3D printer anyone?

[terry1001]

Just seen that Maplins are offering a 3D printer (in kit form) for £699 and a slightly more expensive ready built version http://www.maplin.co.uk/3d-printer

[andybig]

I like the idea of learning to program a 3D printer.
Give it a few more years to become more mainstream.
They are coming on in leaps and bounds now.

[rodp]

I keep trying to make myself think I need one for work so I can buy one. Trouble is, I don't need one and would never use it at work, I just want to play with one

[terry1001]

I keep trying to make myself think I need one for work so I can buy one. Trouble is, I don't need one and would never use it at work, I just want to play with one

NO, you really do need one, your life is just not complete without one, it's absolutely essential and if you don't get one soon you will be misearable for years to come - be sensible just go out and BUY.

[rodp]

I keep trying to make myself think I need one for work so I can buy one. Trouble is, I don't need one and would never use it at work, I just want to play with one

NO, you really do need one, your life is just not complete without one, it's absolutely essential and if you don't get one soon you will be misearable for years to come - be sensible just go out and BUY.

If you knew just how close I have been recently to buying one you'd be shocked

[paulham]

Has anyone tried to make some thing on a 3D designing program. I've tried and failed, the. Come back and tried again. I just can't do it. I think I need a course.

You would think that having a brother on a 3D game design university course would help... Nope, he won't help

[terry1001]

Has anyone tried to make some thing on a 3D designing program. I've tried and failed, the. Come back and tried again. I just can't do it. I think I need a course.

You would think that having a brother on a 3D game design university course would help... Nope, he won't help

It's been a while since I did any 3D modelling and it can be confusing, no I'll rephrase that - it is confusing and takes a while to get your head around editing solid articles on a computer screen. You just have to work up to the more complicated items, start by extruding simple 2D shapes and then develop into joining and subtracting one from another. It helps to have a half decent sketch on paper with dimensions and also to be able to visualise the way that more complex models are built up. As I understand it there are big libraries of 3D models available which should provide a starting point at least for most projects. No doubt there are helpful forums for 3D printing on line to help.

[rodp]

I've tried to look at these in a sensible way and come to the conclusion there's just nothing I need to make that's worth almost a grand I think that either I wouldn't get my head round learning the software or if I did I would print a couple of useless items then leave it untouched in a cupboard.

I haven't really got any use for one at all, can't think of one item I really need that can't be made some other way.