By Rain Noe - Jul 20

Clever Designs for Perpetual Calendars

…that all have one glaring design flaw

For those of you that still use physical calendars, maybe you like having a dozen photos of hapless kittens or shirtless firemen cycling through the months. But a subset of you might prefer a single grid that will serve for the entire year and that doesn't have any pages to

By Rain Noe - Jul 20

Make This DIY Ruler Stop

Designed by a Dutch guy named Bas

Combination squares come in very handy in the shop. But the thing I hate is that I'll often set the depth, then need to leave it at that setting for various stages in a project, and I basically can't use the square for anything else in the meanwhile. For that

By Core Jr - Jul 20

Sponsored Post: Building Better Products Through High Fidelity Prototypes & Low Volume Manufacturing

Every product starts as an aspirational vision for how the finished result should look, feel, and function in the consumer's hands. However, the design process to transform ideas into mass manufacturable products is a road paved by technical reality and practical compromise. Mitigating risk before investing in mass manufacturing is

By Core Jr - Jul 19

Q&A with Ben Uyeda of HomeMade Modern: Send Us Your Questions

Got any questions for this Master of DIY?

Ben Uyeda has made a splash on Youtube with his HomeMade Modern video series, managing to turn perceptions of DIY from a novice craft practice into a pastime for the design-minded that should be taken seriously. A former architect, he's one of the masters in the DIY video community when

By Rain Noe - Jul 18

FoamCore Basics, Modeling Tips & Tricks for Designers, Part 2: Making Clean, Curved Shapes

Here in Part 2 of this series, pro industrial designer Eric Strebel shows you how to go beyond flat/straight shapes when working with FoamCore. Follow Strebel's tips to get a variety of different radii while keeping your piece clean-looking and professional:

By Fictiv Inc. - Jul 17

A List of CAD Software Programs, Both Paid and Free

Designing 3D parts is tough, but with good software it becomes easier. Everyone has their favorite tool, and below we outline some of the most popular CAD programs. And if you're prototyping on a budget, or have a quick fix to make, there's lots of great free tools out there

By Shannon Rogers - Jul 13

Hand Tool School #38: Hand Tool Shortcuts

Breaking power tool habits can make your handwork faster

When you woodwork all by hand, you need to find some shortcuts to speed up the processes that normally we would do with power tools. I'm going to show you a shortcut where you can skip shooting the ends of a board and create a new reference surface for all

By Rain Noe - Jul 11

Ten Nifty Linkage Designs

Ten Fold Engineering's mechanicals enable different types of transformations

At the heart of things that can mechanically transform, whether it's Optimus Prime, a sofabed or a scissor lift, are linkages. With a cleverly-designed linkage, you can create cool things like Haefele's Lemans corner cabinet pull-out: Independent of Haefele's invention, a company called Ten Fold Engineering has devised and patented

By Allison Fonder - Jul 10

The Exposed Plywood Trend in Architecture and How to Make It Look Great

Where and how did this trend emerge?

Sheathing plywood: an incredibly practical and long lasting material when it comes to building the exterior of homes but rarely has it been lauded for its refined look. If you're one to frequent architectural magazines or Pinterest, you may have noticed in the past couple years the material showing up

By Fictiv Inc. - Jul 10

Understanding the Different Types of 3D Files

You should know your .STLs from your .STPs

There are three different types of digital files, broadly speaking: ones for printing, ones for modeling, and ones for 2D drawings. In order to produce a physical part, a 3D printer requires a specific file type. Known as a 'mesh model', the most common file type for 3D printing is

By Rain Noe - Jul 07

FoamCore Basics: Modeling Tips & Tricks for Designers, Part 1

What to do and, more importantly, what not to do when using the material

Industrial designer Eric Strebel's got a new series, this one on working a ubiquitous mock-up material for ID'ers and architects: FoamCore (or "FoamBoard" for those outside the U.S.). Here he shows you how to move beyond the primitive techniques you used at design school and up your game a bit:

By Rain Noe - Jul 04

How to Make Your Own Mechanic's Creeper with Onboard Lighting and Tool Storage

Bob Clagett's functional DIY design

You can spend as little as 20 bucks for a cheapie mechanic's creeper, or upwards of 150 for a fancy one. However, here Bob Clagett shows you how easy it is to build your own, to your exact specifications and dimensions, while adding some extra functionality to boot:

By Rain Noe - Jul 03

Furniture Finesse: How to Easily Create Pillowed Legs

No power tools necessary

While the legs of any wooden piece of furniture often start out as perfectly rectilinear off of the table saw, sometimes that blocky shape doesn't work with your final design. Tapers are easy enough to do with a tapering jig, and of course you could turn them on a lathe,

By Rain Noe - Jun 30

How to Build Furniture With Limited Tools

Creativity on an extreme budget

Here's a prime example of "If there's a will, there's a way." Izzy Swan demonstrates that you don't need a lot of fancy tools nor a huge budget in order to create things. Watch how he creates a sofa table while spending practically nothing on tools and materials:

By David Frane - Jun 29

How to Move an 800,000 Pound Tree

Half the battle is getting it out of the ground

I've read a number of stories about the 100-year-old giant sequoia that was recently moved to a new location in Boise, Idaho. Without exception, they concentrate on the most dramatic, but to me the least interesting part—the tree being moved on rollers. Don't get me wrong; moving giant objects is

By Rain Noe - Jun 28

Upcoming "Digital Self-Defense and Empowerment Workshops"

One day only, experts at the New Museum will provide free training on how to protect yourself

For those of you in the NYC area this summer, the New Museum is holding a fascinating-sounding series of "Digital Self-Defense and Empowerment Workshops" on July 22nd. This afternoon of workshops extends the exhibition's inquiry into the complexities of determining identity and truth to the online sphere. Addressing increasing

By Rain Noe - Jun 28

How to Fix an Inkjet Printer Using an Enormous Hammer

CMY Not O-K

This meditative build video from John Heisz ends violently, with CMYK in place of blood. It's also a perfect metaphor for why we build low-tech things by hand. Infuriated by his malfunctioning hi-tech printer, Heisz builds an enormous stake maul (think Donkey Kong hammer) in order to send the printer

By Rain Noe - Jun 27

How to Make a Table That Folds Into a Bookcase

From worksurface to storage unit

It's always fun to watch someone design out loud. Here Izzy Swan creates a folding table that folds into a storage unit, and he builds it primarily out of plywood scraps. This seems like it'd be useful for college kids or the itinerant, as moving a table is typically a

By Rain Noe - Jun 19

Completely Mesmerizing Time-Lapse of Wood Having Layers Removed

Brett Foxwell's "WoodSwimmer" video is visually surprising

Photographer/filmmaker Brett Foxwell, who has expertise with both stop-motion and time-lapse techniques, created this very surprising video by shaving logs down layer-by-layer, then stitching still shots of the cross-sections together: WoodSwimmer from bfophoto on Vimeo.Writes Foxwell: I became fascinated with the possibilities of a sci-fi world based on the

By Rain Noe - Jun 14

The Industrial Design Prototyping Process, Part 7: Assembly

Payoff time! Here the Mobile Solar Charger all comes together

After many patiently-executed fabrication steps, industrial designer Eric Strebel is finally ready to assemble the prototype for his mobile solar charger. Here he constructs and attaches the hinges for the protective petals, installs the electronics and, of course, makes sure the darn thing works:

By Rain Noe - Jun 13

An Explanation of the Differences Between Image File Formats

How JPEGs, PNGs, GIFs, TIFFs etc. work

Are you the type of designer who wants to know how your tools work, or are you only concerned with the utility they provide? If you're the former, you're bound to find the following video interesting. TechQuickie breaks down the difference between JPEGs, PNGs, GIFs, TIFFs, SVGs and Raw files,

By Rain Noe - May 30

The Industrial Design Prototyping Process, Part 5: Building the Main Body & Base Plate

Here in Part 5, the prototype of the mobile solar charging platform gets a body and base plate. Industrial designer Eric Strebel, founder of Botzen Design, shows how he turns a chunk of Ren modeling foam into the body on a more old-school tool than the laser cutter he used

By Core Jr - May 29

Memorial Day Tips for Designers

Hacks, robots & ridiculous products for a pitch-perfect Memorial Day

While it's important to recognize the true meaning of Memorial Day, it's also good to realize a day off on the last weekend in May makes for a great moment to spend time with people you love and just relax. As we've been prepping for the long weekend, we

By Rain Noe - May 24

Woodworking: Clever Japanese Technique for Getting Perfect-Fitting Joinery

It's called "kigoroshi" and it ensures there's no gaps

A half-lap joint is good-looking, functional and, once you get good at it, quick to cut with hand tools. But even if you get the joint to fit snugly, the intersections may show ugly gaps due to slight imperfections in your sawing or chiseling technique. Traditional Japanese woodworking has a

By Fictiv Inc. - May 23

Strain-Relief: Design Tips for Durability and Aesthetic Appeal

When designing for strain-relief, don't make the mistake that Apple did

You reach over to plug in your phone, and you feel that spark – and not in a good "I love this product!" kind of way. The wire is broken, and yet another charging cable is about to make its way to a landfill, while you have to make a

By Rain Noe - May 20

How to Make a Marking Knife, Create an Indoor Garden, Build a Record Player Cabinet & More

Part 2 of this week's Makers Roundup

Weekly Maker’s Roundup is a weekly list of our favorite builds, tips and tricks for makers. Ranging from classic to novel, practical to outrageous, these projects represent what making is all about—problem solving and having fun.

By Rain Noe - May 19

How to Cut a Japanese Scarf Joint, Move a 350-Lb. Rainwater Tank, Build a Kitchen Table & More

Part 1 of this week's Makers Roundup

Weekly Maker’s Roundup is a weekly list of our favorite builds, tips and tricks for makers. Ranging from classic to novel, practical to outrageous, these projects represent what making is all about—problem solving and having fun.

By David Frane - May 19

Multifunction Slab Work Table

A highly portable homemade bench top designed for clamping

Carpenters and woodworkers who want a work table that can be used for clamping would do well to consider the MFSlab, a one-inch mdf top that can be placed on whatever sawhorses are handy. The brainchild of Steve Olson, a remodeler in San Francisco, it is intended to be a

By Rain Noe - May 17

If You're Going to Build Your Own Moxon Vise, Watch This First

The Moxon vise, Part 4

We've heard the story of how the Moxon vise was resurrected by Christopher Schwarz; seen a modern-day version created by Benchcrafted; and watched David Barron hack his for greater efficiency. In this video, engineer Paul Marcel shows you how to actually build one from the Benchcrafted kit. And not