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A picture of Michael Colombo

Michael Colombo

Writer, fabricator, musician

in artist, designer, hacker, musician, writer

Who are you, and what do you do?

I'm Michael Colombo. I'm a writer, fabricator, and musician. I was a full-time blogger for MAKE Magazine, have done technical writing and documentation, and instructional design work. I also do construction, carpentry, home renovation, physical electronic interfaces, interactive art installations, and one-off musical instruments. I find myself performing music in unexpected situations, and doing some sound design work. I'm also an occasional visual artist and designer.

What hardware do you use?

15" MacBook Pro, Uniball pens, Leuchterm notebooks. Makita circular saw, Milwaukee drills and drivers, Bosch jigsaw, Weller soldering station, '64 Gibson EB-O bass (think Jack Bruce from Cream), Bach Omega Bb trumpet, Roland VS-1680 digital recorder, Epiphone PR5-E acoustic guitar (the same one Courtney Love plays on Hole Unplugged).

And what software?

Arduino, Google Docs, Audacity, Long Exposure Camera (seriously the best weirdo low-rent app I've ever used), GIMP, Switch, Handbrake, Serato, Storyline, SketchUp, Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro.

What would be your dream setup?

I'm content with my writing setup already, but I'd like a full workshop for woodworking, plus a TIG welding station, CNC, laser cutter, 3D printer, lathes, and an electronics lab with oscilloscope, bench power supply, and every component imaginable on hand.

Oh, and a bangin' recording studio with tons of instruments, amps, mics, and an old Neotek mixing desk.