Wilson asked when we spoke earlier in the week. “I’m interested to see what the potential for this tool really is. Can it print a gun?” It seems that it can.
Guns without serial numbers, undetectable by metal detectors, made in the privacy of your own home.
This is really just one example of how 3d-printing will change the world as we know it. Whole business models will go extinct.
Also, if you think the piracy-hunt and IP-protection madness is bad now, wait a few years until 3d-printers become more popular.
Last edited by Itse; 05-06-2013 at 02:19 AM.
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Could it be a game changer? Sure. Is it right now? I don't think so.
I've been checking out some of the information and it certainly is interesting to observe.
But right now making a firearm that essentially does the same thing (single shot) at home is pretty easy to do with a quick trip to Home Depot. There are a couple of videos on YouTube for those curious enough.
The problem is that they've been using plastics and the guns shatter after a very short period of use, and they still have metal parts. They still haven't found a way to compensate for a spring in modern designs or a firing pin or have a lower receiver that can take any consistent punishment.
Is it really as scary as everyone thinks? I don't really have the answer to that. There hasn't been anything stopping anyone from buying a CNC machine and creating their own arms - although it would take a fair bit more effort and skill.
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Aren't only receivers printable? I was under the impression that the really important parts (barrel, firing pin, etc) still had to be made of tempered steel.
The article is refferencing an entirely different type of firearm than this youtube vidoe. The ones with the AR, they are printing only the lower reciever. The link in the OP showed bascially what is a one shot pistol type firearm. This isn't really all that impressive, it just speeds up a process that has been around for a while. It reminds me of that movie that Clint Eastwood did where he was a SS agent and the bad guy made a 2 shot, one use pistol made of plastic that he could get through a metal detector to assasinate the president.
The article is refferencing an entirely different type of firearm than this youtube vidoe. The ones with the AR, they are printing only the lower reciever. The link in the OP showed bascially what is a one shot pistol type firearm. This isn't really all that impressive, it just speeds up a process that has been around for a while. It reminds me of that movie that Clint Eastwood did where he was a SS agent and the bad guy made a 2 shot, one use pistol made of plastic that he could get through a metal detector to assasinate the president.
I always thought that was weird, since the round casing would still be metal based.
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Unless I'm missing something you're still gonna need to purchase regular manufactured ammunition for these guns arean't you? If it gets to the point that home "manufacturing" of guns becomes quite viable I imagine the government/law enforcement would crack down on the ammunition sales.
Not saying this isn't cool/interesting, just don't see it as a fix all for setting up a militia in your home office.
I always thought that was weird, since the round casing would still be metal based.
He put the cartidges in a rabbits foot on his keychain which gets passed to the guard and retrieved on the other side. The plastic pistol was unloaded.
Any manner of toys out there. Model kits, basic kitchen utensils, sex toys. Basic tools.
plates and utensils
There is no way that mass production of something like Lego could be entirely replaced by 3d printers. It would be far more expensive, unless you wanted something custom, like a L shaped lego corner piece.
Model's might make sense, especially for replacement parts or one time things.
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There is no way that mass production of something like Lego could be entirely replaced by 3d printers. It would be far more expensive, unless you wanted something custom, like a L shaped lego corner piece.
Model's might make sense, especially for replacement parts or one time things.
considering that model pieces come on those tree like grid things you could easily print those and then snap the parts out.
You could probably do the same with lego.
Maybe the future is that you can buy downloadable print templates from the different companies that make these plastic components with a 1 print off expiry or something like that.
It would sure put the whammy on the manufacturing industry.
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Unless I'm missing something you're still gonna need to purchase regular manufactured ammunition for these guns arean't you? If it gets to the point that home "manufacturing" of guns becomes quite viable I imagine the government/law enforcement would crack down on the ammunition sales.
Not saying this isn't cool/interesting, just don't see it as a fix all for setting up a militia in your home office.
Actually I think the key would be in tightly controling the software and materials used in the printers. So many people out there have massive stockpiles of ammunition that it would be years and years before all of it was gone and controlled ammo was the only thing on the market. Even then, you can still reload spent brass a number of times before it's no longer useable.
Similar to how modern scanners likely won't scan currency, these printers would have to be hard coded to not print weapons. There are ways around that I'm sure but you would have to REALLY know what you are doing. Not many people would have the skills.
There are some business models that 3d printing will entirely replace within 10 years.
Replacements for plastic game pieces.
Custom made dildos shaped like your partner's wang.
ok, that's pretty much the only 2 I can think of right now.
The biggest examples will be parts businesses. A huge number of industries sell their initial goods at low prices and then make their profits selling refills/maintenance/parts etc to their installed base. Everything from Gilette's razor blades to Boeing's parts business. One that really gets my goat is elevators. I'm on a condo board where the current elevator has a cover over he hydraulic assembly. Our insurer won't cover the elevator without this, and the manufacturer no longer makes the part. So we have the choice of not having the coverage or paying 40,000+ for a new hydraulic assembly that comes with a cover. 40,000 because we're missing what is essentially a plastic bucket turned upside down. If I could get the plans for that piece and print it, I could install it myself, since it just screws on to the top. The elevator guys would be out their 40k.
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Talk About a Game Changer; 3d-printable Guns
