SeeMeCNC VIP Delta 3D Printer Manufactured for ‘The Vanilla Ice Project’

While the majority of desktop 3D printers on the market use a Cartesian model for movement, there are other systems available. Take for example the Delta-robot inspired designs. Delta 3D printers generally have lighter components, meaning they print faster, and most of the time are more accurate than their Cartesian counterparts. Also it’s always nice to have a light printer if you are moving it around often.

SeeMeCNC is among the leaders within the desktop Delta 3D printer space. In fact, it could be argued that they are the leaders within the entire Delta 3D printer space, period. They’ve been manufacturing Delta-style machines for years, ranging from their latest machine the Eris, which features a 5 inch diameter by 6 inch build height, to their 15 foot tall PartDaddy 3D printer they constructed last July.

We’ve met both John Olafson and Steve Wygant, the co-founders of SeeMeCNC, at several shows, the last being CES, and I can tell you first hand that they know their stuff when it comes to Delta-style 3D printers.

Robert Matthew Van Winkle (Vanilla Ice) saw mainstream recognition and developed a cult following in the early ’90s as he emerged on the scene as one of a few white rappers to achieve major success. Since then he’s battled his personal demons but once again is seeing success, this time with his DIY home renovation television show on the DIY Network. For the filming of the most recent season of the show, Olafson and Wygant at SeeMeCNC helped out on an interesting project. They wanted a large-scale custom Delta-style 3D printer created to print props for a house that Van Winkle is working on in South Florida.

“A couple years ago at Bay Area Maker Fair I met up with Richard Surriz who runs Out of The Box Mods, it’s a computer mod company,” explained John Olafson to Adafruit. “We set up a couple printers for him to use in some of the trade shows that he puts on. And earlier this winter he got a hold of me and said he was doing the Vanilla Ice Project down here in Florida and wanted a printer that they needed customized.”

So that’s just what they did. The team at SeeMeCNC set out to create a Delta-style 3D printer with a 15 inch diameter and a staggering three-foot-tall build volume. Called the SeeMeCNC VIP Delta, this machine features a large heated bed and sits on top of a transparent green table which will have a custom Nvidia computer within, all liquid cooled with cooling towers running along side the printer itself. The setup of the machine is loosely based on the Rostock MAX v2 kits that they sell, but of course enlarged to the extreme.

Richard Surriz asked for this machine in order to create props and other items for a media center that they are building into the latest home that Van Winkle and company are working on. After those parts are printed, the machine will be shipped around the country to several computer modding conventions and cosplay events. Olafson said to look out for possible Storm Trooper helmets which will be printed on this awesomely large machine.

Certainly this isn’t something most people would purchase and put in their garage, but the great thing about SeeMeCNC is that they are able to customize Delta-machines for just about anyone.

Have you ever used a SeeMeCNC 3D Printer? What were your thoughts? What do you think about this extra large printer they produced for Vanilla Ice? Discuss in the VIP Delta forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out Adafruit’s video below: