With 3d printers coming down in price, home and hobby use is becoming more and more practical. However, outside of a prototype environment, I'm struggling to see what an average person would actual do with one. I'd like to play with one buy building stupid little trinkets seems pointless. Anyone have one they actually use? Best thing I can personally think of is to use it to copy and replace broken parts of kids toys when possible. A CNC would be way more fun...
I made a couple brackets for my bike that are out of stock everywhere. I also made some small bushing for a screw driver stand I have and plan on making a steering stop for the bike. Could probably find other solutions for those problems but 3D printing was easy and cheap enough
We have a bunch cutting-edge 3d printers at work that I use all the time. The only personal stuff I’ve done on them is I brought my 10 y.o. son in once to design, model and print some fidget spinners. He thought that was pretty sweet. I have plenty of other ideas but you are really limited by the type of material your printer can do. Some of it isn’t very tough. Resolution on some isn’t super either. You also need a CAD program to model the parts.
I sometimes don’t use it for months at a time, but when that stupid bracket breaks that no one sells cuz everything is throwaway now, it comes in handy. I’ve made surrounds to hold my new dash in the mustang....printed cup holders, last thing I printed is a change holder for $2 coins for my f150. As far as “making money?” Good luck. Tons of kids out there pimping out their 3D printers while they live at home to be worthwile. Just enjoy it as a learning tool that impresses people.
Yep and it's a neat way to learn CAD (Fusion360 is free for home use). I've mostly been making holders and organizers for things. I keep a bunch of small rare earth magnets and make all sorts of holders for wrenches, sockets, t-handles, etc to attach to the side of my toolbox and motorcycle lift. My favorite one so far is super simple, it's just a little 2"x3" box with a magnet on the back that I have stuck to each side of my lift that I put all my cut safety wire into.
In for info. I look at little parts for reloading ammo and just little bits and pieces. All you have to do is peruse the websites with the 3d files to find plenty of stuff you can’t do without. https://m.all3dp.com/1/useful-cool-things-3d-print-ideas-3d-printer-projects-stuff/ Mainly interested in what is a decent 3d printer cost these days? Entry level, bang for the buck, and all out (for home use)..
Here is a good buying guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting...ice_megathread_what_to_buy_who_to_buy/eb1t285 I like browsing this sub reddit as people post their solutions to their everyday problems, gets you thinking. https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/
I can’t say enough good things about my second 3D printer. It’s a lot you assemble from folgertech. Called ft-5. Top notch quality, they are close to Boston so they ship stuff out quick and they respond to questions. $500 although they do 20% off regularly. Extruded alu frame,high quality parts. To put it in perspective. 2012 a home built printer made of allrod and 3D printer parts cost me more than that. Just do yourself a favor now and get a bigger print footprint printer now. The 100mm, 100mm build surface gets small quick.
