Gallery: Dinosaurs! DNA! Space Shuttles! 10 Things to Make With Your 3-D Printer
01makerbot-mascot-2
After reading our post on [weekend-warrior tools](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/design/2012/05/5-must-have-shop-tools/), you got online immediately and bought a 3-D printer for your workshop, right? Congratulations! Now what on Earth do you do with it? The 10 projects that follow will demonstrate the capabilities of your $1,500 plywood factory and make you the envy of fellow geeks everywhere. Visit [Thingiverse](http://www.thingiverse.com/), download these models, and put your new toy through its paces. *All photos courtesy of [Thingiverse.com](http://www.thingiverse.com/)*
02lincoln-logs-plastic-makerbot-thingiverse-3d-printer-wired-design-2
Most 3-D printer operators advise that your first project should be a cube to test machine calibration. If you're impatient and want to jump right into printing more complex objects, start with plastic [Lincoln Logs](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11835). You'll know you're printing with consistency if your fort snaps together with ease.
03stretchy-bracelet-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
Who says geeks can't be stylish? Print this [bracelet](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:13505) for three reasons. First, it tests that your machine is well-tuned and can print objects with thin walls. Second, it's amazing to see rigid plastic stretch before your eyes. Finally, it's a great last-minute gift. (Mother's Day is May 13!) Bonus: If bracelets aren't your bag, Thingiverse super user [Emmett](http://www.thingiverse.com/emmett/things/page:1) has turned the bracelet into a [tank tread for robots](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:15528).
04bird-house-coffee-can-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
Things you print don't have to be final products – think in terms of parts. The most interesting projects often combine plastic parts with other materials. This ingenious [birdhouse](http://www.thingiverse.com/image:124750) attaches a printed front end to a coffee can. [RepRap](http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap) project members print plastic components, combine them with metal rods and PCBs, and make more 3-D printers.
05v8-engine-model-plastic-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
Hobbyist 3-D printers can't produce moving parts, but printed components can be assembled to create a functional object. This facsimile of a [V8 engine](http://www.thingiverse.com/image:68823) demonstrates how various parts of an engine operate and shows a way to overcome the limitations of the machine.
06dna-playset-3d-printer-wired-design-makerbot-thingiverse-2
You can glue and screw 3-D printed parts, but it's not the most elegant solution. Savvy designers will find a way to engineer parts so they can connect them more artfully with joints. For example, this [DNA play set](http://www.thingiverse.com/image:107903) helps students understand and model connections in DNA. The printed parts have clever joints that leverage the plastic's intrinsic properties.
07heart-shaped-gears-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
Gearing is the ultimate test of low-cost 3-D printers. If you can design parts that successfully mesh, the printer has done its job. The true test of artistry is turning utilitarian gears into wholes, like a [cube](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:10483), [heart](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:16909), or the ultimate challenge: [Stephen Colbert's head](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:9148).
08apple-logo-rainbow-plastic-model-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
One serious drawback of hobbyist 3-D printers like the [MakerBot](http://www.makerbot.com/), RepRap, and [Ultimaker](http://blog.ultimaker.com/) is that they're monochromatic. Crafty designers have hacked the machines to print multiple colors by [splicing colored plastic filaments](http://christopherolah.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/fused-abs-filament/). The creators of this [apple](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:19802) calculated the quantity of color that would be required for each slice of the rainbow, cut the filament to length, and designed a 3-D logo that Steve Jobs would be proud of might not sneer at.
09stegosaurus-dinosaur-multicolor-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
Don't have the time, patience, or advanced geometry skills required to make the apple? Cut random lengths of bright filament, find a fun model, and click "build." No kid can resist this [purple and yellow stegosaurus](http://www.thingiverse.com/image:77513).
10space-shuttle-model-3d-printer-makerbot-thingiverse-wired-design-2
This [shuttle](http://www.thingiverse.com/image:65254) replica is another giant step for mankind. Want to know how modern 3-D printers compare to existing production processes like injection molding? Try comparing this print to store-bought equivalents.
11koopa-shell-mario-kart-racer-thingiverse-makerbot-wired-design
Desktop manufacturing is still in the paleolithic era, so adjust your expectations accordingly. As with any emerging technology, low-cost 3-D printers still have many constraints, like single-color printing, low resolution, and small part sizes. That said, for a good designer, "constraint" is just another word for "challenge." MakerBot operator [Skimbal](http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:1?q=skimbal) obliterated one challenge with his [Pièce de résistance](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:10526). His goal was to build a full-size RC vehicle based on *Mario Kart* Koopa shells. The Makerbot's constraints would have stymied a lesser designer, but by breaking the design into small parts, Skimbal created a large, multi-color object, where the resolution is barely noticeable. The project takes over 40 hours to complete, but it's like being able to print the Mona Lisa in your garage.
