Makerscene, not only for the nerds

When you and your sweetheart* both get the assignment to visit a Fablab. There is only one option left going together. That you send an Applied Computer Science student to there is obvious but a future kindergarten teacher? That is a different story.

Or maybe we see it in the wrong way, many people who are into technology tend to show some interest in working with 3D printers and stuff. But what we often forget is that there is use for these tools: making individual things that are often unique or hard to get (eg. parts of the ISS). There we are again thinking too big and futuristic! So where do we need this here (in a normal ordinary town) and now? Schools! Not only for students to work on engineering projects but for little children to learn. For years teachers uses paper, cardboard, paint, etc. What if they can use a CNC/3D Printer just as easy!

The future is here. And it’s cheap! It all starts with Inkscape an open source vector art tool. With a little experimenting I saw my beloved start to draw some some simple vector art. Vector art designed to be Christmas decoration, designed to be printed out later

After that they just had to send to to the laser cutter and as it’s name spoiled it cut it out with a laser!

Printing out the first assignment: fish

Only a little painting is needed and the fresh “printed” fish are ready to use in class!

So the conclusion: you don’t have to be a nerd to be able to use or want to use these devices. They even can provide support in unexpected places like teaching toddlers. Will they have those at home? Probably never. But it’s a great thing places like fablabs exists.

Conclusion 2: It’s that much fun to be able to make these they went back to make some things for themselve.