Mind-2-Matter - Hard at work!?

This is how hard Pi works at The Gnomery!

I've been trying with ZERO luck to upload this video of what happens at night in The Gnomery. Blogger is a jerk, so it won't embed no matter how I try to upload it, so a link will have to do.

I haven't done a ton of creative work this week, but creative work has been going on in the Gnomery (part of the video above is "testing" the "TactiGnome SlugFire" - a LaserGnomes designed accessory for the NERF SledgeFire blaster).

TactiGnome SlugFire designed and manufactured by LaserGnomes

We're also getting ready to start testing some new materials. We typically print in PLA, but have some PET to test in the near future. Both are environmentally friendly bioplastics, which we use instead of petroleum based plastics like ABS.

It's been a full week of research and paperwork for me, but Mind-2-Matter is almost done with all of that. We have moved to a fantastic space in San Leandro, CA. We're sharing this space with Type A Machines and it's going great.

The City of San Leandro is committed to revitalizing and re-imagining American manufacturing and we are excited to be a part of it. San Leandro has a fiber loop (can't tell you how excited Justin was at the mention of this!), tons of warehouse and commercial space available (the building we are in was formerly a Ford, Chrysler and Caterpillar plant) and they are currently having a "holiday" from business license fees to attract new businesses to the area. This applies to almost any new business setting up shop in San Leandro, which is unheard of.

 As a "start up" company, that is a great incentive. For us, a very small business (3 people currently), the savings don't seem like a ton (about $300), but considering business licence fees are calculated on the number of owners and employees, that can quickly add up. Can't beat free, right?!

Keep an eye out for some of our upcoming projects. We are about ready to start casting in the new facility (we're up to 4 kilns) and we are expanding our 3D printing capabilities.

Here are some of the places you can find our services:

3d Hubs
MakeXYZ
Fictivmade

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The Gnomery (Gnome Sweet Gnome)

I haven't forgotten about my reviews of 3D modeling software. I really haven't.

But it's been quite exciting around here nonetheless.

The Gnomery is moving. We picked up keys and started moving furniture in today!

Post by LaserGnomes

I spent much of yesterday working with ComposiMold, which I had come across at MakerFaire earlier this year. It's a reusable molding compound for making a variety of molds (including 2 part, push molds and more). It comes in a variety of formulations, including FC, or food contact.

I ordered my ComposiMold through Amazon and it arrived in 2 days as Prime Shipping usually does (I say usually because I had one item show up like 5 months later after a replacement had already been sent out).

Unfortunately, the top of the container was contaminated with mold!

I was totally bummed and reached out to ComposiMold on Facebook. Granted it was like midnight when I posted the pictures, I didn't really expect anything to happen right away.

Well, when I got up the next morning, I had two responses to my post and a separate email from ComposiMold. They apologized profusely and have issued a replacement AND refunding my original purchase price in order to make things right.

Later in the day, I even received a voicemail from Sean at ComposiMold apologizing for the situation.

Even though my initial experience was less than stellar, they have worked really hard to make it right. It is really rare to find good customer service (let alone any customer service) these days, it was awesome to have a company be so responsive to a problem.

I can't post any pictures of the project since it's Christmas and all (don't want to give away the goods!). I'll post pictures once I've given the gifts.

We picked up some furniture from Moving Sale (our local second hand shop), including a super sweet whiteboard set up! Unfortunately, it was about 5 pm when Rod got into town with the kiln hoods so traffic was horrendous getting out of the city. I think it took more than an hour to get there (The ride home took less than 20 minutes without traffic).

Justin opening the door with our key for the first time!

Our spot. The room is about 8k sqft and we have an area about 18' x 34' with room for expansion.

I can't tell you how exciting this is. A year ago, we were getting our 3D printer. We had a dream to put it to work for us. We didn't know how we were going to do it, but that was the plan. We've had our ups and downs with the printer itself. In fact, take a look at my first post, Type A Machines Series 1, it was quite the learning experience.

A photo from my first blog post about 3D printing. Our failed print graveyard. It got larger, much larger over the last year. 

Today we are setting up our future. We had an idea and we've stuck it out. We have gone from the above results to print on demand fulfillment, including 3D scanning and metal casting. Some didn't have faith in our dream but we did and now it is paying off. My husband's perseverance through this project has been nothing short of amaze (and yes, I meant to type amaze).

Sometimes it has been nerve wracking. My poor husband stays up all night working. I have felt tremendous guilt for being busy with an outside job and school, but we've pressed on. Big things are happening and I'm filled with gratitude to be a part of it.

EBay NOW (what!?!?!)

I'm sure I've mentioned my dismay at the Ebay NOW commercials I've heard on Pandora.

The first one was some dude at Delores Park who didn't want to harsh his mellow by running around the corner to get sunblock when he realized he was getting a sunburn.  He pulls out his smart phone, uses the Ebay NOW app to order sunblock. Delivered to his person in about an hour.

By that time you would totally be sunburned. We have a CVS or Walgreens on just about every corner in San Francisco. He could take 5 minutes to walk around the corner to get some sunblock, but really he should have sunblocked prior to going to the park. Once you start burning, you aren't really going to stop it.

The other commercial is a dude having a BBQ.  Oh noes. We're out of charcoal.  What does he do? Pulls out the smartphone, uses Ebay NOW and orders some charcoal.  For delivery. In about an hour.

I'm pretty sure when I decide to hold a BBQ, I check to see if I have the basics. BBQ. Charcoal. Meat.  You know, the things that make it a BBQ.  I'm also pretty sure that my guests are likely going to come hungry.  I don't want to put the meal behind by up to an hour waiting on charcoal.

Well, Justin used Ebay NOW today and it was perfect.  He was in need of NERF.

Our closest retailer is City Target (or as we call it, Rape Target).  City Target is somehow different than regular Target. This means they have higher prices, less stuff and bad attitudes.  They DO NOT honor Target prices. They will only price match their OWN ad (Not the Target ad, only the CITY Target ad).

So instead of going to Tanforan or Redwood City to go to Target, he used EBay NOW.  Order placed. Order Accepted. And we had NERF delivered to our doorstep in about 40 minutes. With a $5 delivery charge. Say what?!?!

If you need to return an item, they will even pick it up and return it for you!

The only drawback is the limited service area for now.  They are testing in San Francisco, San Jose and New York City.

Here's Justin's video review.

We make it happen (all the time)

Justin is hard at work.  He's acquired several NERF blasters and accessories over the last two years of LaserGnomes that are missing parts.

Well, he finally got one of the missing pieces and is hard at work reverse engineering it.  As I type, the first iteration of this battery cover is printing.  I'm pretty sure Justin hadn't even started work on the model for this piece when I got home at 7 p.m. today.  In a matter of 4 hours, he's gone from idea to model to print.

For those of you who don't know about the origins of the Gnomery and LaserGnomes, it started almost 2 years ago for a school project when Justin was finishing up his degree at AAU.

He was taking a green marketing class and was struck by the idea of trying to save NERF blasters from the thrift stores and landfills.  He began repairing and refurbishing used. It quickly spread to me scouring stores for NERF for the holiday rush (picture me driving my SUV filled top to bottom with NERF) and we've been going strong ever since.

I've done a bit of cosmetic modification, but nothing like Justin has been doing.  I wanted to know if girls would play with NERF just because it was pink, so I created the Princess Power Up.

Girls (and boys) loved it everywhere we went.  But the Firefly is kind of a crappy blaster.  It's cool because it lights up and shoots glowing darts but you really have to be close to hit a target of any sort. 

There have been quite a few iterations of the MasterKey in the NERF community. Many of them involve hot glue, duct tape or zip ties.  Well, those materials aren't quite up to Gnome standards.  Enter Justin. Super clean, barely noticeable integrator piece engineered and printed all in the Gnomery. 

Super clean cut job on the Rough Cut and a Gnomes designed and printed trigger mod as well (A few people were using screws to hold the Rough Cut trigger in place).

Justin's made a few improvements on the integrator (including clip retention) since the original iteration of the MasterKey. Behold the MasterKey 2.2 Extreme LG edition.

Here's a photo one of our customers sent us of the cosmetic mod they did after receiving their MasterKey from the Gnomery!

Nice Work Oliver! 

We wear a variety of hats here at the Gnomery.

We're here to help people achieve their dreams.

Have an idea?  We can help it happen.