I’m building a gear-sphere. It’s eight interlocking gears that is sometimes a sphere, sometimes an ovoid, and sometimes a weird, oddly-shaped blobby thingie. I’m not sure why I’m making it, except a) to test my patience, and b) to begin to get a feel for how a 3D printer works.
In between building gear-parts for this sphere (there are 9 of them, as you can see), I’ve printed out a few other things on the 3D printer. Currently I’m working on a whistle. Because, hey, who doesn’t want a whistle that you printed yourself? I’ve also got a couple more bottle openers made — two I’ve given away to people who I think are likely to talk up our program at school, and a Celtic-like knot-thingy.
The printer functions MUCH better with the filament guide that I printed out, but heaven forfend if my computer goes to sleep mid-build. Then it’s Katie-bar-the-door! because there’s no telling what will happen when the computer comes back online… blobby plastic and ugly lumps? Or a functioning print that’s likely to finish.
Oh, yeah, and the kavad. I had an insight this morning that I was delaying working on the kavad because the initial feedback was so good on my art. I was afraid to wreck the work. Then I realized: HEY! I’m making a prototype so that I don’t feel badly about wrecking the work! I need to just get back to making pictures and not worry about what they look like!. So I’ve been doing that, while the 3D printer grinds away….
Look for the seven governors of the celestial spheres later this evening.
[…] cutters and CNC milling machines and 3D Printers (which I’ve had my own encounters with, thanks very much really), I can’t help but wonder if kids really understand what’s happening […]