Contributors

Eric Chu (MAKE intern) likes spinning things. For fun, he likes to throw yo-yos, build robots, and learn how to program them. He is a student at Santa Rosa Junior College in Northern California, and is taking a machining class to learn how to make his own yo-yo. Eric is the creator of Chu Pads, friction pads for bringing yo-yos back up, and is currently developing silicone response pads. His favorite food is fried rice, and his favorite color is blue.

Alison Kendall (Special Section illustrations) is a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, artist, and former marine biologist, currently living in San Francisco. With a B.S. in marine biology, a Master’s Certificate in scientific illustration, and many years of field research experience, she decided to jump fields to pursue more creative ends. She spends her days moving vector points around and taking frequent bargain-hunting breaks to the Salvation Army around the corner. Alison’s work has appeared in MAKE, CRAF T, Scientific American, and Inkling, among other publications. Check out her work at lefthandlight.com.

Michael Perdriel (Off-Grid Laundry Machine) is a Pittsburgh-based sculptor, furniture maker, product designer, and maker with an interest in off-the-grid design. He has an M. F.A. in industrial design from the University of Notre Dame. Michael is currently engulfed in renovating his home and experimenting with various green building materials in the process. He is also conducting research on aerated, lightweight concrete that exhibits good thermal characteristics, hoping to use it to build efficient wood-burning stoves for developing countries.

Len Cullum ($30 Micro Forge) is a woodworker in the Japanese style in Seattle. After working for years as a theater technician, scenic carpenter, technical director, rockabilly band road manager/effects designer/stooge, architectural dismantler, and toy designer (to name a few), it was a picture of a wooden kayak that set him on the path he continues down today. Thirteen years later, he still hasn’t built that kayak. shokunin-do.com

Abe Connally (On the Right Trac) and Josie Moores (1-2-3: Two-Person Shovel) are a young, adventurous couple experimenting with sustainable technologies while raising a 1-year-old. They’re currently knee-deep in the construction of an off-grid homestead, which is much better than last year, when they were knee-deep in water in the newly built first room of their home. ( This was more or less a step up from living in a tent during monsoon season while Josie was pregnant.) Besides everything related to self-sustainability, they love gardening, reading, Mexican food, and concrete tools. velacreations.com

Terrie Miller (Lay of the Land) is a former online manager who left her job to play in the sun, rain, and dirt, and earned her permaculture design certificate from the Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, Calif. She’s busy creating a miniature urban food forest in her backyard, finding ways to apply permaculture as a property renter, running permie.net, and looking for ways to increase her household pet menagerie yet still be able to travel. In her spare time, she enjoys birding, especially hawk watching, and kayaking in the Laguna de Santa Rosa. Her favorite tool is her binoculars.

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Make: Volume 18