Awesome Machines

Despite the science that proves that wearing masks can dramatically reduce transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses, some people are still refusing to wear them. To solve this problem, engineer Allen Pan decided to build a device that can pneumatically launch a mask onto someone else’s face from a distance.

Factorio is an incredible game about building and maintaining huge factories. After years of development and early access testing, v1.0 is here. You’ll mine for resources, figure out how to make your factories more efficient, and fight off enemies hellbent on their destruction. Grab the trial, or buy the full game here.

Artist Love Hultén pays tribute to Martin Molin and his incredible Marble Machine X project with a miniature, battery-powered version of the programmable, mechanical music maker. Since there are no blueprints for the original, Hultén based his model entirely on available video footage.

Prima Power shows off the power and speed of one of its impressive fiber lasers. Their 6kW Laser Genius slices through sheet metal of varying thickness like a hot, razor-sharp knife through butter. We can’t believe how easily it got through that metal at 1:20. More laser porn here.

While it’s not as powerful or accurate as Mark Rober’s motorized playing card thrower, Brick Experiment Channel’s version is still pretty sweet, and was built entirely using LEGO components, giving it double the geek cred. Now we want him to build a version that fires cash… or minifigs.

It’s been a while since we took a proper vacation – especially one on a beach with fruity pineapple and rum drinks, sunshine, and a cool breeze. Perhaps if we had a vacation simulator Rube Goldberg machine like the one that Sprice cooked up, we’d be in a more cheerful and relaxed mood.

LEGO Technics expert The Brick Wall is back with another impressive build. This time he arranged a series of multiple machines, which work in sequence to pave a brick road for other LEGO vehicles to drive on. It even lays a gravel foundation and smooths it before neatly placing the bricks.

Only like the marshmallows from Lucky Charms? Well you could buy a bag without the oat bits, or you could do what these guys from Google did, and build a machine that separates them for you. The Teachable Sorter can actually be used to recognize and sort other objects, and you can get the code, 3D files, and build details here.

Today’s computers are largely solid state devices, but some of the earliest examples of computers were mechanical. In this clip, you’ll get an up-close look at Charles Babbage’s 2.6-ton metal computer, a machine its 19th century inventor never got to see, but was eventually replicated in 1991 to prove that it works.

Maker W&M walks us through the process of turning a couple of muffin tins into a miniature concrete mixer, complete with a motorized stirrer. Though in this case, its purpose is to smoothly blend instant coffee with water. It probably would make a good hot cocoa too.

Make It Extreme likes to build all kinds of crazy machines and vehicles, and their latest is pretty awesome. Imagine a motorized wheelchair that drives like a tank, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re about to see. For more detail, check out the tank tread and transmission build videos.

After building a LEGO Technic-powered machine that cranks out yummy tapas, The Brick Wall an even more whimsical assembly line. This machine not only produces toy cars, but makes them out of carrots and cucumbers so you can eat them after you play with your food.

Bantam Tools‘ CNC milling machine makes it easier than ever to create prototypes right on your desktop. It works quickly and automatically adjusts based on material location and tool length. It can mill a variety of materials including aluminum, brass, steel, copper, wood, and more, with a working volume of 7″ x 9″ x 3.5″.

Donn DIY and his family used to cut, split, and stack all of their firewood by hand. As necessity is the mother of invention, he built a series of rigs which help automate much of the process, making it faster and more efficient, with much less back-breaking work. You check out all of the detailed build videos here.

Jason Allemann of JK Brickworks is an expert at building machines using LEGO bricks. In this clip, he shows off a nifty marble machine he created that uses sloped ramps and a motorized elevator to keep the little LEGO basketballs rolling in perpetuity.

As long as we’re not carrying a heavy suitcase, we generally take the stairs when given a choice. But for those times when you feel like giving your legs a break, the escalator is quite the invention. Jared Owen provides an animated explanation of the inner workings of this engineering marvel that dates back to the mid-19th century.