Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thanks to Domani for cluing me in to the amazing possibilities of 3D printing.

I'd heard of the technology before but it hadn't twigged with me how useful it could be.

On another thread I recently posted a couple of designs for center drains in fish tanks. Those cobbled designs pale against the possibilities that are available with 3D printing.

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=22254&hilit=design

I've just learnt that you don't have to use plastic but metals are possible as well.

Metals are possible, but not in the home environment (yet), Stuart.

There is a Frenchman who is experimenting with TIG/MIG welding and a Delta type 3D setup. So far he did not really succeeded in building something out of metal. But his efforts are definitely promising for the near future.

Mind you, home 3D printing with metal opens up the possibility for individuals to make their own guns. This is something that I'm sure of governments don't like to see happening. It would take away their monopoly on violence, wouldn't it?

Thanks for setting up this 3D topic. I was thinking about it, but not sure to start it. Anyway, it is there and I hope it will be of great help to everyone on the forum and beyond.

Who will be the next one with a 3D printer?

Now that I have my mind open to the possibilities I probably need to calm down.

There are all sorts of theoretical refinements to nozzles, impellers, plumbing fittings and so much more that have been too expensive to implement due to the costs of traditional manufacturing methods. Now those doors are open.

As to making guns...

1. it has already been done albeit with a design that is not very safe.
2. you can make your own guns already with a decent metal mill/lathe. The skill set is a bit different though.

My CAD skills for 3d structural modeling and pipe networks are rather well developed.

Drawing an impeller would be another matter though.

It would be cool.

I could design and build an axial flow pump for BYAP systems.

Look here for something build with a 3D printer http://laserhacker.com/?p=415. An Atmospheric Electricity Collector that works and more. This http://www.thingiverse.com one is also a treasure island for ideas and solutions in 3D printing.

SU has a lot of plug ins available that can easily help you to draw impellers, propellers, coils, helix etc. etc. Got many of these tools that really help out to do things quick and good. Man, the web is so rich for who dares to look.

Got yourself a new hobby, I guess?

I would not trust a gun printed from a 3d printer. That sort of thing should be machined, I would worry about the pixels(I have no idea what they call each 3d dot that builds the shape are called so pixels is the best I could come up with) not holding together.

The kind of people who are going to be 3d printing guns are not the most sensible chaps or gals in the first place.

How expensive is this stuff?

Apparently one of the public libraries here has a 3d printer they let people use. You just have to supply the plastic rods.

You can already do 3D printing in metal, sort of...

You do the actual printing in wax instead of plastic, you can even just send your designs to a company who wil do this for you. Then you send the wax model to a foundry who will use the lost wax casting methods to produce metal parts.

This is already being done for jewellry.http://www.shapeways.com/model/593459/h ... terialId=4 etc.

Yeah, I think they call that method "Investment Moulding". But…that is not 3D printing in metal. It's just making a mould for the part you want and than have it made somewhere else.

Why not? What's the difference of having an idiot printing a gun and using it, or having a brain washed moron working for the government (military or police) following "orders" of idiots that direct them to use it? Follow the news and it's clear where the real danger comes from….not from the individual printing a plastic gun.

Well true to form a new thread is hijacked within the first page

Oh, common Stuart! You start about a certain kind of people printing guns, that's what you can expect as a reaction. It was not really of topic, related but not very relevant. So back to 3D business!

I read up on the printed guns. Long and the short of it, possible, but plastic isn't a great material to make a gun out of.

But back on topic, what's this axial flow pump, and why aren't they getting built already?