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A User’s Guide to Screws and Tap & Die
In these two clickclackclunk tutorials on Instructables, he offers an excellent beginner’s class on screws and tapping of screws. Knowing how to tap threads for fasteners gives you a new kind of superpower for your projects. It’s one of those skills that seems complicated and intimidating, until you do it. With a few specialty tools, some lubrication, and few important techniques, and you’re in like Flynn.
Making a Camera Tracking Shot Slider from a Measuring Tape
Via Maker Update comes this very clever project to 3D print a housing for a measuring tape and some ball bearing wheels so that you can use it as a non-motorized camera slider for creating linear tracking shots with your phonecam. You can even adjust the speed of the tracking by adjusting the pressure on the tape measure.
Which Rattle Can Paint is the Best?
In this Project Farm test (which took a year to complete), Todd tested rattle can paints that cost from $1 to $15. The paints were tested on a vehicle hood and on metal panels kept outside for a year and then compared for chip resistance, paint fade over a year, scratch resistance, and rust blocking. In the end, the winners were Rust-Oleum Pro ($6 at time of testing), Valspar ($10 at time of testing), and Seymour ($11 at time of testing). The big loser was the most expensive of the lot, Sherman-Williams ($15 at time of testing).
How to Create a Steam Box for Wood Bending
Xyla Foxlin recently made a cool bass guitar that used steam-bent wood in its construction. In this video, she shows how she created the steam box.
TOYS! DiResta Ice Pick
I’ve written about Jimmy DiResta’s ice pick before, but I can’t believe I’ve never recommended it as a tool. I use mine almost daily and am always surprised at the different uses I discover for it. There’s even an Instagram tag to document them. Sure, it’s not cheap, and yes, part of the allure is the hip maker cred, but buying one supports an indie tool maker and they’re beautifully made and hand-crafted by Jimmy and his crew. I’ve given several as Christmas presents and my recipients enjoy them as much as I do.
Maker’s Muse
A Roman “Swiss Army Knife,” some 1700 years old. Complete with three-pronged fork, spatula, pick, spike, and knife. Probably something of a luxury item, made of silver, and likely used by the wealthy Roman on the go.
Shop Talk
In response to a question in the last issue about ready-made racks for portable storage cases, specifically Stanley cases, I got a lot of responses sharing projects on how to build them. The person asking the question wanted to buy vs. build, saving him time for more pressing projects. I swear I saw a project years ago to quickly modify baker’s racks to use for this purpose. If anyone knows a link to such a project, please share.
In the meantime, for those looking to build a rack, here are a few projects that reader Craig shared:
Making a Small Parts Storage Rack
Making a Rack for Small Parts Storage with Stanley SortMasters
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Mark F. from Recomendo sent this NewLife moving calculator site for those who are looking to relocate and it’s fun to play around with. You put in the city you are moving from and the city you are thinking of moving to, as well as any language proficiencies, and it spits out AI info with the pros and cons, as well as what the cost difference will be like. It says a move from Nashville (USA) to Seville (Spain) would drop an average single person’s expenses by $1,300 a month, thanks in part to a halving of rent costs. A move from Toronto to Chiang Mai in Thailand would mean a monthly living expenses drop of nearly $2,700 Canadian dollars.
The Art of Combining Light Packing With Downsizing
Here’s a hack I’ve used that I hear many frequent travelers mention as a way to keep the suitcase from getting overstuffed. If you’re going to get rid of something in your closet, like a pair of shoes, a shirt, or pants, then wear the item(s) on your next flight or pack them. Then ditch them after you’ve worn them a few times in the destination, lightening your load for the remainder or the return. (Or making space for new purchases.) Donate if the item is still nice, otherwise trash it abroad like you would have done at home anyway.
Amazon Locker Pickups
If you’re nomadic and are only in the USA now and then, Amazon’s locker service is a good way to receive packages in whatever city you will be in. I used it in Las Vegas recently and it was super easy. I just chose a delivery address from many available—in my case outside of a convenience store near my hotel—then I got alerted by email when the delivery was there. They send a UPC code and a number code and when you enter the info, the locker opens and you get your goods. No local residency needed. See more info here.
A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.
