Awesome Desktop

Factories use injection molding to produce parts by squeezing molten material into molds. The Saltgator aims to bring the technique to desktops. It heats and mixes soft gels and works with 3D-printed molds to create flexible small parts in about 10 minutes. Ideal for making fishing lures and squishy toys. Here’s a brief how-it-works video.

Mayku’s FormBox brings the power of vacu-forming to your desktop. It connects to an ordinary vacuum cleaner and heats thermoplastic sheets to create objects and molds. Its can mold objects up to 150mm x 150mm (~5.9″ x 5.9″) and can mold objects up to 130mm tall (~5.11″). It works with a various plastics in from 0.25 – 1.5mm thick.

CarveWright’s tabletop CNC machine lets makers cut large-scale pieces with precision. It can work with wood, foam, or plastic up to 15.5 in. wide x 12 ft. long x 5.5 in. thick, with a cutting depth up to 2.125 in. A belt-drive moves materials through its cutting area. It comes with easy-to-use Designer software for creating projects.

Keep your desk clutter under control with this tower-style MDF wood organizer from Kuk Design. It has two upright slots for storing notebooks or a tablet, four small shelves for accessories, and a lower cubby that’s perfect for A4 or Letter-size papers. They also make a version for storing lots of pens or markers.

Injection molding is the process of injecting melted plastics into a mold to create parts. It’s typically reserved for large, industrial machines, but the MicroMolder changes that. It can accept aluminum, 3D-printed SLA, or high-temp cast urethane tooling, producing production-quality parts from pellets.

Keep your desk organized and tidy with these tiny replicas of the garbage and recycling bins that dot alleys and curbsides around your neighborhood. Measuring in at about 5″ tall, they’re perfect for holding pens, pencils, rulers, and scissors. Available in traditional blue/green, grey/yellow, or pink/purple combos.

Just because you’re a road warrior doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a good work space. The Co/Studio is a portable office that fits into your backpack. It includes a laptop power bank, wireless charger, organizer wallet, folding mouse pad, and a versatile desk pad that doubles as a privacy shield, laptop stand, and more.

A brief look at the Pocket NC V2, an amazingly compact and precise 5-axis milling machine that’s small enough to put on your workbench. This desktop manufacturing marvel costs just under five grand, tens of thousands of dollars less than most 5-axis machines.

Dress up your desktop with these premium wool felt pads from Workperch. They come in light grey, dark grey, or black, and the matching mousepad has an acrylic and cork backing layer. They also offer an acrylic and cork desk mat if you prefer a smoother work surface.

Jeff Gray of Scene3Designs makes all sorts of nifty items by stacking, sanding, and laminating layers of cutoff wood from a skateboard maker. One of our faves is this pencil holder. We’d love to see him make a version that holds tools too.