Tag Archives: steel

Minimal bent tape dispenser is made from a single piece of steel

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There’s a meme that says one of the things that you’ll never find when you need it is the tape dispenser. You may own one (or maybe even several) but the moment you actually need it, it disappears. So maybe you need something that’s permanently attached to your work space or also something that’s not so difficult to use since I’ve “destroyed” several out of frustration.

Designer: CW&T

As a stationery lover, I like those simple and minimalist items that are both highly functional but also but also well-designed pieces. The M.R Tape Dispenser is one such item that I’ll welcome on my desk. It is a multi-radius tape dispenser that can hold one or multiple rolls of tapes of different sizes. It uses tension to hold and dispense these pieces of tapes.

The dispenser is made out of just one piece of machined and bent stainless steel. The tape is then fed through an opening and then cut into a polished surface. In order to get maximum adhesion, the space where the tape is held and teared off has a mirror polished finish. The dispenser itself has a rubber bump-on pad on its base so it can grip on to your surface. You can attach it to your wall or to your desk.

It’s a pretty simple piece of stationery but because the designers thought long and hard about it, you get something that’s pretty functional. Hopefully you don’t lose it since it’s a pretty expensive piece of tape dispenser.

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Save your nails and beat the stress with this innovative wave spring key ring

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We all know that it’s a good idea to keep keys together in one place, but no one talks about how painful that can actually be. Key rings are basically a single piece of metal bent to coil in a circle, and that design hasn’t changed one bit in decades. It’s a simple design that’s meant to keep your keys secure to the point that you’ll break a sweat or break a nail when actually trying to add a key to the ring. Worse, the rings that do try to be more flexible and easy on the nails end up being less reliable instead because of their softness. Fortunately, the solution isn’t as complicated as you might think, as demonstrated by this distinctive key ring that takes its smarts from the design of aerospace equipment and cars.

Designer: MAENI

Click Here to Buy Now: $25

The common key ring is really just a flattened coil of metal, the most practical shape not just for holding a bunch of keys but also for securing them in place. In order to prevent those keys from accidentally getting loose, that coil provides no gap in between and is often quite rigid, requiring you to exert a lot of force to open one end for a key to get through, which often ends up with broken nails. Conversely, there are rings that are so thin and pliable that they get easily deformed the moment you deal with thicker keys and objects.

The simple answer to this decades-old probably is apparently to change the kind of structure used. Instead of that traditional coil spring, this key ring employs a “coiled wave spring” shape instead. This kind of spring is heavily used in heavy-duty vehicles and equipment, from aerospace to automobiles. Turns out that this same wavy shape is perfect for a more user-friendly key ring that won’t break nails or test your patience.

With this wave spring design, inserting a key is as easy as sliding it into the ring through the natural gaps made by the waves. To remove a ring, simply lift the tip without worrying about damaging your nail. The key ring is designed to be as stress-free to use as possible, removing any hurdle to keeping your keys organized and safe in a single place.

Despite its uncommon appearance, this stress-free key ring is actually lighter than a typical keyring at only 3 grams. That’s thanks to a thinner material, only 0.8mm thin, and its beautiful waveform shape. At the same time, it’s actually twice as strong with a high-tension stainless steel SUS304 body so it won’t get bent out of shape even if you insert a thick key. Whether it’s to protect your nails or to protect your sanity, this one-of-a-kind key ring will give you peace of mind knowing all your keys are in one place and that you can add or remove them easily as often as you want.

Click Here to Buy Now: $25

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Meet the Tellus Bench, “the world’s first” furniture made from fossil-free steel

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Street furniture brand Vestre and designer Emma Olbers have designed a unique and innovative piece of furniture called the Tellus Bench using fossil-free steel, produced without creating carbon emissions. Swedish steelmaker SSAB forged the steel used to build the Tellus Bench in its converted blast furnace, which utilizes green hydrogen instead of coal for heat, and hence it emits no carbon dioxide.

Designer: Vestre and Emma Olbers

Vestre intends to be recognized as the world’s most sustainable furniture company and claims that it is the first furniture manufacturer in the world to use fossil-free steel. Vestre uses steel to slash carbon emissions. “Early estimates show that converting all our steel to fossil-free could reduce our overall footprint by around 60 percent,” said Vestre chief sustainability officer Øyvind Bjørnstad. Designer Olbers wanted to lower emissions by using as few materials as possible to build the bench. “An outdoor bench for public environments must also withstand a lot of wear and tear,” Olbers said. “We have striven to use as little material as possible but still maintain the strong construction.”

Olbers wanted the bench to have a “metal feel”, while also possessing a welcoming and inviting appeal. The bench is equipped with wide armrests, that provide comfort to the user, while also offering sufficient space to place a coffee or tea cup. The Tellus bench is intended to be used in parks, and other public spaces, and is available in the classic RAL color. The bench is named after one of the alternative names for Planet Earth.

The material used to build the Tellus bench has the same properties as steel, but it is produced via a process called Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology (HYBRIT), during which green hydrogen is burned in the place of coal and coke. The green hydrogen is procured via the electrolysis of water, which splits and partitions the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen and emits no greenhouse gases at all. The Tellus bench is meant to be the world’s first item of furniture made from fossil-free steel, and we cant wait to see how this innovative design will impact the world of furniture design.

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FluidStance Lift laptop stand has a whiteboard to also raise your productivity

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Laptops have long overtaken desktops as the most numerous kind of personal computer in the market, yet it is far from being the most comfortable to use. These notebook computers were never designed for ergonomics, and their form has persisted for decades just because there is really no better solution yet. What people have done, instead, was to workaround the laptop’s inherent ergonomic limitations, mostly by either using laptop stands that raise the screen to a more comfortable level or connecting an external monitor and better keyboards for desktop use. Laptop stands do one thing and one thing only, and while their simplicity has merits, they can do nothing more to optimize your workflow and productivity. Sensing an opportunity, FluidStance created a stand that elevates not only your laptop but also your productivity by offering a small yet significant analog feature.

Designer: FluidStance

One of the most-cited reasons (or excuses) for an unproductive time at work or study is the unavoidable interruptions that come our way. The common advice is to immediately note down those ideas, tasks, requests, or what have you the moment they arrive and then switch back to the current task at hand. That strategy sounds trivial, but only if you actually have something at hand to note those things down immediately, which isn’t always the case. FluidStance is trying to solve that problem by giving you a writing space that’s always available since it will be where your laptop will always be.

The Lift is a bit of an outlier among other laptop stands. It stands quite tall, actually 9 inches at its highest point in the back. This was specifically designed to put the laptop at eye level, reducing the strain on your neck when working at a desk. On the front, the laptop is raised to a height of 6.25 inches, which does mean you’ll need to use a separate keyboard anyway. Instead of wasting space, however, FluidStance has creatively put a dry-erase board in that space, becoming an area where you can immediately jot down notes without breaking your workflow or fumbling around for pen and paper.

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It’s a rather ingenious design that takes advantage of what would normally be an unused area underneath a laptop stand. There’s still a lot of space behind the whiteboard if you want to hide some things from sight. The stand does have cutouts on the hind legs for cable management, so you might prefer to use that space for computer-related accessories instead.

One side effect of having a built-in whiteboard is that the height of the stand is fixed. In fact, there aren’t any additional parts, hinges, or whatnot, making it one solid steel piece. That also means that the FluidStance Lift is built to last, probably longer than even the laptop that sits on it, making it not only a minimalist yet multi-functional desk accessory but also a sustainable one, too.

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Japanese origami inspire the Pavillion that uses auxetics, kirigami to bring filtered sunlight into the space

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When walking into a covered space, the last thing I pay attention to is the roof. I will probably look around but not really look up, unless there’s a compelling reason to do so. There are creative designers out there that are thinking of ways to apply innovative concepts and materials to not just create something beautiful but add to the aesthetics of the structure or space that it occupies. It’s also interesting to me that they bring in other techniques and practices and apply them to architecture and interior design.

Designers: Masaaki Iwamoto Laboratory, Kyushu University, Mika Araki Laboratory, Kwansei Gakuin University

The Auxetic Pavillion is one such project that will make you look up and wonder at the roof that lets natural light filter onto your space. The designers were inspired by Kirigami, the Japanese art of cutting and folding paper which is a derivative of origami. They used the idea of geometric structures called auxetics and applied them onto metal plates to be able to create a curved surface that gives off the effect of sunlight pouring through the beautiful cracks and porous surface.

Think of it as a chandelier that is not hanging but is instead built into the roof itself and instead of artificial light, you get natural sunlight pouring downwards. It’s similar to how the light filters in through the various leaves of a tree onto the ground. They used biomimetics where designers and botanists worked together to create geometric patterns with periodic incisions and then applied it to the plasticity of metal plates. The pavillion is located in the courtyard of a campus in Fukuoka, Japan.

For the first step, they applied the geometric pattern through laser cutting a 1mm thick stainless steel plate. It is then deformed manually to match the porous surfaces. When you change the cutting pattern, it can also adjust the opening rate of the panels. Aside from just looking aesthetically pleasing, the potential application of this design and process can include giving spaces better ventilation, harnessing the daylight and saving on electricity, and controlling solar gain.

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Landr tablet promises you won’t slosh your coffee when you cut your bread

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When your table looks like a steel bridge or a lunar lander, you definitely expect it to be as tough and as stable as one.

Tables and desks are some of the most rigid and most reliable pieces of furniture we have in our homes, or at least they’re supposed to be. There are times when manufacturing defects make them a little unstable, but some designs simply fail the “coffee and bread” test. These tables tend to jiggle and slide when you are trying to cut up food, causing coffee or other drinks to sway, slosh, or even spill. Taking on such a common problem that shouldn’t exist in the first place, the Landr dining and conference table tries to correct the design mistakes of common tables, promising enough stability that you can even place a lander on top of it to screw a light bulb.

Designer: Felix Monza

Of course, we’d rather you didn’t, but Landr’s designer is so confident in its stability to make such a bold and unqualified claim. Whether you’re cutting bread or standing on top of it, the table shouldn’t budge a single inch. At the very least, it wouldn’t collapse from under your weight, and it definitely looks like it could handle a rough lunar mission. That’s despite having a modular design that is also promised to be trouble-free to assemble.

The Landr’s design is both industrial and futuristic at the same time, owing to the barebones appearance of its steel frame and legs. If the crisscrossing pattern of the legs reminds you of steel cages, you wouldn’t be off the mark. As its name suggests, the Landr is heavily inspired by the legs of the Apollo Lunar Module as well as the roll cages of sports cars. Both vehicles embody stability and durability, and those are the characteristics that the Landr table wishes to convey, but in a more home-friendly fashion.

There is also a pinch of sustainability to the table, though it probably should probably be a long time before the Landr is ready to retire. It is mostly made of renewable or recyclable materials, like the steel frame that’s powder-coated rather than painted. Choices for table tops include ceramic, wood, and glass, with no plastic option in sight. Although the table is indeed recyclable, the designer hopes that owners will refurbish the table when the end of its use has arrived. Given its minimalist and timeless design, it will most likely fit in any context or time.

When it comes down to it, there is really no revolutionary invention or design involved in the Landr’s creation. It’s good old-fashioned research and prototyping, inspired by designs and products that have already been proven to work. That doesn’t make the result any less impressive or less attractive. The Landr’s unassuming yet eye-catching design clearly speaks to its best feature, removing any doubt that this table won’t wobble, topple, or fall down, no matter how hard that piece of bread is.

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This laser-cut steel stool looks like a parked spaceship from a sci-fi film

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We’ve seen our fair share of stool concepts and prototypes, and, more often than not, these often come in wood, plastic, or even stone. The ones that are made from metal often convey smooth curves and forms to contrast with the material’s often cold appearance. There are times, however, when sharp edges and corners, visible nuts and bolts, and overlapping sheets of metal present a more interesting visual experience, especially when it’s associated with a certain theme. That’s what this steel stool prototype brings to the table, metaphorically speaking, with a design that would perfectly fit in a sci-fi, cyberpunk, or even dystopian movie set.

Designer: Leon E.

Almost all stools and chairs are designed with comfort and stability in mind, at least the ones that are intended to actually be used. After all, who would want to sit on a chair that’s not only uncomfortable but also dangerous? An unrefined metal stool with sharp edges and corners, for example, could end up cutting your skin every time you move or carry it.

The Stool .03 throws all those conventions and expectations out the window to create a piece of furniture that appeals to a certain aesthetic taste while still promising stability when someone does sit on it. It wholeheartedly embraces its metallic nature and makes no effort to hide it, looking unpolished yet at the same time refined. Its polygonal surfaces and triangular shapes call to mind designs used on TV and in games when portraying sci-fi or futuristic objects. Alternatively, it also looks like an alien craft with its three wings folded in a state of rest, ready to expand and lift off at any moment.

More than just the design itself, the development and manufacturing process behind this stool is just as interesting. The goal was to design a stool that could be cut from steel sheets using a laser, a rather unorthodox process for producing steel chairs. The overall design was also intended to make use of diagonal lines and angles to create a dynamic appearance without the usual flowing curves.

The result is a stool that is sharp and edgy in a good way. It definitely looks different and unique and will probably appeal to certain people with a penchant for more industrial designs. Whether it’s comfortable enough to sit on for hours or even a few minutes, however, is an entirely different question. Perhaps someday, we will be able to use a material that has the same visual identity as hard steel but with the soft comfort of textile. Then this Stool .03 will easily become a fixture in the homes and offices of the future.

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Freddy Krueger Fire Pit Is the Stuff of Nightmares

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One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you… Three, Four, better lock your door… Those simple words still send chills down my spine. After all, Freddy Krueger is one of the scariest villains in the history of horror flicks. Those of us who grew up watching A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels had a hard time sleeping after worrying that Freddy might come to visit us in our dreams. Now, Freddy is back and ready to take up residence as a waking nightmare in your backyard. Only this time, he’s on fire!

UK artist Burned by Design makes this custom Freddy Krueger fire pit that’s sure to give your neighbors pause before stepping across the property line. The 33″ tall wood burner features Freddy’s nightmarish visage, complete with scars and burn marks, his beady eyes, and jagged teeth backlit by fire. Flames belch forth from his trademark hat while his steel-bladed glove beckons you to come closer to the flame.

If you’ve got about $1500 burning a hole in your pocket, you can order your own Freddy Krueger fire pit from the Burned by Design shop on Etsy.

[via Laughing Squid]

These modular prefab homes could be the world’s first to use a steel 3D-printed “exoskeleton” construction system!

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Located in Orani, Sardinia, Exosteel comprises the world’s first housing development to use a steel 3D-printed “exoskeleton” construction system that supports and distributes all the functional elements of the building, inspired by the sculpture work of Costantino Nivola.

Museums are social hubs for travelers. They’re cultural and artistic landmarks first, yes. But they’re also guaranteed spots where tourists can take some respite from long hours spent wandering the city. Near the Nivola Museum in Sardinia, Italy, international design studio Mask Architects visualized a cluster of homes to function as a housing development for the surrounding community. Conceptualized as a small village of modular prefabricated steel houses, Mask Architects is the world’s first architecture and design firm to use a steel 3D-printed “exoskeleton” construction system to build the small village, calling it Exosteel.

Exosteel comprises a group of modular steel homes that would be constructed using ​​a 3D-printed construction system that supports and distributes all the functional elements of the building. Mask Architects co-founders Danilo Petta and Öznur Pınar Çer felt inspired by Costantino Nivola’s sculpture work, in particular a travertine sculpture called ‘La Madre.’ Punctuating the terrain of a sloping mountainside in Sardinia, Exosteel is comprised of heart-shaped, white homes with center ‘energy towers,’ oriented in the same way as the head on Nivola’s ‘La Madre.’

Mask Architects plan on building Exosteel by first inserting a hollow central column ⅓ of the building’s height into the ground, reinforced by wooden beams to support each home’s three floors. Then, on each floor, a perimeter frame “divides and supports the [home’s] facades made up of panels modeled to follow the organic shape of the house,” as described by Mask Architects. Following Nivola’s pursuit of binding communities together through art, Mask Architects chose Exosteel’s location due to its proximity to Orani, Sardinia’s national museum, where Nicola’s ‘La Madre’ is on permanent display.

Striving to ensure each building is entirely “self-sustainable,” Mask Architects designed each module that comprises Exosteel to be expandable and flexible to meet the conditions of Sardinia’s natural climate and weather conditions. Considering Orani’s propensity for wind, the homes of Exosteel are completed with built-in voids that guide wind through each building to the development’s communal wind turbine. As described by Mask Architects, Exosteel garners energy from individual energy conduits placed at the top of each home.

Describing the energy conduits, Mask Architects note, “Each building is centered with an ‘Energy Tower’…covered with solar panels that will harvest solar energy while the top of the central energy tower itself will rotate 360 degrees at the same time with the wind that will also generate wind turbine energy…​​The main centered energy tower that houses all the systems is constructed out of a steel skeleton. By connecting our bearing steel beams to this skeleton column, we actually created a completely self-supporting steel carcass metal structure.”

Designer: Mask Architects

Victorinox Releasing Limited Edition Damascus Steel Swiss Army Knife

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Sure, you might be lost in the woods, but at least you have your everyday carry (EDC) Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. And not just any Swiss Army Knife, oh no, one of a 6,000-piece limited edition with a Damascus steel blade. You’re about to make those woods wish they’d never gotten you turned around in the first place!

The $400 Swiss Champ Damast Limited Edition 2021 features a “Bjorkmans Twist” patterned Damascus steel blade and exterior grip constructed of forged carbon scales. It includes 29 tools to ensure you stand the best chance of MacGyver-ing yourself out of whatever sticky situation you’ve gotten yourself into. Or, you know, opening the Amazon box that just arrived.

I want one. Granted I already have the exact same knife in classic red (sans the carbon exterior and Damascus steel blade), but can you really have too many Swiss Army knives? My heart is saying no but my wife is saying yes and taking my debit card out of my wallet and running upstairs to hide it.

[via Maxim]