3D Printing Maker Tales: FarmBots, Cellos, and Coffee Grinders

3D Printing & Imaging

Screen shot 2014-04-11 at 7.07.40 PM

The folks at Amsterdam-based 3D Hubs have produced an interesting series of maker profiles centered around 3D printing called Maker Tales. Co-founder Bram de Zwart says they created the series “to illustrate how 3D printing is inspiring and empowering people around the world to bring new ideas to life, whether it’s consumer goods, fascinating art projects or gadgets that can change the way we live.” There are 13 Maker Tales in the collection so far and each story is uniquely different.

Here’s a look at three of the Maker Tales:

FarmBot

YouTube player

In recent decades, scientists, activists and engineers have been coming up with creative ways to tackle an impending global food crisis. We’ve seen rooftop gardens and community farm projects sprout in cities like Amsterdam and New York. We’ve also heard of initiatives which repurpose abandoned buildings, turning them into “zero emission urban food oases.” And, of course, we’ve heard about 3D printed food. But what about robots that can help you design and maintain your own gardens? We had a chance to chat with Tim Evers, who is currently a lead contributor to FarmBot — an open-source machine that is geared to revolutionize sustainable farming.

[Read more.]

Andi Otto’s Sensor-Extended Cello Project

andi ottos cello

Andi Otto is a composer and electronic musician from Hamburg, Germany. He has been performing internationally under the name Springintgut for over 12 years. Though he is a classically-trained cellist and drummer, Otto decided to test the limits of traditional instruments using new media early on in his career. His first live shows featured a self-built drumkit with books and contact microphones. Most recently, he’s been experimenting with “Fello,” a modified cello made with an accelerometer and a pressure sensor attached to the bow.

[Read more.]

Jesse Howard’s 3DP Coffee Grinder

jesse howard coffee grinder

I designed the grinder as part of a larger collection of kitchen appliances that can be produced (and repaired, or modified) by the user. Each appliance in the collection is made up of standard components and parts that can be easily reproduced by 3D printing or CNC milling, in combination with as few specialized components as possible. The grinder, for instance, uses a standard food jar as the grinding chamber, a 3D-printed housing and switch cover, and an electric motor salvaged from an old coffee grinder. —Jesse Howard

[Read more.]

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I'm a word nerd who loves to geek out on how emerging technology affects the lexicon. I was an editor on the first 40 volumes of MAKE, and I love shining light on the incredible makers in our community. In particular, covering art is my passion — after all, art is the first thing most of us ever made. When not fawning over perfect word choices, I can be found on the nearest mountain, looking for untouched powder fields and ideal alpine lakes.

Contact me at snowgoli@gmail.com or via @snowgoli.

View more articles by Goli Mohammadi

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