The upside of 3D printing is that it shortens the time necessary to create new things. The upper side is that the technology is making it so easy to create new things that, once they start, many people just can’t stop using their 3D printer. So, if filament is your (and your robot’s) addiction, Proto Crate is going to help you get the stuff you need for a $49.99 monthly subscription.
While it is true that you can make a lot of things with 1 kg of filament, it is also true that a 3D printer working all of the time can easily go through 1 kg in one month. Also, after a month, you and your 3D printer might just get tired of working with the same color and might want to try new experiences. Proto Crate is going to get them delivered to you. And you don’t even have to order them.
The new subscription service includes free shipping: all you have to choose is the filament diameter (1.75 or 3 mm) and subscribe. Each month the Proto Crate team will chose a new theme and deliver all contents – which also include tutorials and other resources to help you make the most of your new spool – to your door, with no added shipping costs.
Each box includes a selection of materials that Proto Crate estimates to have greater than a $60 dollar value (a likely estimate). Along with your spool, selected from many of the top international filament brands (NinjaFlex, colorFabb, Form Futura, MakerBot, polymakr and Proto-pasta) you will get samples of exotic filament, such as Bronzefill or LayWood, to experiment with. You will also get a list of proven 3D printable models, tools, and even a pre-printed sample to give you an idea of what can be achieved.
Proto Crate is going to work with designers and manufacturers to keep offering new options and new experiences to keep you and your 3D printer even more busy. The $49,99 price tag might mean you will have to make some sacrifices, such as – if you haven’t done it yet – canceling your cable TV. Well, you probably won’t be watching that anymore anyway.
