Is my printer obsolete...

[toprob]

...because it isn't 3D?

Yesterday I had to go into the defib clinic for a warrant of fitness, and the clinician mentioned that the system had updated me for the end of daylight saving. I have junk inside my chest which is a lot cleverer than my microwave, which got me thinking about today's technology. I had an hour to kill before my next appointment, so I popped into a couple of shops in town, just to look at the stuff I couldn't afford. Both had 3D printers on display and working, which kind of threw me a bit. Who here really, really wants a 3D printer, and why?

One was printing the world's most expensive cheap plastic comb, but it's been a long time since I had a need for a comb.

The electronics stores have certainly changed since the last time I looked, l guess they have to, as so many people are buying that sort of stuff online -- I prefer that myself, as the retail prices are quite freaky compared to shopping around online. On the other hand, Noel Leemings clearance store had a 50 inch Plasma for $600, which would be awfully tempting, if I had $600... but then again, plasma is obsolete, apparently. There is a huge list of stuff which I haven't even got around to considering, yet, and already obsolete. Is the pace of new technology increasing, or am I just getting too old?

[emfrat]

Cheers Rob - as you know, some people just HAVE to be the first kids on the block with the latest.
Me? I am still waiting for a software which will let me upload, for you or some other deserving person to download, a dram of the finest single malt whisky....

ATB
MikeW

[omitchell]

Those 3D printers are awesome to watch and have some great uses, but if you can't find a use for them that you would use at least several times a week then its not something you would need, ever... but they are cool to watch at work

[Splitpin]

I want one .... i dont know why, but i want one I see on youtube , a youtube dude made himself an Aston Martin DB-6 ? with one of these.

[Fozzer]

QUOTE (Splitpin @ May 7 2014,3:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I want one .... I don't know why, but I want one I see on youtube , a youtube dude made himself an Aston Martin DB-6 ? with one of these.

If any one of you out there has a 3D Printer, I fancy a nice new Ducati 1199....

...please!... ...!

Paul...Meep-meep... ...

..in my dreams... ....>>> http://www.ducatiusa.com/bikes/superbike/1...nigale/index.do

[toprob]

QUOTE (omitchell @ May 8 2014,12:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those 3D printers are awesome to watch and have some great uses, but if you can't find a use for them that you would use at least several times a week then its not something you would need, ever... but they are cool to watch at work

I do think I could get plenty of use out of one, back before flightsim I was building an N-gauge railway (for my kids... sure, Rob...), but I gave it up when I got divorced, as it was tricky to shift around. The simulator was easier to move, because it fitted inside a little box. I can imagine building a railway station the same way I build airport buildings, and then printing them out ready to place. The printers might have to improve a bit, but I can certainly see me as a crazy old model rail buff in another five years.

In the meantime, I wonder if I could 3D-print my cv.

Dammit, I'm hooked.

QUOTE

Me? I am still waiting for a software which will let me upload, for you or some other deserving person to download, a dram of the finest single malt whisky....[/quote]

Who knows, you might be able to build a tiny wee distillery one day.

EDIT: Here's the Kiwitrains blog, which deals with 3D printed model trains...

Last edited by toprob on Thu May 08, 2014 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

[omitchell]

I LOVE model railways, tho I'm and HO guy myself so don't have the space to setup a layout lol (Anyone got a spare warehouse I could borrow?)

[Ian Warren]

Very handy to have for your modelling, they had a demo with one at workplace ten years back making safety switch's for prototype detonators for the military, the cost of the printer was astronomical back then, 2 meters long 1meter high and was able make a working switch inside a sealed unit .. impressive to see it working.

[SeanG]

Why buy when you can rent... build your model in 3d, upload it to Shapeways, pay money, wait for model to arrive in mail... it's a little slower, but none of us can afford the sorts of 3D printers they use!

Shapeways

I will be using them to print custom knobs and parts for my sim cockpit...

SeanG

[Ian Warren]

Thanks for the link Sean, I didn't follow up on sites, a little CAD instruction ... be interesting to see what program comes with the printer, the program I used was autocad 3D model and build - that is years out of date and solidworks , forgot the version , back then that was required software and outside any personal person price range.

[jastheace]

yup was going to mention shapeways, biggest problem with 3d printers is resolution, think dot matrix compared to inkjet compared to laser, the old dot matrix was great for printing lots of text, but sucked at printing photos, inkjets were great at printing images, but cost a small fortune to run if you wanted lots of copies, laser combined both and was cheap, the latest 3d printers make a large fortune a small one rather quickly, but can print down to 1 micron, where as the cheaper one are not as great in the resolution but are cheap. it all depend son what you want it for, for me with my model cars and HO trains i want good resolution so i don't have to sand or remove the steps caused by the printer (or use shapeways) i would expect the same to apply to knobs etc, as you would want a nice smooth copy. personally i don't have the 3d computer skills to put one to use, so i will leave that to others and just buy what i can from shapeways!!

Jason

[Ian Warren]

The biggest thing also is the operating cost , when inkjets first were released in the early 1990s they outstripped running cost and photo print from photoshops , today its gone back the other way, be the same with owning a 3Dprinter , you want to make sure your going to use it - I can see many uses here for myself, another generation of tools for the open minded .