3d Printers getting more affordable!

[johnro6659]

I got this link from John Smith. Pretty soon we will be able to make our own custom parts at home when ever we need them and for a few cents each! Can you imagine the savings? The machine can pay for itself in a few months!

Machines Creating Machines | This Could Be Big - Yahoo! News

I am on the list for a refurbished machine by a local distributor but these seem less expensive I'm going to check them out in person.

[Sixth Vanguard]

"few cents each?"

Not going to get there within my lifetime I am sure.

And MakerBot? Please. Have you seen the Darth Vader example they love to show? Looks like a pile of black bird doo doo vaguely resembling the dark lord

I appreciate the enthusiasm, but "Earth to John....!"

[Jim Fowler]

Well, I think it could and probably will have a big impact on the model making industry eventually. Image, you wpold no longer buy models and model parts; instead, you would buy/download 3D model file online....

The valued resource would no longer be the model or model part, but the 3D file to generate them. Sort of 'MP3 meets the Modelling World".

I am sure it will be a bit, but its nice to see 3D printing is out there and coming.....

Jim

[Tiger1fan]

I'm not so sure that John is not so far off the mark. I do not know how long it will be before there is a high quality, affordable home 3d printer but the technology is there. I have been continuing to use Shapeways for parts for my King Tiger and am very happy with the results. And really anyone with a pulse can do this, you just need to get a hold of a 3d software and spend some time learning to use it. Make something, upload it to a company that has a nice 3d printer and it magically appears in your mailbox a few days later. Its really not difficult. I was looking into buying one of these 3d printers but found for the quality print I wanted I would need to invest $10,000 or more for the right machine. In time the price will come down as the desktop models improve, I hope it's soon, but in the meantime I continue to get most of my 3d parts printed for $10 - $25 each. John thanks for the plug I will continue to watch Makerbot they seem to be determined to create this at home model.

John

[T.H.A.W.]

I for one WILL own one!
...as a former 20 year "print pressman" I remeber the days where a costomer would come into the print shop, and pay upwards of $600 to have 100 wedding invitations printed. Then comes the day we had to "close shop" due to the fact EVERY "Tom, Dick, & Harry" had a printer at home with his PC, and could make their own wedding invitations for a few "cents"....
Remember taking your 35mm film to get it developed for $11 at WalMart?..now we just stick the SD card in the PC and print all our own pics for "cents"?....
...And, as a youngster, I remember setting down with a piece of wood, and carving away with my pocket knife, in hopes of sculpting what looked like "something" if you stare long enuff at it, NOW, I own a Carve Wright, and can make ANYTHING I want in plastic, wood, rubber, and so on....just hooking it up to my PC.

At only $1900 for a dual color 3D machine, I will have mine as soon as they start shipping them out again....

As for the "bird doo doo" Sith Lord, it has 100% to do with the quality of the 3D software , and artist using it....

[johnro6659]

I have been researching 3d printers for a couple years and they are making strides in the developing of home desktop 3d printers pretty soon, in the next two or three years just about anyone will be able to own a desk top 3d printer, just like most of us own a photo quality printer. I have stacks of paperwork and a box samples from most of manufacturers the parts look much better in person than on their sites. I am going to request paper work and a sample from this company as well as some info I'll be sure to post pics. At one time desktop plotters were unaffordable I got one at a very reasonable price when the profits started rolling in I was able to put enough aside for a refurbished 36" printer Plotter for less than three grand full factory warranty. In two months that paid for itself. Now you can buy cutters at craft stores for under $200.00 that not only cut paper but can do vinyl as well. The 3d printers I have had the chance to see demonstrated all can easily make items we can use for the hobby and the software has a lot to do with it as well as the person that does up the computer model. One local company I have been frequenting has a goal to be able to make one that is under a grand and make a top quality product. At my friends lab in Somerville they have several 3d printers and laser cutters I have been learning programs to make the models there. A great thing about hanging out there is I get to talk to the sales men and techs that do the service on the machines. I can use the equipment but can't have his employees spend time making my computer models I am slowly picking it up and they do give me tips. Once I get good at it I'll be buying a 3d printer making some parts myself.

You can check out a lot of the stuff made by the machines here:
http://www.thingiverse.com/

[Von Luger]

this is very interesting news, the possibilities are endless! looking forward to what you guys make.

[Sixth Vanguard]

I don't doubt that 3D printing is getting more and more affordable, I just get a chuckle when I hear "for cents".

Even with at home photo printing the true cost of printing photos at home is not merely pennies.

How many photos does a person normally print.

If the printer itself was just $50 and paper and ink were free, a person would have to print 1000 prints to get an average cost of 5 cents.

Now, my latest photo printer was actually $80 and good quality photo paper was about 8 cents per sheet. I think I have printed at most 20 pictures and have not had to replace the ink that came with the printer, but will before I can get another 20 prints. That makes my cost per print $4.08 for the 20 so far, $2.08 if I get 40 prints.

For 3d printing you have to add in the cost of the computer, 3d software, 3d models if you don't build your own, time (training as well as production) and trial and error and .... you get the picture.

Lastly, it does take some talent to do all this right.

I am under no delusion that 3D printing will ever make parts a "few cents each" for the average person, if even for anyone. That is all I am trying to say.

[flyboy_fx]

These were 3D printed from a buddy of mine. I think he used the company shapeways.

All 1/18 scale

[rivetcounter]

A paint brush used by Mikael Angelo will not produce a masterpiece in the hands of a third party.

It’s like everything to begin with these will be a pain in the arse to operate and over the next 5 years or so will become better but it need the public to buy these machines to develop everything else