Last night several members of the MAKE team visited the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco for a panel and discussion called Built in the Bay. It was an evening celebrating local entrepreneurs and exploring some of the manufacturing and fabrication that goes on in our own backyard.

MAKE was honored to be a part of the fun and we brought along some of our favorite toys to share. LED throwies were a huge hit, as was the the 3D printer we brought along to demo. The printer drew lots of attention; many people I spoke to had heard of 3D printers, but had not yet seen one in action. I got such a vicarious thrill out of watching onlookers inspecting the prints as they materialized on the print bed.  Seeing this technology in person prompted one older gentleman to laugh, “Well, I’ll be darned.  This really is the future.”  (He seemed very pleased that the future had turned out so well.)  We also had an advance copy of our Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing. Look for it on newsstands Nov. 20.

Thanks so much to the Commonwealth Club for having us. We’re proud to be built (and building) in the Bay!

Product engineer Eric Weinhoffer and I demo the 3D printer we brought (and bask in its reflected glory)

Our Ultimaker even caught the eye of KQED’s Cy Musiker

Miranda Mager shows attendees how to build LED throwies

Getting into the throwie spirit