And so it starts - This Is The World's First Entirely 3D-Printed Gun

[TampaAnimusVortex]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/05/03/this-is-the-worlds-first-entirely-3d-printed-gun-photos/

Early next week, Wilson, a 25-year University of Texas law student and founder of the non-profit group Defense Distributed, plans to release the 3D-printable CAD files for a gun he calls “the Liberator,” pictured in its initial form above. He’s agreed to let me document the process of the gun’s creation, so long as I don’t publish details of its mechanics or its testing until it’s been proven to work reliably and the file has been uploaded to Defense Distributed’s online collection of printable gun blueprints at Defcad.org.

In a related story - Staples released the notice today they would be the first large scale provider of 3D printers to the public, selling the Cube 3D printer (below).

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/05/03/staples-will-sell-printers/J9E0RkYNesZlAHmtL5In3H/story.html

[onehandle]

1. Plastic guns are illegal. And better stay that way.

This is just more proof that substantial gun, clip, and ammo laws are inevitable.

__________________________

“We now have 3-D printers that can manufacture firearms components in the basement,” said Representative Steve Israel, Democrat of New York. “It’s just a matter of time before a 3-D printer will produce a weapon capable of firing bullets.”

A 3-D printer builds an object layer by layer in three dimensions, usually in plastic. To effectively outlaw weapons made with them, Mr. Israel wants to extend an existing law, set to expire this year, that makes weapons that are undetectable by security scanners — like a printed all-plastic gun — illegal.

But there are also major technical obstacles to creating an entire gun on a 3-D printer, not the least of which is that a plastic gun would probably melt or explode upon firing a single bullet, making it about as likely to kill the gunman as the target.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/science/surprising-tools-of-modern-gunmaking-plastic-and-a-3-d-printer.html

[TampaAnimusVortex]

3. You didnt read the entire article apparently - they have a loophole.

Technically, Defense Distributed’s gun has one other non-printed component: the group added a six ounce chunk of steel into the body to make it detectable by metal detectors in order to comply with the Undetectable Firearms Act.

Add a block of metal and problem solved.

[tridim]

4. And the xray will expose... A block of metal, not a gun.

Obviously this is a massive loophole that needs to be filled immediately.

Congress might get around to it in 50 years or so.

[HolyMoley]

6. Nope. An xray will reveal the whole weapon.

A metal detector will alert on the block of metal and invite a frisk, search, pat-down.

[upsidedownforklift]

7. The law is printable

I'm sure I could just print my way around any law if it were necessary.

[onehandle]

5. Yet more evidence that UK/Japan type restrictions are inevitable...

...before the also inevitable amendment to strike down the Second.

[TampaAnimusVortex]

15. I think the point of the group developing these blueprints....

is that regardless of any laws enacted, it would still be possible to produce these. They want to make guns as unregulatable as air itself.

[loli phabay]

2. so want one of these printers, if the misses would allow it.

[TampaAnimusVortex]

16. I know... I'm planning on jumping in when they get under $500 nt/

[loli phabay]

18. i cant wait, just imagine the stuff you could make

[IDemo]

8. These things are at the Dos 5.1 stage of development

I'd be interested if and when they reach the Win XP or greater stage and can handle metals, possibly print a complete functioning PCB (I know there are prototype lunges at such functionality, but nothing remotely close in the consumer space).

[kelliekat44]

9. Just think what it will be like when all the so-called terrorists can make these. nt

nt

[Tikki]

10. Along with scanners, paper cutters, laminators and such...these 3-D printers are going to be...

a grand appliance for home crafting and parents of school aged children for those 'school projects.'

We could sure use one now...We need a model of a Basking Shark and so off to the hunk of clay we go.


The Tikkis

[MindPilot]

11. Just like the Internet has made anybody a publisher...

and smart phones put a video camera in everyone's pocket.

3D printing will be a factory on the kitchen table.

They will advance to even more exotic plastics and metals. Home-made guns will be only one issue.

[Ikonoklast]

12. Looks like the trigger broke on them.

Assassin's tool; get in close, one shot, throw away.

[TampaAnimusVortex]

13. I believe the name is a reference to The Liberator used in WWII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator

The proposed intent was to drop these weapons at concentration camps where internees would pick up these weapons overcome Nazi Guards and hopefully liberate the camp.

[Ikonoklast]

14. Like I said...

[The Straight Story]

17. There are a ton of uses - fishing lures, action figures, replacement parts

I can see selling CAD drawings as a growing business.

[librechik]

19. call me when it can replicate "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot."

then we're cookin....

[TampaAnimusVortex]

20. No doubt... I think that model may take till next Christmas :) nt/

[Warren DeMontague]

21. No, call me when the 3D printers start printing 3D printers.

[baldguy]

22. And the biggest users will be terrorists & criminals.

The people who design this & champion its distribution this are at the same level as producers of child porn, and should be treated as such by society.