DiResta: Hardwood Mallet
In this episode of DiResta, master builder Jimmy DiResta makes mallet from hardwood on a vintage wood lathe. The result is a practical piece of art. If you’re a fan of woodturning, this episode is for you.
Tools
PocketNC, an Affordable Five-Axis CNC
Jaws drop when makers see a five-axis CNC at work. That’s what happened to me when I saw PocketNC performing its magic. I peered closely and saw a spindle moving along two axes milling a piece of plastic mounted on a trunnion moving along/around three axes. The result of a three-year, four-prototype development effort of husband and wife team Matt and Michelle Hertel, PocketNC is getting ready for market.
Physics Experiments from Upcycled Appliances
Xraise Cornell is an outreach group that makes interactive devices that demonstrate unusual physics phenomena. Check out this montage video of some of the fun gadgets they brought to Maker Faire New York. My favorite: the microwave with neon bulbs inside that ionize and light up when hit with microwaves.
DiResta: Bandsaw Stand
World Maker Faire New York is this weekend and I will be doing band saw demos. I looked on line for a cheap, portable bandsaw to bring to the fair and in this video you see the 10-inch saw I purchased for the occasion. It’s a ” bench top” saw small enough for mounting on—a bench top. But since I will using this one at the fair I’ll need a stand with a shelf for the small vacuum. Here’s what I made.
Laser-Cut a Drag Chain
Martin Raynsford made this drag chain out of parts he laser-cut out of 2mm MDF. A drag chain protects wires from snagging, usually on constructs that move, like the toolhead of a CNC router.
How-To: Watermelon Smoothie Hack
NASA engineer Mark Rober put together an amazingly simple watermelon smoothie hack from just a coat hanger and an electric drill with some impressive results!
Designing Makerspaces at Maker Faire New York
It’s time for another World Maker Faire! Soon, tens of thousands of people will come to New York to see hundreds of art pieces, robots, vehicles, and everything in between. Many of the pieces on display were created by dedicated makers working out of their garages, but a growing number of them are being designed and built in makerspaces around the country – spaces that provide access to equipment, training on that equipment, dedicated areas to work on your project, and a community of like-minded makers.