As you might suspect, pretty much all the people who preuses Tindie (and of course those who sell products on Tindie) are engineering-minded. Deservedly or not, a reputation for putting functionality above all else is often attributed to this mindset. Personally I take a lot of pride in being able to make machinery look great too. This is mostly a function of using high-quality components and wiring methods, both of which contribute to the health and ease of maintenance for a machine. But let’s face it, if you build something that works and looks great, it’s a much more satisfying experience when you show it off to people.
When making things at home, however, many of us put the emphasis is on getting something to work, just to prove that we could. The robot or mechanism is then forgotten about, recycled into another contraption, or simply discarded. Sure, this kind of build brings the maker a lot of satisfaction, but why not take it the extra mile and give some thought to how it looks to those that aren’t enthralled with circuit boards and gear trains?
While this concept could be applied to all kinds of projects, if you happen to build one of these RobotGeek hexapods, this interesting 3D-printed shell makes it look like an ant. It’s a fun enhancement in itself, and could be improved even further with an excellent paint job. Sure, a decorative exterior isn’t for every project, but something to consider if you want it to resonate with everyone!
