3D printing at home

[Rob_B]

So I can't afford one but I've been looking at repraps and thinking what I could do with them, muck about & print parts for more repraps is about the sum of my ideas!

Has anyone got one of these and use it for much? I'd imagine for model builders it's a godsend but I wondered if anyone used one for any other practical/non practical purposes?

Rob

[Stoo]

I've had a look into 3d printing too, but it looks like you have to spend quite a lot if you want something which has good enough resolution for model parts.

However, it looks like over the next 12 months or so it'll start filtering down to somewhat sensible levels with some of the commercial manufacturers eyeing up the consumer market..

[Rob_B]

I thought repraps could go down to 0.3mm layer thickness? Bit of sandpaper et voila! Plus you can print one for all your mares (providing they get you some materials!)

[KidChameleon]

How much would they cost? Someone at work said we should get one and I thought he was joking. I haven't actually looked into them regarding price and ease of use.

We print on plastic bottles. The machines have a set of mandrels with nylon inserts that pick up the bottles by the neck and spin them around to the print station. We need to use the right size insert to match the bottles, otherwise the machine won't pick the bottle up. The majority of the inserts we have are bent or have the odd tooth snapped off, and replacements have to be ordered from Germany and sent out to New Zealand. If we had a 3D printer we would be able to make up some new ones within a couple of hours, if not minutes, and we could also make up custom sizes. The initial cost might be a lot but it would save a lot of time.

[Rob_B]

£450 all inc for a basic model http://www.thereprapkitstore.co.uk/products-2/

£650 to about £1000 for a reprap depending on model from http://www.reprapcentral.com/


Prices vary, loads of folks on ebay selling parts they've printed themselves, you then need the hardware bits and you're ready to build.

[Stoo]

I think it's more "can do 0.3mm, if..." - having a look on some of the dedicated forums, it seems like you need to invest a fair amount of cash in top-notch components to get that sort of accuracy. High end stepper motors, gearing etc

Ah here we go, MakerBot Replicator & the 3D Systems Cube, the Cube is more like the thing we'll see in homes in the future tbh

Edit: aha, pre-made content too: http://cubify.com/

Even with those two, the results are a touch rough:


Cube printer


Replicator

It's getting there though

[Rob_B]

Nowt a bit of sanding can't fix

Wonder what cost you'd be looking at to recreate those?

[Stoo]

The Replicator is somewhere around £1800 for the dual nozzle model, and the Cube is around £900 (ex shipping etc)

[davidpaul]

Hi Rob
I encourage your interest in 3D printing. I am also very enthusiastic about 3D Printing. I have been using 3Dstuffmaker printer www 3dstuffmaker com more than a year. It is one of the best 3D printer for home based purpose. You can buy these printers at very affordable price than other brands. Thank You