Start here
How to Choose the Right Material for a Project
A plain method for matching a material to an object: define the job, list the demands, shortlist candidates, test cheaply, and weigh cost, safety and end of life.
Design And Materials
Materials In Practice
Choosing, joining and finishing the materials you actually use.
Adhesives Compared: Which Glue for Which Job
Compare the main adhesive families, from white glue to epoxy and cyanoacrylate, and learn which surfaces each suits, plus basic safety and surface prep tips.
Cardboard, Foam and Other Cheap Models
See how cardboard, foam board, clay and scrap materials let you test size, shape and fit cheaply before cutting expensive stock or printing the final part.
Checking Reclaimed Materials Before You Reuse Them
A practical checklist of hazards and quality checks for salvaged wood, metal, plastic and electronic parts, so reuse projects start from a safe, sound base.
Common Plastics and Their Recycling Limits
Meet the plastics makers meet most often, what each is like to use, and why recycling them is harder than the symbols on the label suggest.
Laser Cutting and CNC Basics for Beginners
Learn what laser cutters and CNC machines do, which materials suit each, how files become cuts, and what to expect when you use shared machines for the first time.
Metals for Small Projects
A plain introduction to the metals makers meet most often, including aluminum, steel, copper and brass, and what makes each easy or difficult to work.
Screws, Bolts and Rivets Explained
Learn how screws, bolts, nuts, washers and rivets differ, what the common head and thread types mean, and how to choose a fastener that suits your materials.
Strength, Stiffness and Toughness Explained
Strength, stiffness and toughness sound alike but describe different behavior. Learn the differences with everyday examples and how they guide material choices.
Related topics
More in design and materials
Fashion And Textiles Sustainable clothing and new textile ideas. Materials And Art How materials work and where art meets technology. Product Design Designing things for people, from accessibility to color. Prototyping Turning an idea into a testable model and learning from failure. Sewing And Textile Skills Hands-on skills for making, mending and reworking cloth. The Design Process Methods designers use to get from a need to a workable product.