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Makerbots

#1

Necronic

Necronic

Has anyone ever used one of these or know someone who owns one? I am seriously considering purchasing one. They are somewhat expensive, but also pretty cool. Basically the price of a high end computer.

I am really fascinated by what I could do with 3D printing.


#2

strawman

strawman

I've been watching them progress, following the development and refinement of them over the last few years. I finally ordered an extruder (via a kickstarter project) so I might actually get around to building one for myself.

If I had lots of disposable income, I'd just buy a maker bot or an ultimaker.

I'd still say they require a good bit of babysitting and a willingness to tinker. You can expect with some of these kits to be able to plug and go, but eventually you'll find some difficulty with the software or hardware that will require some online research and tinkering.

As long as you know what you're getting into and you want to print very cool 3D objects, I'd say jump on in!

Obligatory 3D printing video for those who have no idea what's being discussed here. Note that the video is sped up, the printers are not nearly this fast! Watch until the end to see the final object, some of the parts are there for support and break off at the end:



#3

GasBandit

GasBandit

If you're willing to drop a few kilobucks, it is now possible to pirate solid objects. What a wonderful time we live in.

Gonna print yourself up an assault rifle, Necronic?


#4

Necronic

Necronic

If you're willing to drop a few kilobucks, it is now possible to pirate solid objects. What a wonderful time we live in.

Gonna print yourself up an assault rifle, Necronic?
.....actually that's the article that got me interested in it again. No joke. I've known about Makerbots for a couple of years, but they seemed a little jankity for a while. New model looks better (it has a toy robot in it.)


#5

GasBandit

GasBandit

Yeah, now I'm interested too, especially seeing how comparatively affordable they're getting. I was also unaware of the legal semantics involving what constitutes a gun (of which another article linked in that article informed me) - the lower receiver assembly. Everything else is just a "part" you can buy without a license or background check or anything. Interesting given that the UPPER receiver assembly is the only part you need to be metal as it's the part that has the firing chamber. The lower receiver assembly is perfectly fine made (or printed as the case may be) from plastic - and no serial number, no license, no background check. Wait'll the ATF gets a load of this. I expect new legislation soon that will designate the upper receiver assembly as the part that makes the gun.


#6

Bubble181

Bubble181


Ooohh, print-your-own-playmate. Kinky :Leyla:


#7

Necronic

Necronic

Yeah, now I'm interested too, especially seeing how comparatively affordable they're getting. I was also unaware of the legal semantics involving what constitutes a gun (of which another article linked in that article informed me) - the lower receiver assembly. Everything else is just a "part" you can buy without a license or background check or anything. Interesting given that the UPPER receiver assembly is the only part you need to be metal as it's the part that has the firing chamber. The lower receiver assembly is perfectly fine made (or printed as the case may be) from plastic - and no serial number, no license, no background check. Wait'll the ATF gets a load of this. I expect new legislation soon that will designate the upper receiver assembly as the part that makes the gun.
Honestly that part SHOULD be the part that's considered the gun anyways. It's got the damn bolt ffs.


#8

Bubble181

Bubble181

Honestly that part SHOULD be the part that's considered the gun anyways. It's got the damn bolt ffs.
Guns don't kill people, random legally not-looked-at parts kill people! :tina:


#9

strawman

strawman

You can do wholesale art theft too. Take 20-30 pictures of a sculpture, push them through http://www.123dapp.com/catch for free and you'll receive a printable 3D file back so you can have your own mini david or armless woman by the fountain.

The place I'm seriously looking at now is seemecnc.com which isn't as nice as the ultimaker or the replicator, but at a fraction of the cost I'm happy to put up with the small issues. I saw them in person in two different maker faires and they are good machines, just not quite as fast and not quite as good looking. If they brought some to the faire today I would be assembling one now...

More importantly I got my wife's approval for the purchase, she actually sees some utility in having that sort of toy around.


#10

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

More importantly I got my wife's approval for the purchase, she actually sees some utility in having that sort of toy around.
You could sell a series of homemade sex toys modeled after your own 'toy'!


#11

PatrThom

PatrThom

I see it killing the sex toy industry about as surely as the ordinary Internet killed the porn industry.

EDIT: Ninja'd?

--Patrick


#12

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I see it killing the sex toy industry about as surely as the ordinary Internet killed the porn industry.

EDIT: Ninja'd?

--Patrick
Not if it can only make things out of resin.


#13

Bubble181

Bubble181

High end 3d printers can print about anything from sterling silver to glass.
let me know when they can replicate "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot" :)


#14



Soliloquy

My main question is how much do the printer cartridges cost?


#15

GasBandit

GasBandit

My main question is how much do the printer cartridges cost?
I haven't seen, but one might could extrapolate from the gun parts in the article are said to have a combined cost of between 10 and 30 dollars in resin.


#16

Necronic

Necronic

It depends on what kind of resin the printer accepts. If it can just use a pellitized resin then that stuff is incredibly cheap. We're talking like 1$ to make the gun. Makerbots require a stranded resin though, and their prices are something like 40$ for 2kg iirc.


#17

strawman

strawman

The material comes as plastic filament. Like very thick plastic fishing line, wound up on spools.

Expensive filament is around $50 per kilogram, cheap around $20 per kilo. If you were to print a solid block it would be about a four inch cube. Most objects are printed about 70 to 80 percent hollow with a thin shell for the outside, so a typical print would cost less than a few dollars for a largish object. Small objects are under a dollar.

The price is going to go down as demand goes up, and there are people working on cheap extruders so you can make your own filament from plastic pellets, and some working on making the print head accept pellets directly.


#18

Necronic

Necronic

Your SeemeCNC uses a powdered/pelletized resin though from what I can tell. Prices are a bit high on it tbqh, you could probably find an alternative supplier for a fraction of the cost.


#19

strawman

strawman

Your SeemeCNC uses a powdered/pelletized resin though from what I can tell. Prices are a bit high on it tbqh, you could probably find an alternative supplier for a fraction of the cost.
While the website sells plastic pellets, the machine only accepts filament. I've seen it in person twice. I'm not sure why they're selling pellets, perhaps they're playing with a pellet extruders in the back ground?

The machine is definitely filament consuming, though.


#20

Necronic

Necronic

ah. Well if you could grab a filament extruder you could potentially save a ton of money in the long run.


#21

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

If you do get a makerbot make sure you take lots of pictures of your creations. I'm really tempted to pick one up too... the quality of printing has increased dramatically in the last few years and the price while still expensive is finally getting more reasonable for what it can do.


#22

strawman

strawman

I pulled the trigger on the cheap seemecnc kit. Hopefully I'll get it in a week or two, and hopefully it won't take long to build, tweak, and get good results. I would have loved a maker bot replicator, but at three times the cost I can't justify it.

So. Anybody going to make a 3D file of the dur face? Who are our blender experts here?


#23

MindDetective

MindDetective

How much of a Makerbot could you make with a Makerbot?


#24

WasabiPoptart

WasabiPoptart

Mr. Wasabi and I were just watching this and discussing how we would never have to repair another toy again if we had one of these printers. Also - homemade Lego sets!


#25

GasBandit

GasBandit

You gonna get that minecraft printing application?


#26

strawman

strawman

How much of a Makerbot could you make with a Makerbot?
In theory, most of it. You'd have to get the rails, slides, tubes, electronics, screws, and a few other diddly bits, but the majority of the structure could be printed.

You gonna get that minecraft printing application?
I don't have a desire to see my minecraft worlds rendered in plastic, especially not before they figure out how to make a print head that mixes colors for seamless full color printing. This is currently in development, by the way. The head will mix cyan, magenta, yellow,and black plastic filament during printing.

I am, however, very excited about capturing real world 3d objects using photographs, and printing them. I have some hand casts of my children from several years ago and I'd like to duplicate them and send them to grandparents as gifts.

It would be fun to print a scale model of buildings, sculptures, or mundane objects such as street signs, then let the kids play with them. What kid wouldn't want a scale copy of the university of Michigan stadium in their car play set?


#27

GasBandit

GasBandit

I wonder how well the resin holds a paint job.


#28

strawman

strawman

I wonder how well the resin holds a paint job.
It's ABS, so it holds paint as well as any other plastic. You buy paint specifically for plastic, or you buy plastic primer then use any paint.

I've seen examples of people using them for DnD characters or campaign elements, and all the normal model painting rules apply to them.


#29

GasBandit

GasBandit

Welp, I think Revell must be officially shaking in its boots.


#30

jwhouk

jwhouk

...Revell still exists?


#31

Necronic

Necronic

In theory, most of it. You'd have to get the rails, slides, tubes, electronics, screws, and a few other diddly bits, but the majority of the structure could be printed.

Eh....not really. The only parts you could make with the makerbot would be the items that could be mass produced at 1% of the price you are paying for the resin and produced 1k per minute. And the stuff from the makerbot probably wouldn't meet the technical specs for any delicate part (although....maybe....I dunno)


#32

strawman

strawman

Eh....not really.
Yes, really.

For those people that need a thousand of them, it might make sense to fabricate them using another process. Or even a few dozen of them.

But if you only need one or two, or you want to customize them, or you want to use the makerbot to make its own replacement parts, then of course it can make many of them itself. That was one of the major goals of the projects the makerbot derives from.

It's faster, however, to use a laser cutter and sheet material though.


#33

PatrThom

PatrThom

It's faster, however, to use a laser cutter and sheet material though.
For any really big projects, you have these guys.

--Patrick


#34

Necronic

Necronic

Yes, really.

For those people that need a thousand of them, it might make sense to fabricate them using another process. Or even a few dozen of them.

But if you only need one or two, or you want to customize them, or you want to use the makerbot to make its own replacement parts, then of course it can make many of them itself. That was one of the major goals of the projects the makerbot derives from.

It's faster, however, to use a laser cutter and sheet material though.
It can't make metal parts can it? (dunno if you mean making a mold w/ the laser cutter/sheet metal comment). And I dunno how many of the significant (more than 2$) parts in that are low-spec plastic, or even use the PVA/ABS plastics that are the main components here.

You can't do any of the controllers. You can't do any of the metal parts. You can't do most of the casing (as it's larger than the makerbot). You can't do the extruder. Yes, you can do some of the gears, probably (depends on specs), but I dunno about the rest of it. There's probably a significant amount of the plastic parts that it can't do due to torque/temp/etc requirements and the lack of plasticizers/twin screw/other extrusion techniques.


#35

strawman

strawman

I never said it could handle the metal parts. It can most certainly hand all the plastic parts, including those you might consider delicate, or require high strength. Of course it can handle those, because the machines are prototyped on themselves, then they use the designs to make molds. You can replace all the plastic parts by versions made by itself.

You can make the side panels and other large non metal structures, but you do have to break them up into smaller builds that integrate with each other.

Don't get me wrong, CNC plastic extrusion isn't perfect and isn't the end all be all for plastic manufacturing, like anything else it has its uses and there are some things that it doesn't work well for.

I further don't think they're ready for prime time, I would only encourage enthusiastic people willing to play with their machines a lot to consider one.


#36

Necronic

Necronic

I'm not knocking them at all. I think they are fucking awesome. I just think that the Makerbot is such an advanced piece of equipment that it requires specs beyond what it can handle. It's kind of like the old scifi idea of clones and how they get progressively shittier. I think the best test of this would be for them to fabricate a replacement part, install it, then fabricate another part, install it, etc etc. See how many repititions of that they can handle.


#37

PatrThom

PatrThom

I can just see it.
"Aw man, all I got is this third-generation copy of a Makerbot. It's all static and noise."

--Patrick


#38

strawman

strawman

I think the best test of this would be for them to fabricate a replacement part, install it, then fabricate another part, install it, etc etc. See how many repititions of that they can handle.
They do that right now already. Check out the reprap project.

Think about it this way. The machines are still assembled and tweaked by humans, and many of the parts are still made using external machines, such as the rods, motors, etc. Since they are assembled by hand and tweaked by hand, then of course they get increasingly better and better. As things break, humans modify the design to reduce the failure rate and increase the accuracy and precision of the machines.

When machines can make their own motors and metal parts and electronics, perhaps your concerns might have some merit, but as it is right now they can make their own plastic parts without problem, even in the areas requiring the most strength or stability.


#39

Necronic

Necronic

Well I'll be.

Damn. That's impressive. I would have assumed that some of those parts had really god damned exacting design specs, or assumed that the printers couldn't meet them. Last time I saw a 3D printer it was the size of a washing machine. Thing was badass though, we used it for fabricating baby skulls (seriously).


#40

strawman

strawman

You happen to have an stl file of a baby skull handy?

Could be the new halforums durr face...


#41

Necronic

Necronic

Nah, I wasn't involved in it all and it was pretty highly proprietary work (had something to do with a hospital pillow). I did get to fulfill my lifelong dream of putting my finger through the soft spot though.


#42

strawman

strawman

Could you people stop switching your avatars around?
Yes, we could.


#43

evilmike

evilmike

You happen to have an stl file of a baby skull handy?

Could be the new halforums durr face...
Here's what I would suggest for the new official Halforums 3-D printed object:
durrbunny.jpg


#44

jwhouk

jwhouk

Okay, here's the deal - you who think this is just for toys and crap?

Here's my response. (Got this from another webcomic forum)



#45

doomdragon6

doomdragon6

So, I have disposable income.

If I got one of these, it prints what? Plastic versions of whatever we program into it? How much does this plastic material cost? What kind of file do you need to use in it? And I imagine unless you paint it, everything is white.


#46

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

It can print in two grades of plastic (as far a I know), ABS and some bio-degradeable one.
You're looking at around $48/kg for plastic filament in most colourrs.
Not everything is white, you can print in many many different colours of plastic.
Final output for digital files is .STL format I believe and most 3D programs can handle this (autoCAD, blender, 3d studio max, etc).


#47

strawman

strawman

Submitted for your approval:



(a video at 20x speed of 5 hours of assembling the mechanical parts of the printer)


#48

MindDetective

MindDetective

Yup, I watched the whole thing. It almost seems like the basic moveable framework could be made out of Lego blocks or something similar. It appears to be a frame with raise-able and slide-able platforms that are controlled by actuators connected to a computer and extruder. Could you make a Lego block Makerbot that makes Lego blocks, then?


#49

Covar

Covar

I'm jealous.


#50

strawman

strawman

Yup, I watched the whole thing. It almost seems like the basic moveable framework could be made out of Lego blocks or something similar. It appears to be a frame with raise-able and slide-able platforms that are controlled by actuators connected to a computer and extruder. Could you make a Lego block Makerbot that makes Lego blocks, then?
Do a google search for "Lego reprap" and you'll find others who have done it. I suspect it would take some decent engineering to get the stiffness needed to accurately make Legos, but I haven't looked into it, perhaps the designs they have are sufficiently strong.

Since Lego bricks aren't particularly large, you don't need to make it as big as most machines out there.


#51

strawman

strawman

Here are my very first prints. Crude, still requires more calibration and I still need to install the heated build plate, but it's exciting to browse http://thingiverse.com , find something interesting, and then have it in hand thirty minutes later.



#52

PatrThom

PatrThom

Going by the above images, I foresee big-time complaints coming from the likes of Rapala and Yakima in relatively short order. If they haven't already seen the writing on the wall, they will soon.

--Patrick


#53

jwhouk

jwhouk

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are some of those things supposed to be?


#54

drifter

drifter

I prefer to think they are unfinished agony boxes and a little maker.


#55

strawman

strawman

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are some of those things supposed to be?
The three squares on the left were the first prints calibrating the amount of laid down and the height of each layer. Too little plastic, or too much distance between each layer and the plastic won't weld to the previous layer. Once I got the box printing correctly, I could print the snake thing. It's flexible, but just a toy. It prints relatively quickly, and the kids like playing with them.

Then next two are simply tall towers, meant to further calibrate the amount of plastic being used and the temperature to melt the plastic at. The first one was too hot, and too much plastic, the second printed ok.

The next big thing to change is add the heated bed. The plastic doesn't stick well to the bed I'm currently using (blue painters tape on glass) so bigger objects pop off too early, and I have to stop the print. I got through about 80% of this hedgehog before it dislodged: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:27487 but I was able to print the two pieces of this puzzle http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:27022

I have the heated bed, but I have to make some mounts and get a temperature sensor before I can start using it. So for the time being I'm sticking with small prints and playing with the many, many printing parameters to improve the overall results and learn about the whole process.


#56

PatrThom

PatrThom

Now if only you had a small crucible you could put all the mistakes into and melt/respin it into fresh filament...

--Patrick


#57

strawman

strawman



Lots of things to improve, but this is the type of machine you never stop tinkering with, really.


#58

evilmike

evilmike



Lots of things to improve, but this is the type of machine you never stop tinkering with, really.
Awesome. Now you just need to make the Stanford bunny that wears that mask. ;)


#59

strawman

strawman

If someone gives me a black and white lineart of leapin' lawyer, I'd like to do that one too.

But to do the stanford bunny with a durr face would require more 3D design chops than I have. Maybe if someone made one in blender for me. Or any 3D program that could output an STL file.


#60

drifter

drifter



#61

PatrThom

PatrThom

The FORM1 is coming. Now on Kickstarter.



the Form 1 can print layers as thin as 25 microns (0.001 in) with features as small as 300 microns (0.012 in) in a build volume of 125 x 125 x 165 mm (4.9 x 4.9 x 6.5 in).
--Patrick


#62

strawman

strawman

Ha, they beat everyone else to the punch. Good on them! It's a bit out of reach for common hobbyists, but the sooner it comes to market, the sooner it'll be cheap.


#63

PatrThom

PatrThom

the sooner it comes to market, the sooner it'll be cheap.
No kidding. All you would really need would be a handheld 3D scanner with the same level of detail, and you could pretty much print your own replacement fillings!

--Patrick


#64

strawman

strawman

Why do I have a 3D printer? To print yoda, of course. This is straight off the printer with no clean-up. Each grid square is about 1cm. Took two hours to print, and is hollow.



#65

PatrThom

PatrThom

I'm debating whether or not you have to print out a model of Dot Matrix. Y'know, just for the irony.

--Patrick


#66

strawman

strawman

Costume prototype with printed hand. It took about 30 minutes to make the CAD model for the hand, then two hours to print. It has severe flaws, but turned out remarkably well for a test prototype.



Here it is printing. It's hollow, so when finished I cut a hole in the back to allow a band to fit inside and hold the inside portion.



Lego minifigs are very wide. I made the cardboard torso and hand to scale for his height. I think once I get to the legs and feet, the costume might become a bit unwieldy in hallways.


#67

evilmike

evilmike

Costume prototype with printed hand. It took about 30 minutes to make the CAD model for the hand, then two hours to print. It has severe flaws, but turned out remarkably well for a test prototype.

That's an impressive early build. Though, I think you have a bigger problem than any issues with the model -- you want to do a Lego minifig costume while your son obviously wants to be Jack Nicholson.


#68

strawman

strawman

https://www.google.com/search?q=zombie+minifig

A regular Lego minifig would be fun, but not as interesting as dressing up as a Lego zombie.


#69

PatrThom

PatrThom

No kidding. All you would really need would be a handheld 3D scanner with the same level of detail [...]

(Warning: Thumpin'/drivin' soundtrack)

It's getting there...

--Patrick


#70

Necronic

Necronic

huh, how much does one of those go for? Looks like that would save a ton of time.

I was tlaking with my brother about fun things to make with this, and I've figured out what I would/will do if I get one. Make addons for existing toys. Like bloodsprays to come out of the back of a legomans head, or open chest cavities for Barbie.


#71

jwhouk

jwhouk

Makerbots + spray-on fabric = Current Cosplayers tremble in their boots.


#72

GasBandit

GasBandit

Replacement/additional missiles for GI Joe toys.


#73

PatrThom

PatrThom

Ok, things have just turned a pretty significant corner.



I predict a significant number of expletives were just uttered. Maybe even by you.

--Patrick


#74

jwhouk

jwhouk

Ok, things have just turned a pretty significant corner.



I predict a significant number of expletives were just uttered. Maybe even by you.

--Patrick
Yeah, and most of them were directed at the sound quality.


#75

strawman

strawman

And for only $250,000 you too can own an Object Connex 500 which was used to print that record.

That printer is awesome, though. Check out some of the models it can produce:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20120...ziest-3d-prints-come-off-objet-connex500.html

Because it can print up to 14 different materials you can print, for instance, a toddler size human with visible bones and transparent skin/organs. The halo figurine is nice too.


#76

PatrThom

PatrThom

Oh, I'm not saying the RIAA has anything to worry about right now, but the fact that this can be done at all portends great things. After all, this isn't just a demonstration of a 3D printer's resolution, but also the fact that someone took the time to write a D/A converter program that actually renders its output in meatspace.

--Patrick


#77

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Man, mp3's are way easier to reproduce. Get with the times.


#78

T

The_Khan

besides, I think it's the 3d printed weapons that are getting everyone brown colored these days.


#79

evilmike

evilmike



#80

jwhouk

jwhouk

... Oh, ha, ha, ha.

Those silly monkeys.


#81

PatrThom

PatrThom

Ha ha! Oh man, this flickr group, so much un-win...

--Patrick


#82

PatrThom

PatrThom

Ok, now things are climbing the next level of seriousness.

All-in-one 3D printers and scanners.

--Patrick


#83

GasBandit

GasBandit

Ok, now things are climbing the next level of seriousness.

All-in-one 3D printers and scanners.

--Patrick
How long before somebody sticks his wang in the box, I wonder.


#84

PatrThom

PatrThom

How long before somebody sticks his wang in the box, I wonder.
You should write a song.

--Patrick


#85

drawn_inward

drawn_inward

I took a tour of a private science foundation nearly 10 years ago, and they had a lab that specialized in 3D printing. They used it for surgeons to have a model of organs or tumors that they were going to operate on. There were loads of plastic brains and tumors displayed in the lab. I remember thinking that the tech was super cool, but never even considered it for private use. Now, it seems like there are a bazillion uses.

I wouldn't mind getting one for doing furniture mock-ups before building the real deal.


#86

strawman

strawman

Now that's a good idea! Imagine going to Ikea.com, downloading miniature 3D model files for their furniture, and then printing an office and placing all the furniture. You could readily see how things will look and fit in the room before buying anything. Sure beats 2D layout and design.


#87

Covar

Covar

Or you could use their new Augmented Reality feature to place furniture in your existing rooms.


#88

PatrThom

PatrThom

Or you could use their new Augmented Reality feature to place furniture in your existing rooms.
Kati has been doing this for designing her "dream house" since it was a downloadable Windows-only app. The new in-browser method is more convenient, if slow.

The idea of emailing actual objects is appealing.

--Patrick


#89

evilmike

evilmike

British police have seized a 3D printer and components "suspected to be a 3D plastic magazine and trigger."

except that they probably didn't really...

Update: In what could turn out to be a major embarrassment for the Greater Manchester Police force, the "3D-printed gun parts" could well be spare parts for a printer.

(via The Verge)


#90

PatrThom

PatrThom

It's only a potential embarrassment.

--Patrick


#91

PatrThom

PatrThom


Welp.

--Patrick


#92

GasBandit

GasBandit


Welp.

--Patrick
Yeah, but there's kind of a big price-related barrier to entry for metal "printing," isn't there? That gun probably cost tens of thousands of dollars. Easier to just buy a regular gun.

(also I notice the slide has a bit of a sticking problem)


#93

PatrThom

PatrThom

there's kind of a big price-related barrier to entry for metal "printing," isn't there?
That's what people used to say about transistors and integrated circuits, too.

--Patrick


#94

GasBandit

GasBandit

That's what people used to say about transistors and integrated circuits, too.

--Patrick
So 20 to 30 years and we'll all be CNCing/Lasermetalprinting our own plasma rifles, I suppose.


#95

PatrThom

PatrThom

Sourcing the materials for the capacitors might be a problem.
But that's the usual: Control the supply of ammunition, and you don't have to worry about the guns.

--Patrick


#96

PatrThom

PatrThom

Hey, new KS for a nifty new thingamabob.


--Patrick


#97

PatrThom

PatrThom

http://imgur.com/a/wPbfI

Just click through the album. It's quite a story.
It says a lot about what you can do with a printer. And patience.

--Patrick


#98

jwhouk

jwhouk

Tried my hand at making something with the 3-D printed they have at the local library. Unfortunately, the wheels on the model car screwed up the maker, and my session went for naught.


#99

PatrThom

PatrThom

"Draft" mode?



--Patrick


#100

evilmike

evilmike

Some MIT students are researching printing in an important new medium: ice cream!


(via TechCrunch)

Apparently, they aren't the first ones to think of the idea...


#101

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

"Draft" mode?



--Patrick
I saw this on Reddit the other day, and everyone was amazed at the innovation and awesomeness of the idea. Being a big ren-faire geek, I realized that I'd already been using this tool for years:

http://www.amazon.com/Tandy-3784-00-Replacement-Blades-3002-00/dp/B00IVSE25C


#102

evilmike

evilmike

Hasbro has partnered with Shapeways to allow fans to produce and sell custom, 3-d printed My Little Pony merchandise. They have started the website SuperFanArt as a gateway for this project. If it is successful, Hasbro will expand the program to include other properties.

Although the official debut is at Comic-Con, there are already designs from 5 artists on the site.



(via Make, the Shapeways blog, and the New York Times)


#103

PatrThom

PatrThom

Hasbro has partnered with Shapeways to allow fans to produce and sell custom, 3-d printed My Little Pony merchandise.
What could go wrong?

--Patrick


#104

GasBandit

GasBandit

They may as well have partnered with fleshlight.


#105

evilmike

evilmike

NASA has started making 3-D model files of spacecraft and planetary bodies available to the public. These include Voyager, the dwarf planet Vesta, and the Gale crater. Both Blender and .stl formats are available. Not all models may be practical to print, but they are refining them as they get feedback. The repository is here. (via io9)


Visualizations of some of the objects:




#106

evilmike

evilmike

Hasbro has expanded its partnership with Shapeways to include: Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons, Monopoly, Scrabble (to be sold in US and Canada only), Dragonvale, and GI Joe.


#107

evilmike

evilmike

3-D Printed Castle


(via MAKE)


#108

Dave

Dave

You wouldn't download a car, would you?

Yes. Yes, I would.

http://www.techodrom.com/etc/worlds-first-3d-printed-car-made-44-hours/


#109

GasBandit

GasBandit

So a guy 3-D printed himself a Daedric dagger from Skyrim.



Not pictured: The 3,500 iron daggers he had to print to get the required skill to print this.


#110

PatrThom

PatrThom

That caption really makes the picture.

--Patrick


#111

GasBandit

GasBandit



123D Catch is an Iphone and Android App that allows you to create 3d models simply by taking a shit ton of photos of your subject.



Over 20 photos must be taken of the subject that include every surface of the subject.



The models can then be imported to your PC and used for practically anything.



They can even be 3D printed!! http://www.123dapp.com/


#112

PatrThom

PatrThom

I expect to see a lot of David/Pieta/Trevi/other landmark models showing up online, then.

--Patrick


#113

GasBandit

GasBandit

I expect to see a lot of David/Pieta/Trevi/other landmark models showing up online, then.

--Patrick
I might be mistaken but I was under the impression that the David was being kept in a niche, so it would be impossible to take photographs of it from the rear?


#114

PatrThom

PatrThom

I assumed people would fill in the rest, much like they would probably make ... other adjustments prior to printing it.

--Patrick


#115

Covar

Covar

I might be mistaken but I was under the impression that the David was being kept in a niche, so it would be impossible to take photographs of it from the rear?
You can get pictures from the rear, it's the height of him that would make it hard.

Plus you can get a mini David from pretty much any shop in Florance.


#116

GasBandit

GasBandit



#117

PatrThom

PatrThom

Ooo! 20%!

--Patrick


#118

GasBandit

GasBandit

Now you don’t even need your own: UPS now offers customers the ability to 3D print things in their stores.


#119

PatrThom

PatrThom

Some people continue to push at the line, making it easier than ever to manufacture your own, surprisingly legal AR-15.

--Patrick


#120

GasBandit

GasBandit

Can't stop the signal.


#121

Dave

Dave

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-12/19/3d-printed-space-wrench

Guy on the space station needed a wrench. So NASA sent them an email with a schematic. They 3D printed it and now they have the part they need.

Think about this. Remember in Apollo 13 when they needed a part to stop the carbon monoxide leak? Well, now they'll just figure something out, make it a schematic and sent it to them to make on the spot. Technology is awesome!


#122

GasBandit

GasBandit

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-12/19/3d-printed-space-wrench

Guy on the space station needed a wrench. So NASA sent them an email with a schematic. They 3D printed it and now they have the part they need.

Think about this. Remember in Apollo 13 when they needed a part to stop the carbon monoxide leak? Well, now they'll just figure something out, make it a schematic and sent it to them to make on the spot. Technology is awesome!
Yes, that's awesome, but I can't help but point out it was a carbon dioxide buildup, not a carbon monoxide leak. They needed to fit the lander module's CO2 filters, which were square, into the command module filter housing, which was round.

And yeah, a makerbot would have solved the problem PDQ.


#123

Dave

Dave

I meant to say carbon dioxide. I knew that. Damn it!


#124

PatrThom

PatrThom

Can never have too many scrubbers.

--Patrick


#125

jwhouk

jwhouk

Getting closer to replicators every day.


#126

evilmike

evilmike

Eucl3d is offering 3-d printed designs based off user designs for Kerbal Space Program:


(via io9)


#127

PatrThom

PatrThom

Why am I laughing so much at this?


--Patrick


#128

GasBandit

GasBandit

Why am I laughing so much at this?


--Patrick
It'd be really funny if they used the bacon cheddar flavor... the bacon bits randomly clog the nozzle, until enough pressure builds behind it to blast a big ol cheesy shotgun blast right through the cracker.


#129

PatrThom

PatrThom

It'd be really funny if they used the bacon cheddar flavor... the bacon bits randomly clog the nozzle, until enough pressure builds behind it to blast a big ol cheesy shotgun blast right through the cracker.
"...it's like having a kidney stone!"
Eh...ad copy needs work.

--Patrick


#130

PatrThom

PatrThom

oZkJCd5.png


--Patrick


#131

GasBandit

GasBandit

"You wouldn't download a cat!..."


#132

PatrThom

PatrThom



#133

strawman

strawman

Not surprised. But then, makerbot turned into a bad egg years before stratasys bought it, and I'm surprised they lasted this long before drastic reductions.


#134

Dave

Dave

This is going around England right now. Damn it, America! Get your shit together!



#135

PatrThom

PatrThom

This is going around England right now. Damn it, America! Get your shit together!

I like how the recurring theme in the comments I see attached to this video is "They need to bring this to cosplay conventions!"

--Patrick


#136

PatrThom

PatrThom

http://techreport.com/news/28449/unorthodox-sprout-pc-looks-like-a-3d-printer-dream-machine

Use the above to scan a thing, then print it out.
Expensive, but we're closing in on 3D copying.

--Patrick


#137

Dave

Dave

Not exactly a 3D printing thing, but I thought this was cool.

Lego now has something for prosthetic arms so that you can build your own working attachments.

https://i.imgur.com/FcFjR30.webm



#139

GasBandit

GasBandit

Sometimes the 3D printer glitches.



That was supposed to be an AT-ST.


#140

strawman

strawman

Someone's stepper motor or belt is slipping.


#141

PatrThom

PatrThom

Either that or it was designed by Ferruccio Laviani.

--Patrick


#142

Far

Far

I did a thing. Does anyone here have a 3D printer and would be potentially willing to try printing this for me?

I recently bought a SNES bluetooth controller then realized I can't both hold the phone and it at the same time. Using [this design](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1633564) for the phone holder I came up with this. This is the first thing I've ever tried to model so I made a few different versions as I'm not sure what would be the best to try to print.

One Piece with Hexes for weight reduction. Of the three this is the one I'd prefer.



Model Link: [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1771399](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1771399)

Flat Pack with weight reductions.



Model Link: [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1771408](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1771408)

One piece no weight reduction.


Model Link: [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1771418](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1771418)

I know of a few of the services available online but just figured I'd check here first. Please let me know if anyone would be willing to print either of these. Thanks!


#143

strawman

strawman

I can probably do it, but I'm loaning my 3D printer to my day job and won't have access to it until late next week. Send me a PM maybe Wednesday or Thursday and I'll take care of it.


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