Late last year, SolidSmack reported on master Japanese bladesmith Murray Carter of Carter Cutlery and his unique process of using a Sakamoto Tekkosho power hammer to craft world-class knives. Well, we followed up with Murray to find out a little bit more about his process, how the power hammer works…and what exactly would he like…

When the concept of a ‘3D Printing Pen’ launched a little over a year ago, it was met with equal parts “this is just freakin’ awesome” and “what the heck should I do with this thing?” Design visualization specialist, aerial cinematographer, Maker and all-around mad genius Matt Quest has created what is sure to go…

When one considers what to do with $15,000 cash money, purchasing a single skateboard is probably not very high on the list…unless said skateboard is made from gold of course. NYC artist Matt Willet met up with his father–a professional gold plater—for a father/son bonding session at Brooklyn-based Epner Technology to create what is surely…

Ahhh… the smell of freshly-cut urethane foam in the morning. The Nomad 883 delivers a 25 micrometer (.001″) repeatability on the X and Y (2.5um on the Z), a minuscule 18″ square footprint, and an impressive 8″x8″x3″ build volume… and we want it. We want it bad.

Scott Hudson of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research has created a way of using additive manufacturing to fabricate three-dimensional objects from wool and wool blend yarn. Similar to traditional ‘hard material’ 3D printers, this technique uses a CAD model to build up layers except for in this case, the…

Talk to any well-groomed gentleman who uses a straight razor to shave and he’ll tell you that once he chose to go with a straight razor, there was no going back. Aside from a closer shave, the age-old process of lathering up shave cream, wiping off the blade, and working with a potentially lethal tool…

If we go by what designer Maya Ben David says, then changes in technology and culture has influenced the way we have ‘reshaped and reconfigured’ essential systems found in our homes. Basic rudiments like plumbing and electricity have seen changes in functionality, materials and construction. Innovative approaches using 3D Printing technology are helping us take…

We’re living in a world of daily product launches. If you’re reading this, you’re likely considering your own or, at the very least, dream of making riches by bringing the ultimate, life-altering product to market. Whether that is done through crowd sourcing, investor sourcing or mother-in-law sourcing, there will always be a point when that…

Marketing and 3D printing have been going hand-in-hand quite nicely in recent memory (and why not?). Whether using additive manufacturing as a self-promotional tool or as a way to make custom Oreo cookies, it serves as a good reminder just how custom we can get with manufacturing these days. The innovative indie rock band Broken…

Between the recent developments in creating 3D printed houses, replicas of T-Rex museum displays and even carbon fiber race car parts, the limits of additive manufacturing are being pushed daily. In the past, 3D printers were commonly used for creating prototypes and one-offs in the product development process. Today however, everybody from middle school students…

Still the most iconic of all video game systems, the original NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) is arguably still just as relevant today as it was when it released in North America in 1985. With its expansive game library and lo-fi simplicity, it’s a breath of fresh air for not only retro gamers but also those…

When RobotChallenge announced it would be teaming up with Arduino and RS Components for this year’s “Hack the Arduino Robot!” competition, pocket protectors went shooting into the sky. And for good reason. The 11th annual RobotChallenge competition features innovative, and quite frankly, creepy, robot creatures, raising the bar for what a simple Arduino-bots can become.…

In case you missed the release last week of MODO 801, there were some announcements made that might be of interest to all you product designers who might still be on the fence with jumping into MODO or not. The new 801 release of the powerful modeling and rendering tool aims to make working with…

Cap chewers raise your hands! Does your BIC pen cap look like the aftermath of a five year shrapnel-testing frenzy after one day of use? The plastic… IT TASTES SO GOOD. Well, you can toss the whole pen for a fresh cap or flick that gnarled mess into your coworkers salad and slap on a…

When it comes to choosing people who you might want to be hanging out with during an apocalypse, leave it to those who are masters of upcycling…especially those who are also skilled in making crude weapons. Knife maker Trollsky of Poland recently uploaded a video to YouTube that shows his process of turning a leaf…

For the science and audio geeks out there, you might already be familiar with a Ruben’s Tube. Invented by German physicist Heinrich Rubens in 1905, the tube uses flames to demonstrate the relationship between sound waves and sound pressure that is passing through the tube. It is also commonly used at hard rock concerts where…

For the past two years, John Kiminas has been pursuing his dream of making fishing lures for a living. Having absorbed as much information as he could over this ‘research and development phase’ as he calls it, he is finally bringing his handmade lures into the world starting with a Kickstarter launch. Thankfully for us,…

It’s no surprise that among those who are the most excited about the near-future of additive manufacturing possibilities are those in the medical field. Whether it’s a neurosurgeon who is experimenting with on-demand customized skull implants or a five-year old who is suffering from Amniotic Band Syndrome, the power that a $2,000 mini-factory yields is…

Been tinkering with some science fiction-inspired car designs in your spare time? Local Motors has just announced their 3D Printed Car Design Challenge with $10,000 in prize money if you think you might have the next great 3D printed car idea. Also known as the Direct Digital Manufactured Vehicle (DDMV), the challenge aims to eliminate…

Released in 1950–and still just as relevant today as it was nearly 65 years ago–the classic Eames Shell chair was the world’s first mass-produced plastic chair. While the original design has gone through countless iterations (an example of Charles and Ray’s ode to constantly refining details), the general gist of the original design still stands…

By now a lot of people have had ‘great ideas’ for connected devices that up until now would have required weeks of research and development and a healthy dose of perseverance. While one could certainly test their ideas on a Raspberry Pi or other development board, the overall physical size prohibited creating anything wearable. New…

Ever since the original GoPro hit the extreme sports world in 2007 (2004 if you include 35mm), the footage of adrenaline junkies going faster, higher and getting more creative has been a whirlwind of fun for those of us who might not have the cajones to surf 50 foot waves or do triple backflips on…

“Dear Machinist friend, Guess what? You know that program I told you about after all that whining about, “There’s no integrated CAM solution for Autodesk Inventor! Whah hahah!!” Well, I know they taunted you with the announcement last September. Now, it is actually here. I know, I know, I accidentally swallowed some cutting oil as…

I’m sure you’ve sat at a business lunch–one that isn’t going so well–with the scene quickly reimagined as you screaming, “Tell Jabba…” and firing a blaster beneath the table to take our your would be assailant. (Yes, Han shot FIRST.) In December, Han Solo’s blaster from Star Wars was auctioned off to an anonymous buyer.…

Since they came on the scene around a year ago, botObjects and their ProDesk3D 3D printer have been criticized, ridiculed and threatened due to controversial product renderings, failed shipments, and lackluster customer service. There was even a Twitter account created for those who pre-ordered a ProDesk3D to vent their frustrations. Well, in an effort to…

With an impressive portfolio consisting of objects ranging from furniture and lighting to watches and even ‘laptop luggage’, the team of industrial designers, researchers and engineers over at Benjamin Hubert Ltd. are regularly nominated for design awards both in their native Britain as well as internationally. Working specifically with the goal of creating a sustainable…

While the MakerBot Replicator 2 has been the go-to for consumers, the $2199 (note: the price recently dropped to $1999) price tag has still been a bit of a hurdle for consumers not quite sure about the application of 3D printing in their day-to-day lives. The Micro 3D Printer just might be the first consumer-friendly…

Modla is a small 3D printing design studio that creates incredibly ornate, complex and detailed 3d printed art pieces for brands, architects, designers, artists and more. They launched just over a year ago and have already had product launches with Nike, completed an array of 3d printed architecture projects and designed all the signage for…

Gone are the days where wool is strictly associated with lumberjack socks or heavy camping sweaters…today the wonder-material is being seen in more modern garments ranging from workout apparel from the likes of Icebreaker and SmartWool to…3D printed shoes? Yes…and comfortable ones at that. The Wool Runners are a new ‘sock-less’ running shoe that takes…

You’ve heard of people with metal plates in their heads. Well, now there is a woman who can lay claim to having the first 3D printing brain cage. Yes, this is the first that a person has had their entire cranium replaced with a 3D printed implant. Surgeons at UMC Utrecht removed portion of a…

Just look at those two. Another deep, emotional conversation about 3D printed Star Trek figurines. “I’m going to squeeze this Klingon’s head,” she says. “The high resolution makes my neck tendons tingle.” he says. “I’m so glad we got 10% off the full conference pass by using the code on SolidSmack,” she reminisces. Yes, it’s…

We’ve been known to give Ben Heck a shout-out or two around here ranging from our episode of EngineerVsDesigner where Ben discusses how he got his start modifying game consoles to his more recent projects including hacking the Cubify Sense handheld 3D scanner. The latest project to come out of his workshop though is probably…

I can honestly say for the first time this year, I have a plan for the kayak paddles I keep strapped to my back 24/7. I will paddle in a 3D printed boat–The first (and most colorful) 3D printed kayak in the revolutionized world of 3d printed water craft. Jim Smith of Grass Roots Engineering…

Columbus, Ohio-based company, Knockout Concepts, is developing a mobile 3D Scanner. Their objective is to create the mobile 3D Scanner that can go wherever you go and capture whatever what you see. The 3D Scanner is a first-of-its-kind unit which contains an integrated depth sensor from Primesense, the same technology used in 3D Systems’ own…

Few items can be found in a clothes closet that really do last forever–and the items that do last forever regularly end up being some of the most prized possessions in an individual’s closet–whether it’s a pair of boots that get resoled every year or a first business suit straight out of college. Barbour jackets…

We’ve seen some pretty unique desktop speaker designs come and go over the past few years ranging from Joey Roth’s Ceramic Speakers to the custom upcycled designs over at Soundpauli. However none of these designs use a 30,000 volt arc to ionize and compress thin air to play your sweet tunes…which is what the new…

Among one of the most iconic costumes in the history of Hollywood, the Star Wars Imperial Stormtrooper costume has also been a significant inspiration for a variety of CMF directions. But how did the original and memorable design come to be? After being hired by George Lucas to help visualize the world of Star Wars…

If you’ve ever been to a sushi restaurant, chances are you’ve come in contact with the all-natural decorative and protective coating known as Urushi. Sourced from Urushi trees, this ‘natural wonder’ material was first used as an adhesive when making spears and arrows back in the stone age. Today, the liquid is applied to everything…

Where the soft calls of ocean mammals meet carefully extruded polycarbonate plastic, high-performing and beautiful surfboard fins are born. Boardshaper Roy Stuart has combined two things that will save the world: biomimicry and 3D printing. Most surfers these days ride with three fin, or ‘thruster,’ setups. Thruster fins offer a good balance of performance and…

Having received nearly 11 million views, the popular ‘Dipping my Hand in Carbon Fiber Film’ YouTube video from El Paso Powder Coating has surely inspired many to take a deeper look into the mesmerizing process of water transfer printing. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before the process worked its way over to…

Well, rock my 3D printed socks off. The Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo is coming back to NYC! Who woulda thought? I mean, last year it only shook the lower foundation of the Javits Convention Center. If you were there, you know it was a great conference and if you go this year, you’ll…

It sounded like Santa was on his way at SolidWorks World 2014… at all times. Santa wasn’t delivering overly packed innovative tech and software, but the I.D. badges everyone wore rang out that signature sound. The way the lanyard connected to the badge holder was with two loosely fitted stamped sheet metal parts. The result…

Perhaps it’s a little too early to be expecting an onslaught of hacks made from ‘discarded 3D printer parts’, but we’ll take them as they come. Using standard RepRap 3D Printer parts, Air Hockey Robot creator/madman Jose Julio has created the ultimate Air Hockey DIY project that will certainly put to use those air hockey…

There are a lot of questions we can ask when contemplating the possibilities of 3D printing. Can we 3d print a giant mechanical panther suit that enhances our agility? Will we be able to 3d print small mechanical panther suits to fit on squirrels for tournament squirrel battles? Pretty much anything having to do with…

Having been founded by aerospace engineer Greg Mark, MarkForged (or MarkForg3d) is already making waves since their debut at last week’s SolidWorks World in San Diego. Their flagship product—the Mark One 3D Printer—was on display in the Partner Pavilion and was perhaps the only product demonstration booth that had a crowd gathered day-in and day-out…

SolidWorks World 2014 has yet to officially start, but announcements and launches are already in the mix. We’re at the Stratasys Press Event this afternoon where they’ve just announced their release of the first 3 color, multi-material 3D printer–the Objet500 Connex3. This is the real deal folks. It’s available as of today with companies like…

Recreating a blooming flower is not something that one would typically associate with modeling and 3D printing with SolidWorks, however design student Richard Clarkson has accomplished just that in a recent additive manufacturing-based college class. The Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Design student put his Creative Digital Manufacturing course to good use when he…

No matter how advanced we’ve come with the latest in 3D printer capabilities ranging from resolution to materials, it is still obviously difficult to appreciate the ‘craftsmanship’ of a digitally fabricated model over a hand-built one. Take for example, this 1:60 scale model of a Boeing 777 made out of manila file folders from master…

For thousands of years, casting aqueous substances and drying them into usable forms has been a core technique in manufacturing, and one of the greatest advancements made in human technology. From ceramics and metals to glass and plastics, countless methods of casting have been invented to exhume objects from molds over the millennia. But unfortunately,…

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve seen either the FlyKly Smart Wheel or the Superpedestrian Copenhagen Wheel — probably somewhere in your Facebook News Feed. As an avid cyclist, I knew the first moment I saw the Copenhagen Wheel that I would buy one, but got pretty confused when FlyKly launched their Kickstarter campaign…