Greetings one and all. We hope you’re good. Are you excited for this years Liverpool MakeFest yet? We are, and it’s drawing ever closer by the day. Here at MakeFest Manor we wanted to come up with a special way to mark our 5th birthday. So we’re going to attempt a world record 3D print and we need your help! Yes you in the red shirt, you at the back there, you reading this on the train, all of you. Remember what Roy Castle used to say “dedication’s what you need, if you wanna be a record breaker!”. Well Roy was right but you also need a 3D printer, it just didn’t really fit the song lyrics so they cut that bit out.

Along with the good folks at Create Education and Ultimaker we’ll be producing the largest collaborative 3D print in the world. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings so we had to go for a rocket. After much deliberation and discussion on what our rocket should be called (I wanted Buzz but was shot down) we settled on the name Eagle (probably better if I’m honest), the codename of the NASA Apollo 11 lunar module.

To complete the record we will need over 500 individually printed pieces of rocket. Just to be clear though, we want this kind of rocket…

Not this kind…

So if you’d like to be part of this and help us break a record here’s what to do…

• First of all, download the 3D model file here.
• Next open it up in Cura, you can download Cura for free if you don’t have a copy.
• You’ll see that the model is basically a hoop. You need to rotate and flatten the model for printing.
• Credit where credit’s dude, we want you to sign your pieces as well. If you’re a whiz with Cura you can add your name to the model before printing. Or if you’re more old school (we like your style) you can just sign your printed piece with a permanent marker.
• The print should take about 2 hours. Please use whatever colour filament you fancy, we’re making a rainbow rocket.
• Finally, pop your piece(s) in an envelope and post to: Denise Jones,Central Library, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EW
• Alternatively you could bring them along with you on the day, that’s appreciated too but please send us an email to let us know how many peices you’re bringing – lpoolmakefest@gmail.com

It’s going to take a lot of pieces to make this record and if you have the resources you could print more than one, but one is enough and it’s a big help. Please spread the word to anyone you know who has a 3D printer and may be willing to help. Let’s be record breakers together!!

Sing it Roy!! …now where did I leave my trumpet? (scratches head)

Speak to you all again soon,

Dan