Random Thought - 3D Printers

[hlblanton]

The little bits and bobs on older cars can cost a fortune.  Has anyone ever discussed creating a "parts on demand" businsess where you ask for a part, they borrow it from someone, scan it, and reproduce? It would only work for some parts of course, and would not meet Concourse standards. But I was quoted over $100 for a heater/blower knob (before I found it under the sea : ) and items like this could be reproduced for under twenty bucks.

Just wondering....

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Howard,

One of Jay Leno's clips showed just that using 3D printers to reproduce parts for older cars. The technology is here as we all know, just too expensive at the moment (like an IBM computer in the very beginning taking the space of a large building to operate it in). The iPad Pro I'm holding in my left hand here is more powerful then that first ever computer.

Yes it will all come to pass, in the future of course.

Dieter

[Bonnyboy]

Check your local community colleges and 3d printing places - some are offering classes and it was explained to me at a vintage motorcycle swap meet that the cost to enroll is about the cost it would be to get a part made from scratch,  but in the class you learn to do the drawing so that you can send that to an enthusiast across the world and he/she can make the same part cheap. 

 I haven't signed up yet but maybe if things slow down I may - just for the heck of it.   

[rutger kohler]

I had a similar thought the other day.  Secondhand plastic covers for the towers holding front suspension rubbers are always in short supply down here, they would be an ideal first example. 

I seem to remember some american tutor at a college offering to make something on this website.

 Further to the comments about having to make a 3D image in solidworks or something similar, there are now 3D camera setups that have a turntable attached. The part to be copied in put on the turntable and software rotates the table as the camera takes shots. This is translated into a software program that the 3D printer can work from.

[Peter van Es]

No need to invest: http://www.shapeways.com/how-shapeways-works

You can start today!