Metal

Machine shop DataPro shares hypnotic time-lapse footage of a Datron CNC milling machine, as it takes a disc of aluminum and transforms it into a precise and smoothly formed gear. It was shot as a time-lapse, but won’t it be awesome when machines can do this in real time?

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.

A smaller and slimmer version of the Tactical Marker metal Sharpie case. The Sturdie is meant to house the ink core of a Sharpie, so you get practically the same size and shape as the marker’s original body. It comes in titanium, aluminum, brass or copper.

A fun 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.

Mt Phillip Metal Works shows off an amazing method for turning a bar of metal into an intricate and sculptural decoration inspired by the scaly tail of a dragon. The technique was inspired by the work of fellow metalsmith Matt Harris.

Take an up-close look at the surprising process that goes into making the stacked fins of a heat sink. Rather than casting the aluminum cooling device, they’re made by shaving the fins out of a solid block of metal, and bending them into place.

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.

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.

Upgrade your D&D game with Rainbow Shop CN’s beautiful shimmery electroplated metal dice. Made from zinc alloy, they have a nice heft to them, and you’ll get a full set including D20, D12, D10, D10(percentile), D8, D6, and D4 for all your gaming needs.

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.

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.