LittleBits, Backyard Brains, MakerBot at TED
At the TED2012 Conference with Ayah Bdeir of littleBits, Gregory Gage of Backyard Brains, and Bre Pettis of MakerBot Industries
Tools
Label Paint Cans with the Things They Painted
Alpha maker Craig Smith discovers the hard way that it’s a good idea to label paint and stain cans with the projects they were used on.
Tool Review: iSesamo Opening Tool
“Spudger” is a word well on its way into the limelight. Originally, “spudger” seems to have referred to a particular, fairly specialized implement described by Wikipedia as “a wiring tool used for poking or adjusting small wires or components, generally in the electronics and telecommunications industries.” But these days, “spudger” seems to be more commonly […]
HP’s User Serviceable All-in-One Workstation
The Z1 isn’t even supposed to ship until April, so it’s all just hype right now. But it’s working on me. Will be curious to hear what the early adopters report. [Thanks, Phil!] HP Z1 Workstation
Cool Hand Tools
My brother Pat wrote me: Check out “Alone in the Wilderness” featuring Dick Proenneke living alone in Alaska. It’s on our PBS affiliates a lot here (in Florida). He is a true pioneer, a 1960’s “maker” at work, building everything by hand, using tools he made. He has no electricity. Shoots it all on […]
Using a Washer as a Soldering Aid
Very clever trick from next month’s issue of The Family Handyman, submitted by reader Joseph Johnson. If you have “helping hands,” clamping wire leads against a washer, as shown, stabilizes the whole setup dramatically by connecting the two arms with a rigid member, so you can bear down a bit more with the iron without […]
In the Maker Shed: Big Bad Beetlebot Kit
Are you looking for a great kit to introduce your children to making? The BeetleBot, available in the Maker Shed, is a simple kit to make a quick and basic obstacle-avoiding robot – no soldering required!