WTFFF?! 3D Printing Podcast: 3D Print Tips | 3D Print Tools | 3D Start Point

It can be difficult controlling your print when you use flexible materials, including support materials which can often  inherently be a softer material. For this Tech Tuesday episode Tom and Tracy are sharing their tips on getting a good print with flexible filament and discussing a recent 3D print meet up with CM3D where Make-It and FeelColor Filament were debuting a new filament line. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

Where is the good 3D design? Tom and Tracy discuss what's lacking in the 3D print market and don't want to settle for the least worst design to meet a need. In this episode they discuss can one create a "wow" product and what it means to have a significant product. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

An interesting project out of the Netherlands, a hot bed of 3D printing, is our inspiration for this episode of Design Friday. It comes from designer/architect Brian Peters who made 3D printed bricks that he calls Building Bytes. We are so intrigued by the customization you can get with these, each brick is different and designed to be unique from the others to create these structures. Videos and more over at 3dstartpoint.com. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

We have an interview today in the STEAM education realm with Victor Ciccarelli of STEAM Maker Workshop in San Diego. We got hooked up with him because of Cindi Schulz, the Teacher of the Year who we interviewed on a previous episode. It is the workshop through which she was hired to develop her program for how to incorporate 3D printing into the classroom for the curriculum. What's so great about STEAM Maker Workshop is that it’s not about teaching people how to 3D print. It is about inspiring and teaching them about being creative in a very cross-functional, interdisciplinary way. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

Answering a listener question about what STEAM is and why we think the "A" is critically important, especially in schools where the arts programs have been slashed due to budget cuts. We love that by putting 3D printers back into schools, it is helping to bring the arts back into the schools by forcing that creativity into the curriculum again. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

Consistent material flow is one of the most common issues with getting consistent 3D prints. In today's episode, Tom and Tracy have practical suggestions to identify what is affecting your print quality and what you can do to maintain that. There are many variables at play here, so it can be hard to know what the issue is. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

We can all get bogged down with all the things we need to do, but how are you defining achievement vs activity? Is all your business really accomplishing anything? This back to business Monday episode is here to help you identify where your time is being spent and how you can spend it more wisely.   To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

EU Makers has created a filament spool that is designed to be repurposed and reused. This company took it even one step further by offering free 3D models that you can print and really make the spool a useful object in their home. In this episode we are covering our favorite designs and how this can be a fun weekend project. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

We met Debra Wilcox at CES earlier this year. She's such an interesting person with such an interesting business we knew that we had to have her on the podcast. Her company is The 3D Printing Store in the greater Denver, CO area, they are far more than a 3D printer reseller - providing everything from education, to training, to birthday parties. They are also involved in bio 3D printing which is a field that just completely blows us away. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

Yesterday we were stunned to learn that Pinshape will end its service and shut down its web site as of March 31st, 2016, just two days after the announcement. Does this news, which is a seismic event in the 3D printing industry, signal that the 3D printing bubble has burst? Tom and Tracy discuss what they know from talking with the founders of Pinshape, share why they are confident that this event is an isolated situation caused by a flawed business plan, in fact they discuss why this is the time to double down on the 3D print Industry (with the right business plan). To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

This Tech Tuesday we are highlighting a case study of college student Amos Dudley who used 3D printing, scanning, and modeling to create his own orthodontic device to shift his teeth. Successfully we might add. We have to applaud his initiative and drive, he took the tools he had available to him, dove into research, and made it work - he would be a great hire for any company.   To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

A question we get at every business conference is, "What do you use for a non-disclosure agreement?" We are so amazed that everyone thinks they have to have it. We think it can be a little, if not a lot, detrimental to your business. Discussing reasons for and against having an NDA and sharing our template over on our blog. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

This design inspiration Friday, we are really inspired by Bernat Cuni and the challenge he gave himself to create a different 3D espresso cup model a day for 30 days. We love this exercise in design and challenge you to do it for yourself to boost your creative process and hone your skills as a 3D designer. Bernat has created an amazing body of work, so be sure to check the show notes at 3D Start Point. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

Chatting with Lauren Watkins, the marketing manager at Pinshape, about their 3D design guide. Last fall, they included and excerpt from her guest blog piece on how to price 3D designs.It's clear that they are growing towards not just having a bunch of members and content, but about having great shops with sell-able content. Definitely a step in the right direction. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

Discussing some recently published 3D print patents that are from major companies like Hasbro and Disney. Their PTO has published them from their applications. There is a caveat to this, because these are not patents, theyare just applications for a patent, but it gives us insight on to how these large companies are thinking about their brand and how it works with 3D printing. To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!