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 “Big Enough” from Amanaz before diving into tracks from the Crumb, Reptaliens, Deerhunter, Porches, and others before wrapping up with “I Can’t Speak” from La Luz. Ready? Let’s Rock! Have…

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…

There’s something about epoxy and wood that creates some of the most fascinating wood pieces we’ve seen—be it a side table, a bowl, or in this case—a hand-carved pendant light. For his latest wood project, YouTube creator Modustrial Maker combined epoxy resin and LED strips into a cookie slab to create his hanging pendant light: After flattening the slab, chiseling off the bark, and sanding it down, he mixes some epoxy resin and pours it into the wood cracks. He uses a red pigment in the epoxy, as the wood he’s using has a reddish hue to it. Before leaving it to dry for a day, he takes an inexpensive…

We’ve said it time and time again, but the Raspberry Pi is just so dang cool and we believe all designers and engineers should have one in their toolkit—if not on their desktop. While there is a bit of a slight learning curve, it’s nothing that today’s designers and engineers can’t handle on a leisurely Saturday. So why not start now? The Raspberry Pi Mastery Bundle includes 8 courses to get started creating your very own Amazon Echo or even a KUKA-like robotic arm for your desktop (how’s that for office bragging rights). Throw in any of your own 3D printed housing designs, and the opportunities are limitless! For a…

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. Watch an Entire Tesla Model 3 Assembly in 45 Seconds Despite the unpredictable nature of CEO and founder Elon Musk, Tesla cars are still taking the industry by storm. With their all-electric…

Those of you who know us well know of our longstanding love for the iconic rOtring 800 Mechanical Pencil. But heck, it isn’t the only great mechanical pencil to have on your desktop. For those who are particular about sharp lead points — AT ALL TIMES — the brilliant engineering behind writing tool manufacturer Uni’s Kuru Toga mechanical pencil just might be the best thing for you since, well, sliced bread. Ideal for sketching, writing, engineering linework, or just about anything else that requires a nice bit of lead to the paper, the Kuru Toga features a mechanism that rotates the lead ever-so-slightly each time it’s lifted from the page—meaning, you’re always…