Evil mad scientists use SketchUp!

Posted by John Bacus, Product Manager

Several weeks ago at the Maker Faire 2007 in San Mateo, a couple of us had the chance to meet and mingle with 20,000-ish of the most interesting and inventive people I've encountered in a long time. Nestled in among the macrame aliens, monster Tesla coils and fire-breathing robots, we set up a decidedly low-tech booth where we offered to make a SketchUp model of any project that visitors could think up. We made a bunch of models, including a Cargo Cult banjo, a Trebuchet, a Segway Coat Rack and the Shane 3m telescope.

But the most exciting thing I saw had to be Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories' Sugar Printer. There are plenty of people looking for ways to build 3D printers on the cheap (the commercial machines still cost mega-bucks), but this one was designed in SketchUp -– and here's the actual model to prove it. Bryce and I are going to try building one down in the basement. Does anyone know where to get a good price on 5,000 pounds of sugar?

Update Added the above photo, which was taken at Maker Faire by Windell H. Oskay.

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