Awesome Steel

Industrial laser cutters can slice through steel, but they leave behind bits of metal called slag on their work surfaces. While placing materials on support slats helps, there’s still a mess to clean up. This slat cleaner from TRUMPF offers a satisfying way to remove that debris. We want something like this for our BBQ grill.

Located in Scotland, The Hill House was created by architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Unfortunately, the damp climate has been unkind to the home’s experimental construction. Tom Scott shows us how conservationists are working to save the house by surrounding it with a box made from 34 million chain links.

This four-shelf steel rack can hold up to 1000 pounds without wheels, and up to 300 pounds with wheels. It folds up small enough to stash in a closet when not in use, and unfolds and latches together in under 5 seconds with no tools. Available in black, pewter, platinum, red, and white.

These unique damascus knives are made by forging and folding steel recovered from the Tirpitz, a German WWII battleship sunk off the coast of Norway by Allied bombers. There are four limited-edition knives in the series, the Barlow Prime Tirpitz-Damascus, the Tirpitz-Damascus, the Tirpitz-Damascus Wood, and the Tirpitz-Damascus Gold.

Need to tighten or loosen screws in a tight space? MulWark’s 4″ long ratcheting wrench is just 20mm (~.79″) thick with its bits in place, so it can fit into tricky areas where you can’t use a long driver. Its 1/4″ drive socket magnetically holds bits, which are made from durable CRV6150 steel, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

A Euler’s Disk is a plaything that illustrates the physics at work between a spinning, rolling disc, and stationary surface. Beyond the Press supersized the experiment by machining medium- and giant-size versions of the toy. Both are incredibly loud as they spin, and you wouldn’t want to put your hand underneath the bigger one.

If you want to keep people from breaking into your workshop, a big steel door can certainly be a deterrent. Builder Paul Pinto shows off the impressive 400-pound door that he built for his shop with the help of a CNC plasma cutting table. Those rivet heads and wheel mechanism make it look even more impenetrable.

Several years back, metalworker Ron Covell walked through the process of bending metal to create a cool bomber-style metal seat. Its construction proved intimidating for most, so he came up with a simpler design that uses a single sheet of steel, and might actually be feasible if you have the proper tools in your shop.

There’s a musical instrument called a steel guitar, but it’s named for its metal slide, and not the material it’s made from. But metalsmith Paul Pinto decided to actually make a guitar out of the weighty metal. Watch as he cuts, welds, forges, and grinds a steel plate into a beautiful chrome-plated instrument. Now how does it sound?

This compact axe from Schrade is ideal for backpacks. It weighs just 1.44 pounds thanks to its glass fiber and TPR rubber handle, while its 3.8 stainless steel blade makes quick work of chopping tasks. Its reverse side has a textured hammer pommel, and it comes with a ferro rod for starting fires in its handle.

Hydroforming is the process of shaping metal structures by inflating them with pressurized water or air. Maker Connor Holland has been experimenting with the technique, and shared this compilation of some of the more interesting and satisfying results. The pillow one looks like a metal whoopee cushion.

Celebrate your home state every time you pop open a cold one. Brandon and Erin Spangler’s handmade bottle openers are shaped like each of the United States. They’re plasma-cut from steel and finished with black oxide. Sizes vary based on the shape of your state of choice.

Estonian design shop Udrik’s playful metal stand provides the perfect place to store your over-the-ear headphones. Serving as both a work of modern art and a functional accessory, the powder-coated steel and oak stand resembles an abstract human who is happy to wear your cans when you’re not using them.

These sturdy and stylish steel cabinets offer a great way to keep your home or office organized. Each one is made to order from 18/20 gauge steel and features soft-close hinges, adjustable shelves, and smooth-gliding, locking casters. They come in 36″W x 18″D x 30″H and 36″W x 18″D x 60″H sizes in 10 powder-coated colors.

This unique knife is named for Charles Lightoller, who helped women and children onto lifeboats on the Titanic and later rescued 127 men at Dunkirk. The compact EDC knife has a 1.9″ Damascus steel blade with a twist pattern. Its handle combines Damascus steel and rosewood. Includes a full-grain leather sheath.

Typically, Damascus patterned metal is made entirely from steel. But it looks even more amazing with copper folded in. Tyrell Knifeworks walks us through the process of forging a gorgeous bowie knife by welding then pressing together layers of the mixed metals. The colors in the handle look awesome with the blade.

Several years back, inventor Colin Furze built an awesome underground bunker. He’s always wanted a way to get from his workshop into the bunker, so he decided to build a steel-walled underground tunnel to connect the two spaces. He’s been working on the project for a long time, and it’s finally complete. Watch the full build here.

A normal pool ball is made from polyester or phenolic resin, which makes them hard and durable. But the idea of playing billiards with metal balls intrigues us. My Mechanics rises to the challenge with this impressive stainless steel and brass 8-ball he made from scratch. We’d love to see a complete set of balls made this way.

Handmade from 1/4″ hot rolled steel, this modern and minimal fire pit should last a lifetime. It’s made from four sheets of metal that slide together for easy assembly, and its A36 steel is designed to patina over the years, from shades of silver into rich shades of orange and gold. They also make a stainless steel version.

Artist Greg Frehr creates these playful dining tables that replace ordinary chairs with swings. SwingTables have an outdoor-safe powder-coated steel frame, a wooden tabletop, and wooden swings to sit on. They come in 2-seat, 4-seat, 6-seat, and 8-seat variants and disassemble into sections for shipping. Cushioned seats are available.

Industrial Studio’s build video features the construction of a stand for his workshop’s anvil, and shows off one of the more satisfying methods of joining together steel – using molten hot rivets and an industrial press to smush them into place.

The guys from the Beyond the Press channel teamed up with the fabrication experts at Speweld to create a cube out of 2″ thick steel, then took it to a safe place to see what would happen if they set off a homemade grenade inside of it. We’re incredibly impressed by construction of the steel box.

Fishbone’s metal gadget is designed for knotless joining and tying of ropes and straps. It holds up to 0.5″ rope or 1″ flat webbing, and has built-in neodymium magnets for stacking and storage. Available in stainless steel or lightweight aluminum. They also make a mini version for 0.25″ or smaller rope or paracord.