Slideshow at flickr
Ordered on May 27, 2012, the Solidoodle printer arrived on August 31, 2012. In general, this printer should be similar to the Makerbot with the following comparisons:
| Feature | Thing-O-Matic | Solidoodle |
| Cost | $1250 | $600 |
| Shipped as: | kit | pre-assembled |
| Build Volume | 4″ x 4″ x 4″ | 6″ x 6″ x 6″ |
| Material | ABS or PLA | ABS or PLA |
| Filament Diameter | 1.75 mm | 1.75 mm |
| Printer Driving Software | ReplicatorG | Pronterface |
Looking at the box, there wasn’t enough material to constitute a worthwhile fanfare unboxing. Nonetheless, here are the contents:
– solidoodle printer in housing – it lacks luster and machining/assembly finesse, but it looks functional and has a much simpler look than the Makerbot Thing-O-Matic that came as a kit in the summer of 2011. The main control board is on the outside, back of the printer and looks like it could very well cause problems if someone shorts a couple of the electronic terminals!
– documentation – the one-page how-to is accompanied by a copy of the order.
– there is a small amount, ~15 g, of 1.75mm ABS (natural color)
– the AC cord for a power brick that is wired into the solidoodle
– 6-foot USB A-B cable