3d printers? Anyone have one?
 

I have a few items that I'd like to design and produce and I am considering getting a very basic 3d printer. Looking to do basic abs, and no complex designs. I only started to consider this as of today so I know there is a ton to research for me to do but I was wondering if anyone here has one and could pass along their experiences. For the first item I'd like to print, I've already bought a solid block of ABS and I will be carving/machining it to the design. Its small, like 1.5" x 1.5" x 1". If that design fits the idea I'm going with, then I'd buy a 3d printer to make more.

I'm also interested in buying one. Recently I added a few 3d printers to my saved list in my amazon account but never pulled the trigger.

I used the block of abs and a press mounted dremel and cheap compound table to mill out my design. Initial tests were positive so the need to make more was justified. Therefore, I finally broke down and bought one off amazon, a very basic one ($198 shipped after I saw they had a $20 off coupon), and a spool of black pla filament($21.00). The filament just arrived this morning, and the printer will be here by the end of the day. The other night I used freecad to draw up the item I want to print and it seems to look good. I then had to download a program called Cura, also free, to do all the magic converting stuff. Right now I have my object in the cura program and it shows how it will be printed in the 3d printed. Now once the printer arrives, I just need to assemble it and take it from there. Due to the nature of what I'm printing, just beginning the patent process, I won't be able to show finished photos. But ill be sure to show as much as I can as well as any other items I draw up or download and print.

Sounds like it's going well so far, not surprising for you.

I'm curious what you're making especially since filing a patent is really expensive

Still in the beginning stages and wifes good friend is a patent attorney. But as of now, I'm starting with a provisional patent and self filing. Starts around 900. Lawyer fees are what can get expensive. They also have lawyers who do pro bono depending on income( < 3X area poverty level)

cool stuff!

I spent some time repairing and upgrading a super cheap (<$150) Prusa i3 that my friend bought and never really finished years ago. After I got it working it was pretty much limited to constantly printing upgrades and repair parts for itself but with more time I'm sure it could have been decent. A little while after that we got a Lulzbot Taz 4 and that thing was fantastic right out of the box. PLA is definitely more forgiving than ABS.

Either way it's a fun hobby since so much is open source. I have some experience with Arduino, slic3r, etc. (a few years ago now though..) if you hit any snags