Road Test: 3Doodler

WHAT would you make with a pen that draws in 3D?

140830 TWAM EMBARGO FOR TWAM 30 AUG 2014 NO REUSE FEE APPLIES 3Doodler plastic 'drawing : pic : supplied Picture: Captioned ...

WHAT is it?

A pen that draws in three dimensions.

You’re blowing my mind, man. How? Instead of ink – the traditional medium for two-dimensional work – this pen extrudes melted plastic, which cools and hardens as it comes out the nib. So you start on the table and go up, up, up.

Is it easy to operate? Yes: simply plug it into a power socket, choose a coloured plastic stick (they come in a packet, and look like raw spaghetti) to insert into the pen, press a button for slow or fast extrusion, and off you go.

And? It’s unusual, and fun, but very tricky: a surgeon’s hands are needed to produce anything half-decent.

Did you make anything cool? Yes, an Eiffel Tower! Actually, it looked more like a pigeon’s nest.

$159.50, 3dprintingsolutions.com.au