SHAPEWAYS - 3D PRINTING

[Canuck]

Okay, so Richard Gain's 'Switch Cube' that he claims is has the largest level count for a 5x5x5 got the better of me 

This is Richard's 'You Tube' video for the puzzle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNKOiPr_5mc

I received my copy today and I gotta' say it's right up there on the 'insanity' level    It has a neat 'trick' with one of the pieces that I've not come across since Stewart Coffin's 'Involute'!  I'd love to see it made in wood but it would have to be made 'extremely' accurate to make it work...

[smiteo]

which size did you order, John?! 

[Canuck]

The largest...1-3/8" or for our metric fans 3.5cm 

I'm going to see if Richard will post one even bigger, a 2" cube would be very cool! 

I would've swore I ordered one in 'Blue Jeans' but probably just as well, this bugger is a tight fit with a LOT of interference between the pieces...

[smiteo]

for the bigger ones it makes sense to make the pieces hollow...
hopefully burrtools will do this automatically in the (distant) future...

I just uploaded pictures of my RIT dyed maze-n-cubes...  they turned out better than I had hoped!
www.shapeways.com/shops/smiteo

now I just have to make my tubular burr available there

[Canuck]

I actually like the 3/8" or 1cm scale, I realize it gets expensive but being solid gives it a nice feel that I don't think you'll get from  hollow puzzle pieces  ...I'd like to order one of your 'More MazNCubes' in that scale in 'blue jean' finish if you wouldn't mind adding it? 

[smiteo]

1cm scale?  that's going to cost ya...
but sure...  I'll let you know when it is up there... 

[Canuck]

1cm scale?  that's going to cost ya...
but sure...  I'll let you know when it is up there... 

Awesome! 

[smiteo]

its up there with solid cubies...  I can try a hollow design if you'd like (it is insanely expensive, and I haven't marked it up $0.01

[gibell]

I like Derek's MazeNCubes in 3 or 4 different colors!

Shapeways has already moved on from highlighting puzzles to making Christmas ornaments.  Christmas is nearly two months away fer pete's sake!

[smiteo]

thanks, George!  I also uploaded a hollow version of more-maze-n-cubes, w/ 2.5mm walls...  should be solid enough...

[gibell]

thanks, George!  I also uploaded a hollow version of more-maze-n-cubes, w/ 2.5mm walls...  should be solid enough...

Yeah, 2.5mm is thick, and should be pretty heavy.  I have a puzzle that needs some flexibility to assemble.  I first printed it solid, and it is so stiff it is tricky to get it together.  But the final puzzle is heavy and solid, the pieces don't rattle around.  I then made the same puzzle hollow, with 1mm walls, and the increase in flexibility was dramatic.  Now it goes together easily, but the pieces rattle around in the final state.  I actually prefer the solid version but it costs more than twice as much.