Nature is incredibly efficient.

Bees make honeycomb that holds many times its own weight in their life's product. (both larvae and food)

Bamboo grows fast enough to watch and stands up to cyclones.

There are a lot of structures we can use, if only we are observant enough to recognize the economy of resources right in front of us.

 

Think of how ink jet printers have matured in the last 20 years. And then compare their technology to today's 3D printer and consider how the 3D printers will mature - and probably in a lot less than 20 years.

Much of the reading I've been doing discusses buying XYZ printer and then upgrading the build platform to a heated glass unit, or changing the nozzles to another style, or even changing the routing of the cabling to prevent them from cracking. So today we are in the hobbyist phase, although some pretty viable printers are available there are still plenty that need upgraded. But soon we will turn the corner and they'll be quite viable and I'm wanting to get in as an early adopter. However, I'm now better understanding the limitations of the current devices, and am getting cold feet

 

We are looking at the hobbyist end of the market.
These hacks you speak of are where innovation comes from.
Or, a cheap device is made to perform something only printers many times its cost can do.

But the BIG R&D bucks are at Stratsys and other players in that realm.
They are the ones who will refine and patent the processes that shape the direction the field will take.

In the 1920's would you say not to buy a Model T Ford, because engines were getting better and pneumatic tires were being developed?

Sure you can haul more -faster- with Rusty, but a car did not need rest or pasture like a horse, which was the alternative then.

 

You don't have to be in the hobbyist phase.
Create the object of your desire and send the STL file to a company like Shapeways.
They can print it on a big bucks machine and send you the result.

Just like I have the CNC guy cut complex shapes for me at a flat rate of $32 per sheet. ($1 per square foot)
I don't have to:
Pay the note on a quarter million dollar machine.
Learn the programming.
Clean the mess.
Buy or sharpen the tooling.
Be responsible for damaged goods.

I just "place my order" and come get the palletized parts fork lifted into my truck.

 

Lets not forget that guy who found a way to 3D print a gun that was capable of firing more than one shot out of the 3D printed barrel.


For me I always wanted to make a few specialty tools if they were useable great if not no big deal I just would like to have them on display.


For me I think 3D printing opens up quite a bit but I don't have enough I could use it for to purchase one for myself. Unless I started making those plastic cluster housings for the 77-79 Cougar/Tbird/LTDII and selling them on ebay for $250 a pop.

 

Host your file at Shapeways
People can have it printed in dozens of materials.
And you get the check.

Modeling a wrench here on earth and printing it on the ISS is as close as we get to teleporting Star Trek style.
(so far)

In the not too far distant future, we will probably be able to 'print' DNA at another distant location.
What will the meaning of life be then?

 

True on the wrench. For mine though they would have to be solvent resistant if they were ever to be used. I wanted to 3D print the tray tool for installing and removing valve lifters in Y-blocks through the cam opening was one of the ones I wanted to make. The others was the factory tool set with complete markings of the factory accessory tool kit that you could get from Ford for my '56.


Those are two that I would like to recreate even if its just for looks. But I think I could just find a pattern or come up with one and pay someone to print it for me and come out cheaper.

 

Shapeways does stainless steel, brass, bronze and precious metals.
And wax figures for casting your own metal.
Plus, a couple of ceramics in addition to plastics.

3D Printing Materials: Plastic, Metal, Ceramics and More - Shapeways

 

Jim - I'm not saying others shouldn't buy, but I am saying I'm not sure the 3D printers are solid enough for me to buy - yet. However, I think that time may be just around the corner. And, in the interim I may try the lab here in Tulsa, at least to scan something and print it. Maybe the door lock bezel. So, I need to bone up on what file format they output and how, or if, it can be edited. And what format their printers take and how I can generate that.

But, i wasn't aware of Shapeways, and their ability to print in metal opens up many possibilities. One I can think of is the power window and lock bezels. Yes, LMC has them, but for quite a price. And if the original ones broke easily, how strong are those from China? How about printing them in metal? No, they won't be chromed unless you do a lot of smoothing and send them to the chrome shop, but at least they could be powder coated.

Thanks!

 

Look at the link.
You can order them in stainless down to micron finish.
Yes, stainless has a more 'yellow' look than chrome, but I'm sure it is tougher than a pot metal die casting.

 

As for a printer, the technology IS mature.
Everything is made to a pricepoint.
I don't see stepper motors, heating elements, etc... having some revolution and dropping in cost or getting orders of magnitude better.

DXF and DWG are easily converted to STL. It is the traverse speeds and z axis that are somewhat unique to the material, process and machine used.

 

I have been reading up on Shapeways. In fact, I hadn't found the stainless until you mentioned, again, that they do it. I don't think it shows up until you click on the Materials tab and select "steel". Anyway, I'm reading everything on the site. (Plenty of time today as I'm laid up with a serious allergy upset. Took the tires off the wheels of the '50 Chevy 2 days ago and there was apparently serious mold in there. Two of the tires were off the beads and the creek water & silt must have gotten in there and stewed. I've been down for two days, and am taking enough antihistamines that thinking is difficult.)

I'm gonna figure out how to model something, either via CAD or 3D scanning, and give this a try.

 

Ok, I've been reading and thinking and have come to the realization that I do need to test 3D printing before I jump in and buy one. And, the first step is to figure out how to draw in 3D. Fortunately my standby CAD software (TurboCAD) does do 3D so I worked up this:

That's an anchor point I'm going to put in the slab of a storage area I'm going to have poured behind the shop. The need for anchor points arose a week ago when I towed the '50 Chevy pickup around behind the shop and couldn't get it up the little hill with my garden tractor as the ground was soft and the tractor didn't have enough traction. So I got my come-along out and using the tractor as an anchor winched the '50 up the hill. And during that I realized that if I had a way to anchor into the floor of the storage area I could use that. So, I called my builder and he said his buddy has anchor points in his shop floor and he straightens frames. They are made out of 3" pipe with a 6" flange on the bottom. A short chain is welded to the flange before the pipe is welded on, and a cap goes on top. That's buried in the concrete when the floor is poured, and then it is uncapped and the chain connected to a longer one when it is used.

So, now that I know I can draw in 3D I need to upgrade my software as this old version (V6 and they are now on V21) doesn't use the file formats needed for 3D printing. A bit of looking says I can get a new version of TurboCAD that does use the right file format for $130 (although I may go higher and get a package with training and symbols) and a bit more looking tells me that AutoCAD and SolidWorks are out of reach as they are over $1000. Does anyone know of other software I should look at? (I've used Google's Sketchup and do not like it as there are, or were a year ago, functions missing that I use frequently.)

 

My 3D drawing capabilities are growing a little. With a little research I've come to the conclusion that I want to upgrade to the latest version of TurboCAD since I know how to make it work in 2D for sure, and in 3D a bit. So I called them and we worked through what version I need and, fortunately, one of the less-expensive versions will do it. And, they dropped the price $100 on the phone. So, I downloaded a trial version and worked on the shift boot trim ring.

It now consists of two pieces, with the top piece having all the curves and detail, and the bottom piece being nothing more than a flat piece which will be screwed to the top from the bottom.

Here are 4 shots of the shift boot trim ring, in 3D:

Here's an iso view:


Top view:


View with the top and bottom piece:


Top piece only:

 

Why would you make it in two pieces?
Seems a whole lot of added complexity, fasteners and assembly time.

Which material would you make it from?