PRINTING (Not What You Think)!

[CQB Elite]

This sure is a geeky thread for a cranky old bunch of gun nuts :).

You guys lost me when ya'll started talking about rotating balsamic arbitrators and self regulating axis gobstoppers....

Guess I'll stick to the "which BB gun should I buy" and "are farts supposed to be lumpy" threads.

[Chucktshoes]

"are farts supposed to be lumpy" threads.

No, they are not.

[CQB Elite]

No, they are not.

The jury is still out on that one

[Chucktshoes]

No, they are not.

The jury is still out on that one

:lol:

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Been awhile since watching the video on the 3D scanned wrench, but IIRC the machine which printed the captive moving parts, solidifies each slice in a 3D tray filled with plastic powder, so perhaps the non-solidified powder surrounding the fused slices would hold everything in place until complete?

 

I'd just like to have a "pretty nice" cnc mill in the basement sometime. A cnc mill with a cnc rotary table could make about any kind of parts. I wouldn't be to lazy to assemble the parts afterwards. :)

[Dennis1209]

This is the first I've seen and heard of this technology, simply amazing!

 

Can you imagine the implications this technology will have when it improves and becomes more affordable? Need a new toaster, don't go to Wally World and buy one, print one.

[Superman]

http://defensedistributed.com/

 

Looks like these guys have made it past 6 rounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFhIxey5AXM&feature=player_embedded

[AdotOdot4]

Follow one of the development processes at http://defensedistributed.com/ and their blog at http://defdist.tumblr.com/

 

Looks like they are up to around 80 .223 rounds with the latest revisions. Kind of weird to see a clear(ish) plastic lower.

Edited December 31, 2012 by AdotOdot4

[JohnC]

I think I'm going to hold out until we can get mini CNC machines for $500-$1,000 to make out own stuff. :lol:

[2.ooohhh]

I think I'm going to hold out until we can get mini CNC machines for $500-$1,000 to make out own stuff. :lol:

 

Buy a 3d printer, use it to print the components to build a home grown CNC. ;)

 

http://www.makerbot.com/

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/29/how-to-build-your-own-cnc-machine-part-1/

 

 

It's more involved than a simple DIY but it's way easier these days than a few years ago. :)   Once you have a CNC and 3d Printer at your disposal finding items to make is the easy part, the files are all over the internet, Makerbot tried to ban guns from it's object library, and overnight all the weapons files were suddenly available to more people than they ever had been. Thingiverse required at least registering with a valid email, now I've seen files for printed AR parts on usenet and private torrent trackers, not to mention sites like defcad. . .

 

 

 

Once the files are out on the net there's no chance at really stopping the distribution.

Edited December 31, 2012 by 2.ooohhh

[DaveTN]

I think I'm going to hold out until we can get mini CNC machines for $500-$1,000 to make out own stuff. :lol:

You will still need about $10K (conservatively) in software to create a Model, program and post process.
There are some desktop CNC mills for under $5K that can machine wood and plastic, around $10K that can machine metal.

It never stops though…. You need a lathe, surface grinder, EDM… etc., etc., etc.

Oh yea, and if you don’t have them; you need machining skills.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

If I had cnc gear it is doubtful whether making guns would be high on the to-do list. But it sounds like more fun than you can hope to have with yer clothes on. If somebody wanted production-level speed and commercial low cost the money would be up there. Some finished parts from china such as weaver rails, come finished and anodized in a baggie in a printed cardboard box for not a lot more expensive than online metals charges for the raw stock. But for making a few parts for one's own use, the machine doesn't have to be super-fast to be useful.

 

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=1241045623

 

Little Machine Shop sells some kinda halfway affordable turn-key cnc mills. Well, as affordable as a motorcycle or small boat or a really nice geetar anyway. Maybe somebody else sells turn-key equivalent systems even better/cheaper, dunno.

 

I get the impression a 4 or 5 axis mill, cnc mill with cnc rotary table, would substitute for a mini-lathe, but wouldn't substitute for a monster lathe for big parts like making barrels out of steel bar or whatever.

 

There is a lot of open-source software and people can build cnc machines cheaper than turn-key, with sufficient sweat equity in learning and assembly. Twenty years ago had the tech and knowledge been at today's level I'd have been first in line to be wiring up homebrew boards between computers and stepper motors and worm drives, but nowadays that sounds like a whole lot of work. It would be better to spend time learning the machine and making parts, rather than spend a year or two building the machine.

[mikegideon]

You will still need about $10K (conservatively) in software to create a Model, program and post process.
There are some desktop CNC mills for under $5K that can machine wood and plastic, around $10K that can machine metal.

It never stops though…. You need a lathe, surface grinder, EDM… etc., etc., etc.

Oh yea, and if you don’t have them; you need machining skills.

 

Technology moves on, but some things never change. Tim Calhoun has a big CNC milling machine in his shop for making gun parts (it gave me a woodie). In order to make precision parts with automated gear, you need something big enough that it won't flex. You need high grade bearings and a very precise positioning system. Those things cost big money. Automation is a wonderful thing... it's just not everything.

[DaveTN]

Technology moves on, but some things never change. Tim Calhoun has a big CNC milling machine in his shop for making gun parts (it gave me a woodie). In order to make precision parts with automated gear, you need something big enough that it won't flex. You need high grade bearings and a very precise positioning system. Those things cost big money. Automation is a wonderful thing... it's just not everything.

We have five axis machining centers with up to 130” of travel, and one of the largest CMM’s in the MidState (120”). I think the only bigger one is at Nissan, but I’m not sure.

 

We mainly make structural components for aircraft and are currently working on a space vehicle.

Automation is as good as the people running it. CNC machines are capable of making scrap at an astounding rate if you don’t have good CAD Operators, CNC Programmers, Operators and QA Inspectors.