Adam loves discovering new tools by watching other craftspeople at work, even if there aren't immediate projects or tasks in need of that tool. Having a unique tool like a pair of wire twisting pliers isn't about having it handy all the time, but it's part of understanding how things are put together in the world. In this case, the twisted safety wires you may find holding screws in place under aircraft or military hardware. Here's how those are made!
With today's 3D printers, designers are able to create their own line of figures and toys for proof of concept manufacturing. That's what 3D modeler and animator Michael Herm has done with his Age of Mecha 1/35th scale collectibles--with prototypes he's sent us to check out and review. We chat Michael about his prototyping and design process for creating posable mechs and how his modular approach allows for a variety of striking designs.
Many viewers have asked about the giant Swiss Army Knife replica that lives above the lathe in Adam's shop, and Adam takes this display down to the workbench to show you exactly what it is and how it works. And while it's disassembled, Adam spends the day making a replacement blade to restore this prop to its full multi-bladed glory. Be prepared for some fun maths!
Hey, Everyone!
If you read our previous posts regarding changes to our premium membership model, you may have noticed we mentioned some big updates coming to Tested.com. Well, that time is almost here, as a newly redesigned Tested will be launching in the next week or two! The new site is undergoing some QA and last-minute fixes, so a final launch plan is still being approved. That said, the earliest launch date will be Wednesday, Oct. 21, so we wanted to let you know as soon as we started to zero in on a target timeframe.
The primary focus of the new Tested.com is a better content experience and more logical content discovery. We'll be making our pages easier to navigate, updating our search and changing our category structure so it makes more sense for the content we're currently creating. We hope you will find it generally more intuitive and useful.
Aside from some pretty dramatic visual changes, the main reason we're undertaking this effort is to move away from a proprietary CMS and an underlying site infrastructure that was no longer viable. This major infrastructure change will ultimately save us time and budget to focus on what you expect most from Tested -- content.
However, these changes do come with some other adjustments that may seem abrupt. We know the changes are big, but they are in the best interest of pressing the reset button and establishing a new baseline for an adaptable future.
First and foremost, we will be deleting all user profile data. This means that after the "launch" you will no longer have a Tested account to sign in to. It also means that your site data will be removed. We will no longer be storing your email address and other personal data on the site (except for premium members' email addresses in Mailchimp.) This includes your transaction history if you were a Tested premium member now or in the past.
Because user profile data is being removed, this also means that we are closing the forums and deleting all old posts. If you have information in forum posts you'd like to retain, we recommend copying that information before Oct. 21. We know this may be really tough for some of you to hear, but we also know the forum hasn't received the love and attention required to really make it a worthwhile destination. We've found that our Discord community operates similarly to our forums of old (without the spam!), so please join us over there if so inclined. (It'll also be the place we'll solicit community contributions like podcast themes and outro pieces).
While forum posts will be removed and deleted, we are retaining old comments on posts. Since usernames and profiles are being deleted, old comments on the site will be posted as "anonymous" but the information contained within the comment will be retained.
If you are a current premium member, the way you access premium content is changing. Since there will no longer be a user account to log into to check your premium status, premium videos will have a password that is stored as browser cookie (so you won't have to enter it every time you watch a video). We will be distributing this password via the Premium membership newsletter, so please stay tuned for a newsletter on launch day. If you have unsubscribed from the newsletter, our support team can help. After site launch, write to support@tested.com and ask for the password. They will verify your eligibility and send you a password.
These decisions didn't come easily, but we think it's best that we rip the band-aid off now. Just know that the initial update will be considered a "soft launch," so expect to see minor content and UI tweaks as the weeks progress. We thank you in advance for your patience. In the end, please trust that our choices are only focused on continuing to do what we do best—bringing you the content you love.
-Team Tested
One of the best places to find beautiful vintage tools is at antique malls, and Adam shares some of his favorite tools he's picked up from his travels. One such tool is a elegant folding ruler--the kind that craftspeople used to carry around all the time. That classic design is renewed with a gorgeous folding ruler from Makers Cabinet, called the Stria. Adam checks out the steel and brass versions of the Stria, as well as the updated Iris drawing compass that improves on its unique design. Thanks to Makers Cabinet for sending these lovely tools to add to Adam's shop collection!
As more people start using VR and AR headsets, we're curious about the ways the two technologies can work together in social applications. One example is Spatial, a mixed reality shared workspace app that allows for asymmetrical interactions--users can collaborate in either VR, AR, or even through a web browser. We test Spatial using a HoloLens 2 and Quest 2 to get a glimpse of how mixed reality meetings work with today's latest hardware!
Adam pushes the limits of his machining skills as he moves onto the next part of his Hellboy Samaritan prop replica build. In making the closure latch of the Good Samaritan, he has to make something that's not only aesthetically accurate, but functions as a working mechanism as well. It's going to require some precise engineering!
Adam shares a critical woodworking tool that is also a relatively inexpensive piece of kit! A cheap $3 angle finder helps you match an exact angle of any part you're working with to another piece of material, whether it's wood, plastic, or metal. And if you can find one, Adam loves his antique cast steel angle finder, called the Angulus!