Tool Review: Shapeoko CNC Mill Kit
MAKE reader Michael Newman reviews the Shapeoko CNC Mill Kit.
Toolbox
Tool Review: Schröder 9″ Hand Drill
I picked up a pair of these German-made drills from Garrett Wade: the 9″ Mini Hand Drill ($25.50) and the 12″ Larger Hand Drill ($46.50), which has an additional wood knob opposite the crank handle. Since the Mini reminds me more of the old eggbeater, I’m using that. It looks shiny and new, but the solid construction and tight engineering hark back to the days when tools weren’t considered disposable.
Tool Review: Klein Kurve Wire Stripper
Klein’s Kurve wire strippers are comfortable to use and can cleanly strip the thin wires we use in small electronics and Arduino projects.
Tool Review: Whitelines Squared Notebook
Whitelines is a paper design that features white grid lines on a light grey paper to make your designs and drawings stand out better than on traditional dark-lined graph paper.
Tool Review: Stainless Steel Bonsai Shears
Scissors or shears on this classic pattern are sometimes referred to as “butterfly scissors,” “butterfly shears,” or simply “Chinese scissors.” The finger rings are integral to the blades, and are formed by bending the steel stock back on itself in two simple, elegant loops which, taken together, suggest a heart, or a leaf, or a pair of wings
Tool Review: NEMA 23 Stepper Motor Covers
Over the last year I have been finishing a project to convert my X2 manual mini mill into a fully enclosed 3-axis CNC milling machine. Once I had the stepper motors mounted and running, I worried that the wire connection at the base of the motors might be a potential weak point in the design. Eventually I want to use mist coolant when machining parts but I do not want to run the risk of shorting out the wiring due to spotty connections.
Tool Review: Kimwipes Delicate Task Wipers
Kimwipes are lab-grade tissues that are indispensable for cleaning delicate parts and for light-duty workshop use.
