Minneapolis maker Greg Flanagan made an organizer for his tools using a slab of CNCed wood. First he arranged the tools how he wanted them. Next, he took a photo of the arrangement and pulled it into his vector art program where he traced the tools. Finally, he imported his drawing into CAM software and […]
Take a photo tour through the 35-year-old hand-built workshop of general building contractor Craig Cochrane, and check some of his projects: a redwood cone carved newel post and a rampant lion stained glass window.
A pump drill is an ancient tool traditionally been used to generate friction heat for starting fires, as well as for boring holes. The principle of a pump drill’s operation is similar to the button spinner or whirligig, in which rotational momentum is built and maintained by repeated twisting and untwisting of a cord. After reading about them in a book about primitive technology, I got interested in the idea of a “modern” pump drill, operating on the same principle as the ancient tool but manufactured from industrial-age materials instead of wood, stone, and bone.
There was an interesting piece on NPR this morning about power tools for the Amish. The Amish have traditionally been farmers, but land has become prohibitively expensive to purchase, so many are turning to woodworking to earn a living. Since their homes are not wired with electricity, their table saws, drills and sanders are retrofitted with gas engines and compressed air tanks.
Recently, I’ve been learning how to repair antique clocks under the guidance of clock expert Bob Frishman. When assembling a clock, there are many axles with pivots on the end that must be fitted within the holes in the clock’s plates. It is one of those jobs that seems to require ten hands. A pivot locator is a long, thin tool used to gently nudge the pivots into place. You can buy them, but I’ve come to love the one shown here. It’s handmade, but not by me.
Let’s take a look at ways of making drilling holes better and easier.
I’ll admit it: I’m an enclosure geek. From the sleek, brushed-metal case I got for my first Mini-ITX computer, to the sheet steel box I wrapped around the electronics in my Nerf Sentry Gun build, I put a lot of thought into selecting the right case for the job. For my new Raspberry Pi Model B computer, however, I didn’t have to think very long. Not after I first laid eyes on the Barch Designs Raspberry PiHolder.
