While many eschew vacuum cleaning, I find it a rather mesmerizing, almost relaxing, task. As the machine roars on monotonously, cutting out the chatter—and stresses—of the big bad world, one also has the great satisfaction of performing a repetitive motion that yields nice results (just don’t be messing up those long, lovely tracks, please!).
Now, in combination with the FormBox, your vacuum can be freed from the constraints of the utility closet, becoming a crossover star. The folks at Mayku, a startup headquartered in London, are responsible for this household disruption, explaining quite simply that they want to change the way things are made.
Just launched on Kickstarter with hopes of raising a modest $50,000 by June 3, the FormBox renders appeal because most everyone has a vacuum cleaner in the home and knows how to use it to some extent. Able to bring something to the table right away, potential users will most definitely be taken with the curiosity of how their vacuum and the Mayku team’s contraption are going to work together in creating a tabletop factory. Response on Kickstarter has been quite staggering already too, as at this time of writing they need less than $5,000 to meet their goal—with over a month to go. Can you say stretch goals?
“We think anyone who wants to should be able to make their own things,” shares co-founder and London designer Alex Smilansky. “So, we’re taking tools you’d usually find at a factory and making small simple versions of them—and today, we’re releasing our first one.”
That ‘first,’ indeed begins with this ‘factory that fits on your tabletop.’ You can also use it in combination with your desktop 3D printer to take prototypes you’ve fabricated and see them multiply quickly next door on the FormBox. As the Mayku team points out, you can allow the 3D printer to be the origination point of any model and then take it over to the FormBox and avoid waiting.
“With the FormBox, create simple forms from everyday items such as potatoes and plasticine, or create more complex creations using other maker machines like 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC machines,” invites the Mayku team.
Here’s how it works:
- Place your selected material into the FormBox.
- Find the shape or template you want to make a mold of and put it directly on the bed of the FormBox.
- Turn on the machine’s heater, and once it’s warmed up, pull the heated materials over your shape for the mold.
- Turn the vacuum on—and the mold is created before your eyes.
If you are interested in backing the campaign, for just $349 you can still get in on a good early bird deal and receive the FormBox + Maker Pack, which is highly recommended for beginners. Accompanying the FormBox are 30 sheets of material for forming, 500g of casting material, a universal vacuum connector, and a kit ‘to get you making right out of the box.’ For $459, you receive the ProPack, which is said to be perfect for big home projects. This package is unique in that it includes 100 sheets of material and 1kg of casting materials. Prices ascend with volume ordering, as well as offerings for other packages like the limited edition and studio packs. Shipping commences as early as May of next year.
“We’ll be building the Mayku Library to coincide with the delivery of the first FormBoxes so you have lots of great ideas to get making straight away,” say the founders.
Whether you are a tinkerer, hacker, beginning maker, or maybe even thinking about starting a new business, the FormBox should offer a powerful new resource for creativity, as well as enhancing 3D printing and laser cutting projects. Are you backing this campaign? Discuss in the FormBox Paired with 3D Printer forum over at 3DPB.com.