Ponoko made product from Victoria Contreras Flores.

Literary necklaces by Spanish artist Victoria Contreras Flores combine timeless poetry with leafy vines and romantic flourishes. Since few can resist a glance (or blatant stare) at a lady’s décolletage, why not take the opportunity to give wandering eyes a piece of written wisdom? Pieces include the poetic miseries of T.S. Eliot, Beckett, and Baudelaire; the rational musings of Virginia Woolf and Jean Genet; irony from Vernon Lee; and a hopeful quote from Antonio Machado.

View the entire series at Victoria’s Ponoko showroom.

Click here to learn how to make your own jewelry with Ponoko.

Keung Caputo get artsy with hospitality.

Four luxury cardboard suites are available at the conceptual Five Stars Cardboard Hotel by design duo Keung Caputo. Each suite features a cardboard bed, pillow, and laser-cut decor. The Cardboard Hotel debuted a few years ago at the Salon Satellite and recently offered fatigued art lovers a place to rest at the Miyako Yoshinaga gallery in New York.

While the Classico Romantico, Italian Lover, and Sogni del Bambini all sound tempting, I think I would book the Bosco in Hawaii. LEDs shining from laser-cut palm fronds and tropical cardboard flowers! To see all of Sarah Keung and Lovi Caputo’s “pop-up interiors” visit the Keung Caputo website.

via Shelter Pop

plus runner up prizes

Wanna make stuff with us? Totally broke and don’t want to pay for it? If your Ponoko project idea is awesome enough, Electronics-Lab will hook you up with a 1 year free subscription to Ponoko. Then you could make stuff for free, sell it in the showroom, and get rich. (We do not guarantee the riches.) 2nd and 3rd place will each get Ponoko gift vouchers ($100 / $50). All you gotta do is propose a project in the comments section of the competition announcement at Electronics-Lab.

A world of choices

Even if you’re new to Ponoko, you’ve probably caught up with the news that you can now use the world’s easiest making system to get products made and delivered from Formulor Germany, as well as from Ponoko USA and Ponoko New Zealand.

What it means for new Ponoko members
When you signup for a new MyPonoko account, you can choose your default making hub preference on the signup page. Your products will be made by the making hub you select.

Who does the digital making for you?
Ponoko is introducing a network of digital making service providers.

The 3 current providers on this network are Ponoko USA, Ponoko NZ and Formulor Germany.

More are coming.

All hubs have different offerings, different business terms and different pricing.

So you have a choice. And you can access them all using the world’s easiest making system.

So which making hub should you choose?
You will get the fastest and lowest cost shipping, plus products with the smallest carbon footprint if you make and ship your products from the making hub nearest your shipping destination:

However the total cost (making + materials + shipping) will be different given the different pricing policies from the different making hubs across the network. So you may wish to compare Ponoko USA versus Ponoko NZ versus Formulor Germany, then select the hub that fits you best.

You can change your making hub preference at any time
By changing the hub preference in your account settings, you can decide which materials catalog you are choosing from when applying materials to a design. The factor that determines whether a product is made and shipped from the Ponoko USA, Ponoko NZ or the Formulor Germany hub is where the materials you’ve chosen for your design are located.

3 materials catalogs to choose from
Currently the Ponoko web site displays the Ponoko USA materials catalog by default. You can view the Ponoko New Zealand and Formulor German materials catalogs by using the toggle button at the top right of the materials page.

Go for it!
If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines because making wasn’t easy in the EU before, now’s your chance. So come and check it out.

Here’s the new shipping rates to Germany and the EU.

At the US node

Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove the 3mm blond bamboo from the catalog. With the Christmas slow down there have been delays in orders by our supplier. We’ve had to remove this material until we have a confirmed supply again. This is looking like towards the end of March.

With a new supply of 3mm blond we will move from a horizontally laminated grain to a vertically laminated grain. We had numerous issues with the flatness of the 3mm blond and a switch to the vertical lamination’s should reduce this considerably. What this means is the size of the laminated strips will reduce from about 20mm/0.78″ down to 8mm/0.31″. The color will remain the same but the appearance of the grain will become more homogeneous.

Some good news on the bamboo front; 3mm Amber bamboo ply, the same as in NZ and the darker variation above, will soon be available from the US hub.

As well as that there are new plywood offerings and felt colors that have come through the materials request process to be added soon. Stay tuned.

Like an acrylic color in NZ that is not available in the US? Our supplier just sent us swatches of their full color range.

It looks like all the NZ colors, minus the ‘Ice’ varieties, are also available in the US. See how to order them today. (note: colors may not be available in all thicknesses)

At the NZ node

4mm Radiata Pine is no longer available. The mill that makes the plywood has decided that it is no longer cost effective to manufacture and therefore supply has stopped indefinitely.

4mm Poplar plywood is back in stock. Our supplier has restocked their shelves and now we can order it again. Yippee!

Nature of Material by Ran Amitai

Standing out in the ever growing field of flat pack furniture is the Nature of Material series by Israeli designer Ran Amitai. Nature of Material was his final project at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in what must be one of the most refined and well executed student works to emerge from the EU (where Ponoko is now available via it’s German hub). Most impressive is that despite the designs being laser cut and folded, they still maintain a softened form, with organic curves not usually seen in the flat pack aesthetic. The Nature of Material series includes a Sttol, Chair and Table. Images of his design process are well documented on his site.
(more…)

Well, that all depends …

Here’s a quick guide to figure out how Formulor Germany will be useful for you…

I want to continue to make and ship products from the US and/or NZ hubs only
This is for you if all of your delivery locations are closest to the US and/or NZ making hubs. So just keep doing what you do now. No change necessary.

I want to make and ship products from the new German hub only
This is for you if all of your delivery locations are closest to the German making hub.

3 steps:

1) Change your country preference from USA or NZ to Germany, and accept Formulor’s new terms and conditions here, then

2) Change your materials for each of your existing products here

3) Add new products (design + materials) here.

(As a result of step 1, the materials you select in steps 2 and 3 will be from the German catalog by default. All US or NZ materials will be deleted and all of your existing and new products will be tagged with a Germany flag, to be made and delivered by Formulor).

I want to make and ship products from Germany as well as from the NZ/US hub
This is for you if your delivery locations are scattered around the world.

2 steps:

1) Change your country preference from USA or NZ to Germany, and accept Formulor’s new terms and conditions here, then

2) Add new products (design + materials) here.

(As a result of step 1, the materials you select in step 2 will be from the German materials catalog by default. Your existing products will remain tagged with a US or NZ flag, and will be made and delivered by Ponoko from there if you click to make them, while your new products will be tagged with a German flag, to be made and delivered by Formulor).

So what you waiting for!
Jump in and experience the world’s easiest making system, now available in the EU.

And remember to check out the new shipping rates to Germany and the EU!

Let’s look at the changes we’ve made to accommodate the new German making hubWe launched in Germany and let you know how to get your stuff made and delivered from Formulor.

Now here’s a bit more detail about the changes for you to check out …

The addition of a new country flag
When you log into your MyPonoko account, you’ll continue to see your existing products with a US or New Zealand flag. This flag tells you where your product will be made and shipped from. When you select Germany as your preferred making hub and upload new designs to be made there, they will be auto tagged with a German flag. Easy.

A new set of terms and conditions
If you want to make and ship from Formulor’s new German hub instead of the existing Ponoko US or NZ hubs, all you need to do is change your default country preference to Germany. That’s all there is to it – set and forget.

But remember, when you select Formulor in Germany to make and deliver your goodies, you are contracting with them directly, and not with Ponoko. So by selecting Germany you will be agreeing to Formulor’s terms and conditions, which are different from our terms of use.

A reminder for Prime subscribers
Ponoko Prime is limited to items made at Ponoko USA and Ponoko NZ hubs, but not the Formulor Germany hub.

As a Ponoko Prime user, you will pay the same rate for Formulor services as everyone else. We will, however, continue to offer Prime at the US and NZ making hubs.

It goes without saying, but we love our Prime members (a lot), so look out for a future post on this.

The effect of selecting Germany as your country preference
You’ll notice two things if you choose to change your country preference to Germany:

1) Your EXISTING products will be tagged with either a US or NZ flag
Your existing products will continue to be made and shipped from either the US or NZ hubs (just as they were when your country preference was USA or New Zealand). This is because the materials have been selected from the US or NZ materials catalog.

2) Your NEW products will be tagged with a German flag
Your new products will be made and shipped from Formulor’s Germany hub. This is because the materials have been selected from the Formulor materials catalog.

USD currency
For the moment everything continues in USD – all making, materials and shipping in the EU are priced in USD. So while Ponoko USA and NZ charge US$2 per minute for making, Formulor charges 2 Euro per minute (and this equates to US$2.73 per minute).

Now three material catalogs to choose from
Ponoko shows the USA materials catalog by default. You can view the New Zealand and Formulor Germany materials catalogs by using the US/NZ/Germany toggle button at the top right hand side of the materials catalog.

New shipping rates
The simple rule is – the shorter the distance something travels, the lower the shipping cost (and lower the carbon footprint).

Currently if you live next door to the making hub in NZ, USA or Germany your shipping cost will be the lowest possible. If you live some distance from one of these hubs, the cost will not be so low.

For those in Europe,  the addition of Formulor’s German hub means that shipping rates to Germany are fantastic, and rates to other countries in Continental Europe are vastly improved.

The new rates to the UK are much lower than those from Ponoko’s US hub, but are comparable to those from Ponoko’s NZ hub. This is primarily because we are still subsidizing shipping from NZ to the UK – which we will continue to do until a UK making hub opens and local shipping rates will be available.

In all these cases, remember that shipping costs are controlled by shipping providers – not Ponoko and not Formulor. That’s why our goal is to connect digital fabricators as close to you as possible. First Wellington NZ, then San Francisco USA, now Berlin Germany.

For those in other countries, don’t worry – there are more hubs coming, and your location might be next…

Many of you will have a good reason to choose Germany now.
Check out the new shipping rates to Germany and the EU!

You wanted more affordable shipping to Europe. It’s here.

A making hub up and running in Germany has put a huge dent in shipping costs for Ponoko enthusiasts across Europe.

Check out these example savings on shipping a P1 size of 3mm thick plastic sheet of material:

—–

In a nutshell, if your shipping destination is Europe you will get the lowest cost shipping and products with the smallest carbon footprint if you make and ship your products from the new German hub.

How to get products made and shipped from the new German hub
First, set your country preference to Germany (instead of USA or NZ) and accept Formulor’s new terms and conditions (they are different from Ponoko’s terms of use).

Then, create a new product in one of two ways:

1) Upload a design and add materials (just like you have done previously). Easy as.

and / or

2) Change the materials of an existing design tagged with a NZ or US flag. To do this you click on the product image, click on ‘View details’ of the materials attached to this design. Use the ‘Delete’ button to remove the previous material, and then add your new material chosen from the Formulor catalog.

Your new product will be tagged with a German flag indicating it will be made and shipped from the new German hub.

You can change your country preference at any time
You can make and ship products from any hub simply by changing the country preference before you add materials to a design. In effect, the only thing that determines whether a product is made and shipped from the USA, NZ or German hub is where the materials are sourced.

A note for Prime subscribers
Please note that Ponoko Prime is limited to Ponoko-owned making hubs, not those owned by others like the new German hub which is owned by Formulor. As a Ponoko Prime user, you will pay the same rate for Formulor services as everyone else. We will, however, continue to offer Prime at the US and NZ making hubs.

Now 3 materials catalogs to choose from
Ponoko shows the USA materials catalog by default. You can view the New Zealand and German materials catalogs by using the US/NZ/Germany toggle button at the top right hand side of the materials catalog.

Go to it!
This is just one more small step in our bringing you the future of making – it’s online, it’s digital and it’s local. This means it’s easy, it’s communal and it’s green.

We really hope you enjoy the changes. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point and we’re super charged to see what you think about them.

And remember you’ve got a good reason to choose Germany now – check out the new shipping rates to Germany and the EU!

From today our existing making hubs will be joined by a new hub in Berlin.

So now you can choose to get your products made and delivered from the USA, New Zealand or Germany. It’s another small step in solving a big problem with product manufacturing – the cost of shipping around the world.

It’s great news. It means EU-based creators will pay just a fraction of the shipping costs which has made ordering products from our US and Pacific-based making hubs prohibitive.

For example the cost of shipping a P1 size of 3mm thick plastic sheet of material to anywhere in Germany will plummet by about 85% to around just US$9, while places like Amsterdam and Paris will reduce by around three-quarters to about US$16!

The new hub also opens up the European market for creators in other parts of the world. Items can be produced in the EU and shipped locally, reducing the cost – and environmental impact – of long-distance shipping to the EU.

The German hub is the result of us licensing our online making system to Berlin-based fabber, Formulor. They are a team with 12 years’ laser cutting experience, with support from leading material supplier Modulor. The Modulor name is well known in Germany – creators like you have been using the site to source materials for more than 20 years.

A glimpse into the future

The German hub is a departure from our existing making hubs in the USA and New Zealand which are owned and operated by us.

Formulor is 100% independent of Ponoko. This means the pricing is different, the materials catalog is different, and the business terms are different. And in this case, your package of goodies will be delivered from Formulor, not Ponoko.

Over time, we see our role expanding to be about connecting creators, digital fabricators, materials suppliers and buyers of goods rather than simply providing manufacturing services ourselves. This means others like Formulor will join the Ponoko network to be suppliers of digital making services going forward, rather than just Ponoko.

So just like eBay provides the marketplace for buyers and sellers to engage, Ponoko provides the world’s first marketplace for buyers and sellers of product designs – and now digital making services.

We’re working with other digital making service providers to add more making hubs around the world. It’s about making it easier for you to get things made, no matter where you, or your customers, are in the world.

Updates to Ponoko

Existing users will notice a few changes when you log onto your MyPonoko account. Expect another post very soon explaining the nuts and bolts of those changes and how to get your stuff made and sent from Germany. If you can’t wait, log in now and follow your nose to change your making hub to Formulor in Germany. You’ll find the changes to accommodate the new hub are fairly self-explanatory.

You’ve got a good reason to choose Germany now

Check out the new shipping rates to Germany and the EU!