Reader Input
Thoughts, tips, and musings from readers like you.Page 08
Presenting the Ultimate Guide to Desktop Fabrication. With 39 machines tested and reviewed, this issue will help you find your next 3D printer, CNC, or vinyl cutter. In this issue, you’ll:
ON THE COVER: Lulzbot’s Taz 5 melted our minds with its high scores, great documentation, and open specs.
Thoughts, tips, and musings from readers like you.Page 08
Make:’s new Editor-in-Chief Rafe Needleman talks about the delightfully obsessive qualities of master Makers.Page 10
Glowforge’s CEO believes a laser cutter should live beside your 3D printer.Page 11
Start your printers — these projects are amazing and the 3D files are free.Page 12
Anouk Wipprecht’s 21st-century fashion melds technology with a healthy dose of physicality.Page 13
Fire up a CNC router or laser cutter to make these impressive, freely shared projects.Page 14
3D print this desktop LED clock with jumbo digits that glow from within.Page 16
Use a robo-router to build this handsome pourover station for brewing your custom cuppa. Page 20
Create this beautiful, eye-opening portal with your CNC or laser cutter.Page 22
Taz 5 28; Printrbot Play 30; Ultimaker 2 Extended, Ultimaker 2 Go 32; LulzBot Mini 34; Zortrax M200 36; 3D Idea Builder 37; Printrbot Simple 38; Bukito 39; Da Vinci 1.0 Jr. 40; Rostock Max v2 41; Up Box, Afinia H800 42; Fusion3 F306 43; PowerSpec Ultra 44; Polar3D 45; IdeaPrinter F100 45; BeeInSchool 46; M3D Micro 46Page see above
Form 2 49; Nobel 1.0 50; Titan 1 51 LittleRP 52Page see above
Crawlbot 60; Nomad 883 62; Shapeoko 3 64; X-Carve 66; ShopBot Desktop 68; Printrbot CNC 69; Othermill 70; Carvey 71Page see above
Silhouette Cameo 77; Silhouette Portrait 78; MH871-MK2 78Page see above
Everything you need to know about desktop manufacturing.Page 24
Scientific comparison of nine different test designs lets us rank the capabilities of 19 FDM-type 3D printers.Page 27
Why use regular PLA or ABS when so many exotic alternatives abound?Page 47
With new machines and new materials, light-curing SLA-type 3D printers come of age. Page 48
Making sense of all the fabrication acronyms.Page 54
Get to know the original open-source desktop 3D printers that started it all.Page 56
Eight portable CNC mills and routers, tested and reviewed.Page 58
These useful cutting bits will get you going on most starter projects.Page 72
Here’s how to get started with the hottest tool for Makers.Page 73
These three entry-level options will have you beaming.Page 74
It’s your new digifab addiction (even if you don’t know it yet).Page 76
These sleek machines are poised to change 3D printing.Page 79
From educational favorites to portable powerhouses, these are the notable machines from our tests and reviews.Page 81
The best tools and toys for the ones you love.Page 90