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<blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 6224561" data-attributes="member: 8835">Now that I've actually seen a 3d printing presentation, the thread has resurfaced.Here's the skinny I got (and actually handled an object):The printer prices are about $1500many are made of wood or plastic-printed parts on purpose.&nbsp; the latter being so you can print replacement parts.You want 2 extruders, for the simple case of if one gets clogged/dies, you can keep printing with the other until you get a replacement.the plastic is pretty much the same thing as weed whacker string (and in fact some people use that).the plastic string is fed into the printer to the extruder (and extruder is the 3d printer equivalent of the print head).You want a warming plate for your object to sit on when printing (I forget the exact term, but it's an add-on part).&nbsp; This makes it stick better for the initial layer.the software to print is free (though there are some paid versions).a quick dunk in a chemical that I can't remember will smooth out the layer-lines, resulting in a smoother finish.3d printing of objects with arms and such must be done as separate parts, or you'll be doing &quot;air printing&quot; when the arm stub you started making at waste high sags off and the extruder doesn't know it so it keeps spitting plastic out in the middle of nowhere.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Janx, post: 6224561, member: 8835"] Now that I've actually seen a 3d printing presentation, the thread has resurfaced. Here's the skinny I got (and actually handled an object): The printer prices are about $1500 many are made of wood or plastic-printed parts on purpose. the latter being so you can print replacement parts. You want 2 extruders, for the simple case of if one gets clogged/dies, you can keep printing with the other until you get a replacement. the plastic is pretty much the same thing as weed whacker string (and in fact some people use that). the plastic string is fed into the printer to the extruder (and extruder is the 3d printer equivalent of the print head). You want a warming plate for your object to sit on when printing (I forget the exact term, but it's an add-on part). This makes it stick better for the initial layer. the software to print is free (though there are some paid versions). a quick dunk in a chemical that I can't remember will smooth out the layer-lines, resulting in a smoother finish. 3d printing of objects with arms and such must be done as separate parts, or you'll be doing "air printing" when the arm stub you started making at waste high sags off and the extruder doesn't know it so it keeps spitting plastic out in the middle of nowhere. [/QUOTE]

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