Have you ever considered getting a 3D printer?

Don't cheat!

That behaviour is deliberate and is supposed to stop people voting more than once.

It's time you all went to bed, I'll explain the abbreviated answers in the morning.

Neil

I've often have bought into new technology early on but in this case I'm going to wait at least another year for it to mature and for the prices to drop significantly.

I was enthused by an article I read where another enthused guy had used one to make plastic dump trucks for his garden railway so I bought one .... URRRGH!

What he didn't mention was the need to know how to write a computer programme to drive the machine .... so my NZ$2055 expenditure currently is a heavy lump of metal etc sitting in my workshop ... unused since the day it arrived.

I thought I could make figures for my garden railway and subsequently found somebody in China who I suspect has mastered the art of programming who sold me all I need at a fraction of the price of even just the plastic let alone the machine .... fools and their money etc.

Edited By JC Uknz 1 on 19/02/2015 06:46:39

While it is still developing, the core tech of fused filament extrusion (glorified hot melt glue gun) and SLA with photosensitive resins are mature - the latter has been in use over a decade and the cheaper machines are coming onto market at the moment primarily due to patents expiring.

BTW - for those who are of the opinion this stuff is all American origin, can I remind people the RepRap project originates in Bath?

Apart from the souls that just like to have their own machine or use a lot of plastic parts so are in the chaper end of the market, I can see the advent of the send me your files and we will print your part service. Would not be surprised if Arc Euro or EKP or Blackgates didn't have a go at a new little earner.

Regards Martin

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... and maybe [just like the bad old days of garment making, etc.] that would then be subcontracted to out-workers

MichaelG.

Martin there are plenty of firm that will do just that, look at yesterdays thread about using 3D printed items for patterns, I got an instant quote just by uploading an STL .file If I had clicked goahead it would be in teh post on its way to me by now.

J

I use IPFL for my prints, but they ain't cheap, my most expensive print has been £3500 however this was high end multiple colour and hardness item 400 x 300 x 250mm. far cheaper than producing injection mould tooling, and discovering it wasn't as nice in the flesh as we thought it would be, so after the customer approved it! we booted it round the workshop for a bit, then lobbed it in the bin.............

Actually they don't sit well in the workshop unless you happen to live in warmer climes. I have found mine to be very temperature sensitive.

Eric

Mine is in the sitting room. I think the plastic filament can be hydroscopic, so I wouldn't want it in the unheated workshop. Not that there is any benchspace available in the workshop, or in the kitchen, anyway.

Andrew

Here's Mine.

It can make a bit of a pong, partic when using ABS. I had to move ours from the office area to the mech workshop due to complaints from the software engineers. Nancies.

Another skill lost. I worry not for myself, I'm too old, but for the next generation and of course Mr Cameroon and his drive to employ those lazy good for nothing.....

Like another clever bloke said we can't all be Bankers.

Jesse

Edited By Jesse Hancock 1 on 19/02/2015 12:19:45

There was a link on another thread to a service that printed 'all you can fit in a standard mailing box' and printed the mailing box around the parts too.

One of the things about this is that as it is percieved as computer based, clean, 'arty', it is getting more attention from women. So one day there may actually be a decent spread of the sexes in ME and we will get reports on here from women hiding from their husbands in the 'Makerden'.

Four or five of the selections fit my thoughts on 3D printers so I haven't voted yet. I could do with one right now to make a couple of special hinges.

But anyway, I just wanted to share some info, and of course you guys may already know this. In Steve Sedgall's photo there appears to be a fleece type jacket hanging close to the 3D printer. These are known to store huge amounts of static electricity. One of the process Engineer's at HP once did a test on this and found it to be into the thousands of volts (if memory serves). Looks like Steve's Printer is protected inside a case but many of the printers and other devices seen on Youtube etc have exposed electronics waiting to be zapped.

Ed.

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Jam tomorrow ?

MichaelG.

ark

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 22/02/2015 09:58:24

Thanks Neil

Yes, I knew already, but ...

MichaelG.

We all know tomorrow never comes, so I'll do it today.

already - already got a printer

cost - yes but too expensive

quality - yes but they aren't good enough yet

No use - no I haven't got a use for one

toys - no, they are just toys

interest - no, I'm just not interested

tooling - yes but there are other tools I need more

year - yes and I plan to get one within the year

future - yes, but in the longer term

I'm amazed that 78% of respondents (as of now) could be classified (in market research jargon) as 'non-rejectors' of 3D printing. I realise those here are (a) reasonably computer savvy and (b) looking at a thread with 3D printer in the title, but the responses are far more positive than I expected.
Neil

I have no idea why it screwed teh format up like that!

Neil