So I bought a 3D printer...

primary reason why Zytel would be more desirable would be higher temperature resistance. Also a reason why it would be harder to print on a 3d printer.

Stevebot-7 said:
I'm very interested to see what you create with this.

Though, I kind of think that the material used will have a more significant effect than the printer itself, though there may be some correlation since I imagine the better materials might require a higher end printer to utilize.

Does anyone know if a Pmag equivalent polymer could be/is usable with a printer?
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My problem with this whole 3D printer craze is the people losing their poop over it have no idea how it works. A sub $5k printer WILL NOT print a functioning firearm.

With a Makerbot, I'd consider it a success if it didn't fall apart in your hands. I'd consider it a miracle if it was even remotely dimensionally accurate.
 
Armedsask said:
My problem with this whole 3D printer craze is the people losing their poop over it have no idea how it works. A sub $5k printer WILL NOT print a functioning firearm.

With a Makerbot, I'd consider it a success if it didn't fall apart in your hands. I'd consider it a miracle if it was even remotely dimensionally accurate.
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What printer would be sufficient to satisfy your dimensional accuracy?
 
Armedsask said:
My problem with this whole 3D printer craze is the people losing their poop over it have no idea how it works. A sub $5k printer WILL NOT print a functioning firearm.
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Yeah. It is still too expensive to be exciting. But prices are falling. We might have sub $5k printers that can do gun parts well within 5-10 years.
 
I'd have to check my drawing but I think the tightest tolerance is +-.001"

The trigger group holes have a basic dimension which is a therotical zero error.

To build to sufficient accuracy and with a durable enough material you are looking at over $15k. You are approaching decent CNC mill prices.
 
ABS is the material used to make airsoft guns. PLA has a even lower melting point.

I guess you can use the makerbot to make airsoft guns, but will use use airsoft parts in a firearm?

Price of printer will fall, but they are still using ABS or PLA.
 
Armedsask said:
My problem with this whole 3D printer craze is the people losing their poop over it have no idea how it works. A sub $5k printer WILL NOT print a functioning firearm.

With a Makerbot, I'd consider it a success if it didn't fall apart in your hands. I'd consider it a miracle if it was even remotely dimensionally accurate.
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Finally some Canadian common sense.. when I saw this thread I thought April 1st was already upon us...
 
Armedsask said:
My problem with this whole 3D printer craze is the people losing their poop over it have no idea how it works. A sub $5k printer WILL NOT print a functioning firearm.

With a Makerbot, I'd consider it a success if it didn't fall apart in your hands. I'd consider it a miracle if it was even remotely dimensionally accurate.
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RaTFiNk306 said:
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^ what he said.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...printed-semi-automatic-fires-over-600-rounds/

buddy who made the lower in question did it on a high end printer but says you can do it with a maker.

so, armedsask, how many 600+ round worthy ar lowers have u printed? why u gotta piss on stuff you obviously have little knowledge of? the info above has been out for weeks if not months.
 
Op please keep up the good work. nothing new is ever learned without triall and error. Its called WD40 because the first 39 attempts were not right. Anyone who ever perfected a new thing has a box or boxes of screwed up attempts.
 
sAdam said:
^ what he said.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...printed-semi-automatic-fires-over-600-rounds/

buddy who made the lower in question did it on a high end printer but says you can do it with a maker.

so, armedsask, how many 600+ round worthy ar lowers have u printed? why u gotta piss on stuff you obviously have little knowledge of? the info above has been out for weeks if not months.
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I've "printed" aluminum lowers of my own design. I've built functional firearms that would handle a #### pile more than 600 rounds. I'm in the manufacturing business, it's my job to know about this stuff. What manufacturing technique works and what doesn't, regardless if it's a firearms application. The home 3D printers WILL NOT print a long lasting gun. Full stop. It all comes down to the materials used. Can you print an gun with a Makerbot? Sure you can. Will it function? Yeah, maybe, for a couple shots. Then it will break, hopefully not catastrophically into your face.

The Makerbot uses unsupported, extruded molten plastic to print. By definition, it is very inaccurate and hard to print a dimensionally accurate model. You will have issues with overhangs flowing and moving after being deposited. As well, the material is very fragile. You could take your printer AR15 lower and crush it with your hands. It works good for stupid little home projects that don't need to be within a +-.005" tolerance. It's a toy.

I'm not pissing on anyone, I'm trying to knock some knowledge into you people before you blow something up in your face because you saw it on the internet. Just because the knowledge disagrees with you, doesn't make it wrong or "pissing" on anyone.
 
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Armedsask said:
I've "printed" aluminum lowers of my own design. I've built functional firearms that would handle a #### pile more than 600 rounds. I'm in the manufacturing business, it's my job to know about this stuff. What manufacturing technique works and what doesn't, regardless if it's a firearms application. The home 3D printers WILL NOT print a long lasting gun. Full stop. It all comes down to the materials used. Can you print an gun with a Makerbot? Sure you can. Will it function? Yeah, maybe, for a couple shots. Then it will break, hopefully not catastrophically.
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Based on your experience, I'd like to hear your predictions on how the 3D printing technology will change over the next 5-10 years.
 
dontshow said:
Based on your experience, I'd like to hear your predictions on how the 3D printing technology will change over the next 5-10 years.
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This is a common discussion among people in the manufacturing industry. Additive manufacturing is a very exciting field that gives a lot of people tech boners. Personally, I think additive manufacturing (3D printing) will do to manufacturing what CNC did. It will make previously impossible parts possible and cost effective to produce.

However, additive will never replace regular old machining, at least not for a long time. It will have it's place but you'll always have people cutting metal. Every manufacturing process has it's pros and cons. Right now 3D printing has a lot more cons than pros. Speed, material strength, cost, and size limits being the biggest. It only really useful for prototyping or small part, small number manufacturing.

In 5 to 10 years I can't even begin to imagine what the technology will do. The machines will get bigger and cheaper. Materials used will become more durable and versatile. I can foresee every shop having one right between the mill and lathe.
 
First of all thank you for all the responses, positive and negative, in this thread and by PM.
Secondly, I treat this as a learning opportunity, I'm a graduate student in structural engineering, dealing with structures made of composites. I will give it a shot and see what I can make, if it works that's great, if it doesn't, I will will find out why, I have full access to a material testing facility and know some of the best material scientists, who know way more than I do. I'm not promising any results, as I have a lot of other work on my plate, but what I can promise is exploration into this. I originally started this thread to see the legal issues, it will be sometime before I can manufacture things, as I'm flying back and forth between home and my research lab. I apologize if spoke to soon about this, and hopefully I don't keep people waiting too long.
Thirdly, I understand that the technology is in its infant stage, I bought a $3k printer to see what can be done. If I see that it is worthwhile pursuing I'll spend more, or wait till costs come down.
Again, thank you.
 
As much as i agree with you on some aspects it also shows me you never held a properly printed abs object in your hand. I have printed ar grips that you cannot crush or break with your hands. Its incredibly strong for its weight. The funny part is that 2d printers are now where cnc was 30 years ago. Funnier still is that naysayers like you were not listened and the tech thanfully marched on.

Again. Somethings i would not try on my printer other than for ####s and giggles. That doesnt mean i will sit here and redicule the technology. You habe mo idea how easy it is to print something out, try it, Tweak it in the sotware and print another one out. It takes the fear and trepidation out of experimenting.

Armedsask said:
I've "printed" aluminum lowers of my own design. I've built functional firearms that would handle a #### pile more than 600 rounds. I'm in the manufacturing business, it's my job to know about this stuff. What manufacturing technique works and what doesn't, regardless if it's a firearms application. The home 3D printers WILL NOT print a long lasting gun. Full stop. It all comes down to the materials used. Can you print an gun with a Makerbot? Sure you can. Will it function? Yeah, maybe, for a couple shots. Then it will break, hopefully not catastrophically into your face.

The Makerbot uses unsupported, extruded molten plastic to print. By definition, it is very inaccurate and hard to print a dimensionally accurate model. You will have issues with overhangs flowing and moving after being deposited. As well, the material is very fragile. You could take your printer AR15 lower and crush it with your hands. It works good for stupid little home projects that don't need to be within a +-.005" tolerance. It's a toy.

I'm not pissing on anyone, I'm trying to knock some knowledge into you people before you blow something up in your face because you saw it on the internet. Just because the knowledge disagrees with you, doesn't make it wrong or "pissing" on anyone.
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Red_Liner740 said:
As much as i agree with you on some aspects it also shows me you never held a properly printed abs object in your hand. I have printed ar grips that you cannot crush or break with your hands.
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I never said I had a lot of experience with 3D printed parts. I'm going off my limited exposure and the opinions of other people much smarter than me. What machine did you print an AR15 grip with? Was it a Makerbot? A solid plastic grip is a completely different animal than a mostly hollow, very thin bodied AR15 lower.

The funny part is that 2d printers are now where cnc was 30 years ago. Funnier still is that naysayers like you were not listened and the tech thanfully marched on.
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I'll assume you mean to say "3D printer". I'll chock it up as one of your many spelling and grammar mistakes, but I digress...

Naysayer? I do CNC for a living. I'm the guy saying manual machining is dead. I've never nay-sayed anything in this thread except the simple facts of material properties and machine accuracy in relation to the project at hand.

Somethings i would not try on my printer other than for ####s and giggles.
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An AR15 lower is one of those things. Go hard, print it, it won't turn out well.

That doesnt mean i will sit here and redicule the technology. You habe mo idea how easy it is to print something out, try it, Tweak it in the sotware and print another one out. It takes the fear and trepidation out of experimenting.
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Please point out where I ridiculed additive manufacturing technology.


If anyone on this board prints a reliable and functional AR15 lower on a Makerbot, I'll eat my hat.
 
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