Light Switch Lock by Yllonnoce

I’ve got three switches in my home that pretty much need to be in the “on” position 99% of the time. The consequences of having one of these switches flipped “off” ranges from minor annoyance to zombie apocalypse. One switch goes to our front porch light, one that my laptop is usually plugged into, and the last goes to our wireless router. For a while now I had wanted to create a little cover for the light switch – basically a hollow rectangular tube that would fit over the switch and prevent someone from accidentally flipping it. While I liked the idea, I never got around to actually making it.

And then a few days ago I saw Light Switch Lock by Thingiverse citizen Yllonnoce.  The design is so simple and elegant that I knew I would be printing it immediately.  It permits temporary uses of the switch, all the while discouraging accidental usage.

As a result of someone flipping a switch I have literally lost hours of work when my laptop battery ran out of power.  Once, as a result of a laptop losing power the hard drive never started up again.  So, from now on, this is literally going to be the very first thing I install into any home I live in.  At less than 3 grams, each one would probably cost about $0.12 in plastic that will absolutely save me hours of annoyance, frustration, work, and potentially even hundreds of dollars.

A simple light switch lock like this could even be used to discouraging the accidental use of a garbage disposal, power tool, or some other appliance.  Since these switch locks work upside down, it could even save money by discouraging the accidental flipping of attic or outdoor light switches.  Not bad for a $0.12 investment.

You can customize this awesome cube right now!

Chances are you’ve been following along with the newest developments over on Thingiverse and have seen people uploading “Customizable” versions of their OpenSCAD designs.  ((For the latest information on how to make a customizable thing using the Customizer you’re going to want to check out the documentation for this Thingiverse app.  Since you have to authorize the App to be able to use it, there’s no way at the moment for me to provide a direct link to the documentation.))

If you’d like to give the Thingiverse Customizer a shot but aren’t sure where to begin, this tutorial is for you.  Before you get bogged down in the details, just know that I’ve created a “Customizer template” you can use as a starting point for creating your own customizable Thing.  I would suggest first playing with the settings in this template to see how Customizer changes the object.  Then, when you’ve gotten the hang of it, read through this tutorial on how to make a Customizable OpenSCAD file.  Finally, download and check out the template itself in your favorite text editor or OpenSCAD.  Add your own designs and see how you can make your own customizable Things!

• Design!
  • Create your OpenSCAD thing just as you normally would.
• Create Options
  • In order to give Thingiverse users the option to customize your designs through the Customizer App, you’ll need to create options for them.  There are three kinds of user-definable options you can include in  your OpenSCAD file: text boxes, drop down boxes, and numerical sliders.  I’ll discuss each in turn.
    1. Text Box
       1. Simple Text Box.  To add a text box, all you need to do is create a variable.  Like so:
          1. text_box = 10;
       2. Text Boxes with Explanation.  Options are very nice and well, but without an explanation they may be hard for a user to interpret.  Here’s how you would create a similar text box with an explanation:
          1. // This is the explanation text
          2. another_text_box = 10;
    2. Drop Down Box
       1. Drop Down Box of Numbers.  A drop down box can be included by simply including a “//” to comment out the space after a variable and list options like so:
          1. // This creates a drop down box of numbered options
          2. number_drop_down_box = 1; // [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
       2. Drop Down Box of Text.  A drop down box can also include text as possible choices, like this:
          1. // This creates a drop down box of text options
          2. text_drop_down_box = “yes”; // [yes,no,maybe]
       3. Labeled Drop Down Box.  Sometimes it is useful to show the user text labels, but have a numerical value for each text label.  You can do so in this manner:
          1. // This creates a drop down box of text options with numerical values
          2. labeled_drop_down_box = 5; // [1:small, 5:medium, 10:large, 50:supersized]
    3. Numerical Slider
       1.  Once you’ve mastered the text box and the drop down box, the text slider is almost trivial.
          1. // This creates a slider with a minimum and maximum
          2. numerical_slider = 1; // [0:10]
    4. Notes
       1. Not every single variable you reference inside the Customizer start/end section will be included as an option.  If any of your variables use any mathematical operators or other variables in its value, it will not appear as an option.  This can be useful for including “hidden” options within the customizable section – by just multiplying a given variable by 1.¹  For example, the following will not appear as an option:
          1. // This option will not appear
          2. hidden_option = 100*1;
       2. Neither will this:
          1. // This option will also not appear
          2. // another_hidden_option = 101;
• Optional Libraries
  • Thingiverse’s Customizer allows you to include three of the most useful OpenSCAD libraries available – the MCAD library of usual mathematical and mechanical parts, Tony Buser’s pin connectors, and Write for including text.  Here’s how you include each one:
    • include <MCAD/filename.scad>
    • include <pins/pins.scad>
    • include <write/Write.scad>
• Upload to Thingiverse
  • Once you’ve finished your OpenSCAD file, you just need to share it on Thingiverse.
  • Once it has been uploaded, just tag your Thing with the word “customizer”, publish your Thing, and you’re done!
• Limitations
  • Right now there are a few limitations for Customizer.  They are:
    • Your Thingiverse entry can only include on OpenSCAD file.
    • Your OpenSCAD file can’t import any external OpenSCAD code, STL’s, or DXF files.
    • Your OpenSCAD code can only be compiled to a single STL file.

The MakerBot team is continually improving the Customizer, so check back with the documentation frequently so you can find out about the newest features!

1. Such as:  ”this_will_not_appear = 30* 1;” [↩]

Today we’re announcing very exciting new Thingiverse features to help you find, manage, and Follow the 3D Things, designers, categories, and tags you like and care about most.

For those new to desktop 3D printing, MakerBot’s website Thingiverse is the best place to get and share downloadable 3D Things, most of which can be made with a MakerBot Desktop 3D Printer.  Thingiverse is the go-to place to find out how to make any physical thing.  Since 2008, Things on Thingiverse have been downloaded more than 8.5 million times, and as of November 1, 2012, there are more than 25,000 digital Things just waiting for you to download and make.

The MakerBot Thingiverse Dashboard – The Convenient Way to Track and Get insights into Your Things!

Introducing the Thingiverse Dashboard, the all-in-one place to track your favorite 3D Things, designers, and activity on Thingiverse.  With just a few clicks you can turn your Thingiverse dashboard into a home base that holds all the content you want to see and keep track of in one easy-to-access place.  You can find your Dashboard by clicking the top left tab on the Thingiverse homepage when you sign in. Click here to take a tour!

The Thingiverse Dashboard shows an up-to-date Thingiverse activity feed.  Use your Dashboard to:

●  Follow users to get updates when they’ve published or made a 3D Thing, or when their work is Featured.
●  Find out immediately when someone Follows you
●  See updates on your own Things: who’s making, liking, remixing, and commenting on them.
●  Watch Things that other people have made to get updates on new comments or remixes.
●  Watch tags or categories that are of interest to you, so that you’ll always be current on the Things you dig.

FOLLOW — THE CONVENIENT WAY TO TRACK THINGIVERSE DESIGNERS

Introducing the Follow button that will connect you to the Thingiverse users that inspire you. When you Follow another user, you’ll always know what they are up to. Pretty soon, the world will realize that some of the most ingenious designers, engineers, and hobbyists are all on Thingiverse sharing their incredible work. If you’re reading this, you’re in on the ground floor. Share the knowledge!  Start Following!

WATCH A THING, TAG, OR CATEGORY

By watching a 3D Thing, you’ll get a notification when the designer updates it, or when someone comments on it, makes a copy of it, or remixes it. Some digital designs inspire a whole family of new 3D Things, and the Watch button helps you keep track of those. You can use the same Watch button to keep an eye on a particular Tag or Category, too.

For years, Thingiverse users have been tagging their uploads with useful descriptors to make browsing easier. Recently, the Thingiverse team introduced Categories for an even quicker drill-down experience into the Things that interest you most. Now you can Watch a Tag or a Category to get those updates in your Dashboard. If you’re a teacher, the Learning Category is a great one to Watch right off the bat. If your interest is more specific – say, Thanksgiving, or Masks – finding the right Tag is your best bet.

Here’s what to look for.

These new tools are part of our effort to make Thingiverse the best place to get and share downloadable 3D things. If Thingiverse is the universe of Things then the Dashboard is your personal solar system. Make it personal, make it awesome, make it home.

You know what they say! Always make one thing a day after Labor Day.

No one says that, but let’s make it fashionable. Liz Arum of the MakerBot Education Team has crafted a great list of “Daily Prints” for every school day in September. This list is a great way for teachers to kick start the school year with interesting things from Thingiverse and some interesting education to go along with them.

Here’s today’s:

Be sure to read the “Why am I making one?” section, too.

This project is an example of gears and for demonstrating logarithmic spirals. You could teach a lesson on simple mechanisms or logarithmic equations, or the Golden ratio.

Background
A logarithmic spiral, equiangular spiral or growth spiral is a kind of spiral curve which often appears in nature. It is related to Fibonacci numbers, the golden ratio, and golden rectangles, and is sometimes called the golden spiral. The logarithmic spiral was first described by Descartes and later investigated by Jacob Bernoulli, who called it Spira mirabilis, “the marvelous spiral”.

Check back every school day this month for a great Daily Print idea, and if you know teachers who might enjoy these quick suggestions, pass along the link. You never know who it might inspire!

A winner has been chosen in the Black Dynamite design contest, and the winner is superfly. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the baddest,  rhymingest THROWDOWN SHOWDOWN.

To participate in the contest, Black Dynamite asked fans to upload their own designs inspired by the 2009 movie. There were some incredible contributions. The selection committee, including MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis, chose dutchmogul’s awesome collection of Black Dynamite game pieces for the Ill Gotten Games Pocket-Tactics series. The set included some killer original 2D art as well.¹

Over here at MakerBot headquarters, the contest was a huge hit, and we are thrilled that the good people over at BD let us be a part of it. It was cool to see people already in the Thingiverse community letting their fan flags fly, and even cooler to see awesome new people jumping into the Thingiverse game, like Seforin and toddie123! Special kudos to Thingiverse user matrhint for his big contribution to this contest.

As the winner, dutchmogul will receive a prize package from Black Dynamite and MakerBot. Want to see more stuff from Black Dynamite on Thingiverse? Keep uploading your ideas! Tag things “Black Dynamite” and get the attention of that community. Who knows where your design might be seen!

1. Note: the last two blog posts have been about Black Dynamite and dutchmogul’s Pocket-Tactics series. We swear this was not coordinated! [↩]

MakerBot will be participating in the SIGGRAPH Studio again this year, Sunday August 5th through Thursday August 9th, in downtown Los Angeles. Each year since 1974, tens of thousands of amazing artists, designers, and computer graphics professionals head to the annual SIGGRAPH (short for Special Interest Group on GRAPHics and Interactive Techniques) conference and expo to catch demos and talks featuring the bleeding edge of computer graphics and interactive technology.

The Studio is a section of the event where attendees can roll up their sleeves and take a test drive of the best tools in the biz. MakerBot will be bringing a sizable eight Replicator BotFarm and most of our newest colors with us to the event which will mean that a lot of visitors will get a chance to print out loads of items from Thingiverse as well as original work.

What’s new this year: the BotFarm will be partially staffed by the outstanding MakerBot Operators from the Greater Los Angeles Area, including Theron, TeamTeamUSA, and a few volunteers from CRASHspace and art toy professional Dave Bondi. Wanna help us out? Drop a message to “griffin at makerbot dot com” by Saturday at midnight with your cell number, a message about your level of MakerBot experience, your availability for the Studio, and your favorite object from Thingiverse. The SIGGRAPH Studio BotFarm Wants You!

Speaking of friends getting together at the booth, the staff who went last year were deeply impressed with the level of talent from visitors to the booth — including the modeler who shared a picture-perfect Yoda Bust that MakerBot Operators print frequently all over the world. What will be the next Thingiverse hit to come out of our SIGGRAPH Studio BotFarm? Bring your files with you and we’ll check your work out!

Here’s where to find us!

This weekend, while Keith, Nick, Sasha, and Andrew will be on the West Coast at San Diego Comic-Con at the Toy Tokyo booth collaborating with art toy superstar Ron English, Glenn, a gaggle of MakerBot web, software and R&D staffers and I will be making the far shorter pilgrimage over the bridge into Manhattan to spend time in the company of another breed of superstar — the hacker superstars at HOPE Number 9 at the Hotel Pennsylvania!

H.O.P.E. stands for Hackers On Planet Earth (and also “HOtel PEnnsylvania,” the venue for the event) and does beg the question — are there hackers for whom this designation does not apply? (Check through the schedule to see if there is a talk on this topic: are astronauts/cosmonauts the first Hackers Off the Planet Earth?)

HOPE Biennial Conference

For those of you who have never heard of or attended 2600: The Hacker Quarterly‘s biennial conference before, you should take note: not only is this the premier east coast conference dedicated to an impossibly diverse and interesting list of talks budding off the core topics of security, privacy, computers/technology, Internet/broadcast/transmissions, associated legal/policy implications, open source development, and hackers/hacking, this series is constantly pre-saging its own imminent demise – and this might be the very last year! (Just like they said the last two times. No, really this time!)

This year’s keynote speakers William Binney and The Yes Men are unlikely to disappoint, but also take the time to sift through the entire list to learn more about what this conference has on offer. We are hoping that MakerBot’s own Rob Vincent (Rob T Firefly), part of HOPE’s organizing team, will sneak us tips about the best talks and events to attend at this rambunctious, infectious, 24-hour programming hacker conference extraordinaire. Generally the rule of thumb is that if you manage to score a badge and make your way to the event, you are bound to stumble on activities, concerts, talks and people who you will find interesting.

MakerBot @ HOPE Number 9

MakerBot has secured two-tables-worth of vendorspace at the venue where I will be setting up two BotStands featuring our latest MakerBot Replicators, 3D-printed parts, Thingiverse.com, MakerBotTV videos, and a Thingiverse data visualization that Thingiverse participants will tremendously enjoy.

The BotStands are also display cases — so anyone in the MakerBot / Thingiverse community is invited to bring over their 3D printed work to display proudly at our booth (bring a Thingitag or similar label so we can brag about who created what).

There is also a rumor that I can neither confirm nor deny that one of the tables will devolve into a Seej tournament partway through the conference. This likely depends upon whether anyone in the community can come even close to competing with the MakerBot Seej Masters.

But wait, there’s more!

Check out what the MakerBot’s software team will be up to at the conference!

• Friday 10AM @ Dennis: “Community Fabrication: Four Years Later” – talk by MakerBot’s Far McKon, a follow-up to the one he gave 2 HOPEs ago before joining MakerBot
• Saturday 4pm-6pm @ MakerBot Booth: “How to Get Hacking on ReplicatorG” – tech demo lead by MakerBot’s software team
• Sunday 10am-11am @ MakerBot Booth: “How to Get Hacking on MakerBot Community Software Early on Sunday Morning” – tech demo lead by MakerBot’s software team

A Special Note

And if someone asks to borrow your cellphone or laptop “to check something” … well … you might be about to learn a very valuable lesson in computer security practice, if not policy and assumptions made about said policies at network/computer security conferences. Don’t say I didn’t warn you: pranks are an inevitable if unofficial part of the entertainment on offer.

With so many amazing resolution and reliability advancements in MakerBotting technology, it can be easy to forget that 3D printed objects don’t belong in every kind of application.

Please do not use ABS or PLA near any kind of heat source or flame including fireworks or even incense.  ABS will catch fire and keep burning with a thick black smoke. ^1 2  PLA becomes very soft even at low-ish heat and can deform and melt, losing it’s stability and structural integrity. ³

So, this Fourth of July, please be safe and keep your awesome MakerBotted goodies away from flame or heat!

Remember, only you can prevent bunny fires.

That said, Tealids’ incense holder IS pretty awesome. 

Untitled by tealid

This thing brought to you by

1. Which, of course, is never a good sign. [↩]
2. Plus, I have to think that smelly smoke would negate any good smells generated by incense… [↩]
3. That’s one of the reasons PLA is never used as a hot beverage or food container. [↩]

Sometimes the things you make with a MakerBot are so lifelike that they confuse nature.

Continuing with the theme of wings for the day, a project from the MakerBot Applications Team:

A very, very rainy Friday afternoon in Brooklyn yesterday exploded into awesome here at MakerBot with a visit from The Hives!

This band has been rolling out legit rock music in four major studio releases since 1997, and this year they released a fifth, Lex Hives. Here’s a single from that album, Go Right Ahead, featuring the guys in their black and white suits as always, but this time riding a giant dirigible…into space.

A bunch of us love The Hives, so it was a big treat to have them around during their time in New York, especially just a couple hours before their show at Terminal 5! Luckily we had a little practice with having musicians in the house, and were able to give the guys custom guitar picks, designed by Zenix. Bassist Dr. Matt Destruction said the pick felt good and sturdy for playing. Here’s guitarist Nicholaus Arson holding his.

Guitarist for The Hives Nicholaus Arson holds his custom guitar pick, made on a MakerBot

We were smart this time: before we let The Hives leave, we had each of them spin in a chair real quick while Nick (one of our events crew members) scanned them with a Kinect. We’ll turn these into 3D models with ReconstructMe, and pretty soon we’ll have the whole band in 3D on Thingiverse, for anyone to download for free. Drummer Chris Dangerous said he could use his own head as a custom gear shift in his car. Not a bad idea.

Drummer for The Hives Chris Dangerous gets scanned in 3D using a Kinect

What we always want to know from artists we talk to is what they would do with a MakerBot. If they had the power to make anything they wanted, how would they use it? Would they download and make art? Would they upload jewelry for their fans? Or would they use it the way so many people do, to download and make things for home?

Lead singer for The Hives Howlin' Pelle Almqvist holds MakerBotted sculpture by nervoussystem

The Hives are definitely a creative group (and a bunch of freakin nice guys, by the way), and everything about them from their stage names to their website to their videos reflects that. We can’t wait to see what they’ll get into once their Thingiverse page goes up next week. If you want to know when that happens, follow us on twitter @makerbot, and be sure to check in at Thingiverse. In the meantime, you can start thinking what you might like to mash their heads up with.