modeling

Scratchbuilt: Mi-24 “Hind” Attack Helicopter With 100K Parts

Scratchbuilt: Mi-24 “Hind” Attack Helicopter With 100K Parts

Every reported fact about this model is more amazing than the last: It was begun in 1986, when much information about the Hind was still protected by the Soviet Union as military secrets. It is constructed mostly from corrosion-resistant metals: aluminum, titanium, brass, stainless steel. The pedals in the cockpit work. The tires actually have air in them. The shocks actually compress. Many of the parts were fabricated under a microscope. The list goes on and on.

Browser-Based 3D Modeling with Tinkercad

Back a few years ago, if you wanted to design a 3D object, there were only a few options. Not many of those options were free or easy. TinkerCAD appears to be one of the many new modeling options that promises both free and easy. At World Maker Faire, I had a chance to see the browser-based TinkerCAD in action. It does appear that it is easy to operate, and free, if you can get it to run in the browser on your computer. TinkerCAD requires Windows Vista or OS X 10.6, so that will work on one computer at my house and one in my classroom.

Alt.CES: Life-sized R/C VW Bug

Alt.CES: Life-sized R/C VW Bug

Francisco Fondi, of Hobby Media, sent us news of this wonderful project, by some German mechanics who call themselves The Bug Box. They’re building a life-size replica of the Tamiya R/C Scorcher, released 30 years ago. The original R/C VW Bug model was 1/10th and is probably the bestselling (and one of the most beloved) […]