The first ever 3D printer to be sold on the UK high street hits shelves today!

[ojays]

I wonder how long before the price comes down to a level we can afford?

It's for sale at Maplins for £700 and the refills are £29-99p

When normal printers first came on the market, they were very expensive.

Now you can pick one up for less than £30.

This could change our hobby quite dramatically, and not necessarily for the better imho!

Gregg

[takeslousyphotos]

I wonder how long before the price comes down to a level we can afford?It's for sale at Maplins for £700 and the refills are £29-99p

When normal printers first came on the market, they were very expensive.

Now you can pick one up for less than £30.

This could change our hobby quite dramatically, and not necessarily for the better imho!

Gregg

..... Just think........... instead of spending hours building them we could just print them off.......... and if we could get a colour one we wouldn't have to do all that painting nonsense either. :fool:

Peter

[Ian M]

Fantastic. I cant see you doubts Gregg. How will it not contribute to our hobby. There are some very cleaver people out there that can do almost any thing on a computer with a CAD of 3D software package. I'm by far an expert but I know I am far better with a PC than I am with a lump of clay. And an engine is a lot easier to draw on a computer than to build out of evergreen. Well I think so.

I for one will look forward to the day they are everyday items.

Ian M

[Gern]

Wonder how long it will be before someone starts using one to make and sell aftermarket bits?

Gern

[ojays]

Fantastic. I cant see you doubts Gregg. How will it not contribute to our hobby. There are some very cleaver people out there that can do almost any thing on a computer with a CAD of 3D software package. I'm by far an expert but I know I am far better with a PC than I am with a lump of clay. And an engine is a lot easier to draw on a computer than to build out of evergreen. Well I think so.I for one will look forward to the day they are everyday items.

Ian M

My concern is that how many model manufacturers would go to the wall.

I for one am not very computer literate, an as I understand it, it will not be as simple to operate as normal printers. Some computer programming knowledge would be needed, so that leaves me out for sure!

'Video Killed The Radio Star' comes to mind!

Gregg

[Guest]

The costs, both purchase of the printer and wear and tear / repairables etc AND consumable would have to drop phenomenally in price before any of this is even considered a potential threat to styrene injected model kits.

The printer you reference, (I posted a link to recently), is a DIY self assembly unit and is only capable of printing very small items in plastic, some knowledge of 3D CAD rendering software is required and for complex stuff a quality CAD package costing additonal money will be needed.

A unit capable of printing 3D items at an industrial / marketing scale is still way beyond the price range of an average consumer, the info of this unit explains that it takes a considerable amount of time to print one item of a not too complex nature, the only way a consumer could utilise this to make a profit on aftermarket parts currently would be to design and manufacture one part, (which they'd need to test for fit / error etc then mould and cast it, even so, the profit margin would be very slim or the asking price far too high to sell anything.

Yes, ordinary printers can be had for as little as £30 nowadays, but check the price of printer ink! Theres no way, even with todays cheap printers and refill kits or refilled cartridges you could even match, let alone equal cost and production of a printing company.

I think it's a brilliant thing, friend of mine is an airbrush artist but likes to design, (motorbikes and vehicle related items), this is the kind of thing that would prove immensely useful for him to prove a CAD designed item e.g. before committing to having one cast in alloy or manufactured otherwise.

I think scratch / dio and modifying plastic kit builders would also benefit greatly from this by adding an extra dimension to their builds.

[Guest]

make your PE kits for models.Hmmmmm sounds very interesting

mobear

[Guest]

They already do Gern , I sometimes use Indycals in the US for aftermarket racecar decals , seems they have a few resin engine bits for conversions that were made up from a 3d printer .

Richy

[AlanG]

As said above it would be good for after market bits and bobs. I can think of a few conversion / items I'd like to make. But the price and knowledge of CAD is way beyond me