plywood
Latest
Spruce Deuce robot drummer is a fleshbag percussionist's worst nightmare (video)
Sure you can make a drum machine out of Legos, but can you make an actual drummer out of Legos? Steve Averill couldn't, but we think his rather more organic creation is even better than plastic bricks. It's called the Spruce Deuce, a robot that, like the Spruce Goose, is actually made of birch plywood. He's articulated by 11 radio servos tied to a MIDI controller and, amazingly, is pretty good -- or, at least, he isn't bad, able to hit the snare, tom tom, and cymbals. He's even mastered the double bounce and sets the rhythm before the song starts, which you can see after the break. Sure, he's a little more stiff than you might want for an average jazz percussionist, but when you're dealing with something constructed from cross-ply wooden sheets you have to give up a little flex, man.
DIYer gets crafty with plywood laptop case
We thought the AirMail was our most favorite niche case of all time, but the homegrown Ply Laptop Case is really making a case (ahem) for top honors. After hours upon hours of masterful plywood bending, sanding and carving, the wooden case you see above was created. Internally, the case is lined with cork to "provide additional heat resistance and protection," and best of all, those with the requisite skills can make one to hold any size machine you can dream of. Now, if only there was a TSA-approved version...[Via MAKE]
