Originally Posted By NY_Shooter:

I'm way too stupid to fully wrap my head around 3D printers. So basically, I consider this some sort of magic or witchcraft.





Very cool. I have way too many questions to ask, but I should probably read up on 3D printers to get an idea of what exactly is going on.





I'm way too stupid to fully wrap my head around 3D printers. So basically, I consider this some sort of magic or witchcraft.Very cool. I have way too many questions to ask, but I should probably read up on 3D printers to get an idea of what exactly is going on.



I had to scan through a few articles this morning to get the gist of what they were capable of , for now at least . It was kinda similar to what I was thinking . The printers now look like they are limited to materials that are easily 'extruded' . I didnt actually see the printer running in any of the vids I watched , but I'm assuming it works like a precision . . . uh . . . caulk gun , I guess . . . squirting out the molten material , back-and-forth . . up-and-down, building up a programmed shape , kinda like decorating a cake with a CNC . . . . I think .



The sintered metal units will be great once they come down in price but it's going to be a while before most folks have them in their garages . Watching Jay Leno talk about them at the link posted ( in this or the other link-thread) , he makes it sound a little more useful than it is at this point . For decorative body parts like scoops and trim pieces , it's great and the parts made could be used as they came off the printer , however , the steam engine parts like he was playing with would only be useful as test-fit items and reference pieces . The scanned dimensions could be passed on to a machine shop to be milled and turned from steel , but an item made from the ABS or whatever, has no strength or heat/corrosion resistance . . . . for now .



The AR15 lower is kinda stretching it's limits , you'd not make an upper that could withstand the pressure , at least not yet Still , it's very cool and extremely promising with all the directions you could go .



As far as the manufacture of firearms goes , I dont think these machines will force any law changes , one way or the other . It's still just a matter of making something , whether it be a decorative widget for your daughter , or a suppressor baffle for your buddy in the militia . . . .somethings are GTG , and some are verboten .



Laws are laws , and they're already in place to say what you can and cant make , and what you can or can't do with it once it IS made . I dont think the ATF is going to care HOW you made the suppressor baffle , but the fact that you made it in the first place . Whether you hand carved it with a Dremel and file , spun it up on your bench-top Southbend , hammered it out from a store-bought washer , or spit out 400 an hour from your $400 antique screw machine or $400,000 CNC turning center . . . . the baffle is still illegal to own without jumping through the proper hoops . I had to scan through a few articles this morning to get the gist of what they were capable of , for now at least . It was kinda similar to what I was thinking . The printers now look like they are limited to materials that are easily 'extruded' . I didnt actually see the printer running in any of the vids I watched , but I'm assuming it works like a precision . . . uh . . . caulk gun , I guess . . . squirting out the molten material , back-and-forth . . up-and-down, building up a programmed shape , kinda like decorating a cake with a CNC . . . . I think .The sintered metal units will be great once they come down in price but it's going to be a while before most folks have them in their garages . Watching Jay Leno talk about them at the link posted ( in this or the other link-thread) , he makes it sound a little more useful than it is at this point . For decorative body parts like scoops and trim pieces , it's great and the parts made could be used as they came off the printer , however , the steam engine parts like he was playing with would only be useful as test-fit items and reference pieces . The scanned dimensions could be passed on to a machine shop to be milled and turned from steel , but an item made from the ABS or whatever, has no strength or heat/corrosion resistance . . . . for now .The AR15 lower is kinda stretching it's limits , you'd not make an upper that could withstand the pressure , at least not yetStill , it's very cool and extremely promising with all the directions you could go .As far as the manufacture of firearms goes , I dont think these machines will force any law changes , one way or the other . It's still just a matter of making something , whether it be a decorative widget for your daughter , or a suppressor baffle for your buddy in the militia . . . .somethings are GTG , and some are verboten .Laws are laws , and they're already in place to say what you can and cant make , and what you can or can't do with it once it IS made . I dont think the ATF is going to care HOW you made the suppressor baffle , but the fact that you made it in the first place . Whether you hand carved it with a Dremel and file , spun it up on your bench-top Southbend , hammered it out from a store-bought washer , or spit out 400 an hour from your $400 antique screw machine or $400,000 CNC turning center . . . . the baffle is still illegal to own without jumping through the proper hoops .