Open Source 3d Printer

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The Pandora's 3D Model files would come in handy here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T51D-_Sf8rY

 

[ashdjones]

I have a feeling this stuff will seriously rock one day (perhaps in a decade or two) but the question remains if the quality will be up to injection-moulded standards?

 

[PoisonedV]

i like the self reproducing idea, but it sucks in practice cause it just gets coarser and more inaccurate exponentially, so i think its actually kind of stupid, its still a pretty cheap alternative if you just want to make doodads

 

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i like the self reproducing idea, but it sucks in practice cause it just gets coarser and more inaccurate exponentially, so i think its actually kind of stupid, its still a pretty cheap alternative if you just want to make doodads

You'll have noticed in the video that some of the parts that he made himself were smooth, its just a simple matter of sanding it down a little afterwards.
For the ability to print any three dimensional part i felt like, i think i could put up with that. Doubtless the imperfections will lessen as the technology gets better tho.

Heres another group of guys that have done the same thing..

Makerbot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fScRYhq-5M0


And for anyone interested in professional rapid prototyping, heres some stereolithography apparatus in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwQ5HA8sE-k

 

[lulzfish]

I do want to make doodads.
In fact, I want to make brick-shaped doodads to replace the Lego bricks that are probably covered in dust, spiders, and AIDS by now [they got lost in my basement]

 

[PoisonedV]

I do want to make doodads.
In fact, I want to make brick-shaped doodads to replace the Lego bricks that are probably covered in dust, spiders, and AIDS by now [they got lost in my basement]


from what ive seen, its so incredibly slow that it would probably take you a week to make a reasonable amount. and its so crude you might have to leave some out

 

[lulzfish]

Probably...
It would be convenient, though.

"Oh no, I'm missing this one special piece that I need to make my LEGO thing work!"
"Stand back! I have a 3D printer!"
*several hours later*
"That's not the piece I was talking about"

 

[PoisonedV]

I do think it's awesome though and i hope the next iteration is greatly refined. the people involved really know what theyre doing

 

[pelrun]

i like the self reproducing idea, but it sucks in practice cause it just gets coarser and more inaccurate exponentially

Actually, that's not the case. A child machine can make items as well as a parent can - there really isn't any "generational loss" inherent in the design. That said, however, there's still a lot of work ongoing to improve the overall accuracy of the mechanism.

 

[PoisonedV]

Does anyone know the best place to get one of these? The wiki listed quite a few, but if anyone has a recommendation of the easiest/best way to get one, I'd prefer to try that first

 

[ashdjones]

Does anyone know the best place to get one of these? The wiki listed quite a few, but if anyone has a recommendation of the easiest/best way to get one, I'd prefer to try that first

I'm sure the price has gone up, see here.

Just to think that one day I could be pirating Lego peices...

 

[WizardStan]

Just to think that one day I could be pirating Lego peices...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpCWOyT8hrU

 

[fiveseven]

How long before the Lego Pirate Bay court case?

 

[lulzfish]

I'm already organizing a pre-emptive DDOS against lego.com.

 

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Featured in the Register...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/24/reprap/

 

[Kyo]

Another one? I've looked into reprap and fabbing@home before. Neat. Thanks for the link