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Post by buckheart on Sept 9, 2012 11:26:14 GMT -5
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Post by maxcactus on Sept 9, 2012 12:12:41 GMT -5
Very interesting read. I've been following 3D printing for more than a dozen years now and it's really interesting to see what can be done and how. Still, I think the idea of making any complex machine that withstands large amounts of heat, wear, stress, pressure, etc, will be the realm of conventional machining and manufacturing for QUITE some time!
I think what this technology will be great for is inexpensive prototyping and pioneering of new designs. E.g. one of those ovate profile barrels in Bowen's book (ot the one piece barrel/ERH piece in his gallery). If a gunsmith had never made one before, he could use the software to manufacture a cheap demo model for proof of concept before committing to the tooling, etc. necessary to cut the same barrel from steel later, once the design proves feasible.
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Post by blacktailslayer on Sept 10, 2012 14:14:11 GMT -5
We use it quite regularly in the investment casting world. We make a plastic 3D (SLA) pattern of a part before we tool it to prototype the part. Neat tool for us to learn quite a lot about the part.
Making guns out of plastic is a little out-there due to the safty thing: instant grenade when fired. There is another similar process that is a little more recent development where a 3D model can be made in metal. Wait until the lib-tards hear about that!
Don D.
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dmize
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,825
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Post by dmize on Sept 12, 2012 12:26:18 GMT -5
First I saw of this was when Kenny Roberts started his own race team and was wanting to design his own engines. They "machined" all the parts to make a complete engine out of a plastic of some kind.
Since I saw the "make your own gun at home" story on Yahoo,I figured it was just another attempt to scare the hell out of non gun owners. Sorta like the plastic Glocks that would pass thru metal detectors stories that were so popular 25 years ago
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