Tired of having to use actual software to model objects for 3D printing? 3Doodler might be the solution.

Described as “the world’s first 3D printing pen”, the 200-gram device enables users to draw onto any surface – or even in the air – with the ABS or PLA plastics used in 3D printers.

According to the demo video: “If you can scribble, trace or wave a finger in the air, you can use 3Doodler.”

Genius, or glue gun?
People’s reactions on seeing the 3Doodler fall into two camps: “That’s amazing!” and “That’s a hot glue gun.”

And they’re both right, sort of. The 3Doodler is effectively just a hot glue gun – but one that fires a fine jet of very quick-drying plastic, with a much more precise trigger.

Developers WobbleWorks’ Kickstarter campaign targets the device quite astutely at the Etsy market, which has gone mad over the idea, pledging almost $900,000 in under two days.

If you want to join in, the pre-production models have all gone, but $75 will get you a final production model and two bags of mixed-colour plastic. The 3Doodler is scheduled to ship by November this year.

Read more about the 3Doodler on its Kickstarter page

Visit WobbleWorks’ website

Tags: 3D printing, 3D printing pen, 3Doodler, drawing, fabrication, hot glue gun, Kickstarter, WobbleWorks