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Self-Healing, Recyclable Polymer has Shape Memory
A new material created by researchers at Texas A&M University and the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory is 3D printable, self-healing, recyclable, and...
View ArticleThis Material Is Nearly Uncuttable #MakerEducation
Sounds like a challenge!Fun video from SciShow.European researchers claim to have developed a composite material that is basically uncuttable, so with this material, your bike might never be...
View ArticleAdam Savage Nerds Out Over the McMaster-Carr Catalog @donttrythis
I have long been a parts catalog freak so I can appreciate Adam Savage’s deep nerding over the McMaster-Carr catalog. Every maker likely at least knows of it and those who don’t actually have a print...
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A Cut List Calculator for Optimizing Sheet Goods
I learned about this useful tool via Maker Update. The CutList Optimizer is a tool for calculating the optimum layout for cutting sheet goods. You enter your cut list and the dimensions of your...
View ArticleThe Wonders of Roman Concrete and How to Make It
It’s amazing to try and assess the impact that various materials and technological innovations had on the growth of human civilization. One of those materials is Roman concrete. In this How to Make...
View ArticleWhy the World’s Best Mathematicians Are Hoarding Chalk
Wonderful video about Hagoromo chalk from Great Big Story.Once upon a time, not long ago, the math world fell in love … with a chalk. But not just any chalk! This was Hagoromo: a Japanese brand so...
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‘Fossils of the 20th Century Civilization’– Tokyo, Japan
We love the concept + execution of this public art exhibit now on display in Tokyo. Write-up from Atlas Obscura.ALL OF THE STATIONS ON the Toei Ōedo subway line are adorned with some form of public...
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Ultralight Material Withstands Supersonic Microparticle Impacts
Looking like it’s straight out of a Purple mattress commercial, MIT researchers show “nanoarchitected” materials that could be tough, lightweight armor similar to Kevlar and steel.The researchers have...
View ArticleBasic Acrylic model making for Designers, Architects & Makers
Super handy video from Eric Strebel on YouTube.Basic acrylic model making, using a bandsaw, score and snap method, and a table saw with router. The basic tools and materials to start building models...
View ArticleLinoleum flooring is cool, actually
Okay, so I’m not totally sold but this did help me expand my opinion just a little, from Vox.If there were a floor covering Olympics, marble would probably get gold. Hardwood would get silver. Bronze...
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A Polymer that’s Stronger than Steel
MIT professor of Chemical Engineering, Michael Strano, explains this two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets and could be used as a lightweight, durable coating for electronics and...
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A New Plant-Derived Composite
An MIT team has engineered a new composite made of cellulose nanocrystals mixed with a bit of synthetic polymer. The composite can be a huge step toward naturally-derived plastics.Hart and his...
View ArticleThe giant chainmail box that stops a house dissolving
Really cool new video from Tom Scott on YouTube about a tremendous architectural preservation project in Scotland.The Hill House, in Helensburgh, Scotland was decades ahead of its time… but that means...
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The Magic of Invisible Mending
This really does look like it’s either magic or totally fake – but somehow it’s more amazing that it is indeed real. We also love how the video breaks down the details of the technique employed by the...
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How polyester bounced back
Fascinating read from Works in Progress on the history of polyester in the garment industry and how, after being deemed gauche by tastemakers in the late 1970s, the fabric returned to the spotlight...
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Vacuum Forming Bubble Wrap
By way of Donald Bell’s Maker Update comes this unexpectedly cool use of bubble wrap — as material for vacuum forming.The resulting pattern/texture is very interesting and not exactly what you would...
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The Weird, Analog Delights of Foley Sound Effects
Wonderful recent piece from The New Yorker about Foley sound effects. The piece profiles two modern Foley artists employed by Skywalker Sound, Shelley Roden and John Roesch. It also gives some...
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‘Magic mirror’: Hidden image revealed in reflection of centuries-old artifact
Okay, so when I first saw this headline, I was confused. I somehow thought a Magic Mirror was one of those incredibly fancy pieces of at-home gym equipment. I clicked mostly to resolve my confusion but...
View Article134.5 kg Concrete Bike
This working concrete bike from the folks at Play to DIY is truly a sight to behold.See the full video here.We made the first concrete functional bike in the whole world, it’s crazy! its weight of...
View ArticleWoodturning Coffee Beans into a Coffee Mug
Some of the best projects are the ones that start out as experiments you have convinced yourself are doomed for failure. This video from Preston Miller Projects is no exception. I love how the exposed...
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