Long considered an indispensable asset for anybody working in CAD, the 3D mouse is a quintessential tool that belongs on the desktop of any industrial designer or engineer. Within a 3D application such as SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, or Keyshot, the directional, zoom and rotate functions provide an intuitive extension of the users’ design intent. To put it quite simply, a 3D mouse helps get rid of those annoying repetitive keystrokes and allows the designer to come as close to possible to holding their digital 3D design in the physical world. As pioneers of the 3D mouse territory, 3Dconnexion has blazed a trail with their SpaceMouse collection. And when it…
Hey there SOLIDWORKS World 2019 attendees! Get that stretch out of your system with this week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist. It’s fashioned up, ready to make you pull your shoulder blades back and knock out another week of meaningful work while you bob your head to the beat. Whether you’re in the shop milling aluminum, sketching the latest product prototypes or modeling up a 3D storm, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week on SolidSmack Radio we’ll get the groove going with “get innocuous” from LCD Soundsystem before diving into tracks from DARKSIDE, Beck, Vampire Weekend, The Dandy Warhols, and others before wrapping up with “Wire…
Wow. Doesn’t it feel like the first SOLIDWORKS World was waaaaay back in 1998? It was. And here we are again, 21 years later – a magically odd number for a magically odd year. And it promises to be better than ever. Why? 1) It’s in Dallas 2) It’s in TEXAS and 3) It’s SOLIDWORKS, y’all. There’s lots going on at SolidWorks World (SWW) so thought you might like to have some of the highlights tucked away for when you’re standing patiently in the crowded entrance to the General Session and need something to both help you plan and impress your cohorts. Send others if you think we’ve missed any.…
Do you know what’s cooler than playing a musical instrument? Playing friggin’ 20 instruments at the same time. Ukraine-based indie rock band Brunettes Shoot Blondes wanted to do something different for their newest single “Houston”’s music video, so they took 20 different instruments, crammed them inside an old 19th century grand piano, and fit them in such a way so they could all be playable from the pianist’s side by two people. Don’t believe me? Check out the music video below: According to a Thomann blog interview with band singer Andrew Kovaliov, the hollow nature of the grand piano allowed them to split the piano roll into three sections: the central…
Mondays might not be your favorite day of the week, but the good news is that we’re all in this together ladies and gentlemen. As purveyors of prime Grade A web content, the SolidSmack crew has done some of the heavy-lifting to make sure you get your Mondays started on the right track. Welcome to The Monday List. Every Monday, we link you up with some of the most insightful, informative, and socially-relevant stories to keep tabbed, bookmarked, reading listed, pocketed, or what have you to get your week started on the right foot. Be sure to check in each week for a new crop of freshly sprouted words curated straight…
Cherished by writers, designers, illustrators, and other creative professionals for its soft dark lead and unique flat eraser, the Blackwing 602 is worth trying at least once—but be forewarned: you may never go back to plain old #2 pencils again. Originally manufactured by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company from 1934 – 1988, the Blackwing brand was acquired by California Cedar Products Company in 2008 and reintroduced to a new generation of creatives in 2012. And now, you can score your own 12-pack of the legendary pencil for just 23 bucks. Palomino Blackwing 602 Pencils 12-Pack — $24.95 Features: One pack of 12 Palomino Blackwing pencilsPencils feature a soft and smooth…