I really love the guys over at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. First off, they’ve got a great name. Second, they’re always coming up with fun and frivolous geek projects like this handy footstool – in the shape of the classic 555 timer chip.
The 555 Footstool is roughly 30 times larger than the original chip, and was made using a variety of high-tech and traditional carpentry techniques, running the gamut from CNC routing, to laser engraving, to good old-fashioned glue and spray paint.
You can’t really tell from the pictures of the completed version, but its’ actually constructed from 25 custom cut layers of plywood laminated together with glue and bolted together to clamp it in place as it set. Once dried, the bolts were removed, and the holes filled with dowels. With all that wood and glue, it just looks incredibly sturdy.
From the build notes, it all looks way too involved for me to make my own, but I’m still holding out hope that EMSL will sell these in kit form at some point.
Oh, and in addition to functioning as a perfectly good foot stool, it also works great as a cat perch.
[via Laughing Squid]
