Google Sketchup STL Import Plugin

I’m a big fan of Google Sketchup.  I know it’s not open source, but damn it sure is easy to use.  The other day I noticed this blog post about a new Sketchup STL Importer plugin.  Earlier I had posted about other useful Sketchup plugins, and this one will probably make my list too.  I’ve installed it, but not tried it out yet, so caveat emptor.

$100 CNC mill?

I caught sight of this through Spacexula‘s RepRap Aggregator Feed – a $100 open source CNC mill.  I was just thinking the other day how cool it would be to have an additive and subtractive CNC machine sitting next to one another.

But, $100?!  It’s like someone would be paying me to build the thing.

Help with a RepStrap alternative list

I’m trying to put together a list of all of the RepRap/RepStrap alternatives out there. 1  Later I’ll put up the list with links to their instructions and where to get parts.  Here’s what I have so far:

  1. RepRap – Mendel, Mini-Mendel, Darwin, McWire
  2. MakerBot
  3. RepMan
  4. ShaperCube
  5. Profound Devices
  6. Tommilese

Am I leaving any out?  If so, please leave a comment.

  1. Mind, this is just a list of those open source 3d plastic FDM printers, where the plans and instructions are available.  It’s not meant to include those machines people are building on their own or converting existing 3axis CNC’s into a RepStrap. [↩]