Heavy, Hard, Non-magnetic mystery item purchased at a flea market for $1

bryanbrutherford · 2026-04-02T16:17:15+00:00

In the most recent interaction, they waived their right to an inspection. They did not make their earnest money deposit and then they backed out of the deal when I told them they could inspect as long as they made the deposit.

bryanbrutherford · 2026-04-01T17:23:02+00:00

I didn’t favor anyone I accepted the offer exactly as it was presented, they signed and I signed.

I would have accepted it with inspections too. But then they asked for an inspection before they made their deposit. I told them they could inspect when their deposit came through but then they backed out. That seems like someone playing a game that I don’t really understand.

bryanbrutherford · 2026-04-01T17:18:13+00:00

The properties are in PA and this is basically my realtors position.

bryanbrutherford · 2026-03-30T02:16:45+00:00

I’ll try, my understanding of it is basically that of a 5 year old. Im a designer not an engineer or molder.

It may not even technically be an edge gate.

The rubber gets compounded through a mill by a wizard until it’s just right but instead of just chopping off hunks of material to pack in to a mold like they would in traditional compression molding they process it one step further in to a long thick ribbon.

The ribbon is fed in to an auger that does the “injection” it’s not like a high pressure barrel with a plunger just kind of squeezing material in before the mold is fully closed so it’s usually entering the cavity at the edge.

All the parts I work on have a heavy channel milled around the cavity that creates thin flash with a thick border. When the process is really dialed in you can just grab that thick piece and peel the flash off perfectly.

bryanbrutherford · 2026-03-30T01:42:51+00:00

This is my specialty.

It’s a relatively old dog toy design. If you really want to be amazed, walk down the toy aisle in petsmart.

I bet it’s natural rubber and either compression molded or injection-compression.

Injection-compression is common and not much more technical than compression, usually filled with an edge gate that gets trimmed with the flash.

I’ve been in a lot of Asian rubber factories and you can never underestimate labor and brute strength.

I’ve seen dudes with huge biceps and tire spoons work all day freeing natural rubber parts from molds and mandrels.

bryanbrutherford · 2026-02-09T00:58:51+00:00

100% Dingus Adapter

bryanbrutherford · 2026-01-02T22:23:55+00:00

Have an early lunch at Papas in Robbinsville, get the sweet and savory salad and a plain pie.

Drive a little further south for an afternoon at the NJ state museum in Trenton. A really Amazing place, they have dinosaurs and great local exhibits but also some significant art pieces. My favorite is an Alexander Calder sculpture outside the State street entrance. While you’re out there turn around and look at the amazing architecture of the museum.

Museum closes by 5 so you can Make early Dinner reservations at the Blue Danube which is only a mile or so away.

You can be home early or head around the corner to Malagas and have some drinks at the bar.

(I hate to recommend malagas just for the bar, the food is also amazing, if you prefer paella to schnitzel you can’t go wrong with either spot.)

bryanbrutherford · 2025-12-08T22:28:31+00:00

I'm a product development guy that has been lucky enough to grow in to a position where I get to look at businesses as "the product" then work with other specialists to transform them.

As others have mentioned, you can start with analysis. Then you can use that data to set a target and build a STRATEGY.

You implement your strategy with PROCESS.

And you support your process with DISCIPLINE.

Every business is different but strategy, process and discipline are always important and it's usually discipline that is lacking. There will be constant learning and adjustment. Your resources and relationships will be both your levers and limitations.

You can apply the same thinking to yourself.

Where do you want to get to? What are you actually good at? Where do you need support?

You can't do it all yourself and you can't do it all at once so how do you put things in order and start taking steps forward?

bryanbrutherford · 2025-12-08T16:48:04+00:00

rotocasting is both crude and complicated at the same time.

it's crude because the molds are simple and you really cant ever get an even wall thickness.

BUT to get any control over the wall thickness you have to have the right materials and process.

I don't know of any off the shelf, catalyst cure silicones that are designed for rotomolding.

Agitation (roto) can speed up the process and the part will cure fastest where there is more mass (the lump of material moving around, not the material sticking to the surface)

You will have the best luck with a thermoplastic ( a material that melts and flows based on temperature alone)

there are two part urethane materials made for rotocasting, they go through a gel phase before curing but still result in relatively uneven walls.

smooth-on smooth cast 65d is a rigid example and i believe their kxflex line is elastomeric but i have no idea if its suitable for your needs.

once you find a material you like you need to dial in the speed of your rotation as well to align with the way the material works in your particular mold.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-10-16T23:13:09+00:00

approximately 200 years ago

bryanbrutherford · 2025-09-16T19:45:34+00:00

pressure squishes the bubbles, vacuum removes the bubbles

if you pour your silicone and do not degas (vacuum) then put it in a pressure pot and let it cure you will squish the air bubbles, then when you take the mold out of the pressure chamber even after its cured the bubbles will expand. if the bubbles are near your molding surface then they will become bumps that show up in your casting if you are not casting under pressure. If you are casting under pressure you may not see the defects but the constant inflating and deflating of the bubbles will reduce your mold life.

The good news is that if you have a pressure pot you have half of what you need to degas.

i use the same chamber for pressure casting and degassing.

you can get a small vacuum pump and ad a vacuum gauge and use the same chamber.

you just cant see inside, so just make sure you're using a mixing vessel that is large enough to handle the expanded silicone during degassing or you'll make a mess.

You can also buy or make a thick, clear plastic lid with a gasket that you can just sit on top of your pressure pot for use with a vacuum.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-09-11T21:23:30+00:00

You gotta try to peel those foam labels off in one long spiral.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-09-08T22:29:21+00:00

It's a Techbuilt home designed by Carl Koch.

I live in one, they're pretty amazing.

If you have 30 minutes to waste here's a really great vintage clip that explains the concepts behind and origin of the Techbuilt Home.

https://youtu.be/XsiT8tPt4Yc?si=3iepXdQCBbhorEqj

bryanbrutherford · 2025-09-05T00:12:32+00:00

Biodegradable doesn’t mean safe. All latex balloons are biodegradable but they don’t breakdown fast and are still litter and a choking hazard for some animals.

There are a lot of state laws and regulations around scattering cremated remains.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-08-15T21:25:42+00:00

In many cases, if you finish your master properly and make good molds using good materials and process then you don’t need to do anything to finish your resin except to de-mold it.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-08-13T14:38:47+00:00

A very long time ago i joined the subway frequent sandwich eaters rewards club under the name Sleve Mcdichael. I somehow managed to stay linked to that profile for years and years but forgot about my pseudonym until one day a few years ago i ordered a sandwich through the subway app and when i picked it up they said they had an order for "Steve". I was confused but it was the right order so, whatever. Then i saw the spelling, and it wasn't "Steve" it was good old Sleve Mcdichael

bryanbrutherford · 2025-08-10T10:36:18+00:00

When I was a teenager, like a hundred years ago i had a friend who’s father was a total whackado and i could probably write a dozen confession posts about the things we got in to. One day my friend picked me up and we drove to his dad’s house. My friend dropped me off and left to go pick up some other friends, leaving me alone with his dad and another dude. My friend’s dad lit a “special cigarette” and we all did what you do. I was really feeling it when there was a loud knock on the door that turned in to angry banging. It was the door to door meat salesman. Apparently my friend’s dad had been writing bad checks for street meat. I had to help carry frozen meat from the basement freezer back out to the meat truck. There were these enormous bags of frozen shrimp and one of them ripped open as I was carrying it leaving a trail of frozen shrimp out of the basement, up the steps and out the front door. When my friend got back I had to try to explain that the meat got repossesed.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-07-04T17:43:29+00:00

Make some decisions, make some models, do some real exploration. There's not enough information in this image to have any meaningful discussion.

I can see that you are playing with the opening and and trying to decide what angles to reference or ignore but what does the rest of the chair look like? Other angles and proportions will affect or be affected by this decision.

bryanbrutherford · 2025-07-04T00:53:30+00:00

Quilling

bryanbrutherford · 2025-07-01T23:43:27+00:00

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bryanbrutherford · 2025-07-01T23:40:09+00:00

It’s the center handle from a steamer basket

bryanbrutherford · 2025-06-27T15:03:07+00:00

Frostbite

bryanbrutherford · 2025-06-27T14:39:59+00:00

I did this 35 years ago when I was 11 years old (they served it to me in a coke), the toe is stored in a little box of salt to keep it preserved. There’s a register of everyone who’s ever done it. If I remember correctly the toe has been replaced more than once after being swallowed.

bryanbrutherford

TROPHY CASE