Baltimore-based WeTheBuilders, a group that replicates statues of founding fathers with 3D printing and crowd-sourcing, has finally completed its latest historical figure, a collectively printed bust of Ben Franklin that the group has dubbed Ben Franklinstein.
Begun by VP of Marketing at Tinkerine Studios Todd Blatt, along with his crew of loyal Makers, the Ben Franklinstein project invited 3D printer users from all over to print one of the 198 blocks of the founding father in time for the Silver Spring and World Maker Faires this month. With the help of 3D scanning bureau Direct Dimension, WeTheBuilders were able to create a 3D model of the famous fella and slice it in netfabb, before sending out the request for 3D printed Ben-chunks.
In the video below, you’ll see a time lapse of the build process, in which he was glued together, perhaps symbolizing the glue of democracy that unites the United States.
The shipping costs for the pieces were partially covered by his company, Tinkerine Studios, makers of the Ditto Pro 3D printer. Blatt also had help from Marty McGuire, who managed the WeTheBuilders site and glued the founding dad alongside him.
Ben Franklinstein wasn’t built in a day. Blatt explains in a blogpost, “It took about a month, including the scanning, slicing, uploading, distributing, checking in pieces, tracking down missing ones for reprints, and the final assembly.” He’ll be explaining the process, as well as the motivation for WeTheBuilders, on Thursday at Ignite Baltimore.
Keep an eye on the WeTheBuilders site for their next project. They’ve already covered good ol’ George Washington and, now, Ben Franklin. I wonder what dead white dude’s next!
