Mathieu Stern is a photographer, and also a collector of old, cheap and weird camera lenses. So, it makes sense that he would set out to create his own 3D printed camera lens, and you know what? “What?” Well, it takes a dang good photo. Check THESE out. Mathieu says, “I never really learned how to make 3D models on a computer–I started by making a cardboard first prototype with a found lens from 1890 I had in a box. It was ugly and not easy to use but I was able to focus and take the measurements I needed to create a 2D design.” He got rejected by a…

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 “Fade Into You” from the one and only J Mascis before working our way through tracks from Shakey Graves, Twin Peaks, Beirut, Sun Rai, and others before wrapping up with “Somehow.” from Phony Ppl. Have suggestions? As always, let us know what you listen to, what you…

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. Behind the Design: Herman Miller Remasters the Classic Aeron Chair As anybody who sits in front of the computer for at least eight hours a day knows, a great office chair…

Down in the alley, there were always more than enough shin nibbles to go around. You never knew if you were going to walk out scarred for life, or with new rat friends singing a quintet on your forearm. Though half of them had eyes and legs missing, they certainly knew where to find the roots of these links. Michael Vincent Manalo – Slightly surreal, slightly symmetrical, completely enchanting work from the Taiwan based artist in his quick sketches and digital paintings. The Lycurgus Cup – In 300 A.D., the Romans had some pretty fancy glassware. This cup when lit from behind turns red, and lit from the front turns green. Galaxy jigsaw – It’s…

Admittedly, I am a multi-tool user as probably most engineers are no matter what field they are in and I can say with certainty that not all multi-tools are the same. I’ve owned a Leatherman Sidekick, a Gerber Multi-Plier 600 (needlnose) and a SOG S66N and while they all are great in their own right, they do have their drawbacks, most notably of which is quickly gaining access to the multitude of tools packed tightly within, without slicing myself in the process. Sure, using my multi-tools around the house isn’t anything special and, all cuts aside, does not pose any major health concerns. Soldiers on the other hand need to be…

You might be familiar with 3D Platform, a company dedicated to making large-format 3D printers. Now it seems they’re working on ways to make large prints much faster. Many of the currently available large format 3D printers are simply scaled up versions of RepRap-style extrusion machines. This style of machine works perfectly well at the small scale, but there are some challenges to overcome when the dimensions get a lot larger. While there are certainly challenges with materials, the fundamental issue is the speed of printing. It’s fine for a desktop machine to produce a fist-sized object in three hours, but that print speed often becomes excessive at scale. Remember,…