Plumbata are substantial war darts that have their origins in Ancient Greece and were favoured by late Empire Romans. They have rather nasty barbed head, a lead weight for inertia and were thrown as fighting lines started to close. Their nickname amongst the Romans was Little barbs of Mars
. Nasty as they look, how do you throw them and what do they do when they get there? — via Youtube
It’s really five mini machines. One puts down bread, the next puts on peanut butter, then a machine for jelly and so on. The last machine feeds it to me bite by bite! Spent almost four months on this machine — via Youtube
After about four months of daily use, and a pile of trial and error trying to add the electronics, Ian Davis has come to the conclusion that it’s going to be a better/faster journey starting from ground zero. Again — via Youtube
This is by no means an exhaustive Instructable to making ink, but I think what it has value in, is the angle for kids. I’ve selected plants which are edible, and this takes out a lot of the inherent risk of dye making with chemicals and compounds you absolutely wouldn’t want in your household saucepan! Purple is also one of the best colours to start with, as it can be easily derived from safe
things like grape skins (dark) to onion skins (dull), to sloe berries (pinky-puple), or more vibrant beetroot or red cabbage colours – which will change with pH — via Instructables)
My take on Joy Complex’s Rainbow Ring. 3D print in silver and bronze via Shapeways — originally uploaded by Red Wolf
Pahjo Designs makes a live edge epoxy river table with rocks from reclaimed cypress wood. He shows how to embed acrylic rocks in epoxy resin and how to mix epoxy glow powder/pigment to make this epoxy table top glow in the dark — via Youtube
Antikythera Fragment #8 – Layout Line Visibility
Wine, wax, woad and yes, There Will Be Blood… all in an effort to discover the best ancient marking fluid. And Clickspring’ll let you decide how the blood supply issue might have been dealt with in the ancient shop – he’s guessing it might not have been much fun being the apprentice on the day the large dial was marked out — via Youtube
Antikythera Mechanism Episode 9 – Making The Epicyclic Pin and Slot Gearing
In this video Clickspring makes what is arguably the most impressive section of the mechanism — the small pin-and-slot module that models the Ancient Greek theory of the variable motion of the #dearMoon — via Youtube
Zebrano Wood Craft made this skull ring with a box of skulls from Games Workshop, a few paints and a steel ring core — via Youtube
My take on Joy Complex’s Rainbow Ring. 3D print in silver and bronze via Shapeways — originally uploaded by Red Wolf
Antikythera Mechanism Episode 8 – Making The Mean Lunar Sidereal Train
In this video Clickspring makes the gearing that calculates the mean sidereal period of the #dearMoon, and has a closer look at some of the mechanical limitations of the device — via Youtube
Antikythera Fragment #7 – Precision Soft Soldering
Continuing on with the investigation of what it was like inside the ancient workshop, here’s a closer look at another of the demonstrated techniques: The precise joining of metal using soft solder — via Youtube
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 7 – Making The Saros & Exeligmos Train
In this video Clickspring makes the gearing that drives the eclipse prediction function of the mechanism. Be sure to check out the reference links below for more info on the Saros cycle, and other eclipse related stuff.
[EDIT: At 2:57 there is a typo – the final number in the denominator of the upper expression should be a 30 as per the sketch rather than 90 – Cheers 🙂 ] — via YoutubeAntikythera Fragment #6 – Making A Hand Powered Drill
The precision of the holes in the Antikythera mechanism is one of the most fascinating aspects of its construction. In this video Clickspring makes a tool that is capable of creating holes to the required standard, yet is consistent with the level of technology known to have existed in the period — via Youtube
Antikythera Fragment #5 – The First Precision Drill Bit
There are a number of cutting tools implied in the wreckage of the Antikythera Mechanism, and one of the most interesting is the drill bit. In this video Clickspring explores a possible method of how an effective and precise drill bit could have been made in antiquity — via Youtube
Antikythera Fragment #4 – Ancient Tool Technology – The First Hardened Steel
One of the key tool technologies that needs to be explored around the Antikythera mechanism is the simple hand held file. So this is the second of two Fragment videos relating to the making and hardening of a set of custom files, using materials and processes consistent with the period — via Youtube
Chris Salomone made a video where he tried out a new technique of melting crayons into the river of a waterfall coffee table. It came out looking nice, but got several questions about the durability. In this video he fixes the durability issue by adding a layer of epoxy over it — via Youtube
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 6 – Making The Metonic Calendar Train
In this video, the gearing that drives the Metonic, Callippic and Olympiad pointers is made. Clickspring recommends an article on the Athenian calendars for further detail on the ancient Greek approach to calendars — via Youtube
My take on Joy Complex’s Rainbow Ring. 3D print in bronze via Shapeways — originally uploaded by Red Wolf
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 5 – The Input Crown Wheel Assembly
In this video the small assembly that enables the user to drive the mechanism in made — via Youtube
Rescue & Restore restored a 1980 Mighty Tonka Dump Truck with a unique challenge, repairing bullet holes — via Youtube
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 4 – Making And Fitting B2
In this video the most recognisable component of the mechanism continues to take shape, and becomes the first moving part within the plates — via Youtube
Antikythera Fragment #3 – Ancient Tool Technology – Hand Cut Precision Files
There are quite a few very interesting tools still to come in this Fragment series, but Clickspring has to admit he has been super excited about these: A set of hand cut files suitable for constructing the Antikythera Mechanism — via Youtube
Antikythera Fragment #2 – Ancient Tool Technology – The Original Dividing Plate?
One thing about this machine that is truly surprising, is just how small the teeth are.
There’s a well established theory as to how the tooth divisions were marked out, but employing that process to mark out multiple wheels has forced Clickspring to question whether it can reasonably be applied to the Antikythera Mechanism.
So in this video Clickspring proposes an alternative process of wheel division, using only the non precision tools of the period — via Youtube
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 3 – The Plates And Main Bearing, by Clickspring.
In this episode the basic structure of the mechanism comes together, and Clickspring puts forward a theory on a simple method for achieving the extremely close clearances observed in the original device — via Youtube
A collaboration between Ravi Zupa and Arna Miller. Tiny, tree colour handmade, block prints on matchboxes depicting cats celebrating and making questionable decisions — via Vimeo
Antikythera Fragment #1 – Ancient Tool Technology – Making A Small Parts Vise, by Clickspring.
A possible answer to the question How did the Ancient Greeks hold small metal parts for filing?
— via Youtube
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 2 – The Main Solar Drive Wheel B1, by Clickspring.
There are more than a few surprises hidden in the wreckage of this iconic part — via Youtube
Use a Cricut Maker Machine to make incredible, beautiful lighted (illuminated) signs, using strip lighting, LED kits. This is one video of three in making various styles of light up signs, using a Cricut. Andrew shows you how to make an On Air
illuminated sign, using the Cricut Maker or another Cricut machine, using poster board or 140lb watercolour paper. The sign is power by 50 red LED Christmas lights that are 5mm in size and plug right into the wall socket with ease — via Youtube
The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 1 – Greeks, Clocks and Rockets, by Clickspring.
In this first episode of the Antikythera Mechanism project, Clickspring lays out the plan for how he intend to proceed with the reproduction — via Youtube
— via Youtube
HDPE is one of the most common plastics today. It is most commonly found in the form of blow moulded containers used for food and cleaning products — via Instructables
You can make your own perfectly adorable chibi crocheted AT-AT Walker with this $5.90 pattern from Polish textile artist Kamila Krawczyk, AKA Krawka — via Boing Boing
— via Youtube
This box loom is designed for use with a rigid heddle or for card weaving. It can be used on a table or on your lap, and the work can be dropped at a moment’s notice when something else (kids, pets, etc.) requires attention right now.
The cloth and warp beams are held in slots rather than holes. This makes construction easier, and, as a bonus, you can remove and set aside an unfinished project if something more interesting comes along. Simply release the tension, carefully take out the beams, roll up your project, and secure it with rubber bands.
If you build more than one loom, the recesses on the lower edge allow for easy stacking.
Once you have the laser-cut parts, the rest of the loom can be made with the most basic of woodworking tools. All measurements are in millimetres, but none are so critical that they can’t just be eyeballed — via Make:
This tutorial is inspired by the iconic Fender stratocaster guitars — via Youtube
Joining paracord is one of the fundamental tasks when creating with paracord, especially in multiple colours. This technique is the Manny method
, named after Manuel Zambrano who introduced this method to the paracord community — via Youtube
— via Youtube
Knot tying video tutorial. Directions for how to make a kings crown knot button with paracord. Easy step by step instructions in this guide.
This one is a fusion of the diamond knot or knife lanyard knot and a rose knot. Starting off with a carrick bend, this is a decorative knot that you can use as ornamentation on any of your craft projects. It is also an alternative knot to the diamond knot that you can use for your loop and knot closure paracord bracelets — via Youtube
Display data about the current weather and temperature on a retro split-flap display — via Youtube
— via Youtube
— via Youtube
Johnny Brooke cast some scrap wood chunks into epoxy resin and turned it into a bowl on the lathe — via Youtube
Bit of a break down and rebuild of Alex French Guy Cooking‘s internet pasta machine — via Youtube
On the security conference circuit, Baybe Doll (aka Emily Mitchell) had been getting her nail technician to embed small devices with readable data into her acrylic nails. However, the technology wasn’t available to the masses, and when it was, it was big and chunky. NFC (near-field communication) tags are the solution; they’re tiny and they’re powered by nearby magnetic fields so they don’t need batteries — via Make:
Alex the French Cooking Guy connected with Robin Gagachian, a knife maker in Nantes, France, who offered to help him forge his own chef’s knife — via Youtube
Learn how to 3D Print a pattern directly onto Fabric for Cosplay — super easy and very fun — via Youtube
In this episode of the adventures of Switch & Lever we’re making custom brass plaques, using reasonably simple tools, and some basic chemistry — via Youtube
