like a movie plot starring you and Tom Selleck, but a team of engineers at The Washington University in St. Louis, led by associate professor of biomedical engineering, Baranidharan Raman, has spent the last few years developing cyborg insects. A $750,000 grant, which was given to the team in 2016 from the…

Anyone who has spent any amount of time baking/cooking/experimenting will know the tedium of measuring ingredients but outside of pre-measured packets what could make it easier? Cass Caps work much like your ordinary measuring cups, only instead of a key ring of clinking metal cups, you have a specially designed cap-of-sorts that screws onto your…

While I’m not much of a coffee drinker (the drink I’m holding in my picture is actually tea), I know some people can’t start the day without a good cup o’ Joe. Easy when you’re at home but, when outdoors, it can be challenging to brew a solid pot of coffee. So how can you…

If you’ve ever tried to kayak before, you’ll know the real predators aren’t the ones you find in the water; they’re the ones hiding out in rental stores. Renting a kayak can cost you an arm and a leg, but what can you do? Even if you happen to have your own kayak, transporting it…