Make: Tips and Tales from the Workshop

17 Desktop Fabrication (3D Printing, CNC, Laser-Cutting)

In 2012, when I was the editorial director of Maker Media, we embarked on an ambitious project to publish the first consumer’s guide to desktop 3D printing. That guide, Make:Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing, was a huge hit, and has morphed over the years into Make:’s annual Ultimate Guide to Desktop Fabrication, which now covers 3D printing, computer numerical control (CNC) routers, laser cutters, and all manner of desktop fabrication hardware. Since I was new to 3D printing myself and about to head up a team tasked with testing and evaluating dozens of printers, I figured I better set one up and try my hand at printing something. The process was far more perilous than I had anticipated. ...