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 ten stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. Watch How Artist James Lake Approaches Cardboard as His Medium of Choice Cardboard generally isn’t the first material that comes to mind when discussing sculptures, models, and prototypes—but legions of designers…

The piles of wooden legs, metal arms and felt bacon strips was an odd combination to line the corridor. We hadn’t been on board for long, and nearly 45 minutes before they docked, but we knew what they would be seeking. Arm and leg repairs, of course, but they knew the most nutrients would be absorbed from making a smoothie from the felt bacon and these links. Thomas Chamberlain-Keen – Imaginative and stunning. It’s what pops into the head as the airship, space, and massive worlds pop into your eye. Transformation – Amazing scan deconstruction of The Bartlett by ScanLAB Projects in collaboration with composer and musician, Eugene Romain. Tesla…

We’ve just done a quick test of a new 3D model repair tool, CUR3D Maker Edition. The need for 3D model repair tools has never been higher, with the number of 3D printers increasing rapidly around the world. 3D printers and their software typically treat poorly formed 3D models in a bad way, often resulting in unpredictable print failures. The root cause of most of the grief is simply the distressingly poor .STL file format standard, whose syntax permits the proper definition of 3D models that are not 3D printable. You can define non-solid 3D models with .STL, and unfortunately many 3D creation systems do just that when you export…

Founded in 1959 as a professional tool manufacturer to support Japan’s burgeoning manufacturing industry, Trusco—a combination of the words “Trust” and “Company”—is still manufacturing some of the best toolboxes, today. While their stripped-down design makes them a must-have for many design aficionados, the pressed steel boxes are ridiculously useful for just about anything—tools or not. Still manufactured in Fukui, Japan, Trusco toolboxes now come in more sizes than ever—capable of whatever storage challenges you throw at them. Trusco Toolboxes — $12.27 – $171.12 Features: Steel body, formed for extra strength Versatile sizing for specific storage solutions Double-hinged construction for smooth opening Dividers included Equally useful in the home, office, or…

4-Mation Is A Series of 3D Modular Zoetropes With Swappable Animations Before the introduction of film and movies, pre-animation devices like zoetropes presented a glimpse into the future of moving images. Using a series of paintings or drawings in different phases of animation, a person could paint the illusion of an object (or objects) in movement. The 4-Mation is a modern take on the pre-film animation device, and uses 3D printing to make its animations come to life. Whereas classic zoetropes are in 2D and often lack brilliant colors, 4-Mation allows fully-colored 3D renders to appear as if a cartoon movie came to life. Amazing! The machine comes in three…

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 ‘vintage’ streaming internet radio over a weekend. Throw in your own 3D printed housings, and the opportunities are limitless! For a limited time, The Raspberry Pi Mastery Bundle is…