3D Printer Manufacturer Shenanigans

In this episode of the Meltone Podcast, Tom and Stefan dive into their recent experiences at the Open Source Maker event in San Francisco. They discuss the latest in 3D printing technology, including the acquisition of Micronics by Formlabs and a revolutionary FDM filament that boasts strength beyond aluminum. The episode also covers the disheartening news of stat manipulation in the Octoprint community and concludes on a high note with Tom's latest project—a homemade robot arm.

In Episode 74 of the Meltzone Podcast, Tom and Stefan revisit E3D's extruder testing, debate the pros and cons of AC versus DC power for 3D printer heating elements, and discuss the contentious issue of patents in the 3D printing industry. They explore the challenges and implications of patents that may hinder innovation and affect content creators. The episode also touches on their upcoming travel plans, highlighting the importance of maker events and community engagement.

This episode kicks off with Stefan sharing his recent trip to Cologne, aimed at discovering new products for his online store. They briefly discuss Tom's video on threaded inserts, including testing methodologies and Stefan shares his story about tackling a TikTok impostor. A significant portion of the episode features an in-depth discussion with engineers from E3D, shedding light on extruder testing, product development, and the nuances of testing methodologies. They discuss the challenges and strategies in developing new products, focusing on extruder efficiency, the impact of design choices on performance, and the balance between speed, quality, and reliability.

In this episode, the hosts start with a PSA about backing up data and Stefan's SSD failing. Later, Tom shares his plans for SMRRF and Stefan reveals his intention to be present at both Formnext and SMMRF in 2023. The conversation then shifts towards 3D-printed salmon meat, the Hangprinter project's challenge to the ORNL SkyBAAM patent, and Bambu's new A1 Mini, which might impact the 3D printing industry. They discuss a proposed bill in NY that would require background checks for 3D printer owners due to the perceived risk of creating firearms and the concerning case of 3D Printing Generals channel being deleted without notice. Lastly, they talk about the disappearance of @Naomi-Wu from social media after getting into trouble with Chinese authorities.

Stefan has just returned from OpenSauce, a recent Makerfair/Vidcon event held in San Francisco. He shares his thoughts about the event, including what he saw and missed out on. Tom and Stefan also chat about their six-week experience driving their new Tesla EV, and touch on the topic of solar charging. The duo then discuss the Ankermake M5C, which is a more affordable version of Anker's first 3D printer, the M5. They also ponder how long it's reasonable to hold a grudge against a company over a controversy. Later, they share their personal experiences with the Prusa MK4, and mention that Prusa has requested Tom's machine back for an inspection. Finally, they explore some current applications of 3D printing in the industry, and attempt to explain why Marlin Firmware is referred to as "Marlin."

Join Tom and Stefan in this episode as they chat with Scott Lahteine, the mastermind behind the Marlin 3D Printer firmware. They delve into the workings of an open-source project, covering topics such as Scott's role, time commitment, funding sources, and common challenges he faces.

On this Podcast episode, Stefan asks Tom about his experience about dubbing his 3D Printing videos with a German audio track and why uploading to a new channel might be a better option. The episode is also well-filled with discussions about intellectual property, both in video and in software form, as rebranding open source projects as your own work is a concerning trend. 3D model sites are now introducing subscription services to combat some of this.

On this Podcast episode, Stefan shares his latest acquisition, the Vectorfinesse's 3D-printed headphones. The discussion then shifts to his recent trip to Loveland, Colorado, where he attended the Rocky Mountain RepRap Festival. Stefan shares some of the projects he witnessed and highlights the differences between this new event and MRRF and ERRF. The conversation moves on to the upcoming REVO high flow and their experience with Prusa's new MK4. Stefan also recounts his exciting experience driving a Tesla 3 rental in LA and collaborating with William Osman for a video. Lastly, the hosts tackle a listener's question about how to dispose of a solar battery and give pointers on building one.

After a skipped episode due to a COVID break, Tom and Stefan are back talking about PV systems, irrigation systems, and electric snail fences. Tom started posting a couple of shorts, and Stefan is doing his first step in delegating work and will have an intern. Then they talk about the sweetest 3D printer, the Cocoa Press, and how the Kickstarter campaign of the DIY EDM machine blew up. After that, Tom discusses his findings from trying out FreeCAD. Next, there is a bit of Prusa talk with the Prusa Link integration in Home Assistant, news that the XL finally starts shipping, and their new Tungsten Filament. Lastly, Stefan explains why his recent experiences with ordering on Aliexpress were so good. The episode is closed with an answer to why everyone praises Prusa Organic supports, and nobody talks about CURAs tree supports anymore.

Tom and Stefan are finally back with a new episode. They talk about why they were gone and what projects Tom recently enjoyed working on, like the NERF he used as an intro in his last video and rotary machining on the Snapmaker. Then they discuss all of the recent developments in Slicers with PrusaSlicer 2.6 and, believe it or not, Simplify V5. To top that off, the formerly known resin slicer Lychee now also supports FDM printers. Finally, Stefan tells Tom his plans about attending the RMRRF in Denver, CO, and hints that he heard rumors about an upcoming maker event in San Francisco.