Wozniak had this great insight. It's like lathe. Everyone knows a guy who has one, but no one is actually bothered to get one. It's a nice thing to have in your workshop, but also requires lots of skill.
Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
31–40 of 281 posts
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#32No, and I'm unlikely to buy one until there's a particular killer application. I'm excited by the potential, but I don't have any concrete ideas to explore, nor the time/disposable income to tinker.
I'm in the same position. I like them intellectually, but so far I am >95% sure that if I bought one it would be used about as much as my inkjet printer is currently used. Part of it is that most of what I would personally want to build out of plastic is fairly macro-scale, and approximated surprisingly well by Legos.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#33I got together with 15 of my friends and bought one for us to share. We each had to pay under $50, which made it very attractive. None of us use it enough to justify owning one ourselves, so sharing was the obvious solution.
I don't think I can find 15 people to share a 3d printer with...though I can't speak for anyone else.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#34I think 3D printers are firmly in the "Linux desktop" stage for now. You will hear it's revolutional arrival announced every year, but it will never materialize.
I don't know, all my close friends and family are running Linux as their main OS. You might just wake up one day to realize that Linux on the desktop has already happened.
That is very statistically significant.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#35I think 3D printers are firmly in the "Linux desktop" stage for now. You will hear it's revolutional arrival announced every year, but it will never materialize.
I don't know, all my close friends and family are running Linux as their main OS. You might just wake up one day to realize that Linux on the desktop has already happened.
Or you might wake up one day to realize that you and your friends are in the extreme minority.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#36I got together with 15 of my friends and bought one for us to share. We each had to pay under $50, which made it very attractive. None of us use it enough to justify owning one ourselves, so sharing was the obvious solution.
I think that unless you're fabricating daily, sharing a machine is a good idea.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#37I have a Solidoodle 2. I've replaced the extruder with a printed one that's much better than the laser-cut acrylic that's included, but otherwise, it's been an excellent piece of hardware.
Lately I've started printing in "618 Nylon," a polymer which prints detail more easily than ABS, does not require bed heating (saves lots of time), and is much stronger than PLA.
I don't feel that 3D printing lets me do anything I couldn't before, but, as someone who makes things, it does let me take hardware from idea to conclusion much more quickly. So far I use it mostly to make parts for hobby projects, like the frame and landing gear for my quadcopter as well as enclosures and fastening hardware for an electric bike and control system.
I don't see FDM 3D printing disrupting traditional volume manufacturing in almost any industry simply because it's slow and finicky compared to subtractive CNC (milling) or molding. However, if you make things personally or professionally 3D printing turns any situation where you'd be Dremeling, drilling, and sanding a prototype to test before paying a shop to make samples for you into a pleasurable and cheap experience instead of a painful and expensive one.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#38Built a reprap 18 months ago, but have yet to get it working properly. I didn't build the extruder myself, and I think that it's broken..
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#39You should include "I have access to one that I can use".
Agreed. I am in this camp. And see RaphiePS's comment.
Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?
#40I don't own one, and I'm not sure where I would put one presently. I have access to one through my membership at my local hacker space, and that's enough for me at the moment.