Further Explorations - 3D Printing: Build your Own 3D Printer and Print your own 3D Objects - page 173

9. Further Explorations
At this point, you should have a fairly strong understanding of what 3D printers
and CAD software are and what they can do. There are entry-level 3D printers like
the Printrbot Simple, and there are advanced 3DPs like the Replicator 2. On the
software side, you've got Tinkercad and the 123D family of apps that provide a lot
of creative power to novices, but for users who need more features and tools, there
are also dozens of “professional” level CAD applications.
Whether you now consider yourself a beginner or an expert in the field of 3D print-
ing, hopefully this topic has given you a glimpse of the possibilities available to
you. I mentioned earlier in the topic that many 3D printer owners find themselves
purchasing or building a second 3D printer—and maybe even a third. It's an ad-
dictive hobby. There are always bigger, crazier, and more intricate 3D models to
be printed, and that often requires bigger, crazier, and more advanced 3D printers
and software.
But even if you're not yet ready to spend more money on a newer 3D printer and
software, there are plenty of fun activities for you to consider. If you're a student, a
3D printer can provide some amazing options for assignments. If you're a parent,
a 3D printer is a great way to spend family time and learn a new skill together with
your kids. If you're a hobbyist, there's the never-ending tweaking and refining of
your printing process to get the most perfect model printed.
In this chapter, I introduce some activities that you can do with your 3D printer.
Some of these projects go beyond the actual use of a 3D printer into the land of
additional hobbies. But that's not a bad thing, is it? Your 3D printer is a tool, and
most good tools are simply one part of a bigger (or smaller) project. Following are
some projects for your consideration.
Go Bake Some Cookies
You heard me right. I want you to bake some cookies. But these aren't just any old
round cookies; these cookies will have a unique shape that you designed. Here's
how.
Open a web browser (one that supports WebGL—Chrome or Firefox) and point it
to www.thingiverse.com/thing:116042 . You'll see a screen like the one in Figure
9.1 .