This week’s selection is the useful 3D Printer Projects for Makerspaces by Lydia Sloan Cline.
This book addresses the need by makerspaces to, well, make things. Typically makerspaces are non-profit community operations where members share the use of basic types of making equipment, such as laser cutters, woodworking tools and, quite often, desktop 3D printers.
The issue is that while many members might be familiar with woodworking tools, and others may easily catch on to the laser cutters as their operation is usually quite analogous to 2D printing, others may stumble when encountering 3D printers.
The 3D printers require different ways of thinking, as well as different creation tools and quite a bit of trivia to even operate the 3D printers themselves.
One good way to get through all these barriers and become a competent user of 3D printing is to simply attempt to do some projects. But often new users don’t know where to start, and if they do they may attempt projects that are either too simple or too complex for their particular learning curve.
Enter 3D Printer Projects for Makerspaces, which contains a list of twenty progressively more complex 3D printing projects, all specifically designed to be achievable on typical makerspace 3D printing equipment.
As do many books on 3D printing, this one begins with a review of the technology and how it works at a basic level. They review not only the 3D printing processes, but also the terminology, basic workflows, software, fine tuning and even how to sell the prints once completed. They also include a large section on post processing, which includes steps like sanding and painting.
The projects included in the book are:
- Architectural Symbol Coaster
- Phone Case
- Guardian Lion Bank
- Art Stencil
- Cookie Dunker
- Simple Bat-Shaped Cookie Cutter
- Spiral Ornament
- Personalized Football Key Fob
- Embossed Poop Emoji Cookie Cutter
- Lens Cap Holder
- Two Colors With Dual Extruder
- Lithophane Night-Light
- Skull And Bones Pencil Cup
- Business Card With Qr Code
- Scan To Trinket Holder
- Phone Stand
- Cage Pendant With Bead Inside
- Military Insignia Soap Mold
- Hanging Lampshade
- Reality Capture Of Buddha Charm
It’s clear to me that if a newbie started at Project 1 and proceeded through all twenty projects they’d have a pretty decent set of operational experience using 3D printers – and even designing for them as well.
This book could be a great addition to any makerspace library, but it is also useful for those new to desktop 3D printing who are looking for some interesting projects to hone skills upon.
Via Amazon
