Last Monday was the first day we got our hands dirty and were able to start 3D printing basic objects. Vishal gave us a very simple rundown of the program we needed to use, and the websites we could use a design resource. After about an hour students were getting their first little trinkets made. The very first thing I printed was a mini figurine from the video game Fallout. I scaled it down a bit for speed’s sake, but it still turned out pretty well considering I would have no idea what I was doing in a 3D printing lab a week earlier. After class, I came back in a put design for some stickman figures and a wire ball which I cam back and picked up the next morning.

The most inspiring and interesting part of the class for me was simply browsing the thingiverse website and looking at all of the types of things that I could be able to make in the coming weeks. The best part of 3D printing is that more complex objects don’t really require any more skill on the creator’s part, just more patience. I quickly added 10+ items to my thingiverse collection list. Next week I plan on printing items that I will actually utilize to make my life easier such as this iPhone dock and can holder. I am hoping to replace a lot of broken things around my house using 3D printing rather than making a dreaded trip to Home Depot!