When it comes to mechanical pencils, not all are created equal. And with rOtring, this couldn’t be truer. Ideal for sketching, writing, and drawing, the iconic rOtring 800 Mechanical Pencil features an ergonomically enhanced full metal body, with centered weight balance and a comfortable non-slip knurled grip for long work periods without discomfort or fatigue. Featuring a “Twist and Click” retractable mechanism of the entire sleeve and lead, the rOtring 800 Mechanical Pencil can easily go from pocket to sketch without worrying about damage or lead breakage. Quite frankly, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better mechanical pencil for this price. The rOtring 800 Retractable Mechanical Pencil — $34.29 Features:…

These days, you can get just about any computer rig designed to your exact specifications. Whether you’re a RAM-hogging SolidWorks user, or simply just want a powerful workstation, there’s something for everybody. But no standardized hardware mod will ever replace the satisfaction of building your own rig from scratch. If you’ve ever wanted to create your own custom-built PC but didn’t know where to start, boy do we have great news for you. The How to Build a Computer Bundle consolidates five intensive online courses (a total of 126 individual lessons) ranging from how to create a blueprint for your desired desktop or laptop setup to how to overclock CPU…

There are a lot of reasons you might want to mouth-grapple bark lumps to climb up a tree–jowl toning, neck muscle fortitude, the look of horror and genuine concern on your gardener’s face–but there’s little doubt you could save some lip skin and dentist visits by using climbing holds instead. I know, you’ve been climbing trees and office buildings since you realized you had toes on your feet, but imagine making your own climbing holds? And wouldn’t you know it? Devin Montes is at it again, modeling up some unique rock climbing holds–an idea we’ve been interested in making ourselves–and we can’t wait to get our hands on ’em… BAH!…

You may take it for granted nowadays, but the simplified nature of current metro maps can be attributed to a single person: Henry Charles Beck. In a recent piece by Eugen Esanu for UX Planet, he talks about how Beck – an engineering draftsman – worked on creating the London Underground Tube Map in the 1920s. Though he never stayed with the company past the decade, his contributions to cleaning up eight different railway systems which eventually became the London Underground cannot be understated. Before Beck came along, maps depicting the Underground were complex and nearly un-navigable — at least, by modern UX standards. While they accurately portrayed every river, park,…

It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device(s)! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it into tips@solidsmack.com. Hit it! Math Interactive (iOS — Free) Improve your intuition by exploring the interactive illustrations and learn how to solve both simple and…

Sponsored by Let’s say you sit down in your office chair, it absorbs you back to 1992 where a mustached salesman in a mauve shirt smiles and starts pelting you with hard drives. What a nightmare… And exactly how I feel about the process of evaluating 3D CAD software. I’ve been through it multiple times, as you likely have, but… it doesn’t have to be like that. When you’re evaluating a CAD system, you want to actually use the software that will define your product development for years (if not decades) to come. But, before you even get to the testing, there are some criteria you should consider and some key…