List of Practical Consumer Based 3D Prints

[atoff]

[QUOTE=Bradley;9369]

I agree with you completely in terms of the 'average joe right now'.

Improved ease of use, material options, and material costs will obviously start to change that. But so will demand for complexity and customization. Consumers don't think in terms of personal products just like they don't think in terms of personalized medication. We compromise by purchasing cheap mass produced stuff. If people want to use 3D printers to replace coat hangers it's an easy calculation.

On the other hand, something that might turn that around is printing custom foot orthotics. Custom orthotics are extremely expensive. I think they run around $400/pair. If people start thinking in terms of customization then an $800 printer (RepRap) that can print one pair of orthotics in several hours starts to look practical. 3D printed orthotics can't happen now because we also need the scanner and the software. But it is an example of how demand for customization can make a 3D printer practical for average joes.

Definitely, things like this will be very possible soon... http://gizmodo.com/a-new-flexible-fi...ake-1541334417
But I can see it being even better. Perfectly custom fit shoes that actually wrap around and give support on an individual basis, clothing and jewelry that's user designed, watch bands (I have thin wrists, watches typically look foolish on me, but if they fit snugly and were as thin as I'd prefer...), belts... all things I can see being easy to print once quality, speed, and software improve. Future's bright! It's why I want to get into the 3D printing world while it's young. I don't actually have very good design skills, in fact, they're quite garbage, but I do have ideas I'd like to see come to light.

[Bradley]

[QUOTE=atoff;9387]

Definitely, things like this will be very possible soon... http://gizmodo.com/a-new-flexible-fi...ake-1541334417
But I can see it being even better. Perfectly custom fit shoes that actually wrap around and give support on an individual basis, clothing and jewelry that's user designed, watch bands (I have thin wrists, watches typically look foolish on me, but if they fit snugly and were as thin as I'd prefer...), belts... all things I can see being easy to print once quality, speed, and software improve. Future's bright! It's why I want to get into the 3D printing world while it's young. I don't actually have very good design skills, in fact, they're quite garbage, but I do have ideas I'd like to see come to light.

My design skills are terrible too. But your watch idea is an example of good application. And finding good applications is pretty key right now.

[LambdaFF]

Well, replacement stuff or parts of new stuff. My dad broke some things on his boat recently so I came up with those 2. Haven't printed them yet though.
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[VinsibleVince]

I think these bracelets are practical and cool.

[curious aardvark]

Useful and practical things I've used the printer for.

1) resized table cloth clips to fit our new balcony table. Total cost for 4 - £0.08 minimal cost and bugger all time invested as I resized them in makeware before printing.
2) printed out some resized 'bag' clips for a friend who wants to use them for clamping umbilical cords on newly born piglets. Cost for 8 - about £0.20. Resized in opesncad - didn't write the script.
3) new handle for my gtech electric sweeper. These break regularly due to built in obselescence. Okay I spent a few hours on the model and printed a few before I got the connector exactly right.
But even adding in the 4 failures it still cost me less than half the cost of a replacement handle in materials. And my design is a lot stronger than the original.
4) Took about 10 minutes to knock up the food saver discs to stop lemons, cucumbers, aubergines, courgettes etc drying out if you don't use the whole thing all at once. Cost - about 3 pence each. And available in any size I want.

Only had it a few weeks - but it's nothing if not a cheap and practical tool for replacing and manufacturing any number of unique and useful things.

I will agree that it's not practical for the average joe. But that's just down to the fact that it's not 'plug'n'play'

But for someone with imagination, it' an astonishingly practical machine.