Halfway through

June 16: Halfway  

I think I’ve found the problem.

It’s not that I have some lazy creative block that’s keeping me from making things, nor is it my creative outlets elsewhere that are making me lazy. It’s my damn tools.

Tonight I tried to print a few little things for a guy who contacted me to do some freelance work. I got everything ready, but as I started to print, a wire came off the nozzle heater so I had to stop, let the machine cool down, then fix it. Once that was put back together, I started up again only to have a little part break on me. So, I ran over to the hardware store at 8 p.m. and bought some super glue. Once it all was glued back together and reheated, I started printing again. Another wire came off, the nozzle cooled down, clogged, and ruined the print. So, the machine’s broken again. The nozzle is soaking in a tub of acetone and I’m sitting here not doing anything.

It’s time to get a new machine. It’s been good to me, but I’ve certainly put more money and time into my homebuilt 3D printer than what I should have. Making your own tools is awesome, but I think it’s time to retire this one and start building a new one from scratch. My frustrations over having to fix something every time I use it are what's keeping me from doing anything. Those things I made that were super cool? That was 3 years ago, when this machine was new.

In the meantime, I want to concentrate on a few more involved projects that take 3-4 days to accomplish. My working title is “Thing a Week.” You’ll be able to find these updates soon.