Metal

DaveHax shows us how to use silicone LEGO molds to create replicas of minifigs and other bricks using gallium, a very soft metal which is solid at room temperature, but turns back to liquid at about 30ºC (86ºF). He needs to mold a T-1000 figure from Terminator 2.

Hypnotic and wonderfully-satisfying footage of a high-speed laser engraver rapidly etching an intricate geometric pattern into a metal disc. Z-Tech Lasers‘ video wasn’t sped up either, and was shot in real time.

Give your keyboard the makeover it deserves with one of these creepy custom Cherry MX-compatible keycaps. Sold individually, they can be cast from bronze, gold-plated, or .925 silver. We’d do an entire keyboard with these if we wouldn’t go bankrupt doing it.

Designer and fabricator Chaz Capobianco shows off a cool creation, a large, flat spiral cut from a sheet of aluminum, which produces mesmerizing patterns as its center is moved about. It’s sort of like giant, flattened Slinky, and so much cooler than a fidget spinner.

Cookiecutter.com shares a brief look at a machine that transforms rings of metal into cookie cutters. It uses several, hydraulic tools to precisely push the metal against a central form. While the machine is amazing, for some shapes, they still use the old-fashioned method. Wow.

Artist Ilia Gyrevich makes unique and functional objects by machining metal. In this video, he shows off how he creates his EDC pens from brass rods, as the metal shavings fly forth in a most satisfying manner. You can buy his wares from the MachinedGift Etsy shop.

The Tactical Marker 2.0 or TM 2 is a tough metal case for Sharpie markers. You can even drive over them and they’ll remain undamaged. The carrier comes in aluminum, brass or copper variants and with your choice of a blue, black or red Sharpie.

Artist Dieter Stahlwerx shows off a couple of his creations – thick metal sculptures which are cut so precisely that their second part nearly disappears into the background as it glides smoothly into place. Second video here.

Fabricator Brian Oltrogge walks us thorough a truly modern process for casting a custom hammer. He used a 3D printer to generate patterns, hand-sanded and smoothed the parts, then used them to make sand molds for its aluminum handle and lead head.

While we prefer our candy to be edible, there’s still something wonderfully satisfying about watching carsandwater pouring molten copper into a sand cast in the shape of America’s most iconic chocolate bar. You’ll definitely chip a tooth on this one though.

Beyond Object’s sculptural metal writing instrument is the perfect pen for fidgeters. One of its sections is misaligned by default, and must be rotated back into position in order for the pen’s tip to emerge. Choose from champagne, gunmetal grey, rose gold, or silver.

These beautifully-crafted metal chopsticks offer substance and permanence, while nodding to tradition with their bamboo-inspired form. Each one is molded from pure titanium, which won’t rust, and is resistant to germs. Available in black, silver, grey, or gold.

Built from aircraft-grade aluminum, this sturdy modern wallet holds up to 8 cards while offering quick access using two handy thumb slots. There’s also a stainless steel clip for bills, and the whole thing is RFID shielded to protect cards from being scanned by thieves.

Pacific Puzzle Works presents an incredibly cool and unusual take on the classic 20-sided role-playing die. This 2″ diameter icosahedron-in-a-icosahedron is milled from a solid hunk of 6061-T6 aluminum using a Matsuura MX-330 5-axis milling machine.

Jayden’s Apple makes nifty brass stencils that are perfect for sketch notebooks. The designs include arrows, flourishes, lettering, plants, speech bubbles, and more. The Journal Essential stencil kit includes elements for drawing checklists, calendars, circles, and grids.

Metalsmith Dmitry Shevchenko (aka “Shurap“) continues to crank out knives using unconventional materials. After showing us how to make damascus steel from screws, washers, and cable, he’s back to craft the patterned metal from a car’s timing chain.

The perfect gift for aviation fanatics, this set of round nickel coasters features images of four critical instruments from an airplane cockpit – the turn indicator, the attitude indicator, the heading indicator, and the altimeter. Backed with felt to protect your coffee table.

Engineer BrunS takes his metalworking skills to the world of Fallout, meticuously crafting this bronze, duralumin, brass, ebonite, and luminofor model of the Red Rocket from the wasteland’s #1 diesel fusion filling stations. Available from his Etsy shop for about $500.

While roses are a great way to show you care this Valentine’s Day, they only last a few days, then wither and die. On the other hand, MetalRelic’s handcrafted steel roses will last a lifetime, and look badass doing it. Sold in singles, multiples, or dozens.

GrimWorkshop makes lots of nifty stainless steel tools that you can fit in your wallet. Among the mix is this spear you can assemble onto the tip of a piece of bamboo or other wood using string or wire. They also make a set of 12 arrowheads which work similarly.

GoldPointProps walks us through the process of creating an incredible replica of the Dark Lord’s infamous head gear using sheet metal, bending tools, tin snips, an arc welder, a Dremel, and a heaping helping of elbow grease.

These palm-sized, flat-pack metal models require patience and attention to detail to assemble, but the result is well worth the effort. Choose from Millennium Falcon, R2-D2, AT-AT, X-Wing Fighter, TIE Fighter, Imperial Star Destroyer, and Vader’s TIE Fighter kits.

An amazingly satisfying demonstration of a skilled metalworker converting a flat disc of metal into a smoothly curved one, by spinning it at a high speed around a form, then pressing against it with shaping tools. The technique is used to make conical or domed shapes.

A clever take on the classic Solo cup design, Fred’s whimsical stainless steel 16 oz. cup has a shiny gold-tone finish that will make all your buds with cheap red plastic cups jealous. Also available in rainbow anodized or copper-plated finishes, the latter being perfect for mules.

CMM Laser shows off a nifty construction method which uses lasers to cut flexible corners into square steel tube, allowing them to be bent into custom shapes and angles all from a single piece, and without a bending machine.

We’ve seen metal miniature kits before, but never ones like these. Time 4 Machine’s big selling point is that their detailed models are mechanical. The wind-up cabrio and tank actually drive, the clock tells time (for an hour), and you can actually play the table hockey game.

A truly stunning piece of drinkware unlike any other. Each of Discommon’s Lowball 2 whisky tumblers is CNC machined from a block of aerospace-grade aluminum, and features precision engineered geometry and textures for an optimal grip and to minimize drips.

For Inventables’ fidget spinner challenge, Giaco Whatever decided to see if he could make one that could float in mid air. After a bunch of experimentation, he was able to get it to work by placing it between two opposing magnetic fields, and spinning it for stabilization.

Transform your basic black Apple Watch into a wearable piece of neo-futurist art with one of Joy Complex’s metal covers. They’re available in cast bronze or silver with a patina finsh, or shiny or distressed cast copper. You can find the watch bands shown over on Amazon.

Designer Paul Braddock of the Mold3D Channel demonstrates how to use objects made with a 3D printer to create silicone molds for casting items from a mix of metal powder and resin, giving them a sturdy and substantial part with a weathered metallic look with actual rust.