3D Printer

[sinister_monk]

Have any of you guys and/or gals dipped you toe into 3D printing?

If you have, I would like to know about your experiences.
I want to build up a picture of whether they are at a point where It would be worth a dabble for myself.
I'm sure I'd be getting a self build kit to start with.

But am interested to know other peoples experiences and opinions.

TIA

Edit

Perhaps I should be a bit more descriptive.
Its not intended that the printer be a novelty piece. I have plans to use it constructively, to support my mug/tshirt printing business i.e personalised key rings, pen toppers, endless list of do-da's, etc.

[EvilBoB]

One of my mates at work has one. They are fiddly and require plenty of maintenance to keep running. Also if you expect a "finished" product at the end you will not get it. Once the object is printed you need to sand it carefully to make it smooth. Even the £1500+ ones are like this. You might be better finding a company to make the items for you. They are not fast either.

[sinister_monk]

Ah, thanks. That's why I wanted the advice of users, rather than sellers.
I'll leave it on the back burner for a while yet. Thanks

[akimba]

C4 The Gadget Man did a thing on this printing a plate/cutlery set out but they were pretty rough.

Cant find the vid for it but the episode is this one http://www.channel4.com/programmes/g...vement-gadgets

[beansontoast]

I've used a fused deposition modeling machine before but it was at University. There are a number of different process types and I think the main hobbyist ones are also FDM. The machines available to me were industry standard at the time. Are you planning to design your own objects or use publicly available ones? I had to choose an everyday item, then scan it using a 3D laser scanner, then create a surface model, then solidify and print the model using the 3D printer.

FDM uses a melted polymer and you end up with a structure with some usable strength, you can even make a functional prototype - for example threads that work - by using a dissolvable polymer as a "scaffolding material" to bridge the gaps.

[WRATH OF BOD]

ABS Plastics can be made glossy & smooth with a few tricks,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7083xw9I7o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBgVFn7DZCs

[beansontoast]

For what it's worth here are two photos showing the surface model and the rapid prototype. These small photos are the only ones easily accessible at the mo.

[sinister_monk]

.... Are you planning to design your own objects or use publicly available ones? ...

I was thinking about 3d lettering, for names, and small not too complicated shapes, like flowers, vehicles, geometric shapes etc. for keyrings and the like.
I also have two ideas I'm keeping close to my chest because I haven't seen them anywhere. That's not to say other people haven't thought of it, it may not be completely viable given the cost of producing it, the amount of finishing the product needs compared with a realistic price that could be charged. Obviously, that's the bit I need to figure out before I take the plunge. So far, I'm getting the impression it's more complicated than I had thought and things may well go on the backburner; I imagine there will be improvements and developments over the coming months, I don't wanna miss the bus with my ideas, but then I don't want to jump on too early and find I need to replace all the kit I just bought.
I don't think I can afford to go down the 3D scanner route just yet, tho it would be cool to do that eventually.

[beansontoast]

No I understand about the scanner I was just saying what I'd done as a bit of info. The scanner must cost a fortune (I could put photos of that up but just for info again).

[si-amigo]

There was a guy at play expo offering to make 3D models of you. He had no-one interested and judging by his examples, i'm not surprised. They looked like those old plaster kits you used to buy in the 80s where you poured that pinky orange plaster into to something that looked like a novelty johnny.

[beansontoast]

The 3D printer that I used was made by this company, they have some really good examples: http://www.stratasys.com/

There are also ones based on inkjet printers. The ink is replaced by a fixer or glue which is then printed onto a layer of powdered material. The material is lowered and a new layer of powder is applied & scraped level. Then the next layer of the model is created by the inkjet head "printing" the glue in place. These models are not structurally strong but the advantage of them is different coloured glues can be used so that the model is coloured. This is useful because the model can be printed with a stress representation on it, the type seen in finite element analysis software (or built-in to design packages). I do prefer a package called ANSYS but that is a different discussion.

[greens117]

Apparently in the not to distant future there will be a food printer as well!
Imagine the amount of e numbers involved in that lol

[macmilm]

Apparently in the not to distant future there will be a food printer as well!
Imagine the amount of e numbers involved in that lol

Fuck me... don't think I will eat anything that has been printed... must be as processed as quorn ffs !!!!!
Also how would you print gravy ???

[joe9789]

The company I work for sells 3D printers quite successfully in the USA.
It was picked as number 2 here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrOt4R-kR2g

The 3D printer market is at a good point, with lots of new manufacturers arriving and pushing everyone else to catch up.
I'm very much a fan of ready built printers rahter than kits, I hear adjustment and tweaking of a kit can be very very time consuming.
It is was my money I'd buy an Ultimaker 2, it's a good middle ground of solid build quality, simple operation and open source goodness.

[jimgat]

We have a 3dtouch dual head 3d printer at work and it is a pain to keep it working. The filament (3mm PLA) breaks constantly and takes ages to thread the stuff back into the printer.
I would a while before I bought one.