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Behind the Build

Stories, updates, and engineering logs from the MakerLab

July 18th, 2026

Carving Stone with Light: Don't Get Me Started On Slate Coasters

Beware the work-coated creature, seen stood a couple of feet away from its object of focus, stroking a beard if present, a chin if not, deep in thought. Duck, if their next sentence is "I wonder."

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July 1st, 2026

3D Printed Couples Statues: Making Plastic not look like Plastic

3D printing is rarely as simple as "press print and walk away." Here is a look at the weight, tolerances, and secret slicer settings required to make plastic feel like stone.

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June 4th, 2026

Engraving Cavasses. Just like painting, but in reverse, and with fire.

Laser engraving a photograph onto a canvas isn't just about burning away black paint. Here is a look at the hidden, triple-layered painting process that gives our easels their depth.

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May 10th, 2026

Disco Inferno: I Learn Through Fire

Every lab needs an origin story. Here is how an IT engineer's search for visual satisfaction turned a broken £100 3D printer into an obsession with bespoke gifting.

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