MakerBot Industries

Imagine that burglars breaks into your house while you’re asleep and at gunpoint they handcuff you to a chair and then proceed to steal all your precious belongings including Aunt Betty’s antique wedding ring.

They weren’t such smart burglars and they’ve handcuffed you to the table with your MakerBot on it. With a few taps of the keys with your tongue you load up ReplicatorG and your MakerBot begins printing… that sound of the stepper motors purring is the sound of freedom.

The sound of the motors is a risk your willing to take and it’s only a few minutes before your print is complete and you’ve printed out your own handcuff key! Quickly you uncuff yourself and call the police and hide in the closet on the phone with 911 until they arrive to save the day!

If this story were to actually happen you can now be prepared! The STL file has been published and you can read more over on the Black Bag Blog.

“*Warning* Before you print out your keys please check your local law! In some places it is not quite healthy to run around wearing police handcuffs.”

The folks over at FAbbaloo have responded to the call of Jon Kalish.

Fabbaloo reader (and freelance newspaper writer, radio reporter and podcast producer) Jon Kalish writes:

I have a pair of orthotic shoe inserts that are maybe a foot long and 4 inches wide. They are made out of a hard plastic. Do you think they can be scanned and “printed” in a softer, more rubbery plastic? … I switched health insurance companies and my new provider doesn’t cover orthotics. Podiatrist says it costs $550!

Our immediate thoughts were:

• You’d need access to a 3D scanner, 3D modeling software and 3D printer. For a one-time consumer like Jon, a service would be a far better option than purchasing
• The printer must have a fairly large build chamber, due to the size of the object and because it should be in one piece rather than assembled from multiple pieces
  
• The 3D printer must be able to print a “soft rubbery material”
• The print resolution would not have to be terribly precise, because the object is going to be hidden in Jon’s shoe. It just has to be smoothish
• The “soft material” would have to be fairly robust, as it’s going to be trodden upon by Jon every day

Now what? We issue a challenge to Fabbaloo readers: what is the best combination of services (scan, tweak and print) that can do the job for Jon? Is this possible to do at all (we’re wondering most about the rubbery material)? Or is it possible but not for less than US$550?

Make sure to click through to read the comments! Fabbaloo: Jon Seeks a Service.