Let's Talk 3D Printers

JonT posted a pic said Tue, Apr 8th 2014 at 2:22pm ET

enter image description here
With the M3D Micro Kickstarter receiving over $1 million in funding after 1 day, I thought it would be a good time to talk about 3D printers.

$299 seems like a pretty sweet pricing spot to me, but while I hear about all of the awesome possibilities with 3D printing, I haven't seen many actual/practical examples that would make me want to go out and get one besides the general coolness factor.

Do any of you have experience with 3D printing? Any interest in the 3D Micro?

4 comments, 4 replies
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katylava said Tue, Apr 8th 2014 at 2:25pm ET:

Some friends of mine who own a laser cutting studio shared this link with me: http://gizmodo.com/why-3d-printing-is-overhyped-i-should-know-i-do-it-fo-508176750/all .

As for their studio, one of them says (in reference to the link above):

Although almost everyone we meet asks, we aren't likely getting into 3D printing anytime soon and this is why. That said, I too think it has a strong future and hope to get into it eventually. With key patents having expired this year, and a strong contingent of makers designing machines that are forcing the bigger companies to keep innovating, I think some of the current limitations will recede.

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- Interesting perspective. I still can't shake the idea that 3D printing will somehow be the next big thing even with all of my doubts.
  
  JonT said Tue, Apr 8th 2014 at 3:57pm ET
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- Yeah this $299 device will really help. We can have one in every home! ... wait, how much are the materials?
  
  katylava said Tue, Apr 8th 2014 at 4:19pm ET
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- Dunno about universally, but for me, it'd sure be nice to print out connective parts or cases for electronics or home improvement projects.
  
  harrison said Tue, Apr 8th 2014 at 4:41pm ET
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denboy said Wed, Apr 9th 2014 at 9:15am ET:

It seems like home 3D printing is still in the tchochke realm, but that will change. Ran across article recently about using 3D printing for creating human organs with a liver expected in 2014. On the industrial/medical side of things it could prove pretty darn useful for us fragile humans. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9244884/The_first_3D_printed_organ_a_liver_is_expected_in_2014

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snapster said Wed, Apr 9th 2014 at 10:55am ET:

Personal computers were useless devices for any practical purpose when the emerged. As long as the question is "what should I spend my discretionary / entertainment income on", I think these are actually a pretty good parallel.

I'm building a workshop into a garage at my house before I dive in. I'm particularly interested in it as a dad-sons project with my 8 and 9 year old boys

The machines that have both additive and subtractive ability (building up with plastics and other material as well as engraving and milling) are the ones that most interest me.

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capguncowboy said Wed, Apr 9th 2014 at 6:17pm ET:

I think there is a real market for 3D printing, but I don't think we've discovered what that opportunity is yet. Printing trinkets is neat, but once the newness wears off, it's just another Wii, taking up real estate in the corner of your basement.

The possibilities of 3D printing are only limited to our imaginations. I just hope someone can do something meaningful before they become the VCR of this generation.

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- I'd be okay with it becoming the VCR of this generation because that would imply that DVD players came along, would they be 4D printers!?!?
  
  JonT said Thu, Apr 10th 2014 at 10:52am ET
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