Cool Hunting went inside the Hästens mattress production facility in Sweden to take a fascinating look at how horse hair, metal springs, and wool are combined to make "the best bed in the world."

Folks really liked Russian microwave factory, so here's another - A look inside an aircraft repair plant....

Take a stroll around the shops of Vnukovo aircraft repair plant – the center of technical service and repair of civil aircrafts of domestic and foreign manufacture.

How microwave ovens are made... In Russia -

Soviet brand “Horizon” used to make TV-sets, but afterwards it began producing irons, fans, vacuum cleaners and air conditioners. The same factory situated in Belarus, but under another brand, produces  microwave ovens. So, today we will show you how microwave ovens are produced.

How ink is made! Go inside the Printing Ink Company to find out how its done. [via Core77]

This lovely object is more than just an interesting gewgaw: It's called a "turner's cube"—so named, I think, because it is a challenge for one who turns on a lathe rather than eponymously—and according to Bob Warfield, "[i]n the old days, novice machinist's [sic] were handed one and told to work out how to make one of their own." Bob's got a cool page describing his efforts to make one manually and then using a CNC mill, with some bonus commentary on this thread by CNC Zone member widgitmaster, who made the cube pictured above, using the jig pictured above, on a big engine lathe. Beautiful!

How ink is made!

A Chief Ink Maker shows how colour and ink is created from the raw ingredients--powder, varnish, and passion. Everything designers and printers need to know about the process, the challenges and joy of ink making.

Building a wire turtle (video)...

Propaganda flick from the National Association of Manufacturers, but it's fascinating stuff!

The Chu-Ko-Nu is a 2,400-year-old Chinese repeating crossbow featuring a 10-shot magazine. It was a marvel of mechanical design that was still in use up until the era of gunpowder weapons. Make: Online reader Bjørn sent in a link to maker Leong Kit Meng's recreation of the Cho-Ko-Nu. The photos are nice, but the instructions and plans are fairly non-existent at least on this page. I found another site with more detailed instructions if you want to make your own.