Tools

Makey Awards 2011 Nominee 08: Tamiya, Inc., “Best Product Documentation”

Makey Awards 2011 Nominee 08: Tamiya, Inc., “Best Product Documentation”

Founded in Shikuoza, Japan in 1946, Kabushiki gaisha Tamiya was originally a sawmill and architectural lumber company that made wooden ship models as a sideline. Their first plastic model, released in 1960, was a 1/800 scale battleship Yamato. Today, Tamiya manufactures R/C sea, air, and land vehicles, robots, educational materials, and a line of modeling tools, paints, and accessories in addition to their traditional scale model line.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan4
Creating a Hackable Flashlight

Creating a Hackable Flashlight

When I told people at the Bay Area Maker Faire that I was going to make an open source, programmable flashlight, some called me crazy. Now, seven weeks later, my project HexBright FLEX, is one of the top ten most-funded Kickstarter projects to date, raising over $170,000, with over 2000 backers who think I’m not so crazy, including MythBuster legend Grant Imahara.

Continue Reading Gareth Branwyn58
Tool Review: Gilmour 528T Solid Brass Twist Hose Nozzle

Tool Review: Gilmour 528T Solid Brass Twist Hose Nozzle

This morning I was rolling the empty trash bin back from the curb, and I noticed there was some grime down in the bottom. “Let’s wash that out with the hose,” I thought, and turned and started rolling for the spigot. About halfway there, it occurred to me: I don’t really care if there’s a bit of grime in the bottom of my city trash bin–that’s pretty much what it’s there for. I was just looking for an excuse to use my shiny new brass hose nozzle.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan33