3D printing

[SammyWI]

I recently received a 3D printer kit from http://printrbot.com/.  Cost was $550 USD.  I've been looking at 3d printers for a while but prices seemed to be hovering at about $1000 USD for kits - too high for me.  But at $550 I pulled the trigger and I'm glad I did.  After getting things assembled and tweeking things to get some good prints, I have to say I am hooked.  This hobby is just as addictive as BYOAC!  It takes a lot of research, adjusting, tweeking and trial and error, but the the process is fun and the results are pretty cool.

Some of my prints:

Space Invader


IMG_0954 by Drawcut, on Flickr

Saucer


IMG_0946 by Drawcut, on Flickr

Printrbot with test cube


IMG_0933 by Drawcut, on Flickr

I'm thinking of adding a thin sheet of steel behind my bezel and printing up a bunch of arcade related prints and just adding them to the cab refrigerator magnet style.  Parts can be downloaded from sharing sites like http://www.thingiverse.com/ or you can make your own using various 3d software packages.  Popular free ones are Google's Sketchup (Cad like) and OpenScad (programming language style).  I use Solidworks since that is what I use at work.  

Printrbot.com is a Kickstarter company with some growing pains (slow initial deliveries, a few missing parts, some lacking assembly instructions).  But overall, I am very happy with mine.  

[kahlid74]

We've had a few posts on here before about the various 3d printers (there's 2 other ones currently still on Kickstarter) but I'm glad to see someone with first hand experience on it.  I'll probably pick one up for doing some of the internals of my Mechwarrior Online pod.

Also, here's one that makes smooth plastic or high definition, super cool stuff - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/b9creations/b9creator-a-high-resolution-3d-printer

[yaksplat]

Wow, now that's one amazing printer.  I didn't expect the resolution to be that high.

[SammyWI]

We've had a few posts on here before about the various 3d printers (there's 2 other ones currently still on Kickstarter) but I'm glad to see someone with first hand experience on it.  I'll probably pick one up for doing some of the internals of my Mechwarrior Online pod.

Also, here's one that makes smooth plastic or high definition, super cool stuff - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/b9creations/b9creator-a-high-resolution-3d-printer

Yeah I've seen that one and it's pretty neat.  $2600 is too steep for me right now, but hopefully early adopters will get that ball rolling and prices can drop in a few years.  Kind of where the additive process was a few years ago...