At previous meetings we have discussed modeling tools that are either very easy to get started with ore are more oriented to creating precise models for parts and useful objects. Most of these tools though are not great at making sculptural things. This is where ZBrush shines. ZBrush allows you to make models more like you are actually sculpting them instead of relying on geometric shapes like Sketchup or OpenSCAD. Jason Loik is a profesional sculptor and toy maker. He will guide us through the basics of what ZBrush is and how we can get started. This meeting will be on Wednesday April 10th starting at 7pm. Like always we will be meeting at AS220 Labs in downtown Providence, RI.

So Santa was good to you this year and brought you a shiny new 3D printer to turn you into your very own toy workshop? Now what? Come join us this Wednesday January 9th so we can help you get started with your new gear and get you printing like a pro in no time. Of course if you are already a pro we would love to have you come share your knowledge with everyone too. This event as always is free and open to the public. We will get started around 7pm at AS220 labs in Providence, RI. The entrance can be found around back on Lucie Way. We hoep to see you there even if you are still in your footy pajamas from not putting down your printer since the holidays.

The year is wrapping up and for our 6th meeting (wow half a year already) and final meeting of the year, we are going to forgo our normal formula and just have a good time without a presentation. We will have a collection of printers and creating ornaments as well as some of the other equipment at Labs running demos. We encourage you to bring your printer also if you have one, the more the merrier. We’re going to have some snacks and beverages but if you have a holiday favorite we would love to try it too! If you have never made it to one of our meetings before this is a great time to meet the group and either share your knowledge or ask the questions you have been dying to discover. We will be meeting as normal at 7PM at AS220 Labs on Wednesday. I hope to see you all there!

This month experienced 3D printer builder Bruce Wattendorf will be joining us to introduce the concepts and common parts involved in building your own printer. If you can’t pick out your idler from your extruder or what rods work with a lm8uu bearings, this will be the night for you. With our upcoming printer build weekend being honed in on, this is a great opportunity to come up to speed on what you will need to know to join us. Of course there will also be plenty of time before and after to hang out and chat about 3D printers and what is going on in the digital fabrication world. We will kick things off at 7pm on Wednesday, November14th at AS220 Labs. This meeting is free and open to the public.

August is here and it’s time for our second meeting. We will be back at AS220 Labs on Wednesday August 8th at 7pm. We are going to have a brief introduction to OpenSCAD, a tool commonly used for creating 3D printable designs. This will be a basic overview showing how easy it is to get started and explaining some of the principles of parametric design.

Of course there will also be lots of time for questions and answers and to discuss what’s going on in the 3D printing world (lots of new bots and happenings in the past month). Even if you didn’t make the last meeting please join us this time around as we will always be open for newcomers.