Digital Fabrication

Digital fabrication tools have revolutionized the way designers, engineers, and artisans express their creativity. With the right resources, you can learn to use these powerful instruments in no time! Whether it’s 3D printing or laser cutting that interests you, these articles will provide useful tutorials and inspiration for makers of all levels. Discover how digital fabrication can open up new possibilities so that your craftsmanship is truly extraordinary!

Rubber band contest on Thingiverse

Rubber band contest on Thingiverse

Nathan Patterson, aka Thingiverse user pattywac, has organized a pair of user-funded design contests and is soliciting entries and prize donations for each. The first, with a current prize pool of $100US, is to design the cleverest MakerBot-able object that incorporates a rubber band. Two of my favorite entries so far are shown above.

The second contest, to design the most useful improvement for the MakerBot itself, is also ongoing, and currently has a prize pool of $65US. Both contests end on Sunday, November 14. [Thanks, Nathan!]

Printable iris-lid jewelry box, with video

Printable iris-lid jewelry box, with video

Last week I posted about this cool twist-action irising jewelry box by Matt, from Seattle, WA, (aka Thingiverse user msruggles) and the first real prototype that user Linkreincarnate printed on his Up! personal 3D printer.

Since that time, Matthew LaBerge of Minneapolis, MN, (aka Thingiverse user labmat) has printed his own copy and posted a video showing off its mechanical action. Bonus points for the lovely blue color!

Matt’s printer–which he calls “IceBot One”–is a heavily customized rig using MakerBot electronics and components from what appears to be a salvaged CNC mill. Check out the deets in his Flickr stream.

It’s also worth noting that, since first posting his original design, msruggles has published a shortened version that will print faster and use less material.

The Turner’s Cube: Classic machinist’s exercise

The Turner’s Cube: Classic machinist’s exercise

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!