There is an old quote I am rather fond of; you don’t know what you don’t know. Sometimes we go for years making do with software or equipment that works well enough because we don’t know there is a resource that is exponentially better suited for the task. You might be able to cut down a large tree with a hatchet, but you would be much better served using a chainsaw. This section is dedicated to the resources that have been significantly impactful on the growth of our team members. This section serves as our hall of fame of resources that have positively impacted us the most. These are the top four resources we believe that every maker will benefit exponentially from, that are highly accessible, and you may not know about it.

I don’t think there are many people left that are unaware of 3D printing. What you may not realize is how accessible this technology is for the average maker. Affordable quality 3D printers may be found in the $150-$200 price range. This may be considered pricy by some, but the amazing and near unlimited possibilities in the application of this technology make it well worth it. We have utilized our 3D printer to make all types of items. Toys for the kids? You betcha. Bookends for the books that always fall over? Mhm. A solution for that pesky problem no one else seems to have a problem with? Most definitely.

If $150-$200 is too extreme of a price range, let’s knock off a 0. Digital Calipers can often be found for $20 or less and offer unparalleled ability for the average person to quickly and accurately measure with a high degree of accuracy. This won’t replace your tape measure for measuring long distances. But for precise measurements this tool can’t be beat.

Let’s change gears and switch from physical goods that cost money to a free and open-source software: Inkscape. This is a vector graphics editor. This software allows you to create graphics that are infinitely scalable and is incredibly useful in making logos and illustrations that need to be incorporated in many different types of media without needing to worry about pixelization. How is it infinitely scalable? Why won’t it get pixelated like that photo you took and tried to enlarge? Magic! Well, sort of. Vector graphics use math equations in the background to calculate the images which allow them to be scaled up or down without sacrificing quality.

This book, a New York Times bestseller, was authored by Adam Savage: a king among makers and the former host of MythBusters on the Discovery Channel. We would consider this book a must read! Adam Savage has inspired unfathomable numbers of people to become makers. This book provides advice, tips, and everything else you could want from Adam Savage. Most importantly, we think, is the impact it has on the way one thinks and operates as a maker.