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. How Swissomation Delivers Precision Manufacturing Using Fusion 360 I’m not sure what you think when you hear the term ‘precision manufacturing’ but when I saw the 7+ axis micro-machining capabilities of…

Back in the days when the wharf was busy and bustling with activity, fishermen going to and fro, preparing their nets, ladies selling their finest hand-crafted eel knives in the marketplace, and the one, Mr. McChumbly, you could always depend on to provide the music heard throughout the day, set to the rhythm of these links. Christian Grajewski – Beautiful concept ships, space scenes and other work from this industrial / transportation designer. Homage – A homage to Vincent Van Goh, created by 3D Artist, Kim Gryun, who reimagined ‘Van Gogh’s Bedroom at Arles’ and ‘The Starry Night’ in 3D. Cartell PLJ – A cool design process behind the scenes for…

Thanks to Instagram, it’s never been easier for designers, engineers, makers, and just about anybody else who makes something document their creative process. For some of us, it can be educational content—while for others, it can be a way to live through a highly-skilled craftsman vicariously for a few seconds a day. G. Phil Poirier is one of those guys. A master gem cutter and Goldsmith, Poirier handcrafts Damascus Stainless Steel and 18K Gold objects using an ancient technique known as Damascene, which dates back to 700 a.d. The Damascene process consists of welding two different alloys of steel and iron, folding and welding again many times to develop numerous…

Since its first release, Duet Pro has been a fantastic utility for macOS and Windows users looking to add additional responsive displays using their various iDevices—particularly the iPad. Last year, the app introduced new features that helped turn the iPad Pro into a makeshift Wacom tablet for iPad Pro + Pencil owners. With a recent update, those who have been using the iPad Pro utility will find even more power with the addition of new features for Duet Pro 2.0. Among others, these include a Customized Pressure Curve for creating a more natural and personal sketching experience, Advanced Gestures for creating custom hotkey combinations or shortcuts, optional Line Lead for…

I’m reading an interesting story about how a photographer designed and 3D printed a specialty film camera and realized what this actually signifies. The camera project in question was undertaken by Paul Kohlhaussen, a photographer and designer based in London. Kohlhauseen, like some professionals, has an affinity for the older film approach to photography, over the current trend in digital. He explains his dilemma and solution: I have quite a passion for film photography. It calls for a slower, more deliberate creative approach and produces tangible results. I could rave on about my ideal equipment for hours – a Mamiya 7 for the practical take on medium format, a Hasselblad…

This week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist knocks you in the pop sockets with head-boppin’ groove tuneage to help propel you through the work week in style. Whether you find yourself inking markers until they’re dry, grinding material through a bandsaw or working that 3D geometry all day, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week we’ll start things off with “My Sweet Lord” from Yim Yames and work our way through tracks from Youth Lagoon, Yelle, Tangerine, Balue, and others before wrapping up with “Spent Missing” from froyo ma. Have suggestions? As always, let us know what you listen to, what you want to hear and what…