But its rare that you *need* to make such an object -- that you can't
come up with an equivalent object (even if it requires two or more
pieces).
> I've been observing a newbie with an A8 for 4 months. He's made a lot
> of gizmos that improve the machine...stuff that should have been
> included with the machine. You can't make a decent print without
> a better cooling nozzle. Why can't they just ship it with the correctly
> shaped nozzle?!!
>
> He's burned thru a lot of filament, but never made a single useful thing
> that wasn't an improvement to the machine, and has no plans that require
> doing so.
So, he's obviously got a hobby... :>
> If you can imagine your part as addition or subtraction of spheres,
> cylinders and cubes, TinkerCad is trivial to use. There are more
> complex base shapes, but the concept is the same.
>
> One issue with printers is that many use proprietary "chipped"
> filament spools that cost 3X the price of generic filament.
> Yes, it removes some of the variables, but you can't easily
> tweek the parameters when it doesn't work right.
> And PLA gets brittle with time. If you don't use it, you lose it.
> I've read a lot of opinions on why, but they conflict.
>
> There are a lot of options for having your designs fabricated.
> Must be a lot of bored people with idle printers, cuz there are
> ads for printing services on craigslist.
I think there's too much of a "cool" factor involved. Folks THINK
they'll be able to do all sorts of things. Then, realize that,
aside from printing something that someone else thought was
"cool" (hey, why not just buy the pre-printed item from a GOOD
fab?), there is little *real* need -- to offset the effort to get
a quality result.
Decades ago, an employer had an etch tank. With a fair bit of
work, we could make double-sided boards -- good for things like
power supplies and other analog designs. But, when you looked
at the effort required to layout the design, etch the board(s),
drill them, stuff them, etc. it was just easier to pay someone else
to maintain the *proper* equipment for the job.
OTOH, there was no problem maintaining 8000 sq ft of "machine shop"
and the staff to keep it running. Keeping a Bridgeport "productive"
is a much easier task!
> I live two blocks from a UPS store with a 3D printer. Their
> sample ABS prints are amazing.
> Problem with all the options is the high cost of getting it done.
> UPS quoted $26 for a case for an EBAY circuit board designed
> on thingiverse. Not gonna happen.
Different marketing position. As a *business*, getting a custom enclosure
made for (ONLY!) $26 would be a deal! Esp if it was of good cosmetic quality.
I've had to machine blocks of lexan and/or wood to create touchy-feelies
for clients. If I cold have a real *enclosure* and actually put boards
in it -- beyond just a painted object to tickle the imagination -- it'd
be a much easier "sell" to have a WORKING prototype!
But, as a hobbyist, you'd instead opt for a COTS plastic/aluminum case
and a bit of time with a coarse file...
> If you have an obsolete tool with a busted plastic piece,
> you can imagine making the part. How often does that happen?
Actually, its pretty rare that you don't have the *pieces* that
made up the part. The problem is, usually, that reassembling those
pieces (superglue) doesn't result in a "replacement part" that
has the structural integrity of the original. Or, that some pieces
might get lost or distorted in the process.
But, if you could import the "scan" into a CAD program and tweak
it, there, I think you'd be happy with the results.
I'd exploit a printer to make new cases for wall-warts/bricks.
And battery assemblies. In each case, disassembling them (solvent
welded) invariably alters the size/shape and cosmetics of the original
when you attempt to reassemble it. With a scanner/printer, place
the dead -- though physically intact -- wall-wart/brick/battery
on the scanner, capture the 3D image, then *butcher* it with Dremel.
No need to try to salvage the old shell!
Tweak the 3D model (to add overhanging lips on the mating half-shells)
and print the replacement -- complete with openings for jewel
indicators, cords, connectors, etc.
> I'd like to have a 3D printer. I keep a running list of all
> the things I'd print if I had one. After 4 months, it's
> still blank.
> But I'm still gonna buy one as soon as I meet that person
> who's finally realized that they'll never use it and puts
> it out at the garage sale.
Local makerspaces tend to have "many" that you can use -- for the
price of the filament. My noted objections apply to all of their
kit. The lack of a (quality) "scanner" just makes things worse.
I've come up with a few uses for lasercutters -- though they are
compromises necessitated by the limitations placed on the material.
(trick is getting ALL the designs laid out before tackling them
and imagining what might go wrong -- its not YOUR shop in which you'd
have free reign)
By far, most desirable bits of kit, for me, would be:
- spot welder
- spot welder for *battery* tabs
- brake and other metal forming kit
- quality sand casting
- panel saw (I *can* find that, locally, but hauling oversized stock
to/from it becomes a problem!)
Yet, none are the sorts of things that I would need/use more than
very infrequently -- not enough need to drive a purchasing decision
(instead, I mail items to out-of-state friends/colleagues and
redeem "favors" when needed)