Workshop

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for the industrial arts from metal and woodworking to CNC machining and 3D printing.

Top 10: Gears!

Top 10: Gears!

We have done both gear- and gear-making-related roundups before, but our gear world has turned (bam!) quite a few times since then, and we’ve covered some even hotter gear action in the interim. Someday there’s going to be a gear-roundup roundup. But for now, here’s our top gear content as it stands today:

Doing Da Vinci

Alan Federman built our Da Vinci Reciprocating Gear project in MAKE Volume 24 (video above). He has a number of other cool working Da Vinci models, built in wood, on his YouTube channel. You can learn a lot about the basic mechanics of gears, cranks, screws, and other simple machines by looking at these devices […]

Laser Cutting LPs to Make Dinosaur Models

Laser Cutting LPs to Make Dinosaur Models

When we have blogged before about folks laser-cutting old records to make stuff, readers have been quick to point out that laser-cutting vinyl is dangerous because it releases chlorine gas which, in turn, presents two hazards: A) you don’t want to breathe it (and probably shouldn’t just vent it into the atmosphere), and B) it will corrode the metal parts of your equipment.

Smarter iPad 2 Smart Cover

Check out this super sleek wooden roll top cover for the iPad 2 from Dutch case manufacturer Miniot. Made from a single piece of cherrywood, the case fits snug to the tablet using internal magnets. The design differs from the stock Apple Smart Cover with its rigid rolling arch, smooth organic lines, and its lack of hinge. Though I have yet to hold one in my hand, from what I’ve seen in the video demonstration it appears to offer superior support when used as a stand to prop up the device.