From: none@none.com99   
      
   I think I've been a victim of a constant pummeling of promotion,   
   ignorant people asking if I 3D print, an onslaught of influencers, and   
   being weak willed due to an oncoming sniffle.   
      
   I ordered a 3D printer over the weekend.  Now here is the deal.  I can't   
   think of a single think I "need" to print.  Well, there are a couple   
   things that I could print FOR the new printer when it arrives, but if I   
   never ordered it I wouldn't "need" to print those things.   
      
   I've done the math.  For 99.99% of the things I make its cheaper and   
   faster (time is money) to machine it from raw stock.   
      
   3D printing is slow.  Its not as good.  It still requires a CAD model to   
   start. There is one place where it may be a trade off.  Using a slicer   
   on a 3D model is semi automated, and it might be faster than doing CAM   
   for a 3 or 3+1 milling operation for some jobs... I think.   
      
   There is one area where it might have an edge.  Material price.  Hold   
   on.  Hold on.  I know PLA starts at around $6 per pound on average and   
   wrought aluminum at about $2-3, but the volumetric difference is huge,   
   and with good 3D prints there is much less waste & much greater volume   
   per weight depending on your machining strategy.   
      
   After I get things figured out I'll probably be using much more   
   expensive filaments.  ASA and carbon fiber reinforced  polymers among   
   them.  Maybe even some of the metalized filaments.   
      
   I have some logistical problems.   
      
   1.  I don't really know squat about the basic nuts and bolts of 3D   
   printing (filament printing).   
   2.  I don't have a good clean room (not lab clean room) I want to use   
   for printing.   
   3.  I don't know what I want to print.   
      
   I thought about mimicking some of the work by Print Shoot Repeat, but I   
   have already machined receivers from metal.  I'm not sure what would be   
   gained by making a weaker if lighter receiver, and of course it only   
   works for certain types of receivers where the force is mostly managed   
   and contained within the upper like a Glock, AR, SR40, etc.   
      
   I did have a customer once tell me to go pound sand once, because I   
   wouldn't add 3D test prints and multiple iterations to making his parts   
   for the same price as making his parts.  "Price sounds great.  Now do   
   all this extra work too and you got a deal."  Honestly I don't want that   
   customer anyway.  I don't mind doing more work, but I expect to get paid   
   for it.   
      
   Some of you guys must have gotten dragged kicking and screaming into the   
   3D print world.  Tell me what its better for than subtractive machining   
   other than a handful of parts that can't easily be machine.   
      
   I do see where injection molding is good for production parts, but   
   injection molding makes a stronger part in seconds per cycle.  3D   
   printing escapes me and yet I have fallen victim after a long time   
   struggling with finding significant advantages.   
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
      
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