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Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#81

Post by ratsbane »

bri3d wrote: post #37

I 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…

I have an Solidoodle 2 also (see my other comment.) Which extruder are you using? I still have the original on mine. What about the 618? Where do you get it?

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#82

Post by iamwil »

eli wrote: post #79

Any recommendations for an inexpensive 3d printer suitable for someone who just thinks they're cool and wants to screw around with it?

I wrote a post about this topic that I thought you might find useful.

http://blog.cubehero.com/2013/04/12/what-you-need-to-know-ab...

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#83

Post by AUmrysh »

I was at a local hackerspace and paid about $180 into a building class, but then it didn't work out and other things came up in my personal life and that of the person giving the classes. I think the $200-$300 range is where it's going to have to get to before 3d printers become wildly popular. Most people can overlook the low quality of the prints and the acetone wash if the cost of the printer is less than that of an iPad.

Not everyone is going to want to use a 3d printer, but I feel like those of us who do want them but don't have them just don't feel that the price justifies the quality of current printers.

The other barrier to ubiquitous 3d printer use is, in my opinion, a lack of cheap 3d scanning technology. Sure, you can use the laser line w/ turntable and camera scanner, but there are a number of issues, concavities and post-scan modeling work being the two largest I see. There are algorithms which can be used to take a webcam video feed and generate a 3d model from that, like proFORMA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEOmzjImsVc ,but the source to that was never released. There are commercial products which can do this, but I think that until there is an open source/free option for this kind of scanning, it's going to be another barrier to people getting 3d printers.

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#84

Post by iamwil »

Geee wrote: post #8

I'm not sure if it makes sense as an investment to own a 3D printer when you can order anything custom from Shapeways when you need. I don't have a constant need for 3D printed parts, so it probably wouldn't pay itself back. Edit: To add, I've never even needed to order anything from Shapeways to date. For sure I'll need it when I start building robots. I think there should be some kind of new trend hobby which requi…

The difference is in turnaround time. With your own, the turnaround time is shorter by half or less, depending on the part. That said, it assumes you have a 3D printer that prints reliably without fail. The current generation of desktop 3D printers finally are pretty hands free operations for short runs.

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#85

Post by porter »

georgemcbay wrote: post #10

I'm excited by the potential of 3D printers but they aren't quite at the price/convenience/quality intersection I'm waiting for. I'd pay current prices for machines (the relatively consumer-level ones that are like $500-2000) that are faster and produce better output without having to do acetone-based "post-processing". I'd pay less than current prices for the current tech just to dick around with, but I don't want t…

What would you do with a 3d printer in your house? For manufacturing and business use, it kind of makes sense to me. But personal use? After you print off a few cups and toy soldier molds, what would you want to do with a 3d printer?

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#86

Post by aortega »

IMHO 3d-printing is way overrated. We already have CNC machines that are reliable, faster, cheaper and more capable than 3d-printers, in that they can cheaply "print" in hard materials like metal with much better resolution. What are the advantages of 3d-printers? (except than being slightly more clean)

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#87

Post by bri3d »

ratsbane wrote: post #81
bri3d wrote: post #37

I 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…

I have an Solidoodle 2 also (see my other comment.) Which extruder are you using? I still have the original on mine. What about the 618? Where do you get it?

I use a Lawsy's Mark 4 extruder ( http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:47561 ). It's simpler, easier to maintain, and more durable by leaps and bounds than the stock extruder, in addition to being fewer pieces. If you're printing a replacement extruder, print several copies of the extruder parts in case you break one in assembly. Once you take apart the stock Solidoodle extruder, you won't want to put it back together. It breaks easily and is called "the jigsaw" for a reason.

I got my 618 from Octave Systems, but it's pretty common at most of the online printer suppliers now.

618 is a little iffy with the stock Solidoodle 2 hot end because the insulator is PTFE, which could start to decompose around the upper end of 618 extrusion temperatures. Thankfully, 618 has a wide range of temperatures at which it works (albeit with a bit less strength), so you can compromise and still get wonderful results.

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#88

Post by jmharvey »

Whenever I think of 3d printers, I think of this essay: http://www.paulgraham.com/stuff.html

I'm not sure whether 3-d printing will result in my having more stuff or less. In the long run, I could see it working out either way, but with the technology in its current state, it would definitely result in a net increase in the amount of stuff I have.

Re: Poll: Do you have a 3d printer?

#90

Post by georgewfraser »

aortega wrote: post #86

IMHO 3d-printing is way overrated. We already have CNC machines that are reliable, faster, cheaper and more capable than 3d-printers, in that they can cheaply "print" in hard materials like metal with much better resolution. What are the advantages of 3d-printers? (except than being slightly more clean)

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