From a Porsche 911 model with build instructions based on the true life factory assembly process to a functional laser cutter mini-factory, there’s never been a better time to be a LEGO fan. And while some of the best projects are those that happen spontaneously by throwing some random bricks together, the toy bricks can also be instrumental in breaking down the complexities of true-to-life mechanical assemblies. More recently, LEGO builder Dgustafsson13 built a six-speed transmission with Lego parts that functions—through all six LEGO gears—just like a real engine using a LEGO Power Functions Motor Set as a base. Better yet, he’s also provided instructions for you to build your…

Code. You don’t have to be a computer science hotshot to take the deep dive—heck, some people are up and running with their first project in a matter of weeks. But knowing where and how to enter can be half of the battle. The recently-launched Learn How to Code 2017 Bundle is the perfect entry point and includes over 156 Hours of premium coding instruction, from Python to Ruby & everything in between. Consisting of ten courses in total, the ‘Pay What You Want’ bundle covers not just specific code languages, but also how and why you may decide to choose one over another depending on the project at hand.…

Back in the day I made my living reshaping the skin of what we now call “classic cars”. I’m talk’n late ’70s Camaro and ’69 VW Karmann Ghia kinda stuff. Through my artistry, I was able to reclaim what rust and decay had stolen. But sadly some vehicles were too far gone to be safe on the road and were hauled off to the old auto bone yard. It’s too bad some of the bone yard rust buckets did not get a new lease on life via wall art or signage. That’s just what inavan is showing folk how to do. So if you fancy fabbing up your own vehicle wall art then…

Not everyone is born with the steady hands of an artist, marksman or eye surgeon. It’s hard to keep your digits steady with the knowledge that every move you make could spell success or failure. Enter, TECHNOLOGY. Barry Abrams isn’t an eye surgeon, but he is a designer and maker of things from Champaign, Illinois. He may have the graphic-fashioning chops of an expert (his profession requires it, after all), but his YouTube channel has a handful of highly interesting, highly detailed videos for practical projects any other design-minded person will be interested in. How to Screen Print Posters Exhibit A: How to screen print posters. Something we at SolidSmack,…

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@www.solidsmack.com. Hit it! Komoot (iOS — Free) Komoot is the key to the outdoors. Just plan your hiking, road biking or MTB adventures in…

When it comes to ingenious video game mods, Ben Heck usually has just about everything covered. But with the arrival of the Nintendo Switch earlier this year, plenty of DIY modders and hardware hackers have been coming out of the woodwork to show us their own interpretations of Nintendo’s latest device. And when it comes to Nintendo, few games are as iconic as the Legend of Zelda. More recently, Spanish hardware modder MakoMod let his love for all things Zelda shine with the Sheikah Switch Mod; his own interpretation of the Switch console based on inspiration from actual items in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild universe. In…