Gaige Jones
ePortfolio
Development
Building 3D Printer
A big milestone in my 3D printing journey was actually building my own 3D printer from the ground up. After doing some research, we decided to go with the Ender 3 V3, and it's been an awesome choice so far! The assembly process was a great learning experience—it gave me a deeper understanding of how 3D printers work and how to maintain them. Now that it's up and running smoothly, I'm excited to take on one of my biggest projects yet: designing and printing a fully functional mechanical clock. This printer is going to be an essential tool in turning that vision into reality!
3D Printing
After we finished building the 3D printer, I started off by creating custom 3D prints for other people. It was a great way to gain hands-on experience, experiment with different designs, and fine-tune the settings of the printer. Once I felt confident in my skills and the printer's performance, I finally began working on the mechanical clock project. Although it's still a work in progress, it's coming along really well! One of the biggest milestones so far has been getting the motor to run at just the right speed, which is a crucial step in making sure the clock keeps accurate time.
Development Update #1
Development Update #2
Innovation Day 2025 was a huge success! During the event, I showcased my 3D printing skills by creating a series of boats and a custom Innovation Day 2025 sign, which were both well-received. After the event, I continued building on that momentum by 3D printing a custom VR sign for a door and taking on the challenge of building a brand-new 3D printer from scratch. To wrap up the month, I’ve officially started a brand-new project: a realistic cruise ship game. It’s an exciting step forward, and there’s much more to come—stay tuned for future updates!
Now that Innovation Day has wrapped up, I’m continuing to focus on 3D printing, but this time with a bigger goal in mind. This week, I started creating custom 3D-printed keychains for my school. So far, I’ve designed pumpkin-shaped keychains and circular ones, and I’m planning to expand the collection with more unique designs like a haunted house and a helmet. Each piece is not only fun to make but also a great way to showcase what can be done with 3D printing.
At the same time, I’ve started building a website where these keychains will be available for purchase. The goal of the site is to raise money for our school’s computer science class, helping us bring in more opportunities, tools, and experiences for students interested in technology. I’m aiming to get the site online as soon as possible so people can support the program while also getting something creative and custom-made. I’m really excited to keep designing new items, printing them, and seeing how this project can benefit both the community and our class.