Meet a teacher who uses a 3D Printer! In this article, we will be introducing you to Mrs. Lubarsky, a General Stem teacher, who owns a 3D Printer. 3D Printers can be used for many different purposes such as crafts, fidgets, replacement parts and many more. But what does Mrs. Lubarsky use the 3D Printer for? For fun, for lessons? Let’s find out what Mrs. Lubarsky has to say about this modern technology.
Panther Press: Was it worth buying? Why or why not?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Yes because I love the 3d printing unit and how students get to create and open their new ideas. This is my fourth 3D printer and it’s 10x better than my first one. It’s a really good 3D printer. The brand is Bamboo. I got the 3d printer when the students won the Future City. I got grant money and I used that money to buy it, so it didn’t come out of my school money. It was really worth buying.
Panther Press: What are some things you have made?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Lately, kids really want some fidgets. I do some spiral fidgets and clicking fidgets.
Panther Press: Do you design any of your prints?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Sometimes I do, but they would be easier ones like a nameplate.
Panther Press: What is your favorite 3D print that a student designed in STEM Future City class?
Mrs. Lubarsky: That’s a good question. I was thinking of one and I can’t place it, but here is one off the top of my head. A student did a phone holder which was personalized. There was a nameplate even though it was pretty simple, there were two colors and I thought that was cool.
Panther Press: Do you use multiple color filaments to print designs?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Yes, my printer can use up to 4 colors at a time, the more colors, the longer it takes. I have about 10-15 colors, but the 3d printer can only use 4. Panther Press: What unexpected problems did you have to solve using the 3D printer?
Mrs. Lubarsky: So, the filament gets stuck sometimes and I can’t use the 3d printer until you unclog the nozzle. My 10-year-old nephew helped and fixed it with me. I took it home and we had to take the printer apart, so we could remelt the filament inside the nozzle with a metal wire I had to heat up. The hot filament hardens and gets stuck, so I have to remelt it.
Panther Press: Do you recycle failed prints or old rafts?
Mrs. Lubarsky: I don’t recycle them, but I put them on display to show the kids like the failed ones. They show the colors like ‘oh this is the pink color shade,’ and the kids really enjoy taking the filament poop.
Panther Press: How do you manage long prints during school hours?
Mrs. Lubarsky: For the student projects I have to tell students that the max is two hours. I let it go overnight for longer prints.
Panther Press: What’s your hardest print?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Right now on the top of my head I can’t think of the hardest one because you want to do it but when it goes wrong you will then waste filament, so I mostly print keychains and nameplates because I know those will turn out.
Panther Press: What is a time where you used 3D printing in a lesson? What was it?
Mrs. Lubarsky: The lessons were about engineering and design and I want them to be creative, but I give them constraints like the size it can be if they would want to use my 3D printer.
Panther Press: How long was your longest print?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Probably 6 hours, but I don’t remember what. I have some snakes and it took 6 hours to print 15. I honestly can’t remember what the longest print really was.
Panther Press: Does your 3D printer take up a lot of space?
Mrs. Lubarsky: It does. It’s like two student table tops desks and all the extra things 1- take extra space. You guys could come and see!
Panther Press: How do you manage long prints during school hours?
Mrs. Lubarsky: For the student projects I have to tell students that the max is two hours. I let it go overnight for longer prints.
Panther Press: Do you let other teachers use your 3D printer?
Mrs. Lubarsky: Yes, if they want. Mr. Schimdt, I’ve printed something out for him, but yes, I let teachers use them if they ask.
