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Wednesday, November 25. 2009Customizable 3D printed BrandingIron
The Shapeways 3D printed Stainless Steel BrandingIron Co-Creator is one of the more creative and insane things we've ever done.
You type in your text or send us a link to a logo and we model and 3D print a mini branding iron for you. The branding iron clicks onto standard disposable lighters. You simply turn the lighter on for 30 seconds until the branding iron is hot and then brand away. A text branding iron costs $25 including shipping . A logo BrandingIron costs $25, also including shipping. (several days after this post went live we increased the price of the Branding Irons by $20. You can see our explanation for why we did this here.)
The branding irons work well on many surfaces such as wood and we are currently looking at testing out skin but have not been able to find a volunteer with nice enough arms. Do not try this at home. Never ever do this. This is dangerous. The lighter could explode, you might hurt yourself with the brand. You could easily set things on fire. Feel free to have us create your own logo or text 3D printed BrandingIron but do not ever ever use it. Just put it on a cabinet and stare at it in dumbstruck awe. These photographs were created under strict supervision by trained professionals (namely Peter Paul, Product Manager & Mathijs, intern). P.s., Dear Matt, remember when we wanted to make something for the Digg shop? Remember when we said we wanted to remove Digg's main limitation by allowing people to Digg offline also? Yeah, this is what we came up with. Yes, it is rather literal. Hope you like.
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So uhhh, then this isn't usable? Mixed messages here
The best example of this I know if the following: someone developed a 3D printed inside for a motorcycle helmet. It would be much more customizable for the wearer, more comfortable and safer. The authorities however required each helmet to be tested 200 times in its entirety to comply with the safety regulations. So the helmet was not feasible because the legal structures predate the technology and are set up for mass produced items.
Thats why we have to tell you that all our objects are for display purposes only. Furthermore, we are in Europe and that means we're scared to death of the US legal system. So I decided to add some warnings.
Sending this into the wild might be one of your retrospectively-regretted revolutions in the not-too-distant future.
But I do want one.
And I'm really happy to see you boingboinged and digged-- your work deserves the audience.
Succes verder !
Thanx! And I wasn't trying to complain or suggest that you were. Criticism is a good thing.
I'd get working on that legally watertight 'this metal brand, designed specifically to heat easily on a disposable lighter, is for decorative purposes and should never be used. Like nuclear weapons, or that LSD you got from a friend of a friend to slip into your lecturer's coffee, but never did because you realised you'd go to jail and he'd go insane' disclaimer as soon as you can, Shapeways Oppenheimers.
For the record, a brand of this size on human skin would not be a good idea. All of the detail would be lost. Branding is not a detail-conducive format, because the burn heals as a scar. One can expect a brand of this size to eventually heal into a 3/4" x 1.25" blob, at best. I hate to burst your bubble, but I would hate even more to be the test subject, and go through the pain and healing, only to be left with what looks like a wad of chewed-up bubble gum.
(I like to think I speak from experience, having brands on both arms and one leg.)
Anyway, keep up the good work! I'm going to see about ordering one of these for myself, now.
I want to do things like this also. We;re going to be talking about this kind of thing internally.
Joris
See: http://www.whatisfoilstamping.com/
Joris sez, "Turn any logo or words into a custom metal 3D printed branding iron. It snaps on over a lighter, you turn on the lighter for 30 seconds and presto you are ready to leave your brand anywhere." I once sat in on a Bunnie Huang presentation about labor conditions in South China, and he described the factories where rubber logos - the Nike swoosh on the side of a shoe, the rubber designer's logo hanging from the top button-hole of a shirt -- are made. The workers lack basic safety clothes and often end up with several companies' logos branded into their skin by the hot metal. Since then, I've found it nearly impossible to think about branding without thinking of the young women of the Pearl River Delta with all those logo-marks -- vector art from the west turned into curdled flesh in the east -- burned into their skin. Of course, you could use this to brand lots of things that aren't human skin! Wood-burning, leather-burning, probably even some kind of crazy brulee effect. You type in your text or send us a link to a logo and we model and 3D print a mini branding iron for you. The branding iron clicks onto standard disposable lighters. You simply turn the lighter on for 30 seconds until the branding iron is hot and then brand away. A text branding iron costs $25 including shipping. A logo BrandingIron costs $25, also including shipping. Customizable 3D printed BrandingIron (Thanks, Joris!) Previously:3D printed ban-hammer - Boing Boing Successful marriage proposal via 3D-printed ring - Boing Boing 3D printed silver brooches featuring your favorite landscapes ... 3D printed Brain Lamp - Boing Boing Homemade 3D printer goop made from maltodextrin costs 1/50 of the ... 3D printer jargon in action - Boing Boing Working handcuff keys printed on a 3D printer - Boing Boing Shapeways 3D printing by Internet: 500 free beta signups - Boing Boing...
Tracked: Nov 26, 07:56