Learning how to play a musical instrument is cool, but learning how to play an instrument you made yourself is way cooler. Using a long piece of wood, some screws, and a ton of Popsicle sticks, YouTuber Mash makes a working kalimba that can play some sick, wood-slapping tunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMwvsVVlCuw&ab_channel=Mash Drilling Rows of Holes After…
From the grade school playground to late-night drinking conversations, one question has always been a constant topic: “Where would you emerge if you dug a hole straight through the planet?” Usually, answers like “China” or “America” would be enough to end the discussion. But sometimes, due to either intoxication or inquisitiveness, those one-word responses turn…
When you think of doctors, three things usually come to mind: white coats, stethoscopes, and the exorbitant fees you have to pay after visiting them. While we can’t do much about the first to third stuff mentioned (at least until fashion industry makes lab coats trendy and healthcare becomes more affordable), it is far easier…
We all know about naturally reflective surfaces, but who knew you could apply the same effect with a bottle of paint? Dan Rodo of TheDanocracy recently tested out a bottle of Culture Hustle’s MIRROR, a solvent-based paint that turns any surface into an insanely chrome-like and reflective surface. For £29.99 (a little more than 40…
It can be baffling how CAD encompasses a seemingly infinite number of fields: from animation, to product prototyping, to homemade 3D printing. Matt Rittman is a practitioner in one of these many fields. He’s a 3D generalist and a motion designer, to be more specific. He is eager to share his knowledge of Cinema 4D…
We’ve covered numerous matchstick chain reactions in the past, but none of them have ever been lit underwater. It makes sense, really. Why (or how) could you make flammable material ignite underwater, much less make a flaming chain of art? As it turns out, all you need is a bunch of match sulfur (the red…
I don’t know about you guys, but I still keep a piggy bank around to store my coins. There’s something cathartic about having a place to store loose change and seeing how much you are able to save once the container gets full and it’s time to pop that piggy. They can dress it up…
You’ve seen footage of people using lathes before, but those sane individuals usually use hard, solid objects like wood or plastic to create their masterpieces. What you don’t see so often is a person taking something flimsy like paper to a heavy-duty lathe. And yet, this is exactly what YouTube channel Wood Workshop did. Using…
We all love our smartphones. And sometimes, living without them seems impossible. Heck, I’m holding mine right now and the only thing stopping me from kissing it is the sensitive touchscreen. But after seeing this deep cleaning video collaboration by Insider and phone and tech repair business Phone Repair Craft, I might just think twice…
Baseball: the good-old American pastime (apart from mowing the lawn on Sundays, that is). Contrary to popular belief, the earliest known recorded publication of baseball was found in England all the way back in 1744 and was brought to Canada by the English, which eventually made its way to America. Now there’s your history lesson…
We’ve seen LEGO stop motion cooking videos before, but it’s even cooler to see a bunch of different small, inedible objects being used to mimic larger, edible ingredients. In one of his many stop motion videos, YouTuber Tomosteen utilizes every color of dice imaginable as well as a bunch of other items to create a…
Hey, it’s 2021! Though we may be living in the 21st century, swords and sword making has been around since at least the 17th or 16th century B.C. Why has such an ancient art survived so long? Well, apart from swords looking really cool and being a source of income for many a swordsmith, they…
With 2020 the way it is, celebrating Christmas might be a bit lonely for some. Maybe you’ve been cooped up “two weeks” already. Maybe you’ve thrown off the restraints of government tyranny. Either way, everyone needs a good hug. You can’t do much about social distancing and the rampant virtue signaling, but you can do…
With 4K screens the norm nowadays, you would think there are many an option for portable 4K displays. Well, there are. There are just a couple of problems. First of all, there are a lot of options. Second, the combo of 4K, touchscreen, and features means a price point that skimps on one or the…
German startup iFactory3D has now launched their inexpensive belt 3D printer on Kickstarter. Inspired by the 3D print community, Artur Steffen and Martin Huber developed an open source belt 3D printer design way back in 2018. They posted this design on Thingiverse, and apparently received demand from visitors to provide a kit to build the…
Well, they’ve done it. They’ve hacked into our brains. Barely a day after my neurons were all a-buzz with interstitial activity over the thoughts of the next-generation console as “mini-fridge”, Microsoft busted out a premier release of a CGI trailer for their new Xbox Series X Fridge and it’s slick! Now I’m pretty sure they…
Reproductions of the classic Darth Vader helmet can be found all over the web. I’ve seen them in construction paper and EVA foam. But when it comes to Darth Vader constructed in metal, the Gold Point Props (GPP) build is as epic as the voice behind the mask! Finding this video afforded a welcomed moment to reminisce of…
It’s always fun to watch someone repair something that looks beyond the point of fixing. It takes vision, creativity, and some serious craftsmanship. An this is what’s on display at The Small Workshop (TSW) YouTube channel. Man, what they can do is just crazy! The channel features homemade tools and workshop projects specializing in wood…
Ah, the shower – the last bastion of human privacy. In it, relief is attained, life-changing decisions are made, and some of the best acoustics can be found. Anyone can be whoever they want to be in the shower, even a Grammy-award winning singer. So why not up the ante and add some tunes during…
Adobe announced the coming availability of a new feature in their Capture app: Scantastic. The Capture app, which is available for iOS and Android platforms, has been around for a while and has been used in the Adobe ecosystem for capturing vector graphics. One of the frequently used functions in graphics arts is to convert…
Mezco Fabrication creates all sorts of custom metal fab projects. You may remember the 12 gauge desk organizer we featured a while back, design by Bryan Lagrange, CAD Manager at Mezco. Well, recently he shared a very cool, custom fire pit design which includes a top cover that converts it into a chimenea. Based in…
MakerOS produces a cloud-based system designed to assist companies “making” things for others. While that sounds straightforward, it’s actually quite a complex set of tasks: product designs must be iterated, discussed with clients, invoices sent, files shared, and more. All of this must be tracked as well, and done at scale. MakerOS provides a platform…
Have you ever sat on a chair and thought, “Man, I wish there was a more comfortable place to sit”? Well, there is – it’s called the sofa. Still, the limitations of the conventional office chair limit you to sitting, ooooor shifting from one butt cheek to the other. Try sitting another way and you’ll…
With just 88 of them made worldwide, the Aston Martin V12 definitely fits the bill when it comes to rare cars. By combining elements from some of the car company’s most revered models and infusing them with aeronautical design, the Aston Martin V12 feels very much like the culmination of all their work built under…
An incredible demonstration of the capabilities of belt 3D printers has been completed: a 20 foot (6-meter) long part has been produced. Karl Brown of NAK 3D Designs achieved this incredible feat on a pre-release version of the upcoming 3DPrintMill from Creality, likely as a demonstration of its capability. Belt 3D Printers Belt 3D printers…
Crocs, Inc. is an American company based in Niwot, Colorado that offers comfortable leisure footwear and is known for innovation. In 2020 Crocs sales have surged partly due to people staying at home in response to COVID-19. The company saw a 14% increase in March 2020 when compared to 2019 sales numbers. Crocs has done…
Different pillow types fit different people. I, for instance, like rock-hard pillows and can’t stand pillows that are too soft and airy. You might think the opposite, which is why pillow companies work tirelessly to create a wide variety of choices for those with distinct sleeping patterns and behaviors. There have been countless attempts to…
It’s always nice to see old machines get a new lease on life, and old cars are no exception. After digging their 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck out of the junk yar, the guys at Hagerty decided to take it apart and restore it to its former glory. While they have taken the liberty to fix…
If you’ve always dreamed of making your own robot or love the STEMI Hexapod bot but never had the technical know-how to do so, then boy do I have just the robotic dog for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEhJzbhxm8A&ab_channel=RongzhongLi The Bittle may not be the giant, Gundam-sized mech of your dreams, but it’ll definitely get you started in…
I’m reading a fascinating story about how a small motorsport company is using 3D printing in a very different way. The company is Finland-based JML-Sports, which is an automotive company specializing in rebuilding decades-old “cult cars”, like the Toyota Celica or the Mitsubishi Lancer. It’s the brainchild of Finnish rally car driver Jari-Matti Latvala, Latvala…
It’s one thing to make a stunning light fixture, but it’s another thing to make a statement with it using a whole different medium. San Francisco-based industrial designer John Mauriello is well-known for his ability to create eye-catching and functional designs, but the effort that went into his Coral Lamp Lighting Collection is something else…
We’ve covered our share of multi-tools in the past, from the classic Leatherman all the way to the heavy-duty COMBAR. But none of these tools are as small as the one I’m going to show you today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9PCm2J9SE0 The Claw by London-based design company Malboro & Kane is a multi-tool that measures only 18mm. That’s…
BMF has released details about their new industrial-grade 3D printer targeting the micro parts market – the microArch S240. Projection Micro-Stereolithography The Boston-based company has been on our pages earlier this year when they revealed their technology. The resin-based 3D printing process they use is called “PμSL”, for “Projection Micro-Stereolithography”. PμSL is able to achieve…
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on BLACKHAND, who has since taken a break from his famous matchstick creations to focus on less flammable projects. His latest work isn’t as grand as the others but it’s definitely going to interest you if you enjoy playing racing games on your mobile phone. Using pieces…
There’s rarely worse pain in life than stepping on a stray LEGO block (and I speak from experience). First-world problems, right? Yet, it’s sad so many floors are littered with LEGOs. We could blame the kiddos, but… we buy the LEGOs, encourage their imagination and, dogonit, there’ll be time to have a clean house after…
We may not all have a complete scientific understanding on how radio frequency identification (RFID) works, but we do know it plays an integral role in how our credit and debit cards transmit data, and includes our passports and driver’s licenses. Should someone happen to use an RFID scanner without your knowledge, they can easily…
With months of self-isolation getting to him, YouTuber The Q thought it would be a good idea to buy a pair of Nike Air Force shoes. He must not have thought too far ahead however, because now he has a new pair of shoes with nowhere to run. What’s one to do? Recreate the same…
Software company nTopology has announced a hefty Series C funding round set to accelerate its offerings of engineering design tools for advanced manufacturing. The $40 million round is led by Insight Partners and joined by Grant Verstandig and existing venture partners Root, Canaan, DCVC, and Haystack. Insight Partners’ Josh Fredberg is joining the nTopology Board…
For some, using a CNC machine may be an intimidating skill. If you don’t have access to one or someone who knows how to use one – nevermind the cost of most commercial CNC machines – it’s difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, desktop CNC machines are becoming more prevalent. The CNC ONE is…
If you’ve never watched a Studio Ghibli movie before, stop what you are doing and watch one now. From ever-popular classics like My Neighbor Totoro to the most recent 2014 release When Marnie Was There, the distinct art style, animations, and methods of storytelling are wholly unique and what I like to call, “classic Disney…
I bumped into a 3D print accessory I’d never heard of, and think it’s a pretty good idea. The accessory is “Plastic Repellent Paint”, distributed by Slice Engineering. They are a reseller of unusual components for 3D printing since 2017, and their product line consists of a few exotic hot ends, replacement parts, accessories, and…
It seems that Creality is developing a belt-driven 3D printer, and that has several implications. Creality is well-known for producing several very popular and inexpensive desktop 3D printers that have gained lasting places in the community. The CR-10 was perhaps their first big hit, followed by the immensely successful Ender 3. Most recently they updated…
While most people remember the Nintendo Game Boy as one of the first portable game devices, they tend to forget the number of peripherals you could attach to it: a modded backlight to illuminate the screen, a Game Link Cable to connect two or more Game Boys together, the list of accessories goes on and…
MakerBot announced a new service called MakerBot CloudPrint, which is intended to deliver a seamless 3D printing experience to clients. MakerBot Print Up to now MakerBot 3D printer operators would use MakerBot Print to prepare and schedule jobs for attached MakerBot devices. That tool has been around for several years, and it’s proven to be…
For those who are only familiar with its Minecraft counterpart, obsidian is a volcanic glass formed when lava cools so quickly that a crystalline structure is unable to form. It isn’t terribly hard to find either, so maker Patrick Adair decided to combine his love of Minecraft with his love of making things to craft…
Without a doubt, if ever a virtual reality was needed, 2020 is it. With the insanity of social distancing, self-isolation, and tyrannical mandates looming, it’s important to get your exercise and stay healthy. With that, we need equally ridiculous, yet helpful products to make lockdowns bearable. While you SHOULD just GO OUTSIDE for a walk…
Or rather, for a sports car, but it’s a start. As of the moment, Porsche has succeeded in 3D printing production-grade pistons for the engine of their newest 911 sports car, the 911 GT2 RS. Now you might wonder why Porsche didn’t try putting 3D printed pistons on a vehicle with less demanding speed capabilities.…
You’ve spent countless hours and thousands of dollars on it, but have you ever wondered about what goes on inside your car whilst you’re driving it? Thanks to modern technology, Matt Mikka of Warped Perception helps answer at least ONE question mechanics and drivers have pondered: “Just what happens inside a car tire while it’s…
There’s now at least one new app that takes advantage of Apple’s new LIDAR capability. A few months ago Apple unexpectedly announced a new iPad Pro model equipped with LIDAR. LIDAR is a range-sensing technology that is often used in high-end equipment for 3D scanning, particularly for landscapes. Seeing it appear in an affordable consumer…
For those of you who don’t have the free time to play them, Cuphead is a side-scrolling, run-and-gun videogame created by StudioMDHR for the Xbox One and PC back in 2017. Heavily inspired by old 1930s cartoons, the game is famous for its hand-drawn animations, authentic watercolor backgrounds, and jazz music. To commemorate the game’s…
