Using a Wire Saw to Carve Pumpkins
Great pro tip for meticulous pumpkin-crafters who just can’t get the level of detail they need with knives. Courtesy of Instructables user Brna.
Tools
Laser-etched Pumpkin
It can be done! But rather less satisfying than the traditional method, at least according to intrepid experimenter Jack Chalkley. I would think a fresh pumpkin would smell pretty good under a laser, but Jack says no.
Space Bug, a Hydraulic Barrel Grabber
Reddit user Queuetue built this impressive-looking shop crane: In my shop, we need to fill empty and stack a lot of barrels. Our old process, using a chain hoist, was fraught with peril – so we decided to build … something. It’s a standard box store manual shop crane, modified with a 2hp motor and […]
New in the Maker Shed: DIY Hologram Kit
If you’ve ever wanted to make your own holograms you’ve probably realized that it’s difficult, expensive, and complicated. No so if you have this new DIY Hologram Kit from the Maker Shed, it’s easy! Just set up the included jig, use the laser to illuminate your object, and expose the self developing film. You’ll have your very own high quality hologram in less than an hour.
Zero to Maker: Adventures in 3D Scanning
Then, SNAP! Andrew and I both jumped as all of the cameras shuttered simultaneously. That was it: quick and painless. I took my turn in the chair, and remained unphased as the simul-shutter snapped my photo….later that night, I had a 3D model of my head swirling around on my iPhone screen.
Scratchbuilt: 1/87 Mack FCSW Water Truck
1/87 is essentially HO scale, which is said to be the most popular scale for model rail stock in the world. For cars and even large trucks, as you can see, it’s pretty dang small. Which is what makes the level of detail achieved by renowned truck modeler Joe Enriquez on this, and his many other models in the same scale, so remarkable.
How-To: Anodize Aluminum Without Strong Acid
If you’ve ever wanted to experiment with aluminum anodizing but were put off by the conventional requirement for concentrated sulfuric acid, you will be very interested to read of Ken’s successes with an alternate process using the acidic sodium salt of sulfuric acid. This salt, sodium bisulfate (NaHSO4) is much safer to transport, handle, and dispose of than the strong acid, and appears to give anodizing results that are just as good or better.
