If you’re cooped up for the weekend with naught to do, here’s a simple experiment in electromagnetism you can make with your quarantine buddies/family using a couple of neodymium magnets, some copper wire, and a AA battery. While you’re at it, use it to teach the kiddos about the wonders of electromagnetism™. Let’s watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MDOerruDU…

The biggest problem with glow-in-the-dark and other types of luminous paints are how they lose their luminescence over time. With exposure to sunlight and the inevitable passage of time, these paints eventually lose their ability to project colors in the dark, eventually turning it into just another streak of dull paint. Instead of giving the…

I’ve bumped into a very interesting technique that could save an enormous amount of support material and 3D printing time. Support structures are an inevitable aspect of 3D printing: some geometries are simply not capable of being printed without support for overhangs exceeding the threshold of your device. Typically this ranges from 45 to 60…

For those unfamiliar with the term, “hydro dipping” is a unique form of graphics application that allows you to apply a hydro film to a 3-dimensional object. The Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) film, floating on the surface of a water tank, wraps the object as it is dipped into the tank. Much like you would with…

Nerf Guns: half awesome fun, half picking up foam bullets. Fact of the matter is, the color schemes are about as menacing as a rainbow. With bright colors and a chunky frame, you Nerf-emies will see you comin’ a mile away. But what if you could paint your toy gun arsenal to make it strike…

Or maybe I should say, you’ll want to buy it. If it was just a $59 dollar 3D printer… maybe. Or if it just was a giant LEGO block… maybe. But a $59 dollar, LEGO compatible 3D printer… SOLD. And that’s what the 3DFORT printer is. “3DFort 3D Printer represents a whole new kind of…

I’m reading a paper from Texas A&M University researchers that discusses the notion of using in-situ materials for additive manufacturing of buildings.  When you learn more about this concept, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it is a sweeping change in philosophy regarding construction in general, rather than simply a new material for construction…

One reason we like to feature the process behind the design is how it breaks down what may otherwise seem complicated. For maker Jimmy Diresta, the process is an artform in itself. His videos are a soothing, manufacturing-noise-only, time-lapse of a project from beginning to end. It’s no less the case in his build of…

Apart from fancy dance moves and uncanny wit, the ability to solve a Rubik’s Cube has established how eclectically cool a person is for… at least the past 40 years. But what if you knew your cube so well, you could make it solve ITSELF. Japanese designer Takashi Kaburagi of Human Controller has spent the…

I’ve received a detailed update from Photocentric regarding a spectacular improvement in their COVID-19 production rate.  If you recall, last week I reported on the Photocentric’s efforts to mass-produce a disposable ventilator valve. This component is, in some areas, in short supply and thus there could be interest in being able to produce them quickly. …

There’s nothing worse than going to an Asian restaurant with no idea how to use chopsticks. For shame. Sure, you could do the sensible thing and ask for a spoon and fork, but something in the back of your head says, “That’s just bad manners!” YouTuber The Q is back at it again, this time…

If you’re a fan of The Simpsons, you may have heard of a little show called Futurama. Made by Matt Groening, the same creator of those yellow folks from Springfield, Futurama ran for 140 episodes and featured a cryogenically preserved human being who wakes up 1,000 years in the future. One of the things he…

During the crisis, many are anxious to “do something” to help, and 3D print experts are stepping up to do their part.  Many groups and companies have organized COVID-19 projects to help hospitals, redirect their resources to manufacturing essential goods, and other ventures. But on an individual basis, it can be more challenging to figure…

Ultimaker has released a new version of Ultimaker Cura 4.5, and as usual there are a couple of very interesting new features. Ultimaker Cura, formerly known simply as Cura, is perhaps the most popular 3D print slicing system. There’s a good reason for that statistic, and it’s because Ultimaker chose to release it as an…

Everything looks cute when it’s miniaturized. But when it’s made out of LEGOs is jsut LOOKS PLAIN AWESOME. YouTube creator The Brick Wall specializes in making LEGO Technic builds, and his newest set demonstrates the magic that is a fully functional firewood factory – complete with a delivery truck and log splitter. How is wood…

It may not be as common in our uber-CGI world of today, but back when digital effects weren’t so realistic, using animatronics and puppetry was the best way to get a fictional or non-fictional beast into your movie without having to train it. The velociraptors in Jurassic Park, Gremlins, Yoda from Star Wars – these…

Matt Boyle is the VP of Engineering at Shapeways and, in a recent post from him on StackOverflow, reveals some of the methods the company uses to provide high-speed, global 3D print services.  Shapeways History Shapeways has been one of the longest-running 3D print services available to the public. They launched in the Netherlands long…

YouTube creator Kiwami Japan is famous for making hand-made knives using materials that odd, rare, and not exactly sharp to begin with. He’s made knives out of Amazon boxes, aluminum foil, and even family-friendly gelatin. In another one of his fascinating videos, he makes a knife from a single piece of solid wood. And not…

If you still have some of those old beer kegs from your college days, then you must really have a penchant for nostalgia. “Those things will come in handy someday.” Oh, I know, and I’ve got the PERFECT project. Apart from smelling like decades-old beer, those things are heavy, take up a lot of space,…

It’s highly likely that no fewer than 57 birds are watching, spying, and scheming against you at any moment of the day. All those conspiracies about avian cabal plots are between 0.5 and 1.2% true, so it only makes sense that we turn the tables and use our superior technology to divert any impending economic…

Despite being cheaper than the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, the place where the Nintendo Switch really gets your money is in the peripherals. Extra controllers, charging docks, and yes, even cartridge containers are sold separately from the base console and total just as much (if not more) than the Switch itself. We’ve covered our…

To be a good – nay, GREAT – artist or designer, you need to see the beauty in everything – a sunset, a yapping dog, a wad of lint. Some people make deceptive paper sculptures. Others make wallets out of rocks. But no matter what they use, you can bet the end result is something…

Essentium announced a pair of new materials for its high-speed 3D printer.  The Texas-based 3D printer manufacturer’s claim to fame is its highly engineered HSE series of 3D printers that can operate at 3D print speeds unseen in most other FFF devices. They are able to do so due to the precise engineering of the…

You might not recall the man’s name, but you’ve surely seen his work somewhere online. Felix Semper, a self-taught Cuban-American artist whose claim to fame is sculpture, doesn’t sculpt wood or stone; he sculpts paper. In a recent interview with WPBT2, he provided some insight into the process behind the paper sculpting that took him…

You’ve seen those fake, hollow rock hide-a-key products, but how cool would it be to use a real rock? And, taking it one step further, what if you could add a zipper and turn it into a money pouch? Well, according to avid creator The Q, all it takes is a zipper, some small power…

The biggest thing to hit 3D printing in the next few years is likely to be volumetric 3D printing. But who’s developing it? If you haven’t seen Fabbaloo’s previous questions about volumetric 3D printing on the tech, let’s start with a quick overview.  Volumetric 3D Printing Volumetric 3D Printing projects the form of an object from…

After working on the Stadtfuchs, their previous 3D printed urban bike, you would think German bike manufacturer, Urwahn Bikes, would take some time off, go for a ride, and soak in the bliss of a successful product launch. But just like the cyclists who use their bikes, there is no way these guys are slowing…

Xometry is used to shakin’ things up a bit. And while they’ve got a fair amount of info on their Materials & Finishes and quite a few spec sheets, you may have wondered how their 3D print materials stand up to face-jiggling amounts of vibration and shock. Well, in a video that addresses conditions 3D…

Researchers have developed a complex system that is able to 3D print tiny structures at very high speeds.  There are few vendors providing microscopic 3D printing today, but those that do enable the production of incredible microscopic devices, lenses, and components. Many use what’s called the “two-photon” approach, where light is focused deep within a…

Eric Haddad (LinkedIn) is the founder and Pilot in Command of 3DAeroventures, a Texas-based outfit specializing in 3D printed RC aircraft. Some are traditional, some are experimental, all show what the future holds for RC aeronautic design. 3D printing is no stranger to prop-powered aircraft, with many an STL file available for various types and…

Always one to test the limits of what’s possible, designer Daniel de Bruin makes sure to devote a little time each week to a “single day build” which aids his work. One of his more recent projects captures the process of building a CNC camera slider to help with his client work (which is already…

Recently I’ve seen moves by several 3D printer manufacturers to position their equipment for use in specific industries, and this is a strong trend. Let me explain my thinking here: years ago, when the initial 3D printing patents expired, a large number of 3D printing startups appeared. Most tended to offer very basic equipment with…

Despite it not being proven (yet), the Loch Ness Monster has its fair share of cult followers; not all of whom are as crazy as you think. Some just like the idea of a giant sea creature guarding the waters of Scotland, so much so that they want to make a giant wooden egg in…

Have you ever wondered how new machine gears get their intricate, well-defined grooves? The answer is just like anything new made in this world: through the pain and suffering of much older gears and machines. Medley’s Mechanical Engineering is an Instagram page dedicated to showing the behind-the-scenes work done by machines that make parts for…

While most of the topics we share on SolidSmack show the beneficial and awesome aspects of design, there are some which are… less than savory. Just take a look at how digital artist Simon Weckert takes advantage of Google Maps’ GPS locator technology to create his own personal traffic jam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5eL_al_m7Q Now you’re probably thinking…

If you’re a youngin’ whose neurons have just myelinated or an educator who’s responsible for bludgeoning their brain tissue with knowledge, there’s a 3D printer option you’ll want to add to your lab list – A RIZE 3D Printer. If you’re unfamiliar with RIZE, they came on the scene in 2017, introducing the RIZE ONE…

I’m looking at how a 3D print company provided colorful 3D prints for sale using commercial designs. We’ve all seen this many times, where a popular character from the movies, TV, games or other mass media has been somehow reproduced in 3D form and placed on sale. The question is whether this is done legally. …

Designers, artists, and developers are often so focused on working on their next project that they forget the little marvels which help them get to where they are. Take the simple pencil, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPb-slJH9Vs Sure, we all know it’s made of wood and lead, but a lot of time and effort goes into making…

It was bound to happen sooner or later, so it comes as no surprise when someone made a working drone using the world’s most buildable children’s toy. The Brick Experiment Channel takes LEGO blocks to the sky and shows us how to make our own toy drones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUVvQk7XLd4 The motors, propellers, and drone body are…

If you’ve watched Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, you can never forget the iconic scene where the rebels use their ships’ harpoons to trip up a couple of giant AT-AT walkers by flying through and around the machines’ legs. While it would take years to recreate such a large scale battle with real death…

You’ve seen dozens of wood builds, metalworks, and resin casts on SolidSmack, but there’s a real scarcity here on sculptures made of cheese. You heard me right: cheese. Not many people in their right mind would dare work with such a mushy, pungent, and easy expiring material, but thankfully Lawrence Becker is the exception to…

If you’ve ever wanted to get into photography but were always hindered by how expensive cameras can be, then Ethan Moses has you covered. Provided you have your own 3D printer, you only need $40 worth of filament to make his patented panoramic Cameradactyl Brancopan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa4fhQ6KMME The Brancopan isn’t your run-of-the-mill, cheapo analog camera. Nope.…

While most of the world relies on dominoes and LEGOs to make large toppling sculptures, the Dutch have something a little bit different: Kapla blocks. These sets consisting of wood pieces measuring 11.7cm x 2.34cm x 0.78cm are very similar to dominoes, the only difference being Kaplas were made for construction and not for playing…

A young engineering student found a way to deliver 150 3D printed robots to students. Danielle Boyer is a nineteen-year-old engineering student with a passion for 3D printing and STEM. She’s the founder of a non-profit, The STEAM Connection, which develops accessible educational materials designed to increase thinking and diversity in students.  Danielle Boyer with the…

You’ve seen pieces of wood get mixed with resin and turned into kitchen pieces before, but here’s one you can actually use to help with your cooking. Using a piece of old cherry tree burl and some blue resin, YouTube channel gavel coulee woodworking has crafted a resin bowl as smooth as the concoctions you’ll…

I spoke with Paulo Kiefe, the founder of STEMFIE, a new site dedicated to providing 3D printable construction set components. The site, as you might gather from its name, is focused on providing an ability for students to learn principles of construction. STEMFIE provides an “open educational construction set” for making new designs. Aside: It…

While there’s nothing particularly wrong with traditional horizontal doors, diagonally-opening “sideways-folding” metal doors look way cooler when you open them. Case in point, YouTuber Phil Vandelay’s folding metal door for his new workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=73&v=Tzo7s146RMs&feature=emb_logo Despite its daunting appearance, all it takes to make this futuristic door are a few sheets of metal, some metal frames,…

I’m looking at an interesting project undertaken by Protolabs, the well-known manufacturing service. The project in question is the curiously-named “Wayzn Slide”, a smart robotic door opening system designed for pet access. It’s a mechanism that attaches to a standard sliding door and can open and close the door automatically. It does this through a…

The weapons of the titular Star Wars Jedi, lightsabers are nothing short of freaking cool. Fictionally powered by kyber crystals, these glowing portable beams have unique colors, handles, and best of all, can cut through pretty much anything. Countless replicas have been made since the original movie’s 1977 release, but seeing as kyber crystals aren’t…

After reading yet another mainstream publication talk about “3D printed human organs” I thought it wise to share my thoughts about the five most frequently heard myths of 3D printing.  These myths have been around since I started in this business over 12 years ago, and for some unexplainable reason, they have not gone away.…