The awesomeness of 3D Printers (the nongun thread please)

I would totally have loved to have something like that available at a few points in my life to create prototypes of things!

It seemed like I was always needing a thing that "looked like this" and "worked like that". Luckily I knew a few McGyver types who could come up with something that worked but a 3D printer would have been brilliant.

I would be interested in one if it was very inexpensive. But probably for me it would probably always be a novelty item, not a necessity.

I keep threatening to make one. If only I had a device that could do it for me....

3D printers that can make more 3D printers is one step closer to the time when the robots take over and become our new overlords.

For me, the cost would probably have to come down around $200 before I would consider one. But I don't have a specific use for one. A prototyping business is probably already well within the necessary ROI for owning one (or many).

The speed for doing the printing might also have to improve before home consumers would want one. My Mom is a "Crafter", and I know she would love one of these things (far more than I would), but it's still not worth $1000 I don't think, even for her.

Home Versions: around $1000
Pro version MakerBot : $2189

Here are a few more videos with examples:






Download plans for stuff here: http://www.thingiverse.com

I want one that will make things out of cotton candy.

Doing "rough outs" of ones ideas from a sketch is what Id like to see. Doing the "rough out" of a duck decoy or an animal carving. Then hand doing the final artsy carving and finishing would stille be a sculpture.
Ive done plenty of sketching and then taking up and resizing on a computer and then shoot it on a canvas to do a final painting. 3D sounds like any other tool that assists the artist.
Ive seen 3D printings of scanned photos and they look kinda primitive. (Mays SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE was devoted to 3D printing in the arts).

They still cant "print" durable goods that require machining, (like really hot cams for race cars)

It still depends on the creativity of the craftsman. It doesn't "do it for you".

Beats the hell out of butt pictures from the Xerox.