Awesome Metal

Machine shop DataPro shares hypnotic 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?

These unique metal dice from AKO have a modern look while incorporating a texture inspired by a dragon’s scales. Instead of round dice pips, numbers are represented with lines that mimic a dragon’s claw marks. They’re machined from aluminum and come in five colors. A 10-dice set includes a case/dice tower combo.

Metalsmith Alec Steele takes a momentary break from forging cool things to create a sculpture of his dog, Yoga. After measuring his pup’s proportions, he created a wire skeleton, then welded together numerous steel nuts in various sizes to form the metal dog-ppelganger’s bust.

Why buy off-the-shelf Star Wars figures when you can build your own? These flat-pack metal models aren’t easy to assemble, but the resulting sculptures will be worth the effort. They come in Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Boba Fett, C-3PO, and R2-D2 variants. Patience and tweezers not included.

Machinist Brian Howey of Automog designs and fabricates these smooth metal writing instruments. Available in brass, copper, or aluminum, the pens feature a satisfyingly clicky mechanism. Options include a cleanly-integrated pocket clip, a textured grip, and a custom leather pen case from UpState Handmade.

Works by Solo’s fidget toy is handmade from 26 components, including bike chain, custom-cut sprockets, and bearings to create a unique metal plaything. Its two gears can rotate independently, and move smoothly so you can get some speed going. See how it works and how the design came together in the video clip.

GRID’s slimline card wallet features a body made from copper, which resists bacteria and viruses, and also offers protection from RFID scanning. It holds up to 12 cards and has a built-in money clip for cash and receipts. Save 52% in The Awesomer Shop.

Most books have covers made from thick paper, though you might find some vintage ones made from wood. What you won’t find are any books with covers made from cast aluminum. Black Beard Projects teamed up with Nerdforge to create just that, and the result is a impressive work of readable art. Watch part two here.

From the expert machinists at AltDynamic comes their most impressive creation yet, a family of elegant aluminum playthings which look nothing like a sphere, yet can roll like one. Each one splits down the middle and is held together with magnets. They come in three variants, each with its own unique rolling properties.

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.

This keychain storage cache has two sections, so you can store different items in each of halves. It’s airtight, and perfect for carrying pills, emergency cash, or other small items. Internal dimensions are .45″ across, 0.63″ deep on one side, and 0.71″ deep on the other. Available in brass, stainless steel, or titanium.

A planetary gear is an arrangement of gears in which a central “sun” gear rotates as an outer ring is turned. Typically these have 3 or 4 “planet” gears to transfer energy from the ring. This impressive feat of engineering has 10 planet gears with a square sun gear. This 3D-printed double planetary gear is pretty awesome too.

Urban95 makes some great industrial style furniture, including this skinny writing desk that’s ideal for laptop users. Its 20″ x 60″ top is covered with an aviation-inspired riveted metal and sits atop skinny, but sturdy bent rebar legs. A perforated metal privacy panel finishes the look. Also available with a concrete laminate top.

Plane Pieces’ drink coasters are a great gift for aviation enthusiasts. They’re made using authentic Pratt & Whitney gears from WWII radial airplane engines. Each one is encased in clear resin, surrounded with a machined aluminum outer ring, and has a protective bumper underneath. Sold individually, or in sets of four.

We can think of no better gift for an aviation fanatic than this metal model inspired by the iconic Hughes H-4 Hercules. Like the real Spruce Goose, this miniature has eight propellers, though these turn using a wind-up mechanism rather than 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engines. The 219-piece kit is best for ages 14+.

The Stria is an elegant and substantial drawing instrument that will look great sitting on your desktop. It folds to half of its length via a metal dovetail joint and opens to provide a 30cm / 11.8″ ruler. It features a wedge shape for confident line drawing, imperial and metric markings, and comes in brass or steel.