Welcome
Dale Dougherty
Maker skills are job skills, and now is a great time to learn something new.Page 06
Make: Volume 75 — Bigger, Cheaper, Weirder, Funner
Digital fabrication is a cornerstone of the maker community, and in Make: Volume 75 (our diamond issue!), we take a fun look at the state of digifab today. In our cover story, we break out of the cartesian box with a look at Nick Seward’s weird and wild 3D printer designs, from undulating arms to roving printers. Next, dive into the latest desktop mills, routers and 3D printers with reviews of machines from Bantam Tools, Prusa Research, and more. Plus, get tips for recycling your old prints, adding supports for resin prints, printing in clay, and more.
Plus, over 16 projects and skill builders, including:
- Fit real AI onto microcontroller with TinyML and Arduino
- Build a super efficient rocket stove out of tin cans for your next camping trip.
- Beam streaming services to your TV using a Raspberry Pi 4
- Create an adorable light-up felted mushroom garden
- And much more!
On the Cover: Nick Seward’s one-of-a-kind 3D printer “GUS Simpson”.
Table of Contents
Columns
Made on Earth
Backyard builds from around the globe.Page 08
Features
OSHW Turns 10
Michael Weinberg
Lessons learned over a decade of open source hardware endeavors. Page 14
Transformative Learning
Nancy Otero
Get the scoop on our newest initiative — the Make: Learning Labs.Page 18
Fab Future
Fabricating the Future of Work
Sarah Boisvert
Digital fabrication is preparing makers for engaging, well-paying careers today and into tomorrow.Page 24
Outside the Box
Caleb Kraft
Nick Seward’s menagerie of experimental 3D printers work unlike anything else. Page 28
The Newness
Caleb Kraft
Digital fabrication machines just keep getting better. Here are some of the freshest ones that we like. Page 32
Ones to Watch
We’ve heard rumors, seen demos, and even played with pre-release models. Here are some upcoming tools we’re excited for. Page 36
CAD Design Tips for 3D Printing
Billie Ruben
Consider the quirks of 3D printing during your design phase to produce models that print with ease. Page 38
Resin 3D Print Supports
Dominik Laa
Create support structures for your SLA, DLP, or LCD resin prints — the right way. Page 40
Recycle Your Rejects
Samer Najia
Shred those failed 3D prints and re-extrude the plastic to save waste and money. Page 46
Convert a Printer to Pellet Extrusion
Samer Najia
Ten top tips for making the switch. Page 51
Perfecting Porcelain Prints
Tom Lauerman
Clay-based printers can make much more than vases and pottery. Here’s how to get started. Page 52
Projects
Kodi Smart TV Streamer
Heinz Behling
Had it with cable? Turn a Raspberry Pi into a media streamer for movies, music, Netflix, and Prime Video.Page 56
LongHive
Antonio Scala, Nathan Pirhalla, and Evan Diewald
Track your beehive’s health with this deep-learning, long-range wireless, end-to-end solution. Page 64
Tin Can Rocket Stove
Daniel Connell
Get cooking with this ultra-efficient woodstove made from scrap.Page 68
The Open Book and the E-Book FeatherWing
Joey Castillo
Solder your own e-reader for books and texts in every language. Page 74
E-Felted Fantastical Mushroom
Agnieszka Golda and Jo Law
Practice “slow making” and mindfulness while needle-felting, then sew on an LED for a magic glow. Page 82
Exploring the Microverse: Machine Learning on Microcontrollers
Helen Leigh
Put real live artificial intelligence into your projects with TinyML and Arduino. Page 88
Smart Stop Signal
Krish Gupta
Use an Arduino and LED strip lights to dock your land-yacht with precision. Page 96
Hot Metal
Howard Sandroff
How I solved my need for a blacksmithing forge by building my own.Page 98
Cutting Edge Contributions
Bryan Salt
Makers everywhere are sharing great builds here — post yours too! Page 102
Meta Tips for Makers
Gareth Branwyn
Sometimes your frame of mind is just as important as the tools you use. Page 104
Toy Inventor’s Notebook: Victorian Toys and Flatland Rockets
Bob Knetzger
Propel a simple toy boat with a bit of soap and the water’s surface tension. Page 105
Skill Builder
Hand-Cut Paint Masking
Wesley Treat
Create a multi-layer, positive paint mask for artwork, without a CNC vinyl cutter.Page 106
Beskar Ingots and Witcher Coins
Dave Dalton
An introduction to pewter casting using laser-cut billet molds.Page 112
Virtual Sawdust
Aaron Dietzen
Traditional woodworkers can benefit from designing in CAD. Here’s how.Page 118
Toolbox
Toolbox
Gear up with the latest tools and kits for makers.Page 122
Over the Top
Mad Mask
Allen Pan
If you don’t cover your nose and mouth, Allen Pan will gladly do it for you. Page 128
