Hot Glue is a fanzine about making. It’s designed to bring the spirit of making – the creativity, the freedom, the fun – into people’s homes.

There have been two editions so far, published annually to coincide with Brighton Mini Maker Faire. The most recent takes a broad look at making, including projects anyone can try at home, in some cases with tools and materials we all have in our kitchens.

It comes in a series of collectable covers, designed by Stanley James Press, and also includes a limited edition poster by illustrator Kyle Bean.

The 2013 edition was focused on simple starter projects; it’s aim to help people new to making take the energy of Maker Faire home with them; to be an inspiration, a reminder and a contagion in the everyday. As well as projects that could be carried out with tools and materials people have at home, we included some more technical electronics projects, and the zine came with a cover mount bag of components.

Download PDF versions

Didn’t get a chance to pick up a copy? You can download PDF versions of each of the projects from Hot Glue 1 here:

This zip file includes these projects in PDF format. Feel free to print and distribute non-commercially.

• Paper Torch – by Bare Conductive
• Design Modelling – by Jude Pullen
• Drawbot – by Andrew Sleigh and Build Brighton
• GeL.E.D. – by Amy Hunter
• LED Rocket Badge – By How.Do
• Introducing Sugru – by Sugru
• Toy Hacking – by Exploring Senses
• USB Webcam Microscope – by Dean Wilson
• Woven Card Basket – by Ruby Taylor

I wrote about my ambitions for the zine on the blog when we kicked off the project.

I also documented some of the making process and finished products on Flickr.

The biggest production lesson I learned was the sheer volume of work required to produce something like this. Even just packing 750 bags of components took a team of us a whole (bank holiday) weekend. Watch the time-lapse for a compressed version of that bank holiday.

Hot Glue is funded in part by Arts Council England.