Awesome Metal

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.

Grid’s slimline metal wallet can hold up to 12 cards and cash with its exterior money clip. Beyond its durability, its copper construction offers two other big benefits: it blocks RFID scanning, and bacteria can’t live on its surface, keeping germs at bay. Save 52% in The Awesomer Shop.

This impressive piece of computer-controlled machinery from Germany’s J. Neu can take straight pieces of metal tubing, and bend them to its whim. We’re not getting the accompaniment of The Godfather music, but maybe it’s a threat that the machine will bend you like a pretzel if you go against it.

Do the birds in your neighborhood have an appreciation for contemporary art and architecture? Then set them up with one of sculptor Joe Papendick’s modern metal bird feeders. Each one is hand-welded from steel and coated with rust-proof enamel in a color of your choice. A stainless steel screen holds the bird seed in place.

The VersiCube is a unique object made from CNC-machined aluminum. KAD Models and Prototypes‘ cubes allow light to shine through, and provide a nice tactile feel. They come in 1.375″ and 0.5″ sizes, and a version with pegs for 3D Tic Tac Toe. Profits go to the Advanced Manufacturing Program at the Vermont Technical College.

The MagBolt pen features a unique mechanism that uses the power of repelling magnets to engage and retract its pen tip. Each one features a smoothly machined aluminum barrel, along with accents in copper, brass, or aluminum. Accepts a Schmidt 9000 M refill (included).

There are time-tested blacksmithing techniques for twisting metal into knot-like structures. But what if you want to tie a steel rod into an actual knot? Paul Pinto shows us how his method for making a tight overhand knot using a combination of bending, hammering, and stretching. The engine hoist trick is a good one.

Builder Phil Vandelay needed a door to separate two spaces in his workshop. Rather than just go with a traditional rectangular design, he fabricated a metal frame which folds into triangular sections when opening and closing it. The design was inspired by this one he previously saw online.

Olson Form makes high-end desk accessories, milling components from 6061 aluminum alloy. The set includes a phone stand, business card holder, bolt action pen, paperclip bowl, pen holder, money/paper clip, coaster, spinning top, letter opener, and a cable weight. In black or silver, with a grooved or straight edge.