3D Printer...if only I had one for my ideas.
 

WOW...I want one of these. :D

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Top F1 teams are actually designing small parts at the factory (think brake ducts) and sending the file to the pits on race weekends where they'll print them out and use them.

This is amazing technology!

Very seriously considering buying a MakerBot and donating it to my kids school. SO cool.

Yep, great technology and created in the good old USA. Seemingly unlimited applications.

I'm about to pull the trigger on one as a Christmas present to myself.

Just can't decide on which one.

Ack!!! Don't say that! I was thinking the same thing. :D

Perhaps we can buy a 3d printer and print a bunch of 3d printers! :)

Take a look at DDD. Saw an article on it 4-5 years ago.

DDD - Stock Quote for 3D Systems Corp - DDD Stock price - real time stock quote for 3D Systems Corp

so how much is one of these? I would think the cost is way up there!

These are being marketed to the home owner now.

Cube 3D Printer | A home 3D printer to turn your ideas into real objects

so you could feed your Harbor Freight tools in there and get something worthwhile printed?

MakerBot makes them for $2000. Pretty well sorted product at this point.

Stuck with proprietary filament with the Cube.

Ughh. Makerbot pulled back from being an open source product, (after copying the open source development) which angered most of the 'community'. PLus you can buy better for alot less.

Made mine for about $600. Will post pics later, but tons of info here: http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page

And this is the 'pelican equivalent forum' for diy printing: RepRap Forums

Bough most of my parts & filament from these guys, they also sell complete kits: Home page

Another alternative:

Alibre Design - 3D Printer Overview

brilliant!!

This stuff is actually scary:
A 3d printer can print itself (actually this is how the new generations are built)
Upcoming 3d printers will print circuit boards and in the future could possibly be transistors,etc..

In my head this is like skynet..

Now, can I print money?? ;)

The important thing is, can you print yourself out of prison for counterfiting! :)

One of the big nationwide office chains or copy/document chains is going to start having them in stores, at least in Europe.

Also check to see if there is a local Maker Group in your area - or a TechShop is America's 1st Nationwide Open-Access Public Workshop -- What Do You Want To Make at TechShop? techshop

I don't have a printer, and will probably never have one, but I have owned the stock of DDD for a while.....it has a market cap of 2.5 Billion. It split about a year and a half ago and has allready gotten back to its pre-split price. There are a half dozen companies building these machines. The latest technology is using Blu Ray technology to dry the parts as they are made.

You will start seeing these showing up in the classroom as teaching aids in art classes, engineering classes, automotive classes etc. Very large scale machines have been around for a while, do some research.

I think that once these things hit the mainstream the "fever" will set in......kind of like computers. All the schools will have one.

Its a very cool tool when you think about it.