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NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

23. I have a 3D printer at school, allow me to explain:

Thu Dec 6, 2012, 10:59 PM

Dec 2012

I also have a couple of small crescent wrenches we printed, they don't work as well as the real thing but are nonetheless amazing.

There are technologies for metal printing, a form of sintering, that costs more than the ABS plastic printers that run from $1,500 to $30,000 and more.

The support material is different from the printing material, and after the entire wrench is printed, you need to take the whole mess, the final parts and support material, and soak it in a hot bath of lye, often attached to the printing unit.

It usually takes overnight to dissolve the support material and sometimes you have to use dental tools to pull the stuff out of cavities, but it does eventually go away.

A better form of printing is stereolithography, I hope to get an SL printer soon. No support material involved.

Here's something I've printed:

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Printing a working 12 inch crescent wrench, name your color, tighten your bolt. [View all] 2on2u Dec 2012 OP

Why do they call it a printer? Cleita Dec 2012 #1

Because it lays down polymers and resin (don't quote me on the polymer) a thin layer at a 2on2u Dec 2012 #2

Not true jmowreader Dec 2012 #35

But if you had one in your garage? hack89 Dec 2012 #45

If I had one of those, I'd already have a wrench jmowreader Dec 2012 #57

My Ebay bill for Sunbeam parts alone would pay for it Bok_Tukalo Dec 2012 #63

It doesn't "replicate." It makes a 3-D picture, in a proprietary medium. immoderate Dec 2012 #3

They call it a printer because ashling Dec 2012 #6

It not nearly as cool as a replicator. surrealAmerican Dec 2012 #8

Depending on what they are printing, I assume you could change the composition of Cleita Dec 2012 #9

The technology here is nowhere near that point. surrealAmerican Dec 2012 #10

Baby steps. Baby steps. Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2012 #75

Not just plastics unc70 Dec 2012 #12

It can't be a replicator until it can make a cup of tea, Earl Grey, hot. progressoid Dec 2012 #36

He's got to feed the dog as well. n/t cloudbase Dec 2012 #4

The business opportunity here is HUGE! aristocles Dec 2012 #5

Awesome Smilo Dec 2012 #7

+1,000. Just blew me away here. This is great. freshwest Dec 2012 #30

what's really crazy is that our dept core facility manager printed one yesterday... mike_c Dec 2012 #11

How much "slop" is there in the original? Unhardened powder... TheMadMonk Dec 2012 #64

I don't know.... mike_c Dec 2012 #66

i want one for christmas! madrchsod Dec 2012 #13

Let me know when you can print guardian Dec 2012 #14

I don't know if the print heads can handle silicone.... we'll just have to wait and 2on2u Dec 2012 #16

LOL!!!! mfcorey1 Dec 2012 #38

Your post has been alerted upon because somebody thinks, apparently, that it's a violation. NYC_SKP Dec 2012 #18

But of course it's a violation, what else could it be? Damn killjoys. n/t 2on2u Dec 2012 #19

But..but...don't you understand?? PRINTING TEH CHIKZ R SEXXIST! AND STUFFS!!one!1!! Systematic Chaos Dec 2012 #29

Ooops..... lost in the thread, I thought the OP was alerted..... didn't make sense at the time 2on2u Dec 2012 #39

That old man is a "beefcake?" MADem Dec 2012 #40

In the words of Ron White ... Kennah Dec 2012 #37

it? seabeyond Dec 2012 #42

The subject of this thread is 3D printers. Would you call the output of a 3D printer "her"? Electric Monk Dec 2012 #46

would you fuck an "output"? nt seabeyond Dec 2012 #47

I didn't write post #37, but sex toys are quite common, and used by both sexes. nt Electric Monk Dec 2012 #48

you get minus "point" for that one. seabeyond Dec 2012 #49

I don't know what you're yammering about, but feel free to be offended. You always are. nt Electric Monk Dec 2012 #51

ah. well, i thought we were beyond knowing, shit, and i was teasing seabeyond Dec 2012 #55

Many men and women "fuck" the "output" of a manufacturing device. nt. NCTraveler Dec 2012 #62

It would be just my luck... jmowreader Dec 2012 #58

Hot dang. Agschmid Dec 2012 #15

The gears.... the freaking gears work, it just this side of magic. n/t 2on2u Dec 2012 #17

Someone above Agschmid Dec 2012 #21

Saw that, it gets washed out by some medium, forgot what it was but when I mention this to 2on2u Dec 2012 #22

I have a 3D printer at school, allow me to explain: NYC_SKP Dec 2012 #23

Thanks for the explanation! Agschmid Dec 2012 #24

Amazing wtmusic Dec 2012 #33

sweet!! trailmonkee Dec 2012 #44

One would think that with the 'doubling effect' of technology in the next 50 years Earth_First Dec 2012 #20

One would have thought that a hundred years ago too. In fact, a lot of people did. But the HiPointDem Dec 2012 #27

Only if it's distributed properly Scootaloo Dec 2012 #28

I'd like to know the carbon footprint of a process like this, closeupready Dec 2012 #25

I was wondering if the printed items were recyclable. chalky Dec 2012 #34

Different printers use different media, so it'd depend on that Posteritatis Dec 2012 #69

3D printers are amazing liberal N proud Dec 2012 #26

I belong to a Revolutionary War group, one of those would make .. Historic NY Dec 2012 #31

Will we eventually have a DMPA to complement the DMCA? drm604 Dec 2012 #32

I expect these to get pretty brutally regulated Posteritatis Dec 2012 #68

The guy explaining the process ... Tracer Dec 2012 #41

I too was boggled when I first saw the episode. Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2012 #74

But can the 3D Printer, Print a 3D Printer? trailmonkee Dec 2012 #43

Oh boy, another energy hogging, pollution spewing way to make plastic crap. MadHound Dec 2012 #50

Its appalling that as the earth dies, we get hard-ons for machines that hurry the process NoOneMan Dec 2012 #52

It might be the "next big thing," but most people will just end up having lots more plastic junk. reformist2 Dec 2012 #53

Incredible! SalviaBlue Dec 2012 #54

******3D Metal Printer******* will print metal instal of resin plastic. This is new ish uponit7771 Dec 2012 #56

It won't be long before we'll all have one. Remember these?... TeeYiYi Dec 2012 #59

''I can keep the tool?'' Octafish Dec 2012 #60

"I can haz tool?" lulz ...nt TeeYiYi Dec 2012 #61

And a thought. A foundry with one of these, could make... TheMadMonk Dec 2012 #65

We had one of these in for a demo curlyred Dec 2012 #67

Ones that print with ABS plastic aren't that expensive, I don't think greyl Dec 2012 #73

When I first saw this on This Old House (post #74) I thought how cool it would be... Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2012 #76

Entire rows of homes could be built this way. greyl Dec 2012 #78

Fuckers stole another one of my ideas! Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2012 #80

Pretty cool delta17 Dec 2012 #70

Welcome to DU and I hope you enjoy the site. hrmjustin Dec 2012 #71

Thanks! nt delta17 Dec 2012 #72

How about, jonthebru Dec 2012 #77

Wow! I've heard of these printers, but couldn't imagine what they were talking about. patrice Dec 2012 #79