By Shelby Nesmith | Staff writer, Technology editor
Have you ever wanted to just lift your pencil up off the page and continue drawing? With just the push of a button and a wave of the hand to make mind blowing 3D creations? Well this is exactly what you’re looking for.
The 3Doodler is a 24mm wide and 180mm long pen that can create 3D figures by heating and cooling plastic. This three dimensional drawing pen takes about three minutes to heat up and then you are ready to trace objects or create your own by a simple press of a button, no software needed. There is a small fan inside the pen that allows the plastic to harden and cool.
3Doodles can be created as 2D figures and then peeled off, 3D models, jewelry, decorative art, or personalization of any object because the 3Doodler works on almost any surface. Etsy artists have been working with the creators, Wobble Works, to make jewelry and art to help spread the word and show the capability of the 3Doodler.
Wobble Works is also making printable stencils to assist with more detailed creations. But this pen isn’t just for decoration and being imaginative, it can also be used for minor repairs depending on which plastic you use. Both plastics are great for making 3D models but there are some differences.
ABS plastic, which is common plastic, is more bendable and peels off paper easier but doesn’t come off of glass or metal surfaces as easily. PLA plastic, biodegradable plastic made of corn, is better at drawing more acute angles, sticking to surfaces longer, and is translucent. The pen comes with 50 strands of plastic that will last up to 1,240 meters of doodling, but you can get more. 11kg spools are priced at $30 to $50 depending on the package size.
Some people question why Wobble Works really created the 3Doodler. They created it to make 3D printing easy, software free, and cheap. With the 3Doodler costing only $99, they got their purpose of creation. Wobble Works might be adding on some extras for the pen in the near future, but it still will not be as much as 3D printing. Some things are still in the works, lowering price is a major one. The 3Doodler will be released sometime next fall.