On the off-chance you have an intact skullcap and you’re mostly coherent at this time of day, I want to introduce you this week to a model so puzzling you’ll want to finish the maze you started drawing on your belly in the middle of that meeting last week. Thomas Buseyne is no stranger to puzzles… actually, he could be stranger to puzzles and just, sort of, sneak up on’em quiet like, then SMACK. Either way, with a 3D printed puzzle he shared recently, he certainly knows how to keep a brain entertained for a good long while. ‘Dr. Brain Breaker’ is a remix from Steve Dakh’s amazing low-poly skull which…

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 — $22.95 Features: One pack of 12 Palomino Blackwing pencils Pencils feature a soft and…

Not everybody sees a chainsaw and immediately thinks “wood cutting tool”. Thanks to pop culture, some are more likely to bring up images of Jason from Friday the 13th than a lumberjack doing his job. Well, YouTube creator ThisOldTony has the same problem – only instead of seeing fictional serial killers, he sees the ideal power source for a go-kart. After cleaning his old 46 (or is it 42?)cc chainsaw, Tony takes it apart to retrieve the motor. With the main power source isolated, his next job is to connect the two rear go-kart wheels to the motor and build the rest of the kart around the chassis. This is…

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 “Crystal Blue” from Fantasy Guys before diving into irresistible tracks from Real Estate, Cass McCombs, Helvetia, and others before wrapping up with “Shuggie” from Foxygen. Ready? Let’s Rock! Have suggestions?…

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…

Despite its myriad of uses, not everything can be solved with the common Swiss Army Knife. There are times when you need something with a bit more “oomph”; be it a heavy-duty multi-tool for the outdoors, or just one which latches onto a keychain for easy access. In the case of the classic Leatherman tools, their shtick has always been providing a pliers-based tool when you’re on the go. After experiencing the lack of pliers himself during a trip abroad, company founder Tim Leatherman decided to add a pair of pliers to a pocket knife to make his life (and eventually others’ lives) easier. Leatherman spent the first three years…