REVISITED: 3D Printing Magazine

I've been blogging regularly now for about 6-8 weeks now and one of my first things to give you info on was a brand new magazine from Eaglemoss Publishing called 3D Create and Print - a part-work collection where you literally build your own 3D Printer.  We are now more than 11 issues in, and I promised I would revisit it and see where we are at.

For those of you new to my blog and, to the magazine, here's a recap about what I said originally:
Divided into sections, the magazine is broken into chapters about 3D printing history, tutorials on 3D design, 3D modelling and tips and tricks. They advise you on a recommended 3D modelling software (which is free to download) and there are a number of designs each issue for things you can build in the printer. These designs range from fancy balls and chess pieces to my personal favourite in issue one - a catapult! Each issue features a unique code to download the featured design as files and these are available for free as is the recommended 3D software to use in conjunction with the printer. Each issue includes bits of the printer to construct and of course instructions on how to put it all together.  On their official blog, they have a video of a "How To" put together the pieces from the first 20 issues - check it out here.

So far, I have been building the printer and it's been really easy to do and it's coming together nicely. The last few issues have been a bit strange as we got a few bits that we had to wait a few issues for before we put them all together. As a subscriber, I got them all at the same time so it was great to do a chunk at once. I've already received some of the subscriber bits including a funky memory stick in the shape of a key and the binder which is great for keeping everything together. As specified, 90 issues are planned so I'm literally 1/9th of the way through.  If you want to get involved along with me - then you can subscribe and get more information here.

3D printers are rather expensive still - but this is modern tech for you. People have asked me why I have been collecting this magazine when I could just go out and buy one for a little cheaper. My argument would be I could, but they add extra value by doing extra. So I've been collecting the magazine for 11 issues now (another four due soon) and each issue you get design downloads. Some of these are "BUILDUPS" and some are completed designs already. Eleven issues in and I have 44 separate items that I can use with this printer. Each magazine comes with a tutorial for other projects using the free software you can download. They also promise a further 10 exclusive designs for subscribers too - so if art and design ain't your thing, you'll still get use out of printer when it's done. BUILDUPS include a toy car, chess set, puzzles and other stuff. Meanwhile one off projects include soap dishes and egg cups, iphone protectors and more. On the official website you can register to download these designs and they have them under different headings like jewellery, homewares, arty pieces and much more. I'm impressed with the breadth of the different items that can be made; and, if you get good, could even alter them in the design software.

So, like I originally thought, I am still impressed and look forward to the next issues. I'll drop back into it in another ten or so issues and show some photos too. When the project is completed, I will do a video to show you it in action, and a full review too. Well done Eaglemoss, keep it up.

Have you bought this magazine? What do you think? Let me know below!

Until next time

Paul 

What I'm talking about:  3D Printer Magazine

Where do I go to find out more? http://www.3dprinter-collection.com/

REVIEW: Project Almanac (12A)

You know I had never hear of an almanac before Back To The Future; and with the exception of a few visits to a newsagents every so often, it's not a word, or a tome, that I'm familair with. Still, the movie has been named after such a wordy piece of literature. The film is shot in the love-it-or-loathe-it style of being recorded on a video camera by one of the characters at a time. The film is a cautionary time travel tale based around some young science boffins who find blue prints for a time machine device. Naturally they go back in time to do great things - if you think great things are winning the lottery by getting the numbers before they come out, going to sold out music festivals and to woo the girl of your dreams. It's all going swimmingly until they find that even the most smallest change can make a big ripple in the time continuum.
The Michael Bay produced, MTV film, is a product of contemporary film making - doing the whole amateur video camera thing (aka found footage) is getting a bit old now, but it seems to work for this film, even if some of the camera work is frustrating. A lot of the time the characters hold the camera in stupid positions so sometimes it really awkward to see what's going on and have to rely on the speech of the characters to help out.
It a thought provoking story and the acting isn't too bad - it's a typically trendy movie - even though these guys are nerds, they are still like extras from a boy band and all the girls are perfectly made up and pretty - even though one of them is supposed to be bullied at school and plain. Still, the story more than makes up for this and does bring up some salient questions - what would you do with a time machine?
There's a lot of movies that do this wobbly camcorder recording (I'm looking at you Chronicle and Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity: Marked Ones). However a lot of the time it's annoying and falls flat - Chronicle had so much potential but it lost the ball many times - and Marked Ones was just as bad. In a way, this has this legacy, but I thought this movie was good enough to be watchable and to be honest I enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it would have worked in a traditional sense, and I guess this is to time travel movies what Cloverfield is for monster movies, or what Chronicle is to superhero movies.
Overall a good attempt at an original time travel movie, immediatley watchable, but also makes you think.
Project Almanac is out this Friday, 20th February 2015 at all good cinemas.

POPSCORE: 7/10

What is it? Michael Bay produced movie, Project Alamanac
Where do I find out more? http://www.projectalmanac.com/
If you liked this try - Chronicle, Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity: Marked Ones, Super 8