MakerBot Watch
May 4, 2009
What time is it? It's MakerBot time! I really like my realfakewatch, but I've misplaced it and missed having it on my wrist.
To MakerBot it, I went through a pretty straightforward process.
I modeled it in Sketchup, a 3D modeling software owned by Google. I used the free version and then fired up the trial pro account and exported it as an OBJ file.
I imported it into Blender, an open source 3D modelling software and scaled it to the right size and rotated it so the bottom was on the bottom. Then I exported an STL file.
I imported the STL into Skeinforge, an open source program for slicing and dicing 3D models. It sliced it up and outputted a GCODE file. I brought it into ReplicatorG which took the GCODE file and told the MakerBot what to do with it! It heated up the extruder nozzle to 200 degrees Celcius and then built up the watch, layer by layer!
Once it was done, I spraypainted the ABS plastic with silver spraypaint. It looks good. I cut straps off my backpack and sewed them into a watchband and now I've got a great conversation piece.
If you want to make your own, you can download the original files on the digital design sharing website that Zach and I created called Thingiverse!
Reader Comments (7)
So cool Bre! Want one.
way cool bre, way cool
probably you don't have to use the trial of sketchup pro. the free sketchup can export google earth .kmz files which simply are .zip files which contain the model in collada format. blender has a collada importer.
Cadspan makes a free plugin for Google Sketchup that outputs optimized STL files directly:
http://www.cadspan.com/tools
And by optimized, I mean totally ready for 3D printing. The plugin actually sends the data to Cadspan, they do the conversion on their server, and send it back via the plugin.
Cool bre. I especially dig the CCC CC Congress wrist band you still got on ;).
Since Sketchup can sometimes leave holes in a model, particularly in spots that are a little 'tight', I'd recommend using Meshlab (free) on the collada (.dae) file you get from the 3D export in .kmz renamed to .zip.
Meshlab can open a whole host of 3D formats, close holes with a single click of the mouse, highlight non-manifold faces or vertices and a host of other potential issues, and then save to .stl or whatever else you need.
Unfortunately, it can't scale, rotate or move the model relative to the origin, so you will have to finish it off in Blender... but the peace of mind on mesh quality is well worth the extra step.
Looks awesome! One question: did you intentionally flip the watch to 3 o'clock? The renders seem to look like they are oriented in the 9 o'clock position. You could always make the next revision set to 10:10 like most other watches but this one is snazzy!