Although there might have been some questions left unanswered at last week’s SolidWorks World, there were still some announcements that are sure to please a lot of users – even if they might take a little while to develop. Perhaps most notably is the announcement of the new SolidWorks Manufacturing Network. The new platform – which is integrated into the MySolidWorks community dashboard – aims to connect SolidWorks users with manufacturers (and vice-versa) and decrease the need for going on a ‘manufacturer safari’. Similar to how Shapeways and other well-known rapid prototyping services offer real-time quotes based on the details of an uploaded part, the goal is to help streamline…

There’s something about intricate woodworking that makes the salivary glands kick into overdrive and dormant facial hair follicles sprout anew. Scott Lewis doesn’t need facial hair to prove he’s a wood-shaping creator of uber-cool cutting boards; All he needs is some fancy camerawork, bearing-guided router bits and multiple bandsaw cuts that are smoother than lacquered lambskin on linoleum.

It seems that now more than ever, those who focused their careers on digital products have been coming out of the woodwork in favor of creating real-world objects with their hands. Whether or not these designers pick up the skills as hobbies or as full-fledged new careers, the return to that old-world tradition and desire of making something with your hands is something that anybody who has stepped into a workshop can relate with. Among others, Blok Knives’ Ben Edmonds of Derbyshire, UK left a decade-long career in graphic design in favor of creating handmade knives in a 17th-Century building. Long gone are the sleek minimal iMacs and glossy white…

With so many cool things coming out each week, it can be hard to wade through all the rock-awesomeness. With ‘Cool Tools’, we’ve done the hard work for you. This week we saw everything from a whale tail-inspired shower squeegee to perhaps the best weather app ever conceived and…a mom that drifts in her minivan (??!!) Ready? Let’s go! This week we look at: DESIGN Splash Whale Tail Squeegee “A whale’s tail! Wipes water splashes from windows and glass doors. Useful in the kitchen or bathroom.” Real Boy Pins “It’s just as well these little guys lie so much, because it means you can use their noses to decorate your…

Ever since the first iPad was released in 2010, the discussion regarding what the best portable digital sketching tool or tool combination is has only grown more complicated over the years. Between those who have found success with using the later Microsoft Surface to early adopters of the Wacom Cintiq Companion, the debate ultimately always comes down to what works best for “you” and how much power you need out of your tablet. But for those who have no interest in springing for a $1,000+ digital sketching tool anytime soon, the available tablet offerings have been promising, but limited – at best. Various tablet sketching apps ranging from Paper by…

Whether working with a shop, a local supplier or a company you think operates out of the Southern Guangdong province, there’s always a need to find a reputable manufacturing team that can take on your high capacity runs or one-off chunks of production-ready prints. Usually, a search for such a shop takes you online, and every once in a while you find a site that makes you want to celebrate by consuming food from the rotating spindle of a high-speed power tool. RP Marketplace is new on the rapid prototyping scene, but for those keeping folders full of RP suppliers and cost, they’re that site to make supplier searching and…