In the Make: Online Toolbox, we focus mainly on tools that fly under the radar of more conventional tool coverage: in-depth tool-making projects, strange, or specialty tools unique to a trade or craft that can be useful elsewhere, tools and techniques you may not know about, but once you do, and incorporate them into your workflow, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them. And, in the spirit of the times, we pay close attention to tools that you can get on the cheap, make yourself, or refurbish.
We all have them -- those tools that we don't brag about, don't show off to other tool nerds, don't hardly take notice of ourselves. We've had them for so long, or they've become such an extension of us, that they're nearly invisible. We thought it was time to have a moment with these tools, to recall some of the stories associated with them (perennial tools always come with stories). We put a call out to MAKE readers. Here are some of the responses we got. Please add your own homely tool favorites and stories in the comments. -- Gareth Jonathan Fulton -- I have this old pair of pliers; I'm not even sure where they came from, but they're at least as old as I am. There's something about a good old heavy pair of steel pliers that really adds confidence to the workbench, you know? I've used these to straighten nails, cut cable, I can even remember pounding in some nails when the hammer was not within reach. I hate trying to find a specific size wrench for a nut, and so most of the time, I use these pliers instead.
Recently, I reorganized my toolbox, and I have three other similar pairs of pliers, all Kobalt, or Craftsman, or some other mass-market company. The thing is, I almost never use them, they feel impotent and cheaply made next to this beefy Japanese pair. The brand is KAL, and I think the model number is 805.
James Vreeland -- Before the war, my grandfather was a toolsmith and perpetual tinkerer in Poland. After the fighting started, he and my grandmother were sent to a Siberian work camp. Not content to allow such an inconvenience to keep him from making things, he began to cobble together a humble toolkit. In lieu of a finishing hammer, he was able to scrounge a short segment of brass bar stock, which over time mushroomed at both ends and shortened by almost half.
Apparently he found this solution adequate, as when he and my grandmother moved to the States after the war, he continued the practice in his new life as a lamp maker. As each "hammer" got too short to use further, he'd toss them into a drawer and begin the process anew. When he passed, he had "finished" three and was well along his way to completing a fourth, which I use to this day whenever the need for gentle mechanical persuasion is in order. Thank you Jan Jakiela for teaching me what patience and dedication looks like, in the form of a one pound lump of metal.
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Probably everybody who's involved in creating Maker Faire, presenting at Maker Faire, or attending Maker Faire, has a special moment or two that sort of encapsulates the experience or becomes the icing over the whole experience. Each year, I like to share some of those stories. Above is MAKE editor and Maker Faire founder Dale Dougherty, riding Mondo Spider, a 1,700 lb., 8-legged electric walking machine, captured by Blake Maloof on his cellphone camera. As Dale said: "Very Wild Wild West." And after he'd parked the thing (decent parking job, BTW), as he got off, he said: "There was my Maker Faire Moment." I had two stand-out moments (honestly there were at least a dozen, but I'll recount two): Some of the arty pummers built by Zach Debord that I showed off during my demo.
The first was an email I received from a mom after she and her son had attended my "How to Build Pummers" demo on the Make: Projects stage. She told me her son, seven years old, is dyslexic and really struggling with being wired differently than other kids. During my demo, I was having trouble orienting my iPad so that the overhead camera could pick it up and display the image properly to the audience. I mentioned that I was dyslexic. She said he "lit up" and that it was really inspiring for him to see someone doing something he thought was really cool, who was obviously accomplished, and who'd overcome the same thing he was struggling with. The letter was extraordinarily touching. I shed a tear or two over it and so did other team members when I shared it with them. In some quarters, being hooked up a little differently is an asset, not a liability. And Maker Faire is most definitely one of those quarters! My other moment centered on the Maker Shed Merit Badge and the Learn to Solder tent. This was one of my favorite happenings at the Faire. I loved that we were teaching so many people how to solder and it was so much fun to see what a conversation piece these buttons became, a badge of honor that newbies could parade around proudly displaying. At one point, I was talking to Dave Hrynkiw at the Solarbotics bench in the Maker Shed. A father came up with his young daughter and asked what would be a good kit to get her started. Dave pointed out their new BeetleBot kit. "No soldering required," he said, "Screwdriver only." The girl wrinkled up her nose. "She knows how to solder," dad proudly replied. "She just took the soldering class." Dave directed them towards the Mousebot kit, instead. Sweet.
Phillip writes of one of his and Limor's Maker Faire Moments: Our favorite part of Maker Faire was the steady stream of parents with their daughters who had built Adafruit kits, watched "Ask an Engineer," and/or just wanted to meet "Ladyada." Here's a photo from Jeff that captures it nicely :) And on that note, a parent who watches "Ask an Engineer" with their kids each week said that their daughter asked the following question after seeing Ladyada and Amanda (w0z) on a few shows... Are there any guy engineers? Or are they all women?
Image of the ProdMod LED Hula Hoop kit, available in Makers Market.
Rachel Hobson writes: I don't know that this is particularly profound, but I had a moment when I was walking back to Expo Hall through Fiesta and saw a group of kids going to town with the LED hula hoops. They were soaking up the moment like nobody's business, and when I looked at them with all the other art and magic happening around them, I was stopped dead in my tracks. I thought about how lucky they are to grow up with Maker Faire in their lives. For them, this environment is completely normal. They will grow up knowing that this kind of magic, creativity, and community can exist. I didn't grow up with that, and it's why I fell so madly in love with Maker Faire. It was like I'd finally landed in a place I'd been dreaming about my whole life. And these kids are lucky enough for it to be a part of their development. It stuns me to think of the implications of this being "normal" to them and what impact this will have on the future. And it was just darn fun to watch!  Nick Normal, who's helping us organize the World Maker Faire in New York (Sept 25, 26), says: One thing that keeps going through my head is the image of this kid watching someone from The Crucible doing live welding. He was absolutely transfixed for many minutes, all without bother or distraction, watching this welder, just a few feet away. At one point, he turned around, saw that his dad was still there, also fixated on the welding, and turned back to watch and learn some more.
So, if you were at the Faire, what were some of your favorite moments? Tell us in the comments.
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Inspired by a woodpecker, Natalie Duckett made this Alarming Clock to help signal when you should wake up and go to sleep. It has two interchangeable 'beaks', to let you configure what the alarm will sound like. I like the simplicity of the concept, and how pretty the resulting sound is. Not recommended for use by those mourning for lost lovers while studying ancient tomes. [via theo's gallimaufry]
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This simulator hoists a person up via a hang glider harness with a fan blowing in his face and some VR goggles on his head. The project website is disappointingly light on detail, but it looks like it might be fun to try. What would really be killer, and I don't get the sense that the project works this way, would be for the crane to alter the person's pitch and yaw while simultaneously adjusting the Google Earth Flight Simulator feed. It looks like the crane is operated manually and the person shifts his weight to tilt the wings and thereby control the Wiimote. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Flying | Digg this! 
My new book is out! Made by Hand is about the fun and fulfillment I got from making my own stuff. I wrote about my not-always-successful attempts to do things like raise chickens, keep bees, grow and preserve food and make my own musical instruments. Made by Hand is published by Portfolio / Penguin, who described it like this: DIY is a direct reflection of our basic human desire to invent and improve, long suppressed by the availability of cheap, mass-produced products that have drowned us in bland convenience and cultivated our most wasteful habits. Frauenfelder spent a year trying a variety of offbeat projects such as keeping chickens and bees, tricking out his espresso machine, whittling wooden spoons, making guitars out of cigar boxes, and doing citizen science with his daughters in the garage. His whole family found that DIY helped them take control of their lives, offering a path that was simple, direct, and clear. Working with their hands and minds helped them feel more engaged with the world around them. Frauenfelder also reveals how DIY is changing our culture for the better. He profiles fascinating "alpha makers" leading various DIY movements and grills them for their best tips and insights. Here are a few advance reviews: • "This is a must-read book. Mark has lovingly and candidly documented the complex, myriad, intangible and often very tangible rewards of grabbing the world with both of your hands, and learning how it works." -- Adam Savage, Mythbusters •"...this is one of the most inspiring book for do-it-yourself'ers that I've ever read." Shane Speal, Cigar Box Nation • "Made By Hand is a wonderfully inspiring read and makes turning to a make-centric way of life feel not only approachable, but utopian." -- Jaymi Heimbuch, Treehugger • "Made by Hand an absolutely fascinating read." -- Jon Mueller, 800CEOREAD • "...not only was I entertained I was educated on a wide range of topics!" -- Recycled Crafts
• "Frauenfelder has been at the center of the emerging maker movement, chronicling its rise as an economic force. Here, he describes a parallel evolution: his own embrace of making, as he applies the lessons he's been learning to his own life. It's as inspiring as it is entertaining. You'll never look at your lawn the same again!" -- Chris Anderson, Editor in Chief, Wired
• "Why do otherwise well-adjusted people take to raising chickens in Studio City? What sort of contrarian spends a lot of time and money to kill his own lawn? These may be the projects of one quirky individual, but they point to something universal and true. Human beings find their proper home not in large-scale corporate structures but in the struggle for individual agency. You have to admire the doggedness with which the individuals in Made By Hand try to render their own world intelligible." -- Matthew B. Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft
• "Frauenfelder believes -- as do I -- that the DIY ethic is only partly about the things you produce. It's also about learning how to learn, about connecting with others who share your interests, and about taking pride in your accomplishments. ... I think the book is great, and I encourage you to pick up a copy if you're at all interested in DIY." -- J.D. Roth, Get Rich Slowly Buy Made by Hand | Read free sample chapters Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this! 
Reminder: The Ann Arbor Mini Maker faire is only a few weeks away, so if you are planning to exhibit you should sign up soon! The Faire will be held at the Washtenaw Farm Council Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 5th, 2010. See you there! Note that this event is different then Maker Faire Detroit, which will be happening at the end of July. Organizers of the Ann Arbor "Mini" Maker Faire have issued a Call for Makers for the June 5, 2010 event to be held at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds (aka "Saline Fairgrounds"). The Faire features exhibits and activities in robots, green tech, science, radio, rocketry, unusual tools/techniques, fixing and/or taking things apart, and other areas, all with an emphasis on "do it yourself." Last year's Faire drew over 1,200 people to engage in activities such as learning to solder and silk screening t-shirts, and saw exhibits some of which were featured in Make Magazine. Organizers are tripling the space and hope to have at least twice as many exhibits for 2010. The Faire is free to exhibitors and visitors alike, and is funded by sponsors and the organizers. It is a local version of the major Maker Faires in the Bay area, and, new this year, at the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit and in New York City. Exhibitors can find additional information and an online application form at http://www.a2makerfaire.com. Application deadline is May 5, 2010. The mission of the Ann Arbor Mini Maker Faire is to present interesting or unique exhibits, individuals, and demonstrations in DIY science, technology, engineering, and art that excite, motivate, and educate. The emphasis should be on cool things, skills, and knowledge. As a shorthand, the exhibits should be the kind of thing you'd see in Make Magazine. Ann Arbor Mini Maker Faire
Saturday, June 5, 2010, 10am - 5pm
Washtenaw Farm Council Fairgrounds
(a.k.a. Saline Fairgrounds)
5055 Ann Arbor Saline Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 More: Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this!  
 
Japanese toy giant Bandai is set to release a series of nifty kanji figures that transform into the shapes of the animals they represent. The shape-shifting critters, called Mojibakeru (moji means "character" and bakeru means "to change"), come in six varieties -- 犬 (dog), 虎 (tiger), 魚 (fish), 馬 (horse), 鳥 (bird) and 竜 (dragon) -- and are available in black, white, yellow and blue. I posted this mainly because the excitement around the Makerbot/Bre transformer. Could more cool printable transformers be on the horizon? I sure hope so. [via Pink Tentacle] Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Made in Japan | Digg this! 
I know we've done a lot of coverage of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, but it really is an astounding piece and we were thrilled to have it as the centerpiece of the Faire. And, as this mini-documentary shows, it's really an amazing maker story, about a large community of some 60 people coming together to do something with no other motivations than to delight fellow earthlings and to express creativity and the power of collaboration and chutzpah.
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World Science Festival starts in a couple weeks, I'm really looking forward to all the sessions, events and more. If you're in the NYC area - see you there! The (free) street fair is on Sunday -
The New York University/Washington Square Park area will become a science wonderland when the World Science Festival Youth and Family Street Fair returns to New York City on Sunday, June 6. This free, day-long extravaganza showcases the intrigue and pure fun of science with a non-stop program of interactive exhibits, experiments, games, and shows, all meant to entertain and inspire. Join us for a day of family fun. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Events | Digg this! More Recent Articles | |
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