Engraving
21 episodes
#5712: Can NASA Actually Build a Moon Base?
NASA's Moon Base plan is a to-do list, not a physics wall — but the transport chain is the thing standing in the way.
#5545: Jet Engines on Bicycles: The Physics of Bad Ideas
A pulsejet strapped to a bike sounds like a fighter jet — and burns 55 gallons an hour to move one guy who could have pedaled.
#5318: Rebuilding the Dremel 4250 Manual for One Task
A 48-page Dremel manual, filtered down to only what you need to engrave four-digit inventory codes.
#5287: Does an Engraver's Practice Material Kit Exist?
Hand engravers have practice plates. Designers have plastic sample sets. Nobody's combined them — here's how to build your own reference library.
#5270: Teardowns as Documentation: Inside the Hardware Repair Playbook
A dead Dremel sparks a deep dive into teardowns as a documentation discipline — and why board-level knowledge matters more than ever.
#5257: Dremel 4300 vs Foredom: Which Engraver Lasts?
Daniel's Dremel Lite is dying. We compare the 4300, DeWalt, Bosch, and Foredom on power, durability, and repairability.
#5124: Sharpening, Cleaning & Polishing with a Rotary Tool
Can a Dremel really sharpen a knife? What about drill bits? We break down which accessories work and which are a waste.
#5051: Engraving's Three Worlds: Tools, Communities, and Craft
Rotary, hand, and laser engraving share a name but little else. We map the tools, communities, and skills behind each.
#5050: Engraving Hardened Steel: Carbide Grades & Hardness Tests
How to measure material hardness without destroying your workpiece, and pick the right carbide grade for stainless steel engraving.
#5049: How Deep Does an Engraving Need to Be?
Why engraving outlasts stickers and ink — and what NASA specs reveal about carving for the ages.
#5016: Micro-Engraving Bits: Why Fine Carbides Fail on 2mm Text
The bit that's perfect for 0.5mm text is exactly wrong for 2mm numbers. Here's why.
#4022: How 3 Seconds of Engraving Can Wreck Your Lungs
Why short bursts of Dremel engraving trigger asthma attacks and how to protect yourself with the right mask and workflow.
#3870: Laser Engravers for Home Labs: Are They Worth It?
Desktop laser engravers now cost less than a 3D printer. But can they actually label your home network gear?
#3868: Why Your Super Glue Fails (And How a Dremel Fixes It)
A rotary tool isn't just for engraving. Discover how surface prep turns failed glue joints into permanent fixes.
#3863: Mohs Scale to Dremel Bits: What to Buy First
From Friedrich Mohs to your Dremel: what hardness means for engraving wood, metal, glass, and stone.
#3858: Why We Carve: 75,000 Years of Marking What Matters
From a Dremel in Jerusalem to 75,000-year-old cave engravings — the ancient impulse to make a permanent mark.
#3613: Paint-Fill Engraving: Permanent Tool IDs That Survive Everything
Why paint markers fail on metal tools — and how a $120 engraver plus a paint-fill trick creates markings that last.
#3095: Can a $60 Dremel Engrave 4mm Lab Parts?
A $60 Dremel can engrave tiny numbers on metal — but only with the right bits, stencils, and ventilation.
#3071: Marking Tiny Tech Parts: Beyond the Paint Marker
Paint markers lie about line width. Here are three better ways to label tiny components.
#1155: The Analog-Digital Paradox: Why Paperless Costs More
Discover how E-ink tablets and premium refillable markers are solving the "Analog-Digital Paradox" for a sustainable, tactile workflow.
#988: Engineering Hubris: The Science of the Titan Implosion
Explore the catastrophic physics and engineering failures behind the Titan submersible implosion in this deep dive into structural integrity.