I just ordered a 3D Printer - Anyone Else got One?

[ERD50]

I'd like to see local places have these available to rent time on. Maybe the local HW stores or craft/hobby/woodworking shops?

Even though I'm interested, I just don't have enough projects to justify >$1000, but it would be great to have access to one and pay to have custom parts built from a SketchUp model that I made. Email the drawing, pick up the part the next day, or while you shop if it is a simple one.

I would think it would bring a lot of traffic into the store just to see it in operation. If they had some specific models that could be customized on-the-fly, casual lookers could order those, like a key-chain tag with your name on it, etc. Probably get some ROI pretty quickly with some clever marketing.

-ERD50

 

[travelover]

I would think that this would lend itself to a "mail order" business. You could send in the CAD file via the internet and receive the model via USPS given that the parts are small and light.

3d printing at The Village Workshop - The Village Workshop- Get in here and make something!

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I would think that this would lend itself to a "mail order" business. You could send in the CAD file via the internet and receive the model via USPS given that the parts are small and light.

3d printing at The Village Workshop - The Village Workshop- Get in here and make something!

That does not work............ for me.

a) No instant gratification (Worth the initial expense alone)
b) Back and forth back and forth with the tweaking process.

 

[bhoferp]

My son told us yesterday about visiting a place that has 3D printers, lots of woodworking equipment, and many other devices. You pay $40 a month membership to use the equipment and the owner can get materials in his daily order for you at a discount. So things must really be up to date in Kansas City!

 

[haha]

I'm still old fashioned enough to be into subtractive rather than additive part fabrication (in other words I start with big chunks of metal or wood and machine them down into something useful). I think 3D printing is a cool technology and we'll all have one eventually, but I feel little compulsion to be an early adopter - particularly when the printer would have to compete for space in the aforementioned metal shop.

Can the 3d computer mate to an aluminum milling machine? Steel?Those would be very fine pieces of equipment. These things sound astonishingly cheap relative to what you get.

Ha

 

[NW-Bound]

I have thought about building a 3D printer. I have been playing around with a 10kw Ytterbium fiber laser cutting small steel parts and am curious if it could be used for selective laser sintering.

The smallest I have been able to cut is a gear about 0.03 " diameter but my cnc mill has 0.001" backlash in the x-axis ballscrew which ruins the quality. The laser I can focus to about 0.00015"

Wow! The little resistor included in the photo for a scale looks like an 0805 size. I am impressed.

 

[Walt34]

I'd like to get DW one of the new candy/chocolate 3D printers. Now that would be useful. Nothing near reasonable cost yet, but I'll keep my eye out.

I wouldn't dare have one of those in the house. We'd both have to buy new clothes in a month or two.

Chocolate has a shelf life measured in days if not hours around here.

 

[Fermion]

Wow! The little resistor included in the photo for a scale looks like an 0805 size. I am impressed.

Yes it is, good eye...you must also be a EE

 

[eytonxav]

I think ShokWave is spoofing us on the RC stuff, and he actually plans to make AR15s

Nevertheless, this sounds very cool to me.

 

[nvestysly]

Personal 3D printer - Cool! If have time you may want to see if there is a Makers program in your area. I'm sure the local Makers group would benefit from your recent purchase.

I'm still holding out for a 3D-Systems stereo lithography printer. 3D-Systems was an early pioneer in the industry and really brought 3D printing techniques into its prime. Their stereo lithography machines are one of the best. Looking at the 3D-Systems web page I see they are offering low cost models starting at $1299 - I think those are extruded deposition machines similar to yours.

The post above showing pictures of the laser cut parts is very interesting. More pictures please.

 

[38Chevy454]

Can the 3d computer mate to an aluminum milling machine? Steel?Those would be very fine pieces of equipment. These things sound astonishingly cheap relative to what you get.

Ha

There are metal 3D machines. They use a laser to melt and sinter metal powder, building the part up in many layers. So instead of feeding out a jet of liquid plastic, they melt the metal using a laser. Similar principle though in they build the part up form the bottom using multiple layers.

Metal machines are much more expensive than the plastic machines.

My work uses the plastic a lot for making models for show and tell. The metal machines are capable of making real parts that can be used for real testing, since they can be strength of a comparable metal machined part.

 

[NW-Bound]

Thinking some more about the tiny gears that were made with laser machines, it occurred to me that craftsmen have been making watches for a couple of centuries. How did they do it, and for the money that they were paid? Recall that not all mechanical watches of yesteryear commanded the price of fancy Swiss watches.

How did they do it? I am reminded of how little I know of the world and the skills and knowledge of different trades. It's humbling.

 

[robnplunder]

There are 3d printers under $800. Wow! It's like having your crude replicator a la Star Trek. I feel so old.

 

[travelover]

Can the 3d computer mate to an aluminum milling machine? Steel?Those would be very fine pieces of equipment. These things sound astonishingly cheap relative to what you get.

Ha

For all practical purposes, that is how everything that is machined today is processed. It is independent from 3D printing though, as each is a different computer controlled process.

 

[easysurfer]

A woman recently got a skull implant thanks to 3D printing:

For the past few years 3D printing has been making news in the world of medicine. From bioprinting sample organs for drug testing to creating custom prosthetics, additive manufacturing and 3D scanning are revolutionizing medicine. While those achievements are remarkable, a recent surgical procedure shows just how much AM can benefit medical science and patient outcomes.

Woman Receives 3D Printed Cranial Implant > ENGINEERING.com

 

[kyounge1956]

I'd like to see local places have these available to rent time on (snip) but it would be great to have access to one and pay to have custom parts built from a SketchUp model that I made. (snip)
-ERD50

I would think that this would lend itself to a "mail order" business. You could send in the CAD file via the internet and receive the model via USPS given that the parts are small and light.(snip)

I hope soon I can find a local service bureau that will do 3-D printing. I have a beautiful old Parian-ware vase that belonged to my grandmother. There's a huge chip in one side of the vase, but I think enough left on the other side to make it possible to re-create the missing piece. I'd need a service that can scan the vase, create the CAD file for the missing piece, and print it out.

 

[robnplunder]

I hope soon I can find a local service bureau that will do 3-D printing. I have a beautiful old Parian-ware vase that belonged to my grandmother. There's a huge chip in one side of the vase, but I think enough left on the other side to make it possible to re-create the missing piece. I'd need a service that can scan the vase, create the CAD file for the missing piece, and print it out.

Last year, Staples announced in store 3D printer service. By now, others may have the service, too. If you haven't, it'd be worth checking out.

 

[easysurfer]

Last year, Staples announced in store 3D printer service. By now, others may have the service, too. If you haven't, it'd be worth checking out.

I was at an Office Depot to drop off a package the other day and they had a promotion about their 3D printing. There was a printer along with what I assume were printed stuff -- toys and chess pieces.

I'm curious now, so with 3D printers can one make an object from an object? Or would you need a 3D scanner, I guess, then have the printer read the scanned object?

 

[Animorph]

I was at an Office Depot to drop off a package the other day and they had a promotion about their 3D printing. There was a printer along with what I assume were printed stuff -- toys and chess pieces.

I'm curious now, so with 3D printers can one make an object from an object? Or would you need a 3D scanner, I guess, then have the printer read the scanned object?

You do need a 3D scanner to copy an existing object, unless you want to draw it all up yourself. But there are some cheap scanners as well.

 

[easysurfer]

You do need a 3D scanner to copy an existing object, unless you want to draw it all up yourself. But there are some cheap scanners as well.

Thx. I'm sure one you get a printer and scanner, there's all sorts of things to make which you never came to mind in the first place.