The Wired Store in Times Square NYC is currently featuring the coolest gadgets, gizmos and technology from around the world so of course the Shapeways community is representing the best of 3D printing. As mentioned on the Shapeways Blog the pop-up store is open until December 24 so if you can brave Times Square head on in to see the 3D printed goodness in context of some of the coolest stuff around.

Just when you thought Theo Jansen's 3D Printed Strandbeest could not get any more creepy cool, Tim van Bentum and Bo Jansen have helped take the Strandbeest into the fourth dimension with a 3D Printed Wind Propulsion add on for the existing Strandbeests.

The 3D printed Strandbeests can now walk autonomously, powered by the wind, just like Theo's full-scale Strandbeests. The new propellor add-on gives new and existing owners of these kinetic sculptures a new way to set them in motion!

To celebrate the Cyber Monday Shapeways is offering 15% discount on 3D printing until 11:59pm EST.

Whether you are printing something for yourself or a gift for family and friends, get you orders in today and enter the code cyb11 at checkout to get your discount.

Yeah!!!! 

3D printed in full color then sandblasted and sanded to perfection, Sophie Kahn's sculptures evoke fragile unearthed relics. 

We have seen some incredibly successful 3D printing projects on Kickstarter in the past and a RepRap based 3D printer on IndieGoGo for $450, now the latest project to hit Kickstarter is Printbot: Your First 3D Printer that has already tripled it's goal of $25,000 raising over $79k with 25 days to go.

A pledge of $499 or more will get you all of the parts needed to make your very own Printbot 3D printer. A pledge of $750 will get you a fully assembled and calibrated printer while a $999 pledge will get you a 3D printer customized by an award winning hotrod painter... Very cool.

Sure the print quality may not be up there with other commercial 3D printers, or even the Ultimaker or Makerbot but for under $500 you could get yourself a printer with a 5x5x5 inch (127x127x127mm) build bed.

Make your own slide-on macro lens for the iPhone 4 or 4S with $11 worth of 3D printing and a $4 lens from the Surplus Shed. This is an interesting use of 3D printing to help extend the capabilities of an existing product.  Quite an amazing level of detail is achieved with just a few inexpensive parts, see the image below of the ruler taken with the slide-on macro lens.

Because the use of tools is what sets humans apart from the animals (except animals that use tools).

Back in the 80's in Australia, a Triton Workcentre in your shed/garage was proof that you were a serious handyman, like a DIY badge of honour.  Sure if you took it to a real worksite or cabinetmakers you would be labeled a weekend warrior, but many a house, verandah, automobile has been built, renovated or repaired thanks to the 'Trusty Triton'.

Inherited from his Father in Law, the Triton was Happy in Motion's reliable carpentry companion until he lost the locking pins. Purchasing a pair was totally impossible so he modeled himself up a couple in Solidworks, 3D printed them in Stainless Steel and he was back to work.

Of course no sooner had Happyinmotion repaired his Triton he found the old pins in a dusty box...

"Anyway, at least I now know that other people can replace their locking pins, should they do a better job of loosing their parts."

So rarely do the worlds of math and fashion mix it is great to celebrate when it does thanks to 3D printing.

The Hilbert Curve by Henry Segerman shows the flexibility of WSF put to good use as a bracelet or hair accessory. 

Traditionally made from bamboo, the Shakuhachi Flute has entered the digital age thanks to Shelia Munro and Shapeways 3D printing.  This version of the flute is an "F" Key, is around 9.5 inches long and is 3D printed in Antique Bronze Glossy.

It is so inspiring to see old world musical instruments being produced with the most advanced fabrication processes currently available, it will be interesting when we start to see musical instruments 3D printed that cannot be produced through any other means.

The detailing on this piece is really lovely, it must have taken hours to 3D model all of the components but what really makes it work is the beautiful, almost 'handmade' finish.  Not what one might expect to come out of a 3D printer. 

Check the video of the 3D printed Shakuhachi Flute in action, after the break.