Awesome Hardware

Maker Ross the Random has a thing for turning hardware into critters. After he transformed a few nuts and bolts into a shiny hornet, he took a single screw and managed to massage it into a palm-sized sculpture of a scorpion.

Robinson Foundry shows how he made a double-threaded bolt using the lost PLA method he used to make that awesome bronze skull. The process involves dipping 3D-printed models in ceramic, firing then, then melting away the plastic with metal. The design was inspired by a bi-directional bolt machined by Oleg Pevtsov.

We always enjoy watching craftspeople turn objects intended for one thing into something entirely different. In this clip from My Mechanics, offers up one off the more impressive transformations we’ve seen, reworking an ordinary stainless steel bolt and a brass rod into a working combination lock.

You’d think that slicing up resin blocks filled with nails on your table saw and then grinding them down on a lathe might be a bad idea for the well-being of your tools (and your body), but that didn’t stop maker R Humphrey from testing out the idea. The resulting bowl he created has some really cool textures and patterns.

Maker Ross The Random loves to turn ordinary items into works of art. In this video, he shows us how he transformed a simple brass bolt into a shiny metal phoenix through a series of heating, bending, hammering, filing, and cutting with basic hand tools.

A hydraulic press makes quick work of small metal nuts, smushing them handily with about 7000 lb of force. But can the mighty press defeat these giant, industrial-sized nuts that can barely fit in your hand? Hit Play and find out.

After digging up a rusty old nail from his yard, maker Bobby Duke transformed the nasty looking old piece of scrap metal into a beautiful miniature sword that’s fit for a tiny warrior. Along the way, he made a custom forge from a paint can, some concrete, and blow torches.

BrainfooTV show us how he transformed an stainless steel connection nut into a piece of jewelry inspired by Tony Stark’s armored helmet. He first removed the threads, then cut and shaped it using a Dremel and hand tools, before polishing it to a high sheen. As a finishing touch, he added a pair of tritium tubes to give it glowing eyes.

SmartBolts’ innovative hardware has a built-in indicator which changes from red to black as you tighten them, providing visual feedback to ensure bolts are properly tightened, and reducing inspection time in critical operations where bolts can loosen over time.

The Lamello Invis Mx is an innovative fastener, which allows wood to be joined without any visible screws, and for parts to be assembled without clamping, thanks to a special magnetic driver.