Me and my pals at work just finished building a MakerBot 3D printer.
Now, after a hard day in the salt mines, we can wind down and relax by ~printing a Yoda~ 
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Dec. 9, 2011 5:41 a.m. aeronca65t Dork
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Dec. 9, 2011 5:45 a.m. Toyman01 SuperDork
OK, now I'm green with envy. Anything called the Thing-o-matic is just too cool for words.
Hopefully they will let you use it for a few personal projects.
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Dec. 9, 2011 6:05 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork
for something so sophisticated... it almost looks ghetto.
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Dec. 9, 2011 6:07 a.m. ZOO SuperDork
Pretty cool -- what material are the "voxels" (I hope I used that term correctly)?
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Dec. 9, 2011 6:17 a.m. 1988RedT2 SuperDork
So about how long does it take to print a Yoda?
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Dec. 9, 2011 6:31 a.m. aeronca65t Dork
The print material is ABS (from a large spool....it looks like the "string" on a Weedwacker).
It took 8 hours to print this one, but there is a "lite" STL version of Yoda that can be done quicker. STL files can be drawn in Solidworks, Inventor, ProE, Sketchup, etc. There's also plenty of free STLs on the Thingiverse.
This is definitely a ghetto device........we'd call it "grassroots"
True industrial 3D printers can cost far more than $100K. We were just looking to demo the concept to our community college engineering kids. This kit was $1200.
And you can make actual, useful car parts with this. ~Here is~ a shutter for an MGB distributor.
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Dec. 9, 2011 6:34 a.m. Twin_Cam SuperDork
Ok, that is cool.
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Dec. 9, 2011 7:10 a.m. RossD SuperDork
Very Cool!
Supposedly, Xbox's Kinect is actually a pretty high tech 3d scanner. I saw an article in Popluar Science? that showed some really creative uses for the Kinect. I bet if you look around the intrawebers you'll find a way to make STL files with it.
Edit: http://www.makerbot.com/blog/category/scanner/3d-scanning/
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Dec. 9, 2011 7:14 a.m. JoeyM SuperDork
ZOO wrote:
Pretty cool -- what material are the "voxels" (I hope I used that term correctly)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MakerBot_Industries#Thing-O-Matic
MakerBot printers currently print with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) , high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polylactic acid (PLA), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
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Dec. 9, 2011 8:30 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork
Sounds dirty.
"So I was with this chick who seemed pretty freaky. I tried printing a yoda though, and she flipped out."
or
"Damn I love me some stuffed crust pizza, but I spend the next 4 hours printing a yoda."
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Dec. 9, 2011 8:43 a.m. Luke SuperDork
DILYSI Dave wrote:
"So I was with this chick who seemed pretty freaky. I tried printing a yoda though, and she flipped out."
Never try print a yoda with a chick you just met
.
Really, though, that's very cool. As is 3D printer technology in general. It strikes me as proper 'future' badassery of the likes of personal jetpacks and flying cars.
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Dec. 9, 2011 10:20 a.m. EricM SuperDork
cool
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Dec. 9, 2011 12:02 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
That was pretty cool when it stopped working on Yoda's cranium for a minute and filled in a little ear.
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Dec. 9, 2011 12:08 p.m. Streetwiseguy Dork
What cartoon show had stuff like----o-matic? My first thought was Wile Coyote, but that was just Acme stuff. Pinky and the brain, maybe???
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Dec. 9, 2011 12:09 p.m. Streetwiseguy Dork
What cartoon show had stuff like----o-matic? My first thought was Wile Coyote, but that was just Acme stuff. Pinky and the brain, maybe???
I really want a thing-o-matic anyway.
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Dec. 9, 2011 12:33 p.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork
awesome...now give it DMLS capability - bronze Yoda bust FTMFW!
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Dec. 9, 2011 1:04 p.m. Cone_Junky HalfDork
Me want
I have no idea what I would make, or more likely, what I wouldn't make with it.
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Dec. 9, 2011 2:06 p.m. Karl La Follette Dork
<a href="
">Glass art Yoda
Great thread !
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Dec. 9, 2011 2:12 p.m. aeronca65t Dork
I may to start a 12 step program because of this thing: it's pretty addictive. And the Thinginverse (link above) has endless cool STL files to print (or modify and then print).
Today, I printed the front half of a `VW bus~. Next week, I'll print the rear half and glue them together.
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Dec. 9, 2011 3:27 p.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork
ummm...if I was able to give you dimensional drawings, would you be able to print me the item? Approximately the size of your hand, and not too complex (a 45° angle with a few holes in it).
Im willing to pay...
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Dec. 9, 2011 4:32 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork
just think of the gage pods and stuff you could make....
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Dec. 9, 2011 4:42 p.m. aeronca65t Dork
4cylndrfury wrote:
ummm...if I was able to give you dimensional drawings, would you be able to print me the item? Approximately the size of your hand, and not too complex (a 45° angle with a few holes in it).
Im willing to pay...
Yeah, we don't get involved in stuff like that, but these guys will be glad to work with you.
