Welcome to a new series called ‘Shop Talk’, where Dan Slaski interviews people in the thick of product development business, who make the magic happen and turn their ideas into reality. Have an interview suggestion? Send it in. Watching over the Washington DC area is a dynamic duo of hardware entrepreneurship known as the Red Blue…
Glassblowing is a fascinating artform. For those of us in the product development world it’s akin to blow-molding. Yet, the process of blowing glass holds more intrigue and an element of danger. Also as a medium, it more eloquently showcases the human touch. Instead of yielding myriads of homogeneous end products, hand-blown glass enables artisans…
Long before Apple’s aluminum unibody hardware designs –– along with Jony Ive’s unmistakeable “aluminium” pronunciation –– aluminum had already changed the world of mass manufacturing. Having dropped in price by over 1200% over a 50-year stretch, what was once one of the most difficult metals to refine became one of the cheapest thanks to mass manufacturing…
With hundreds of officially licensed figures ranging from the Alien franchise to Mars Attacks!, Hong Kong-based Hot Toys Limited has been the go-to production house for ultra-detailed media property figures that fetch hundreds to thousands of dollars from loyal toy collectors. Established in 2000, the company began by producing high-detailed 1:6 scale U.S. military special…
When it comes to watching videos of wood products come to life, leave it up to artisanal wood craftsman Frank Howarth and his creative camera work to be among the most entertaining. The YouTube artisanal craft star picked up an obsession with both woodworking and filmmaking soon after retiring from architecture in the heavily-forested portion…
Every so often, a ‘making of’ video comes along that stands out amongst the pack with wit and charm. In most cases, the videographer went beyond the slow-motion “sparks-flying, sweat-dripping” scenes of workshop fabrication to bring some more narrative into the context. Or, they bring in a a puppet to make things more interesting. The…
Last time we checked-in with crazy YouTube sensation/mad-scientist inventor Colin Furze, he was letting a group of friends shoot fireworks at him whilst wearing a metal suit that he made using his pressure washer to demonstrate the hydroforming method of manufacturing. Frankly, we’re just glad to know that he’s still alive. More recently, the plumber,…
While glimpses into the design process and fabrication methods have become more available than ever thanks to cheaper video cameras (e.g. smartphones), free online video hosting and overall public interest, it’s still not too common when a video spans the entire manufacturing process from raw material to finished product. In ‘BEAM / The Making Of’,…
The 5AXISMAKER puts a mill, 3D scanner, 3D printer, water cutter and wire cutter into one desktop box.
Changing the machines function is done through a simple head swap, making it both easy and versatile.
When it comes to superheroes, their weapons of choice are almost just as iconic as the heroes themselves. Superman has his superpowers, Batman has his Batarangs, Iron Man has his flying indestructible suit and Captain America has his iconic shield. It’s the latter that the talented CAD designers, swordsmiths, blacksmiths and fabricators at Baltimore Knife…
Brooklyn-based jewelry maker Carolyn A’Hearn is known for one-of-a-kind unique pieces that border somewhere on the line between classic and sci-fi. Her process for creating the pieces is almost just as interesting (if not more interesting) than the final pieces themselves. Using scraps of metal ranging from the size of a nail all the way…
Pantyhose — the culmination of centuries of craftsmanship, science, and technology. They rival the VERSABALL™ in end-effector technology, made photo filters before Instagram, and are manufactured by bad-ass machines. When I saw the How It’s Made episode for pantyhose (which is on Netflix Instant, btw), I immediately bought some and hung them on my inspiration wall.…
Look out Stratasys. Look out ‘lil ol’ 3D Systems. Mama Autodesk is coming to hardware town, and bringing a truckload of open-platform 3D printed fury with them. Today, it was confirmed in a blog post that Autodesk is entering the hardware market and will be releasing their first 3D printer. It’s not only a 3D…
For thousands of years, casting aqueous substances and drying them into usable forms has been a core technique in manufacturing, and one of the greatest advancements made in human technology. From ceramics and metals to glass and plastics, countless methods of casting have been invented to exhume objects from molds over the millennia. But unfortunately,…
For centuries the chair has been the quintessential design challenge for creative minds the world over. How can I possibly do something new with this old form?—is a question that many designers have asked themselves over the ages, while trying to infuse their sitting-devices with style that is markedly their own. Fortunately for twenty-first century…
After being stuck in an engineering job that left her feeling like ‘a coma victim’, design engineer and artist Nicole Hodson decided it was time for a change and decided to switch things up a bit by studying furniture crafting techniques. Flash forward a few years later and her company Ciseal has become a go-to…
Don’t let your eyes deceive you people…this is not a mockup or macro photography trickery. Inspired by the appearance of corrugated cardboard, Swedish design studio TAF recently designed the offices for Swedish branding and design agency NINE with interiors that resemble cardboard boxes—a well-played nod to the packaging design that happens within the agency’s walls.
Hark! 2013 is upon us! In many ways, the previous year seemed a turning point for where we’re going while simultaneously lacking any sort of drastic, earth-shattering changes. However, there’s plenty of fat, tech-laden fodder on which to speculate for 2013 and that’s exactly what we’re going to dish out for you folks. In recent…
The biggest question in my head for years has been this. Can you start a business with a desktop 3D printer? With a nice little Makerbot, or a RepRap and a really useful product design, can I actually be my own, cigar-sucking factory boss? In my own living room, with a bathrobe on? An intriguing…
There should be five things that you do today. They should all involve string, live bait and an assortment of wild animals. Oh, and this, KICK IT.
When the bluebonnets are dancing in the field and you feel a large antler near your spine, it’s best you not turn around. Simply put your headphones, tighten your belt on and scream, KICK IT.
I know it’s the weekend. Time to work on the tan, take the horse for a ride, wax your bike and maybe even make that crumpet basket you’ve been reading about. But before you do all of that, sit back, relax and enjoy 3 minutes and 42 seconds of bliss. KICK IT.
Why, it looks like you’re enjoying your weekend. Spring hat, drink in your hand, veggie or steak kabob of your choice grilling on the hood of your neighbor’s car. If only life could be just a touch more exciting. May I introduce the SolidSmack Update? I may. KICK IT.
Lather that sun tan oil on. Summer is here and you look FABULOUS. But don’t worry about going to the mall to find that unique two-piece. They don’t do the 3D printing thing and oh, what a shame, because the latest fabric-free, platastic feat is bridging swimwear and SLS. Designed by Jenna Fizel and Mary…
Are you ready? Really, you may want to cancel the cheese squeezing party you’ve been planning and instead plan on squeezing out some extraordinary 3D models. There is but one reason for this. You have till Friday, November 26th to submit your model for the GrabCAD 3D Printing Challenge. It couldn’t be more simple either.…
Put on that shiny, gold vest that says “SUPREME MASTER of COLOR” across the back, because you’re about to get busy pitching pasty ABS prints and adding some color to your fab process. Now that you have Shapeways plugin for SolidWorks, Duann at Shapeways has put up a quick tutorial to show you how to…
Out of all the things I’ve wanted to line my desk, hallway, car dash and gold-plated cage of wild hogs with, brightly colored 3D printed pigs is 4th on the list. Shapeways has now made that easier. Just today, Shapeways launches Color it! making it possible for you or your little ones to color a…
Oh yeah, you know you’ve gone too far when you’ve got little Johnny sprayin’ cheese spread out his nose to form building for your moon-based train station display. Those hospital trips are about to drop significantly and your family can rest their weary nostrils. Fab@home Model 2 is here. Fab@Home is a project started by…
