3D Printing. The New Obsession.

For the last year, if not more, anytime I pointed out some gadget we could use around the house, or some little figurine I thought was so cute, my husband, Jason, would quickly retort with, "If I had a 3D printer I could print one for you." Seriously, I've lost count how many times I've heard this phrase. ha.

Well, I no longer have to hear those words because I bought one for him this Christmas! And boy, let me tell you, I thought he loved the legos I got him every year, but this printer is the hit of a lifetime. Who knew?

If you are unfamiliar, a 3D printer is just what it sounds like. It's a printer that prints 3D objects. 

Here is a short explanation and video from this site, http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing that can explain it much better than I can:

"The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object." - via www.3dprinting.com

Here's one of the first (of many) items Jason has printed so far. A cute little elephant. The filament that is used to print objects comes wound up on a reel. It kind of looks like weed wacker line. You can get pretty much any color filament you can think of, but you can also paint your object once it's printed. I painted this little fella with acrylic paints.  ↓

This elephant is a sample digital file that comes with the printer for you to test it out. He's less than 2 inches tall. You can print about 8 x 8 x 7 inches on this printer, and if you want to make something larger, you can print objects in pieces and glue them together. There are many, many varieties of printers out there, from just under $200 to thousands of dollars. There are websites that have digital files that you can download and print on your machine, or you can use programs to create your own 3D objects. I think this has opened up a whole new creative outlet for both of us!

Here is a picture of the printer in progress, with an object that some folks might just recognize. ↓

3D printed Millennium Falcon digital file found on Thingiverse

I'll be back with more prints. I actually have a backlog of objects I need to paint. (And don't tell Jason, but I might just be in love with this printer, too. 😉)

💛

Thanks for visiting!