General Discussion

wandy

(3,539 posts)

82. You may be closer to the truth than you think...

Thu May 9, 2013, 10:40 AM

May 2013

It may be a while before 3D printers are common in manufacturing but the spare parts market is fantastic. One of the things I did as a hobby and now do as part of a retirement business is refurbish vintage audio equipment.
You can replace transistors or as an occasional treat vacuum tubes, but it's that 'little plastic part' that you can't find for love no money that keeps the restore of an Mcintosh from being prefect.
Old car restoration has similar problems.
Think of how many things you have tossed because of some little plastic part.

Being able to repair things would damage the...
China -> Wallmart -> consumer -> trash bin profit chain.

This fascination with guns and 3D printers is almost as nuts as embracing polio and small pox because 'vaccines are bad'.

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This message was self-deleted by its author [View all] Junkdrawer May 2013 OP

They can't really be closely regulated Fumesucker May 2013 #1

They can and they will.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #3

A 3D printer is a lot easier to make than say a milling machine or a lathe Fumesucker May 2013 #10

I'd trust a plastic gun about as far as I could throw one. hobbit709 May 2013 #12

It threatens to be the next murder weapon of choice... Junkdrawer May 2013 #19

I'd give it a 50% chance of blowing up in your hand. hobbit709 May 2013 #21

I'm hearing that the latest versions fire 3-4 rounds very reliably. Junkdrawer May 2013 #22

Small caliber. hobbit709 May 2013 #24

I said: murder weapon of choice, not bear hunting weapon of choice. n/t Junkdrawer May 2013 #25

"bear hunting weapon" onpatrol98 May 2013 #90

I imagine you'd REALLY piss off a bear with a 22 short. n/t Junkdrawer May 2013 #92

FaceBomb! grahamhgreen May 2013 #94

RepRap Yo_Mama May 2013 #73

And that's why they were invented 100 years ago? WinkyDink May 2013 #30

I fail to see the point of your comment Fumesucker May 2013 #31

Yep. In the long run, they are accelerating the demise of their culture. onehandle May 2013 #2

If, they weren't such assholes and irresponsible, gun RKP5637 May 2013 #8

Amen. After Aurora, I found out that gunners are using rubber bands... Junkdrawer May 2013 #13

Or regulate rubber bands. Orrex May 2013 #15

lol eShirl May 2013 #18

no WAY! zerosumgame0005 May 2013 #84

Naa..., They'll regulate rubber bands first. RC May 2013 #85

Regulated how? eShirl May 2013 #4

Watch. Buying a 3D printer will be as "easy" as buying a Thompson machine gun... Junkdrawer May 2013 #6

In other words, you have no clue what you're talking about. eShirl May 2013 #7

In other words you can only respond with an insult... Junkdrawer May 2013 #9

How are regulations going to keep people from printing what they want on their printers? eShirl May 2013 #11

My point is that 3D PRINTERS will be regulated. n/t Junkdrawer May 2013 #14

I'm sorry, that's just delusional, IMO, to think that's going to work in the real world. eShirl May 2013 #16

You mean like Xerox copy machines were regulated? RC May 2013 #86

see post #65 n/t Junkdrawer May 2013 #87

They all faced enthusiastic attempts to outlaw them in a *much* less corporatized government. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #111

You know you can use a 3d printer to print the parts to build 3d printers? FSogol May 2013 #26

Almost like the inventors sensed that 3D printers will be regulated.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #27

Self replicating machines have been a "holy grail" of "inventors" for a long time Fumesucker May 2013 #28

What's the matter? Did I throw a turd into your "These printed guns are great!" punchbowl? Junkdrawer May 2013 #32

Ready, Fire, Aim Fumesucker May 2013 #34

So it's the 3D printing technology you are defending? Junkdrawer May 2013 #40

I'm not "defending" anything, I'm stating facts Fumesucker May 2013 #43

it's out, and it's been out for a while now eShirl May 2013 #97

I don't know about that. HappyMe May 2013 #35

Let's see how this plays out. Right now 3D printers are expensive and rare. Junkdrawer May 2013 #36

Okay then. HappyMe May 2013 #38

Five hundred Euros is "expensive"? Fumesucker May 2013 #41

Looks like we're at the same place personal computers were in, say, 1975.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #42

The type of people who tend to want to make things are just the ones who have those skills Fumesucker May 2013 #50

No so worried about "The type of people who tend to want to make things".... Junkdrawer May 2013 #56

It's going to be a vast market shortly Fumesucker May 2013 #63

It pays for itself after you've made a dozen guns. JVS May 2013 #52

Yes..... EXPENSIVE!!!!! rdharma May 2013 #93

Staples sells one for less than the cost of a gaming computer eShirl May 2013 #99

I'm hearing (see post just above yours) that the inexpensive ones won't do the job.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #100

So why are you lamenting what "could have been a great tool for garage inventors?" eShirl May 2013 #102

As the printers become more accuate and use better and better polymers.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #103

Uh oh, this is where the self-replicating robots begins! JVS May 2013 #37

Uh oh, this is where the self-replicating robots begins! FSogol May 2013 #39

Uh ohh tis i were thee sef--replicating replicating #syntax error^ *reboot* Uh oh... think May 2013 #45

Would have been funnier if Recursion had posted it.. Fumesucker May 2013 #51

nerd duzy n/t nebenaube May 2013 #57

I think he's out searching trees.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #83

^^this^^ Puzzledtraveller May 2013 #75

Society may indeed protect itself Orrex May 2013 #20

They still will be. RevStPatrick May 2013 #5

Thank you HappyMe May 2013 #17

Just like color laser printers are highly regulated, thanks to counterfeiters, right? *snort* n/t X_Digger May 2013 #23

Color laser printers aren't capable of making arms. *snort* n/t onehandle May 2013 #29

So, a case of 'special pleading', then. Gotcha. n/t X_Digger May 2013 #44

Imagine how this will play out in nations that DO closely regulate guns.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #46

Two points: Chan790 May 2013 #48

For your second point there's a one word answer, Craigslist Fumesucker May 2013 #58

They are. jeff47 May 2013 #65

Hey, you're suppose to pepper such responses with snark and insults.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #70

Yet you can still buy them and pay cash, or buy a used one. X_Digger May 2013 #118

Tracing from the manufacturer is one option. jeff47 May 2013 #119

Color laser printers don't stir up the Think Of The Children brigade. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #112

That's me alright. PROUD member of the Think Of The Children brigade.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #120

Today's dose of regulatory mania? dairydog91 May 2013 #33

Has anyone proposed restricting 3D printer sales, Nye Bevan May 2013 #47

Kinda...."California may outlaw 3-D printed guns" Junkdrawer May 2013 #49

I think that's because there isn't an actual problem yet. arcane1 May 2013 #104

I'm thinking there may be limits on the precision and polymers used.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #105

Every other 3D printing thread on DU has people fretting about that, so yes. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #110

How can we ban plastic guns / high capacity clips / full-auto conversion kits.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #121

I'm part of You Guys now? Interesting. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #124

If the technology gets cheap enough, you can't. dairydog91 May 2013 #125

I have a small machine shop in my garage ripcord May 2013 #53

As a kid I made zip guns out of pipe and car antennas. How long until they regulate FSogol May 2013 #61

The whole point of 3D printing is that it takes almost no skills to print a part... Junkdrawer May 2013 #62

Soon as I get my hands on one snooper2 May 2013 #69

Think the world is really ready for that? Junkdrawer May 2013 #78

no, but my garage is snooper2 May 2013 #79

On VICE they filmed some people in the Philippines killbotfactory May 2013 #54

Next up...... whistler162 May 2013 #55

Home improvement stores HappyMe May 2013 #64

It's my understanding it's not illegal to make your own gun for your own use krispos42 May 2013 #59

3D printing wants to be cheap and easily available. Junkdrawer May 2013 #88

Except that the mechanical equivalent is already readily available. krispos42 May 2013 #95

Do you really believe everything you have posted in this thread.. snooper2 May 2013 #60

It's just flamebait. HappyMe May 2013 #66

Seen this? Junkdrawer May 2013 #67

There's a lot of crap that should be HappyMe May 2013 #71

"Inventors got along without 3d printers before" Junkdrawer May 2013 #74

Yeah, and..? HappyMe May 2013 #81

Any state that outlaws 3D printers is going to have a huge competitive disadvantage Fumesucker May 2013 #77

How about the special polymers used in 3D printing.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #80

That might actually be a dumber proposal than outlawing the printers outright. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #114

That's a proposal to "ban guns made using 3-D printing", not the printers themselves. arcane1 May 2013 #106

Big difference between making the output illegal and the machine itself Spike89 May 2013 #108

This "3-D printers fear" could just be an attempted distraction from the Benghazi "cover up"! rdharma May 2013 #76

Junkdrawer, I want to let you in on something I think is true...though you may disagree. Poll_Blind May 2013 #68

I can see some truth in that. But I also see cheap, printable guns as a big POTENTIAL problem. Junkdrawer May 2013 #72

You may be closer to the truth than you think... wandy May 2013 #82

And it's that little plastic part that causes us to replace instead of repair, just how they like it arcane1 May 2013 #107

LOL rrneck May 2013 #89

So...I did a "3D printer gun" search using that Google box at the top of the page... Junkdrawer May 2013 #91

When 3D printers are outlawed, only guns will kill 3D printers. Marr May 2013 #96

I'm not worried. It's just Leland Yee grandstanding as usual. Throd May 2013 #98

So are lathes, drill presses and milling machines jberryhill May 2013 #101

It's a new technology and people love panicking over those Posteritatis May 2013 #113

Can I have an erlenmeyer flask please.... Pholus May 2013 #109

Learn something new every day.... Junkdrawer May 2013 #115

Yes. dairydog91 May 2013 #123

Hasn't the garage already been invented? Tommy_Carcetti May 2013 #116

Took 116 posts..... Junkdrawer May 2013 #117

jail all nerds dembotoz May 2013 #122

Jail the nerds, chemists, and metalworkers! dairydog91 May 2013 #126