We cover our fair share of Kickstarter projects here at Solidsmack. Some projects, like the heavy-duty COMBAR and the problem-solving Triggers Cards, are lucky enough to receive full funding and get shipped to their backers in a timely manner. Others? Well, not so much. But, as is the nature of the popular crowdfunding platform, there’s still no real guarantee you’ll be getting what you paid for. YouTuber Josh Smith recently pointed out some useful tips on how you can be more cautious with your money on the project-backing platform. For instance, jumping on an overfunded project could result in the creators not being able to deliver on the high demand.…

Since its release in 1959, Henry Dreyfuss’ The Measure of Man and Woman: Human Factors in Design has been an invaluable resource for designers, engineers, architects, and anybody else responsible for shaping the manufactured world around us. The indispensable resource, which contains thorough and accurate measurements for children, teenagers, adult men and women, and those with physical handicaps, has allowed designers to accurately define the dimensions of their products to suit the immediate needs of their users. Additional data guidelines for the visually and hearing-impaired, as well as other differently abled individuals, have helped shape the standards for numerous government-defined disability acts. Suffice to say, this book is the real…

Before fidget cubes and fidget spinners were even a thing, man’s best cure for anxiety was the ordinary pen. Ever present in school and work, these cheap writing materials could be spun, flicked, clicked, and in some cases even chewed on to get rid of pent-up energy. Designer Shin Feng has the same fidgeting problem; but instead of buying a fidget spinner or poking his eye out, he created a pen and pen holder combo to calm his restless hands. The SPECTA pen is an EDC writing tool meant for fidgeting. While chewing on its aluminum body isn’t advisable, twisting the individual metal scales is a satisfying way to pass…

Your product design is ready, your prototype works and you want to hit the store shelves as soon as possible. But how? Manufacturing looks easy on “How it’s made”, whether it’s a Ferrari FF or Jawbreakers, everything sold to consumers has been manufactured to some degree. While things run smoothly in established factories across the world, it doesn’t start out that way. For a real-world entrepreneurial example, let’s take Pretty Knotty hair ties and look at the important aspects that allowed manufacturing as a bootstrapping startup. As hard as we have tried, you cannot plant a seed and sprout a tin of hair ties. If you know how to do…

When it comes to SubD topology, having the ability to construct a variety of meshes with clean polygon flows can mean the difference between yelling an obscene amount of profanities at your monitor or having a blast. Thanks to a new book from the renowned 3D artist, writer, and director William Vaughan, getting to that fun place won’t have to be so challenging after all. Vaughan’s comprehensive 125-page Pushing Points Topology Workbook includes over 60 exercises to train anybody in managing their mesh topology. Even those who may consider themselves “experts” at SubD could certainly learn a thing or two from the master modeler—whose portfolio spans across Nickelodeon and Pixar.…

Don’t get me wrong; while the tried-and-true Swiss Army Knife is great for opening UPS packages or the occasional toothpick, it doesn’t scream “heavy duty” in times when you might need it for anything beyond that. When faced with an outdoor scenario, chances are the little knife might break under the stress of cutting a tree branch for firewood or sharpening a spear you made to ward off the park rangers. And yet, the humble Swiss Army Knife is the closest comparison you can give to the ultra heavy-duty COMBAR outdoor multi tool from Aclim8. The hammer is made of 44-48 HRC stainless steel and is textured to provide…