Is 3D printing for all generations?

[Tin Falcon]

An interesting question to ponder.
Ron Ginger is certainly one of our digital technology experts and one of the more senior members here. And I expect some of the other senior members embrace the digital age.
But what about the general public?

This U tube video explores the answers(s)


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4blAdS6r3Q[/ame]


as always your input and respectful perspective welcome.

The downside here is they really do not show the printer in action only the reactions of the test subjects.

Those of you that have met me know I am not a spring chicken and only months away from being able to order off the senior menu at Denny's And yes have my own 3d printer.

Tin

 

[tms6401]

Tin, I have been able to order off that menu for many yeas now. I don't own a 3d printer just yet, but I am looking at them. I do have all the parts on hand to do an Arduino dro, but just haven't started it yet.

From some of the younger folk I have talked to, us old pharts are ahead in some of the technology, perhaps just not cell phones.

Tom

 

[goldstar31]

Well, I am 85 and have been retired for the last 30 years. As our son says, I have been retired longer than I have worked.
As for 3D Printers, they are very like the CNC for the little home workshop characters. Bluntly- in need of a lot of work before they are thrust into ordinary humble hands to use.

My wife has all the degrees and post graduate degrees for her former profession and enough degrees and qualifications for her 'later' life and she doesn't know how to switch a laptop on- or write an e-mail! I know her sentiments extremely well because I have already tried CNC at the time when 'it was new' and I wasted more money than I could then reasonably afford. It didn't work and at the end of those days, it was wasting my talents- such as they were.

Forced with having to adopt mobile phones and tablets and such twaddle, I still am able to do without them- for most of my life.
I have a house- stuck on the end of a cliff on a remote Spanish island. It hasn't got a phone- hard wired or otherwise. It hasn't got a TV. Until recently, it hadn't mains drainage and relied on a gully man with a smelly tractor to suck out the 'night soil' from time to time. We have finally increased the wet string electric wiring to- something- a bit more substantial.

We CAN afford it. Very bluntly, those who are wasting what is a short and precious life on silly fripperies are part of the Brigade of Lemmings - who have lost their way.

My take- obviously. Here in Great Britain, we have two choices to idyllic Spain. We have a house, a view of the mountains that we used to climb and ski. There is a lake where- when we were young- sailed our little boat or paddled a kayak. It is next door to the Loch Ness monster- if you are not too sober from the malt whisky which is made there. The alternative is here. The Romans lived here, George Stephenson made his first steam locomotive - that you lot are copying a variant. Me, my workshop makes the silly simple things to repair the things that somebody has deliberately made to foul up- and replace.

The only thing that cannot be mended is Life- but whilst it is there- it is to be treated with reverence- and enjoyed.

Regards

Norman

 

[kvom]

I don't plan to use plastic parts in my projects, and unless I decide to take up some type of castings where 3D printing would be good for making molds I doubt I'll get a 3D printer anytime soon. That said, I have had a few test parts made at Shapeways in metal. Quite expensive, but would be an option for some parts that would be difficult to make from scratch.

 

[GailInNM]

I am an old coot having passed the three quarters of a century mark a while back. I do have, and use, a 3-D printer. Like KVOM, I don't use it directly for making model engine parts, but I do use it or a lot of miscellaneous functions. I am currently doing some modifications on my Bridgeport CNC milling machine. This morning I needed a hood for a connector to connect 48 volts DC to a high-speed engraving head that I am adding. While drinking my morning coffee I drew up what I wanted and then send it to the printer. Off to take a shower and by the time I came back the printer was just finishing the hood I needed. The hood is now installed on the cable and connector and I am ready to go.

Although I do not make engine parts directly, I do frequently print an engine part before machining it. this gives me something to hold in place to see if I have a "G that looks ugly" situation. On complex parts with lots of different setups it helps me to better visualize how I am going to machine the part. Because the resolution and accuracy of 3-D printing is far lower than machining, I sometimes print the parts at two or more times scale to help visualize them. 3-D printing is a slow process so on larger parts I tend to put them on just before bed and I had my part to look at the next morning.

They are also great for making custom toys for the grandkids who range from four years old to their early 20s.

Gail in NM

 

[abby]

The general public ?

 

[Tin Falcon]

General public definition : ordinary people in society, rather than people who are considered to be important or who belong to a particular group.

In this case the particular groups would be

educators, students or researchers involved in 3d printing.
Electromechanical Engineers that stay current with developing technologies.
Hobbyist researchers involved with 3d printing and model engineers.
or for that matter any other group involved with 3d printing.

It is my observation and opinion that the people selected for interviews in the posted short video are a small representation of the general public.

And of course by posting this I am interested in reactions and respectful opinions from members of this forum.
Tin

 

[idahoan]

I'm pretty much like Gail as far as the 3D printers are concerned. I have access to several at work which makes it nice.

We design and build a lot of parts on them at work but for home use it is pretty limited; at least for me. When designing a new part for an engine it is nice to be able to do a quick print of it to see how it looks and fits. I have also used SLA parts to make holding fixtures to machine castings that may have otherwise been difficult to hang on to. Check out my Pacific build thread to see how I used 3D printing to design some parts and fixtures.

Attached are a couple pictures of the encoder housings I made for my servo motors when I updated my CNC.

I guess if I didn't have access to the ones at work, I may be more interested but for now they fill my needs.

Dave

 

[Tin Falcon]

The 3d printer forum i am on someone posted this intro

Hi my name is Bob...... I'm from new Jersey.....I'm 70 years old.....I bought a Prusa i3 today....I can't wait to set it up....I have a background as a surveyor, draftsman and I'm familiar with cad and Sketch-Up....The reason I got a 3D printer is I'm tired of throwing away good things because of a simple plastic part.....I also make whirligigs and I need to make gears for them and they have to be customized

Tin

 

[Draw-Tech]

Hi all

I have had a Rostock Max2 now for about 6 mos. I have learned to scale the parts to actually print a ring with internal threads 2.5"-20, and external to match. One thing the (average person) thinks that they print the file and it's done. WRONG, time to get out the files,carving tools, sandpaper, and polish with Brasso. One thing different, I plan on printing my entire Harley Knucklehead on download site).
Here's a few prints, hot off the printer, and a few hours of cleanup. If tour looking foe a printer, you should look at the Rostock Max 2, Awesome printer and building this kit teaches a lot about how it works. All parts are precision cut, had no problems assembling.

 

[MRA]

I don't have a printer - but a guy at work (university engineering workshop) had someone draw him a plaque in (I think) solidworks for a mountain rescue centre he volunteers at. It was printed in plastic at work - I coated it in quite a lot of paint, and we sand-cast from it in Aluminium in my back yard foundry. So for pattern making, I can certainly see the attraction.

To stay on topic - I'm middle-aged, but these days a Luddite. I used to have to sit in front of a PC most days, and I'm enjoying not looking at one so much in this part of my life. I expect many older folks will have much more of a clue around this stuff than I do.