Everybody gets pretty psyched about the idea of bigger and stronger construction materials and equipment, but, I’ve got news for you, smaller materials are pretty cool too. Mad 3D printing scientist Lance Abernathy recently completed a series of fingertip sized power tools that actually work, but now a different genius has created building materials that match their size.
Mini Materials is a manufacturer of miniature CMU blocks, bricks, wood 2x4s, and pallets, which are all 1/12th the size of the regular sized versions. Used for either modeling or just for fun, Mini Materials can ignite your inner creativity of hobbyists and professional builders and designers alike.
The made in America product is made with real cement, so it looks and feels like the real thing. No word yet on the actual compressive strength of the materials, though, so we wouldn’t suggest substituting this stuff on your next build. The company does also offer a tiny container of mortar to adhere the blocks together, so you can build a decently strong model for your desk. Or, just use the pallet as a coaster and the blocks for paperweights.
You can currently purchase sets of the mini materials on the manufacturer’s website. A pack of 4 CMU blocks in $5.99 and a pack of 50 is $29.99. Miniature pallets start at $5.99 for one and $14.99 for a set of 5.
If you’re so inclined, you can even mix your own concrete and use the silicon molds that Mini Materials also offers and make your own CMU block. The company created the video below to show you how to do so.
Last summer, Hilti announced that they had developed their first exoskeleton designed for construction tradespeople in a partnership with Ottobuck, a prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeleton provider. Earlier this month, Hilti officially released the exoskeleton, announced more details, and published its retail price on their website.