plastics

Turning an HDPE Milk Jug into a Motor Pulley

Turning an HDPE Milk Jug into a Motor Pulley

By Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

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Making usable plastic stock from an HDPE milk jug is a lot easier than you might think

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Sea Creatures Inspire Bottle Design

By Sherry Ritter

Sherry Ritter

Sherry Ritter is a biologist, writer, and educator living in Montana. Before getting involved with biomimicry, she was a wildlife ecologist with state wildlife agencies in Wyoming and Idaho, and worked for the U.S. Forest Service. Biomimicry fits her life-long interest in organisms’ adaptations to survive.

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Inspired by diatoms and radiolarians, a new bottle used biomimicry as a basis for its new design.

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Plastic Bags into Plastic Blocks: Revisited

Plastic Bags into Plastic Blocks: Revisited

By Michael Colombo

Michael Colombo

In addition to being an online editor for MAKE Magazine, Michael Colombo works in fabrication, electronics, sound design, music production and performance (Yes. All that.) In the past he has also been a childrens' educator and entertainer, and holds a Masters degree from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program.

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Join me in my continuing journey to make a solid building material from plastic bags. My latest experiment has potential. How can you add to it?

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Commence Voting for Project Remake

Commence Voting for Project Remake

By Nick Normal

Nick Normal

I'm an artist & maker. A lifelong biblioholic, and advocate for all-things geekathon. Home is Long Island City, Queens, which I consider the greatest place on Earth. 5-year former Resident of Flux Factory, co-organizer for World Maker Faire (NYC), and blogger all over the net. Howdy!

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Voting for Project Remake is now open. Vote the maker you think most deserves to travel to NYC for World Maker Faire, and while you’re at it enter the sweepstakes to win a Nissan LEAF all-electric car!

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Choosing Fasteners for Fused Filament Parts

Choosing Fasteners for Fused Filament Parts

By Sean Michael Ragan

Sean Michael Ragan

I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

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I Heart Robotics is running a cool series of posts testing the merits and failure modes of various types of threaded fasteners in 3D-printed plastic parts. So far they’ve hit wood screws, self-tapping plastic screws, and a special type of melt-in threaded insert for machine screws I’d never seen before. Check it out!

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Re-Blowmolding Turns Pop Bottles Into Piggy Banks

Re-Blowmolding Turns Pop Bottles Into Piggy Banks

By Sean Michael Ragan

Sean Michael Ragan

I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

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[viddler id=1409630 w=580 h=330]   In this video from Core77, designer Taylor McKenzie-Veal uses a toaster, a two-part wooden mold, and a bit of compressed air to turn an empty sports drink bottle into a plastic piggy bank.  So much win.  [via adafruit] This Little Piggy — Taylor McKenzie-Veal Design More:Homemade Blow-Molding Gun

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