In a Hackerspace, somewhat far away, is a man named Dave Langkamp. A retired industrial designer of 33 years (twenty years designing at John Deere), Dave hasn’t rested on his laurels. One of his creations is this 50′s style UFO (printed on a MakerBot Cupcake) which contains an astonishing 133 parts! It now awaits its finishing coats and killer paint job.

In addition to the UFO, Dave is working on a 1/24th scale Semi tractor and trailer (which will carry the UFO), as well as a glider with a 54 inch wingspan! You can check out Dave’s blog for updates on his projects: http://thetinkersworkshop.blogspot.com/

We’re big fans of Hackerspaces here at MakerBot, and without one, Dave’s projects might have had some trouble getting off the ground. The Quad Cities Collaboration and Hackerspace located in Davenport, Iowa is a haven for for designers, technologists, educators, hobbysits, and anyone who wants to experience a great sense of community. If you’re in the Davenport area, it just might be worth looking up.

ESPN is the latest outlet to include MakerBot  in its holiday gift guide! The Thing-O-Matic is a featured tech pick and is heralded as the “gift that keeps on making.” Thanks, dudes!

If you’re an educator, there’s still room left to sign up for the Advanced 3-D Modeling workshops on 12/03/11 and 12/10/11.

This workshop is aimed at teachers who already have some experience using a MakerBot in a classroom, teaching 3-D modeling, or have attended one of our intro workshops. We will be taking a computational approach to creating 3-D Models, focusing on OpenSCAD and Processing. Why such an analytical approach? The MakerBot has the potential to not only inspire students to be designers, but also inspire a deep interest in Mathematics and Generative Art. Whether it is incorporating geometry, algebra, trigonometry, or even calculus, using these computational modeling tools in conjunction with a MakerBot can make analytical topics more hands-on and engaging.

The first part of the workshop will focus on programming CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry) using OpenSCAD. The rest of the workshop will focus on polygonal and subdivision surface modeling using Processing. In addition to going through code examples, we will explain the advantages/disadvantages of each approach, and discuss the relevant academic and commercial applications.

Please bring a laptop computer to the workshop.

RSVP link for December 3th, 10AM-2PM:  http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2324444476

RSVP link for December 10th, 10AM-2PM: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2538599018

Dear MakerBot TV Fans:

As you know, I’m taking some time off from production right now to prepare for the second season of MakerBot TV. In this upcoming season one of my primary goals is going to be focusing more on YOU – the makerbotting community. I want to show the world who you are and what you’re MakerBotting and why being a part of the MakerBotting community is such an awesome thing. And what I need at this point is your stories. Maybe you proposed to your wife with a MakerBotted ring, or maybe you and your son sit down every Sunday to pick out new toys to print from Thingiverse, or maybe you’re a young modeler who’s hoping to MakerBot something that will one day save the world. Whatever your story is – I want to hear it!

Email me at [email protected] and tell me how you use your MakerBot.

Thanks in advance, looking forward to another awesome season!

Rubberize!

In case you haven’t heard the amazing news, the MakerBot store now carries Sugru – a moldable clay-like rubber that air-cures into a durable, flexible, grippy, waterproof and insulating rubber. ^1 2  Frankly, it is difficult for me to think of things that wouldn’t be improved by adding Sugru.  One of the features of Sugru I’m particularly interested in is it’s ability to bond tightly to printed ABS parts.  This seems like a really cool way to quickly assemble something out of smaller printed parts.

So, I ask you gentle reader – where are all of the Sugru-things on Thingiverse?  Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Cell phone and GPS holders and charging stands that won’t scratch the delicate casings of our favorite electronics
• Rubberized lens cap covers that are gentle near optics
• Tires and bumpers for your Botmobile
• Nosepads for your printed glasses
• Or, a rubber baby buggy bumper?

1. Photo courtesy of L. Marie [↩]
2. Rubber eyes, get it? [↩]