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.
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 75
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.
Mar 30, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 74
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 ...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 73
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 owner...
Oct 22, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 72
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 ...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 71
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.
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 70
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.
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 69
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 drivi...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 68
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 Pr...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 67
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 ...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 66
This episode starts with a quick chat about solar batteries because Stefan was faced with a power outage on the morning of the recording. After that Tom and Stefan switch over to a discussion about new ways of 3D scanning and AI image and video generation. Then they talk about Bambulabs' next budget printer, the P1P, and also touch on why there might not be a ton of coverage on Ankers Ankermake M5. Next, there is a quick discussion on the 3D Printing Industry Award and how they recently nuked th...
Nov 22, 2022•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 65
Thanks to Bekonix for sponsoring this episode! Check them out at https://bekonix.com and use code MELTZONE for 3 months of Pro access for free. In this episode, Tom and Stefan talk about the reasons why this Podcast was postponed for so long which covers, ERRF, new/old studio, and taxes. Then they talk about Formnext 2022 that's right around the corner and where to maybe find an affordable room. This leads to a tangent about EVs and fully suspended baby trailers. Next, there is q quick chat abou...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 64
This episode is not only about chatting and chicken but also a little update on Tom's move back to his new old studio and his plans to completely move in before he flies out to ERRF2022. After a bit of rambling, Tom and Stefan talk about a 3D printed robot arm, Fusions360s implementation of lattice structures, and an open-source high-temperature 3D printer. After Tom got his loaf of bread out of the oven and shared his recipe, both continue talking about pathogens on 3D prints and the newly unve...
Sep 29, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 63
This episode starts with a short and frustrating story on why Tom might have to leave his new studio again. Next, Stefan and Tom talk about Corridor Crews YouTube channels once again, which recently was hacked. Stefan gives a quick insight into his new home automation setup that sends him notifications once a print is finished. Then there is a quick ramble about the "influencer playbook" that was published by a marketing agency that explains how to annoy influencers to promote a product with lit...
Aug 25, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 62
Thanks to Siraya Tech for sponsoring this episode! Check them out at https://siraya.tech/products/build-resin-high-resolution-engineering-resin or on Amazon at http://go.toms3d.org/Siraya In this episode, Stefan talks about what recently put him out of order for almost 4 weeks but how he used the time to discover some amazing new channels. Tom talks about his experience of redeeming his Prusameters and his recent CF lamination projects. Both quickly discuss their most recent videos on obsolete 0...
Aug 11, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 61
Thanks to Private Internet Access for sponsoring this episode! Check them out at https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/TheMeltzone This episode starts with a discussion about the longevity of common 3D printing materials and why sometimes filament snaps on its own in the Bowden tube. Next, Tom and Stefan take a look at Formlabs' new FUSE 1+ 3D printer that claims to be able to do wasteless SLS printing, which would be an amazing step forward for that technology! Then there is a quick update on t...
Jul 21, 2022•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 60
This episode is sponsored by Linode! Check out their scalable cloud solutions and get $100 free credit at https://linode.com/themeltzone This episode is slightly different because Stefan records it straight from Covid isolation which he caught, as many others, at this year's Midwest Reprap Festival in Goshen, IN. After a short status check and some stories from MRRF, Tom and Stefan discuss the recent merger of Ultimaker and Makerbot and what this will mean for the two brands as well as Thingiver...
Jul 12, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 59
This episode is sponsored by Linode! Check out their scalable cloud solutions and get $100 free credit at https://linode.com/themeltzone This episode starts with a quick update on Tom's new studio as well as the office space Stefan has an eye on. Next, Stefan quickly tells the story of how All3D has been using content from a ton of creators without their permission over the last years and how they want to change their business practice now. BCN3D formally known for their dual-head FDM machines a...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 58
In this episode, Tom talks about finally finding his dream studio and office space! Both Tom and Stefan recently reviewed professional machines where they got a ton of negative feedback from viewers that made comparisons to maker and DIY tools. They ask themselves if there is space for taking a look at professional machines on their channels or if it's generally negative for them and the manufacturers. Tom also received a request for reviewing a Markeforged printer and debates whether he should ...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 57
The first topic of this episode covers a controversial article where the author "has the feeling" that the release of S3D V5 might not be far away though there is very little substance to that claim. More substantial news is that Anker, the power bank and electronics accessories maker, will get into the 3D printer market and will launch their first machine on Kickstarter soon. Next, Tom and Stefan cover 3D printable accessories for a new Ford truck and the Steam Deck, for which Valve recently re...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 56
This episode starts with the question of whether content creators should have to license 3D printable models that others released under a non-commercial license or if the exposure alone is enough "payment". If you would license your creation how would you even do that? Then there are rumors that Anet, the infamous maker of the Anet A8 is gone from the market. Next Tom and Stefan talk about the recently announced date for ERRF and if they consider going. Stefan asks himself if he killed his first...
Jan 27, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 55
This episode starts with a short chat about the festive season and the presents Tom and Stefan got, followed by a talk about open source parametric CAD software and other professional yet affordable options. Next, Stefan shares some experiences running an e-commerce business and what options for selling products online are. After that, they discuss the dangerous practice of smoothing FDM prints by spraying on printing resin. Printed Solid is yet becoming another company that switches to cardboar...
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 54
This podcast episode covers the physics behind Stefans recently reviewed CHT nozzle and his DIY version of it. Both discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this design and how it compares to a Volcano hotend. Stefan briefly talks about how he got kicked from AMAZON with his threaded inserts. The big topic is the Prusa XL and its new, smart features. This new design includes an extrusion force sensor that another company is using to print fully dense FDM parts so Tom and Stefan analyze whethe...
Nov 30, 2021•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 53
Stefan talk about the recent Thingiverse Data Breach, how it was handled, and that this is just another nail in the coffin. This is followed by a discussion about Thingiverse alternatives and Prusa's plans of re-branding PrusaPrinters. On the topic of Prusa, they talk about a recent incident where a heater block of an original Prusa melted away and what the reasons might have been. Next, they switch to resin topics including a double vat Elegoo printer and a Rotating Vat machine for high-speed p...
Nov 05, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 52
The first episode after the summer break covers E3Ds new Revo extrusion system and Prusa Automated Farm System that they are currently demonstrating in Dubai. Stefan quickly talks about his line-up of threaded inserts that he recently launched and Tom gives his impression about the SL1S Upgrade that he installed on a live stream. Both discuss a controversial topic because Thingiverse seems to be automatically replacing the affiliate links from creators with their own ones. The questions cover th...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 51
Thank you to Druckwege for sponsoring this episode! Check out their resins at https://shop.druckwege.de/ and use code "TOM2021" for 15% off! Stefan joins this Podcast from his holiday in South Tyrol. Topics are not only how to properly relax but they also cover a Stop-Motion Benchy animation, an update on the Chitubox lockdown of the Mars 3 firmware, an upside-down 3D printer, and a simple way of multicolor 3D printing. They discuss the question if they should start selling plans for their creat...
Aug 26, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 50
clones with little to no innovation. After this ramble, they talk about an artistic lamp Kickstarter campaign that uses orange peel filament which unfortunately seems to be only questionable marketing. Though during their research they've still stumbled upon a way how orange peels might really be transformed into a polymer. Next, they discuss 3D printer modifications to soldering robots and pen plotters. There is a short section about a new tool in Fusion 360 that can convert stls into nice, sol...
Aug 06, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 49
Thanks to JLCPCB for sponsoring this episode! Get custom PCBs from $2 with free SMT assembly at https://jlcpcb.com/RHS This episode covers a ton of recycling topics starting from Stefan's adventures into 3D print recycling over the PETBOT that allows direct recycling of PET bottles, to the number of wasted plastics in filament spools all the way to reinforcing PLA with shredded turbine blades. Tom and Stefan further discuss MRRF that happened the weekend before the recording and ERRF that was ca...
Jul 11, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 48
Tom finished his VORON 2.4 build live streaming marathon and talks about his experience and the choices he made, for example using a DUET 3 with Reprap firmware instead of the usually used Klipper configuration. Stefan shows the latest Make magazine Germany in which this Podcast got featured. Both discuss the “Jugend Forscht” winning entry where ultrasonic modules are used to heat and disperse resin for better prints. Then there is a talk about the suspension of the Torshn Kickstarter and a stil...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 47
In this episode, Stefan proudly presents the trademark certificate that he registered for his channel name and talks a bit about the process involved in applying for it. Tom discusses his plans on re-branding his channel. The following topics cover procedural G-Code generation and the FullControl GCode Designer. After that, Tom and Stefan briefly talk about a recent controversy surrounding Make Anythings Astrolabicon Design that popped up by another company on Kickstarter. Next, Tom introduces h...
Jun 03, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 46
