MakerBot Thing-O-Matic

Workshop

If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to start, the MakerBot Thing-O-Matic Kit is the way to go. It’s a complete kit, so you need no additional parts, and a large user community can back you up if problems pop up (not to mention Thingiverse, where you can find awesome open source designs). It took me about 20 hours to build the Thing-O-Matic and start printing, and I improved its accuracy with more tuning, calibrating, and tinkering with settings in the ReplicatorG software. If you have any trouble, read the discussion at the bottom of every build step. I’ve since 3D-printed many fun and handy things (everyone loves a 3D-printed gift!) and the MakerBot is now by far the most-used machine at MAKE Labs.

140 thoughts on “MakerBot Thing-O-Matic

  1. caboaza says:

    hola vivo en Colombia pero mi país es muy pobre en ese campo de la invención y me gustaría saber si tienen la revista en español

    1. Jake Spurlock says:

      No publicar la revista en español. Sin embargo, echa un vistazo al blog MAKE en español! http://es.makezine.com

  2. Ryan says:

    so want

  3. Jon D says:

    Very Cool indeed

  4. Alexander Van Parys Piergili says:

    Great kit, I will dream with it, as it is almost impossible to bring it to Brazil (would need to pay around 80% in taxes)!

    1. Mike Fusion says:

      Take a look at the Reprap wiki. I’m sure that getting the parts would be less expensive

  5. SiliconFarmer says:

    Makerbot Thing-o-Matic takes some tweaking to get good results, but the output is worth the tinkering needed.

  6. cristovao osorio says:

    this is the 1st step to do incredible things

  7. Tod Tyler says:

    I have been watching all of the great stuff made by so many people out there. I am looking forward to showing off the stuff I can create with the Maker-Bot. The Maker-Bot is absolutely elegant and beautiful.

  8. tw says:

    so very useful

  9. John McCaffrey says:

    This would be the ultimate toy, I mean tool.

  10. Paul Carson says:

    Would love to add this to my workshop in progress

  11. Kit-A-Day Giveaway: Free MakerBot! says:

    […] value), featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  12. Dkim777 says:

    Can I make Lego blocks with this?
    wonder which is more economical :)

  13. High Technology » Blog Archive » Kit-A-Day Giveaway: Free MakerBot! says:

    […] featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  14. Jay Roth says:

    Cool! I’d love to win a Makerbot!!!

  15. Scott David Edwards says:

    First step thing-o-matic, next step Replicator.

  16. Kit-A-Day Giveaway: Free MakerBot! says:

    […] featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  17. Scott G says:

    I hope I win!

  18. Matt O says:

    I want one!

  19. Karen (@saltygal) says:

    This would be the best gift I could ever get for my hubby .

  20. Ron Lauzon says:

    Cool Toy!

  21. Scott Pollmann says:

    A replicator would be great. Star Trek technology is becoming a reality.

  22. Lucas says:

    Really want this!!!! Could make so much stuff

  23. Lucas says:

    did I win?

  24. JD Mabry says:

    Me want!

  25. Elizabeth Andrews says:

    So many amazing possibilities! I would love to have one of these for my two engineering loving boys!

  26. zerode says:

    These 3D printers are so weird and fantastic. I can’t get over them, really.

  27. bobness says:

    they just get better and better

    1. Lucas says:

      Luv engineering . REally want to win!!!!

  28. link says:

    Awsome product. MUST HAVE!

  29. Jay Roth says:

    Gimme gimme gimmie! 3D printing is awesome, and Makerbot is leading the charge!

  30. Emanuel Lowe says:

    I’ve used a 3-D printer before (not this one, but one for some school systems). If I could do the things it does at home, I could make a bunch of neat things for my robots and teams.

  31. High Technology » Blog Archive » Kit-A-Day Giveaway: MakerBot Thing-O-Matic (#2 of 5) says:

    […] featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  32. Stanton says:

    I saw a demo at an art show. It would be an interesting thing to have around the house.

  33. Zarfmedia says:

    What base does it use? Would love to see one up close!

  34. Chris says:

    Fascinating…

    Are other printing materials supported, though? What are the options for using different or more readily available plastics, etc.?

    Was directed to this site by the Make kitaday competition…

  35. Charles B says:

    i’d love to have a makerbot ! 3D printing is the next revolution !

  36. Rebecca Robinson says:

    this is sweet

  37. Kevin Quan says:

    I so want one!

  38. Martin T. says:

    MakeerBot Thing-O-Matic: it’s not SciFi anymore!

  39. Greg says:

    I work in the movie industry and my friends in props would love one of these babies….
    (Wishful Canadian)

  40. Chuck Ward says:

    It would be so cool to own one of these magnificent machines :-)

  41. Jussi Mäki says:

    Im trying to get together a Prusa Mendel, getting the plastic parts seems to be very hard, with that one, damn, I could print them myself. Also could start to feed the hungry reprap builders here in finland..

  42. Hugh says:

    That’d be incredible to own

  43. jay says:

    I really want this. A lot.

  44. Steven J Ulbrich says:

    A designers dream tool.

  45. Brian Duchscherer says:

    what is the resolution of the machine… how fine can it go?

  46. Lucas says:

    I’d love one of these for the holidays

  47. pvzine says:

    nice blue bunny

  48. Gerri Korbel says:

    This would be a great project to do for the holidays, to print in 3D your pictures of the Xmas tree.

  49. Hilmar Eckhardt says:

    The makerbot , if what you need isn’t invented, now it will be…please send it to me…

  50. Max Hayden says:

    This is the ideal machine to make one of a kind objects.

  51. Kris McElligott says:

    I have always dreamed of having one of these. It would be great to take it into the schools and teach more about engineering to the students.

  52. Jay Roth says:

    The whole idea of being able to fabricate things at home or your garage with this is truly amazing. As a traditional model maker as well as a 3D model maker, I always missed actually being able to hold the things I created on the computer. As a conceptualization aide, 3D printers are an incredible asset. I want one :). Can you tell?

  53. Tod Tyler says:

    Absolutely awesome! I have a huge list of things just waiting to be made.

  54. Melvin says:

    I want it

  55. Kit-A-Day Giveaway: MakerBot Thing-O-Matic (#3 of 5) says:

    […] featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  56. Tod Tyler says:

    You will be mine….oh yes, you will be mine….come to me Makerbot….I said come to me!!!!!!!

  57. Jay Roth says:

    No, it’s mine, mine, mine, all mine, ‘cuz I’m a greedy little duck!

  58. Melvin says:

    Is this where I enter to win?

  59. Kit-A-Day Giveaway: MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer (#5 of 5!) says:

    […] value!), featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  60. Chad Newhouse says:

    I’ve been amazed at 3d printing for years, this would be very cool to try out!

  61. Steven Ulbrich says:

    The idea of 3d printing is completely amazing.

  62. High Technology » Blog Archive » Kit-A-Day Giveaway: MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer (#5 of 5!) says:

    […] featured on the cover of the Ultimate Kit Guide. Here’s Make: Labs intern Eric Chu’s review of Thing-O-Matic from the issue: If you want to get into 3D printing but don’t know where to […]

  63. Scott Clark says:

    If only I could make a MakerBot with a MakerBot… then I would rule the world!

  64. Li-Wan Chia says:

    The first time I saw the MakerBot 3D printer was at the NYC Comicon. It is an awesome machine and inspires creative designs. Hope I can win one.

  65. Mountain Retreat | treetrunkdings says:

    […] out that a lot of these CNC machines, both industrial-scale versions like Bill’s and the used MakerBot Thing-O-Matic like the kids had, were connected to the […]

  66. geoff wright says:

    how do i win one this could be the answer to all my finantual problems

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