What do you get for the self-confessed geek who has everything? Well if you’re struggling for gift ideas, how about a 3D printed tie with a camera in the plate? Check out the store at 3DTie.com for a range of options that might just blow your mind.
You might think that knotting a tie is an art of manliness that should not be tampered with, but technology knows better. With a 3D Printed tie, you get a unique complement to your suit, a conversation piece and a truly unique thing. We’re not sure what the fashion pages will have to say, but this modern take on age-old fashion does have its own ironic appeal.
You never knew you needed a modular tie
They’re modular, which means you can have a range of replaceable blades and plates. They’re also becoming a ‘thing’. 3DTie.com introduced its products in 2014 at GeekPicnic in St Petersburg, Russia, and since then a number of competitor companies have slipped on to the scene.
Now you will have to be honest if people ask if it’s silk. They clearly aren’t. These ties are made from PLA, the reusable, biodegradable staple of the 3D printing world. That means they’re wrinkle free and straighten when you stand. So they’ll hang perfectly without any adjustment and you won’t need to tighten it during the course of the day, too.
The tie also bends naturally as you move and you can choose from a normal necktie, a skinny tie and a variety of knots that include the classic Windsor, Trinity, Holey and Avi.
A knot? No, it’s an interface hub
They aren’t even called knots here, they are ‘interface hubs’, which means you can combine any tie you want with a different plate and any 1.75mm flex filament neck cord you like. You can even put an insert into the Holey if you don’t think it’s ‘jazzy’ enough. Sketchfab has a vast array of designs to give you inspiration and you can bring them into Meshmixer and go to town to create your own unique look.
You should be able to customise your tie online if you order through 3DTie.com with the help of Solidworks Make or Makersbot OpenSCAD customiser programmes.
The Swatch of the tie world
Essentially this is the kind of fashion freedom that Swatch brought to the world of watches, taken to an even more extreme level. You can have a range of base components, mix them up for a different look every day of the week and then start again next week with your own range of designs.
You even get options when it comes to the material. At 3Dtie.com you can go for a staid solid colour, a lace effect, if you want to call it that, or a jigsaw effect pattern with dramatic patterns. The ties are clearly different from the standard office fare, but they could become a conversation piece in their own right.
With the elasticated neckband, these ties should be comfortable, they’ll look fresh all day and they give you a range of fashion choices that you just can’t find with a standard tie.
You can’t have the camera just yet
The Avi is the ‘interface hub’ that contains a HD camera, which you can’t buy just yet as it’s still in the beta phase. This one actually has a real world application. You could technically record business meetings or other moments in life, if you don’t want to get your phone out.
So 3D printing is coming for everything, nothing is sacred anymore and even the humble necktie is set to get a 2.0. It might just be the perfect gift for geeks, too. Prices start from $138 on 3dtie.com and you can place your order now!
