Defense Distributed Shut Down by DOD

Here's the latest Megapack, again from Mega.co.nz.

https://mega.co.nz/#!hwcQEAaD!EjyazDCvPYSPMJB7qKh3eRaLr0o0lO4CkZ48hpxRW0I

I am in the process of downloading this now since, just like every other technological advance, 3-D printers will become economical.

How often have you heard "I remember when computers were the size of a jail cell and took 2 hours to process a simple equation..." or something to that nature.
1st - Wow...Kim really got it right with the new site. Script to handle the downloading and then "download" it from your local cache, and holty shit are those downloads fast.
2nd - Wow there's a lot of stuff there...
 
The obvious implication of plastic printable AR Lower schematics and printing of these components is that they may enable people to build fully automatic lowers VERY easily.
Not that it was hard to begin with, just saying.
defense_ar15_m16_parts_large.gif


Disclaimer: Putting full-auto parts in your weapon, even accidentally, is a FELONY. Don't do it.

As you were.

[coffee]
 
Last edited:
I think people might be forgetting that this guy is not the only person who can figure out how to program and make 3d printed mags, lowers and what not,

This is far from over
 
Please, folks - the Cube printer and its ilk will not work for this purpose. It's too small, doesn't shrink evenly, and will not produce strong parts. While it might be fine to be able to say you have one, do not try shooting one. In reality, the models Cody has created are engineered for the printer he used. This remains the reality of 3D printing, and will continue to do so for several years at least.

----------
Meanwhile, I really want to d/l and investigate his models this weekend, particularly for the mag and lower.
 
Please, folks - the Cube printer and its ilk will not work for this purpose. It's too small, doesn't shrink evenly, and will not produce strong parts. While it might be fine to be able to say you have one, do not try shooting one. In reality, the models Cody has created are engineered for the printer he used. This remains the reality of 3D printing, and will continue to do so for several years at least.

----------
Meanwhile, I really want to d/l and investigate his models this weekend, particularly for the mag and lower.

True, but trying things and pushing limits is how high tech evolves into cots toasters.

It's not SO long ago some of us were bragging about DSL and before that 56k modems and before that 1200baud.

2 to 5 years from now it WILL be that easy.


Sent from my chimney using smoke signals.
 
You are partly correct. I say this with as little ego as possible - I am mechanical engineer at a product development firm, and a member of my local hackerspace. I design consumer products every day, and know people that are working on 3D printers for the home. The mailing list for the commercial extrusion-type printer we use at my makerspace is continually riddled with "why is the printer down today?" We don't have a printer in my office because maintaining them is such a pain in the balls. Home users will not accept this. I can hardly design good products because I have to user-proof them so much.

Consumer printers like the Cube, Makerbot, etc. are perfectly suited for printing toys off Thingiverse, and little else. The market really just isn't there. This link is one of the best editorials I've seen for trying to explain why prices won't fall in the way that they did for desktop publishing:
A 3-D Printer For Every Home! (Yeah, Right) | Co.Design: business + innovation + design

Yes, I tried to cover this on the last thread. Prices will come down, you will know people that have them. You will know people that own them. You may even know people that decide the hobby is important enough to them that they'll buy a real one rather than investing in a Barrett or a motorcycle, either of which is less finicky, and requires less specialized training to own/operate/maintain.

What you will not find any time soon are $300 printers in your home that produce durable engineered parts. Not in 5 years, not likely in 10. Probably never because as was so well said in the article "WE JUST DON’T NEED THAT MUCH CRAP." The cost-benefit does not weigh in the favor of FDM in the home, let-alone the SLA/SLS and similar technologies that Cody's designs rely on.

While it is possible to make them at home, and in the case of popular revolution, possibly worth the risk, Your average home user won't be printing Liberators or lowers. Mags, I can see, and that's potentially a great use of the technology even now.

To the poster that compared Cody to Vince Foster, I'd be more worried that he ends up demonized like Aaron Swartz by the MSM, though the risk that the end result of suicide is the same. I really do hope that the EFF sees the parallels, and comes to his assistance. Unfortunately, these are often two very divided camps.
 
...

What you will not find any time soon are $300 printers in your home that produce durable engineered parts. Not in 5 years, not likely in 10. Probably never because as was so well said in the article "WE JUST DON’T NEED THAT MUCH CRAP." The cost-benefit does not weigh in the favor of FDM in the home, let-alone the SLA/SLS and similar technologies that Cody's designs rely on.
...

Sadly, "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Mesatchornug again."

This being said, I'd stay away from saying never, even qualified with probably. First, because it's amazing how much crap we need (and the more we can get, the more we cannot live without) AND because any cost benefit analysis inevitable relies of many assumptions that are bound to change in the future. Were we ever going to NEED multiple cars in every home when the first car prototypes were made? Hell, no. Did we think in 1926 that we will need a TV in every home? Telephones? Nah, telegraphs are good enough. Cell phones? Why, we already have telephones. And we could go on forever...

No problem with arguing that economically viable consumer 3D printing won't happen in 10 years... arguing it might never happen is simply wrong.
 
You are partly correct. I say this with as little ego as possible - I am mechanical engineer at a product development firm, and a member of my local hackerspace. I design consumer products every day, and know people that are working on 3D printers for the home. The mailing list for the commercial extrusion-type printer we use at my makerspace is continually riddled with "why is the printer down today?" We don't have a printer in my office because maintaining them is such a pain in the balls. Home users will not accept this. I can hardly design good products because I have to user-proof them so much.

Consumer printers like the Cube, Makerbot, etc. are perfectly suited for printing toys off Thingiverse, and little else. The market really just isn't there. This link is one of the best editorials I've seen for trying to explain why prices won't fall in the way that they did for desktop publishing:
A 3-D Printer For Every Home! (Yeah, Right) | Co.Design: business + innovation + design

Yes, I tried to cover this on the last thread. Prices will come down, you will know people that have them. You will know people that own them. You may even know people that decide the hobby is important enough to them that they'll buy a real one rather than investing in a Barrett or a motorcycle, either of which is less finicky, and requires less specialized training to own/operate/maintain.

What you will not find any time soon are $300 printers in your home that produce durable engineered parts. Not in 5 years, not likely in 10. Probably never because as was so well said in the article "WE JUST DON’T NEED THAT MUCH CRAP." The cost-benefit does not weigh in the favor of FDM in the home, let-alone the SLA/SLS and similar technologies that Cody's designs rely on.

While it is possible to make them at home, and in the case of popular revolution, possibly worth the risk, Your average home user won't be printing Liberators or lowers. Mags, I can see, and that's potentially a great use of the technology even now.

From another engineer who understands what you're saying, thank you for posting this. Ignorance makes people think lots of things, and this is just one of them. Just because computers became cheap and viable doesn't meant 3d printing will be. Think about it this way, bridgeports haven't become cheap enough that I have one in my garage, so why would 3d printing?

By the way, the cost of the material alone for a high end printer might end up costing more than just going out and buying a cheap pistol. And the cheap pistol will shoot more than a few times before blowing up.
 
I look back at the dawn of the automobile era. In 1913 if you wanted a horseless carriage . . .

1) It helped if you had a some extra cash laying around because it was a very expensive toy.

2) You'd BETTER be handy with tools because you'll spend as much time repairing and tuning it as you do driving it,

3) And THAT'S if you didn't build it yourself, in which case you'll spend MOST of your time repairing and tuning it.

Fast forward to the 20's and 30's, flivvers were somewhat practical but they were still more of a "see what I have" and you were probably sending the local mechanic's kid through college.

By the 40's and 50's anybody that needed a car had a car and even if they were still a little clunky and prone to breakdowns, they were practical, proven technology.

Today in 2013, try living anywhere outside of a big city and not have a car in the driveway. Go ahead. Try it.

Same thing will happen with 3d printing. Whether it takes 10 years, 50 or 100, this or a similar technology will have a place in the kitchen of every home.

Eventually.
 
From another engineer who understands what you're saying, thank you for posting this. Ignorance makes people think lots of things, and this is just one of them. Just because computers became cheap and viable doesn't meant 3d printing will be. Think about it this way, bridgeports haven't become cheap enough that I have one in my garage, so why would 3d printing?

By the way, the cost of the material alone for a high end printer might end up costing more than just going out and buying a cheap pistol. And the cheap pistol will shoot more than a few times before blowing up.

It isn't the gun market that will drive development of the 3D printer, but it will benefit from whatever the "killer app" is down the road. Only time will tell if such a killer app emerges, and if it does the economics of what you see today will no longer be relevant.
 
So let me get this right....

I can buy an 85% lower and build my own AR-15 in my garage that's good for a lifetime of shooting, but I cant print a plastic receiver that, in all honesty, probably won't last that long?

Intellectual property being seized by the government, and while we're all upset about it the majority of this country doesn't know, or give a shit. It just sucks.
 
So let me get this right....

I can buy an 85% lower and build my own AR-15 in my garage that's good for a lifetime of shooting, but I cant print a plastic receiver that, in all honesty, probably won't last that long?

Intellectual property being seized by the government, and while we're all upset about it the majority of this country doesn't know, or give a shit. It just sucks.

Yup, except you'll be getting an 80% lower to finish. You can also get an 80% pistol frame to complete and build up. If you don't live in a nanny state, you don't even register your firearms. Since you didn't go through a FFL, no one will know what you have. [smile]

A large part of the printed gun issue (as already pointed out) is the substrate needed to make it reliable enough. I really can't see it being within a lot of people's budget to get both the printer with the tolerances needed, and the media that will be able to withstand the use. There could be a way to make such a firearm, with additional metal parts, that would hold up to a better round count. But then you're getting more complicated, and the costs will be even higher.

Maybe, at some point in the future, it will be cost effective to do this. But, for now, you might be better off getting some 0%-80% lowers/frames and finishing them yourself.
 
Any recommendations for free software for viewing the files?

dis:STL Viewer | Free Graphics software downloads at SourceForge.net

hell, i think i still have some of the early receiver designs as well as the mags. i've been following this shit since the beginning.

i caled trijicon and asked for a manual for a reflex sight i have--i was told due to ITAR they can't just give it to me, i'd need to have the serial for the optic. can't send a PDF, can't send a little paper book. because ITAR. that's going to become my new saying...
 
Alright, which one of you was it?
BJ3oEpCCUAAS-lf.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom